bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Improving the identification of haploid maize seeds using convolutional neural networks
Authors: Sabadin Felipe , Galli Giovanni , Borsato Ronaldo , Gevartosky Raysa , Campos Gabriela Romêro , Fritsche‐Neto Roberto 
Published: February 2021

AbstractA critical step toward the success of the doubled haploid (DH) technique is the haploid identification within induction crosses. The R1‐nj marker is the principal mechanism employed in this task enabling the selection of haploids at the seed stage. Although it seems easy to identify haploid seeds, this task is performed manually by visual classification, which becomes an inefficient process in terms of time and labor. Also, differential phenotypic expression of the R1‐nj marker results in high rates of false positives among haploid seeds. For the first time, an image‐based convolutional neural network (CNN) was trained to identify true positives among putative haploid seeds. The experiment was conducted using 3,000 maize (Zea mays L.) seeds from induction crosses classified as haploid (1,000), diploid (1,000), and inhibited (1,000) class. Images were taken from each seed, and then seeds were planted in the field to confirm their ploidy. For putative haploids (R1‐nj phenotype), the classification accuracy on average was 94.39%, 97.07% for the haploid class, and 91.71% for the diploid class. However, the CNN model was unable to distinguish true haploid seeds among the putative haploid class, which indicates that CNN did not recognize different patterns between them. Finally, we provided a highly accurate and trained CNN model to the scientific community to classify haploid maize seeds via R1‐nj, which can support maize breeders to optimize DH pipelines, mainly for small breeding programs with limited resources.
Microscale Ionic Diodes: An Overview
Authors: Riza Putra Budi , Tshwenya Luthando , Buckingham Mark A. , Chen Jingyuan , Jeremiah Aoki Koichi , Mathwig Klaus , Arotiba Omotayo A. , Thompson Abigail K. , Li Zhongkai , Marken Frank 
Published: February 2021

AbstractIonic rectifier membranes or devices generate uni‐directional ion transport to convert an alternating current (AC) ion current input into stored energy or direct current (DC) in the form of ion/salt gradients. Electrochemical experiments 80 years ago were conducted on biological membrane rectifier systems, but today a plethora of artificial ionic rectifier types has been developed and electroanalytical tools are employed to explore mechanisms and performance. This overview focuses on microscale ionic rectifiers with a comparison to nano‐ and macroscale ionic rectifiers. The potential is surveyed for applications in electrochemical analysis, desalination, energy harvesting, electrochemical synthesis, and in selective ion extraction.
Blockchain mechanism with Byzantine fault tolerance consensus for Internet of Drones services
Authors: Singh Jaya , Venkatesan S. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe increasing number of drones brings various issues like security risks, increasing air traffic, misuse or crash of drones, and so on. Blockchain can provide the solution to mitigate these problems of drones. Hence, in this article, we have presented the Blockchain of Drones (BCoD), a conceptual approach of collaboration between blockchain and IoD to make drones advantageous through blockchain properties. But the main challenge for adopting blockchain is scalability as consensus in blockchain relies on the message communications by replicated nodes to attain flexibility against faulty nodes. Considering this, we present an advanced byzantine fault tolerance (ABFT) consensus for drone‐based applications. This protocol provides scalability with minimum cost and resources for achieving general agreement. It uses only f + 1 resources in normal case and 2f + 1 resources in faulty case with O(n) communication complexity. The systematic analysis and evaluation show that the ABFT improves the performance of the system for a wide range of networks compared with existing BFT systems.
Limited knowledge and distrust are important social factors of out‐patient’ s ‘inappropriate diagnosed seeking behaviour’: a qualitative research in Shanghai
Authors: Ruan Yuhui , Zhuang Chenyang , Chen Weisin , Xie Jinyu , Zhao Yaodong , Zhang Lufa , Lin Hong 
Published: February 2021

AbstractAimsThis study is designed to present out‐patient's ‘inappropriate diagnosed seeking behaviour’ in tertiary hospitals and interpret its association with some potential social factors.MethodsA qualitative study based on grounded theory was designed in this paper. The participates were recruited by a two‐stage process. The field observation and in‐depth interview were adopted for data collection. Multi‐round (five rounds) sampling and continuing data analysis were adopted as well.ResultsTotally 26 out‐patients from three tertiary hospitals in Shanghai were involved. Four focused codes, including ‘limited policy‐related knowledge’, ‘limited health‐related knowledge’, ‘distrust on related policy’ and ‘distrust on medical networks’, were identified. Then, a theoretical model about the association of out‐patient's ‘limited knowledge’ with ‘distrust’ and its relationship with ‘inappropriate first‐diagnosed seeking behaviour’ in tertiary hospitals was developed.Conclusion‘Inappropriate first‐diagnosed seeking behaviour’ of the out‐patients in tertiary hospitals is closely associated with their limited knowledge and related distrust. Great effort on improving publics' knowledge and rebuilding a benign trust relationship with out‐patients and the medical networks is found to be essential for guiding publics' appropriate first‐diagnosed health behaviour in various levels of medical institutions.
Stabilizing instability‐suboptimality‐and‐chaos‐prone fluctuations at crisis junctures: Stochastic possibilities for crisis management
Authors: Kara Ahmet 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThere is a rich array of ways in which unstable, suboptimal and chaos‐prone fluctuations could appear at crisis junctures. The richness of the patterns associated with such fluctuations presents considerable challenges to the theory of crises as well as the policies targeting various tendencies induced by crises. Dealing with complexly interwoven unstable, suboptimal and potentially chaotic tendencies is not an easy task, which may require new combinations of methods analysing the causal connections and feedback relations embedded in the web of relations characterizing the crisis‐junctures. In this paper, we develop an illustrative dynamic model that takes into account such causally connected feedback relations so as to construct and simulate stochastic policy options, which can influence and help stabilize unstable, suboptimal and chaotic trajectories of exchange rates at financial crisis junctures. For reasons of convenience and practical relevance, we exemplified such policies using taxes. One of the constructed examples makes use a stochastic taxing policy to influence the coefficient of adjustment, which influences the amount of adjustments and hence fluctuations in the market. We incorporate a software‐based optimization setup into the simulation model to find the optimal values of the policy parameter to be used for the purpose of simulating the trajectories of the exchange rates. It turns out that the suggested policies could influence/reduce the fluctuations in the market and hence help stabilize unstable or chaotic exchange rate trajectories. The second example in the paper is concerned with an empirical case relating to a particular financial crisis juncture of Turkey during May–November 2018.
Prioritization of Osteoporosis‐Associated Genome‐wide Association Study (GWAS) Single‐Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) Using Epigenomics and Transcriptomics
Authors: Zhang Xiao , Deng Hong‐Wen , Shen Hui , Ehrlich Melanie 
Published: February 2021

ABSTRACTGenetic risk factors for osteoporosis, a prevalent disease associated with aging, have been examined in many genome‐wide association studies (GWASs). A major challenge is to prioritize transcription‐regulatory GWAS‐derived variants that are likely to be functional. Given the critical role of epigenetics in gene regulation, we have used an unusual epigenetics‐based and transcription‐based approach to identify some of the credible regulatory single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) relevant to osteoporosis from 38 reported bone mineral density (BMD) GWASs. Using Roadmap databases, we prioritized SNPs based upon their overlap with strong enhancer or promoter chromatin preferentially in osteoblasts relative to 12 heterologous cell culture types. We also required that these SNPs overlap open chromatin (Deoxyribonuclease I [DNaseI]‐hypersensitive sites) and DNA sequences predicted to bind to osteoblast‐relevant transcription factors in an allele‐specific manner. From >50,000 GWAS‐derived SNPs, we identified 14 novel and credible regulatory SNPs (Tier‐1 SNPs) for osteoporosis risk. Their associated genes, BICC1, LGR4, DAAM2, NPR3, or HMGA2, are involved in osteoblastogenesis or bone homeostasis and regulate cell signaling or enhancer function. Four of these genes are preferentially expressed in osteoblasts. BICC1, LGR4, and DAAM2 play important roles in canonical Wnt signaling, a pathway critical for bone formation and repair. The transcription factors predicted to bind to the Tier‐1 SNP‐containing DNA sequences also have bone‐related functions. We present evidence that some of the Tier‐1 SNPs exert their effects on BMD risk indirectly through little‐studied long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) genes, which may, in turn, control the nearby bone‐related protein‐encoding gene. Our study illustrates a method to identify novel BMD‐related causal regulatory SNPs for future study and to prioritize candidate regulatory GWAS‐derived SNPs, in general. © 2021 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Structural, ultrastructural, and functional aspects of the skin of the upper lip of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix)
Authors: Sayed Ramy K. A. , Abd‐El Aziz Nora A. , Ibrahim Ismail A. , Mokhtar Doaa M. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThis study was carried out to analyze the architecture of the skin of the upper lip region in silver carp fishes using light, scanning, and transmission electron microscopies. The skin was composed of epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis. The epidermis of the upper lip was characterized by the presence of large number of metachromatic mucous goblet cells, which showed positive reaction with Periodic Acid–Schiff (PAS), Alcian blue (AB), and toluidine blue. The electroreceptive lateral line system was organized into ampullary and tuberous organs. The scanning electron microscopy showed that the surface of the skin of upper lip was covered by microridges and characterized by the presence of taste buds and openings of lateral line system. As observed by transmission electron microscopy, the cytoplasm of the epidermal layers appeared electron‐dense except for the superficial layer, where the cytoplasm was electron‐lucent and contained many vacuoles and few profiles of rER. Moreover, the epidermis contained rodlet cells and stem cells. Few organelles were found within the cytoplasm of club cells. Neutrophils and eosinophilic granular cells were also demonstrated as important immune cells in the epidermis of the upper lip. Furthermore, lymphocytes and basophils could be identified with macrophage in the epidermal layer of the upper lip. Numerous telocytes were demonstrated between the collagen fibers of the dermis and bundles of myelinated nerve fibers. In conclusion, the skin of the upper lip region of silver carp displayed many sensory and immunological characteristic features.
Initial assessment in emergency departments by chief complaint and respiratory rate
Authors: Soeno Shoko , Hara Konan , Fujimori Ryo , Hashimoto Katsuhiko , Shirakawa Toru , Sonoo Tomohiro , Nakamura Kensuke , Goto Tadahiro 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBackgroundUnderstanding heterogeneity of the respiratory rate (RR) as a risk stratification marker across chief complaints is important to reduce misinterpretation of the risk posed by outcome events and to build accurate risk stratification tools. This study was conducted to investigate the associations between RR and clinical outcomes according to the five most frequent chief complaints in an emergency department (ED): fever, shortness of breath, altered mental status, chest pain, and abdominal pain.MethodsThis retrospective cohort study examined ED data of all adult patients who visited the ED of a tertiary medical center during April 2018‐September 2019. The primary exposure was RR at the ED visit. Outcome measures were hospitalization and mechanical ventilation use. We used restrictive cubic spline and logistic regression models to assess the association of interest.ResultsOf 16 956 eligible ED patients, 4926 (29%) required hospitalization; 448 (3%) required mechanical ventilation. Overall, U‐shaped associations were found between RR and the risk of hospitalization (eg, using RR = 16 as the reference, the odds ratio [OR] of RR = 32, 6.57 [95% CI 5.87‐7.37]) and between RR and the risk of mechanical ventilation. This U‐shaped association was driven by patients' association with altered mental status (eg, OR of RR = 12, 2.63 [95% CI 1.25‐5.53]). For patients who have fever or shortness of breath, the risk of hospitalization increased monotonously with increased RR.ConclusionsU‐shaped associations of RR with the risk of overall clinical outcomes were found. These associations varied across chief complaints.
Circulating miR‐181a and miR‐223 expression with the potential value of biomarkers for the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus and predicting lupus nephritis
Authors: Abdul‐Maksoud Rehab S. , Rashad Nearmeen M. , Elsayed Walid S. H. , Ali Manal A. , Kamal Nafesa M. , Zidan Haidy E. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBackgroundMicroRNAs (miRNAs) contribute to the development and progression of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) by affecting a wide range of targeted genes and facilitating the development of lupus nephritis (LN). The present study aimed to analyze the serum expression of miR‐181a and miR‐223 in SLE patients and to assess whether they could serve as novel biomarkers for SLE diagnosis and to distinguish LN.MethodsThe study included 70 control subjects and 116 patients with SLE (67 non‐LN and 49 LN groups). Circulating miR‐181a and miR‐223 expression levels were analyzed among the Egyptian population using a real‐time polymerase chain reaction.ResultsUp‐regulation of miR‐181a was detected among SLE patients compared to healthy controls and higher values were reported among the LN group compared to the non‐LN group. Down‐regulation of miR‐223 was reported among SLE patients compared to controls and lower values were reported among the LN group compared to the non‐LN group. The higher miR‐181a expression and the lower miR‐223 expression were associated with higher stages of LN. SLE disease activity index, proteinuria and serum creatinine were independently correlated with miR‐181a and miR‐223 among SLE patients by linear regression analysis. Receiver‐operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that combined miR‐181a and miR‐223 expression increased the sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of SLE and further distinguished LN from non‐LN patients.ConclusionsmiR‐181a and miR‐223 could play a role in evaluating SLE disease progression and prognosis. Combined miR‐181a and miR‐223 expression analysis could serve as novel serum‐based biomarkers in the diagnosis of SLE and predicting LN among Egyptians.
A new interpretation of nonpulmonary vein substrates of the left atrium in patients with atrial fibrillation
Authors: Rillo Mariano , Palamà Zefferino , Punzi Raffaele , Vitanza Salvatore , Aloisio Angelo , Polini Silvia , Tucci Antonella , Pollastrelli Annalisa , Zonno Francesco , Anastasia Antonio , Giannattasio Cesare Franco , My Luigi 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBackgroundSubstrate analysis of the left atrium in patients undergoing atrial fibrillation ablation has limitations when performed by means of simple bipolar acquisition.ObjectiveTo evaluate the incidence of low‐voltage zones (LVZs) through maps constructed by means of various catheters: multipolar (MC), omnipolar (OC), and circular catheters (CMCs) with the 3D electro‐anatomical systems (3d‐S) CARTO3 and EnSite Precision.MethodsTo assess LVZs, we acquired maps by means of CMC and MC in the voltage range 0.05‐0.5 mV in 70 consecutive patients in sinus rhythm. In the case of OC only, we made an intra‐patient comparison of bipolar maps constructed by means of the along and across, and HD‐Wave configurations of the EnSite 3d‐S in the ranges of 0.05‐0.5 and 0.5‐1.0 mV. On the basis of this comparison, we chose the range that best identified LVZs as a set of different colors (SDC) compatible with patchy fibrosis (qualitative analysis). Subsequently, we detected the voltage values corresponding to purple and gray points, close to SDC, and the value inside corresponding to blue, green, and red colors, and we evaluated the color change in other voltage ranges. Finally, we performed a quantitative analysis of LVZs by applying the qualitative characteristics described above.ResultsOn the basis of our settings, for OC, the optimal range identifying LVZs was 0.3‐0.6 mV. OC revealed smaller LVZs than MC (P < .05 or P < .001), except in the lateral wall. No significant differences were observed between CMCs.ConclusionsIn our experience, OC does not present the limits of bipolar HD maps, though further studies are needed in order to confirm that 0.3‐0.6 mV is the optimal voltage range within which to identify LVZs.
Evidence for centennial‐scale Lateglacial and early Holocene climatic complexity from Quoyloo Meadow, Orkney, Scotland
Authors: Timms Rhys G. O. , Abrook Ashley M. , Matthews Ian P. , Francis Christopher P. , Mroczkowska Agnieszka , Candy Ian , Brooks Stephen J. , Milner Alice M. , Palmer Adrian P. 
Published: February 2021

AbstractThe influence of the North Atlantic on the margins of Europe means the region is particularly sensitive to changes in the ocean–atmospheric system. During the Last Glacial–Interglacial Transition (16–8 cal ka bp) this system was repeatedly disrupted, leading to a series of abrupt and short‐lived shifts in climate. Despite much research, the number and magnitude of these ‘centennial‐scale’ events is not well understood. To address this, we expand upon investigations at Quoyloo Meadow, Orkney, Scotland, one of the best chronologically constrained palaeoclimate records in northern Britain. By coupling stable isotope and chironomid fossil analyses with existing data, this study identifies multiple phases of centennial‐scale disturbance at: c. 14.0, 11.1, 10.8, 10.5, 10.45 and 10.3 cal ka bp, with the events at 14.0 and 10.3 exhibiting a particularly pronounced cold‐climate signature. During the Holocene, the strongest response to climate forcing was at c. 10.3–10.0 cal ka bp, expressed as a two‐stage drop in mean July temperatures, a shift in pollen spectra indicative of ‘less‐stable’ climatic regimes, and a depletion in δ18O values. We interpret this as the first reliably dated incidence of the ‘10.3‐ka event’ in the British Isles and consider the wider impact of this climatic reversal in other Holocene records.
Whatʼs in this drink? Classification and adulterant detection in Irish Whiskey samples using near infrared spectroscopy combined with chemometrics
Authors: Power Aoife C , Jones John , NiNeil Caoimhe , Geoghegan Sive , Warren Susan , Currivan Sinead , Cozzolino Daniel 
Published: February 2021

AbstractBACKGROUNDNear‐infrared (NIR) spectroscopy coupled with principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares (PLS) regression was used to analyse a series of different Irish Whiskey samples in order to define their spectral profile and to assess the capability of the NIR method to identify samples based on their origin and storage (e.g. distiller, method of maturation). The ability of NIR spectroscopy to quantify the level of potential chemical adulterants was also investigated. Samples were spiked with 0.1%, 0.5%, 1.0%, 1.5% and 2.0% v/v of each adulterant (e.g. methanol, ethyl acetate, etc.) prior to NIR analysis.RESULTSThe results of this study demonstrated the capability of NIR spectroscopy combined with PLS regression to classify the whiskey samples and to determine the level of adulteration. Moreover, the potential of NIR coupled with chemometric analysis as a rapid, portable, and non‐destructive screening tool for quality control, traceability, and food/beverage adulteration for customs and other regulatory agencies, to mitigate beverage fraud was illustrated.CONCLUSIONGiven the non‐specificity of the NIR technique, these positive preliminary results indicated that this method of analysis has the potential to be applied to identify the level of adulteration in distilled spirits. The rapid nature of the technique and lack of consumables or sample preparation required allows for a far more time and cost‐effective analysis per sample. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.
The depletion of Circ‐PRKDC enhances autophagy and apoptosis in T‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia via microRNA‐653‐5p/Reelin mediation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway
Authors: Ling Zhang , Fang Zhi‐Gang , Wu Jie‐Yong , Liu Jia‐Jun 
Published: February 2021

AbstractA range of circular (Circ) RNAs have been demonstrated to be of therapeutic significance for the treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Here, we investigated the mechanisms underlying the action of Circ‐PRKDC and the microRNA‐653‐5p/Reelin (miR‐653‐5p/RELN) axis in T‐cell ALL (T‐ALL).Clinical specimens were obtained from patients with T‐ALL (n = 39) and healthy controls (n = 30). In each specimen, we determined the expression levels of Circ‐PRKDC, miR‐653‐5p, and RELN. Human T‐ALL cells (Jurkat) were transfected with Circ‐PRKDC‐ or miR‐653‐5p‐related sequences to investigate cell proliferation, apoptosis, and autophagy. We also determined the levels of Circ‐PRKDC, miR‐653‐5p, RELN, and signaling proteins related to phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K), AKT, and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR). Finally, we decoded the interactions between Circ‐PRKDC, miR‐653‐5p, and RELN. The expression levels of Circ‐PRKDC and RELN were upregulated in T‐ALL tissues and cells while the levels of miR‐653‐5p were downregulated. Thereafter, then silencing of Circ‐PRKDC, or the enforced expression of miR‐653‐5p, repressed the expression of RELN and the activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, thus enhancing cell autophagy and apoptosis, and disrupting cell proliferation. Circ‐PRKDC acted a sponge for miR‐653‐5p while miR‐653‐5p targeted RELN. The knockdown of miR‐653‐5p abrogated the silencing of Circ‐PRKDC‐induced effects in T‐ALL cells. The depletion of Circ‐PRKDC elevated miR‐653‐5p to silence RELN‐mediated PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling activation, thereby enhancing autophagy and apoptosis in T‐ALL cells.