bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Woody Encroachment Affects Multiple Dimensions of Ant Diversity in a Neotropical Savanna
Authors: Neves Karen , Santos Bernardo , Schultz Ted , Gotzek Dietrich , Abreu Rodolfo C.R. , Durigan Giselda , Vasconcelos Heraldo L. 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Although savanna woody encroachment has become a global phenomenon, few studies have simultaneously evaluated its effects on multiple dimensions and levels of savanna biodiversity. We evaluated how the progressive increase in tree cover in a fire-suppressed savanna landscape affects the taxonomic, functional, and phylogenetic diversity of neotropical ant communities. We sampled ants along an extensive tree cover gradient, ranging from open savannas to forests established in former savanna areas due to fire suppression, and found that Leaf Area Index explained much of the observed variation in ant diversity at both the alpha and beta levels. However, ant responses to variation in tree cover were largely non-linear as differences in alpha diversity and in the dissimilarities of the sampled communities were often much more marked at the savanna/forest transition than at any other part of the gradient. The patterns of functional and phylogenetic diversity mirrored those of taxonomic diversity, notably at the beta level. At the alpha level, functional diversity tended to increase, whereas taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity decreased or was unrelated to tree cover. Our results indicate that savanna ant communities switch rapidly to an alternative state once savanna turns into forest. Ant communities in the newly formed forest areas lacked many of the species typical of the open habitats, suggesting that the maintenance of a fire suppression policy, is likely to result in a decrease in ant diversity and in the homogenization of the ant fauna at the landscape level.
Quantification of Optimal Target Reliability for Seismic Design: Methodology and Application to Midrise Steel Buildings
Authors: Habibi Kasra , Varzandeh S. Saeid Hosseini , Mahsuli Mojtaba 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Quantification of the optimal target reliability based on the minimum lifecycle cost is the goal standard for calibration of seismic design provisions, which is yet to be fully-materialized even in the leading codes. Deviation from the optimally-calibrated design standards is significantly more pronounced in countries whose regulations are adopted from the few leading codes with no recalibration. A major challenge in the quantification of optimal target reliability for such countries is the lack of risk models that are suited for the local construction industry and design practices. This paper addresses this challenge by presenting an optimal target reliability quantification framework that tailors the available risk models for the countries from which the codes are adopted to the local conditions of the countries adopting the codes. The proposed framework is showcased through the national building code of Iran, which is adopted from the codes of the United States, using a case study of three midrise residential steel building archetypes. The archetypes have various structural systems including intermediate moment-resisting frame (IMF) and special concentrically braced frame (SCBF). Each of these archetypes are designed to different levels of the base shear coefficient, each of which corresponds to a level of reliability. To compute the lifecycle cost, the initial construction cost of buildings is estimated. Next, robust nonlinear models of these structures are generated, using which the probability distribution of structural responses and the collapse fragility are assessed through incremental dynamic analyses. Thereafter, the buildings are subjected to a detailed seismic risk analysis. Subsequently, the lifecycle cost of the buildings is computed as the sum of the initial construction cost and the seismic losses. Finally, the optimal strength and the corresponding target reliability to be prescribed are quantified based on the notion of minimum lifecycle cost. The results reveal a 50-year optimal reliability index of 2.0 and 2.1 for IMF and SCBF buildings, respectively and an optimal collapse probability given the maximum considered earthquake of 16% for both systems. In the context on the case study of the national building code of Iran, the optimal design base shear for IMF buildings is 40% higher than the current prescribed value by the code, whereas that of SCBF buildings is currently at the optimal level.
Model-Based Cloud Service Deployment Optimisation Method For Minimisation of Application Service Operational Cost
Authors: Stupar Ivana , Huljenić Darko 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Many of the currently existing solutions for cloud cost optimisation are aimed at cloud infrastructure providers, and they often deal only with specific types of application services, leaving the providers of cloud applications without the suitable cost optimization solution, especially concerning the wide range of different application types. In this paper, we present an approach that aims to provide an optimisation solution for the providers of applications hosted in the cloud environments, applicable at the early phase of a cloud application lifecycle and for a wide range of application services. The focus of this research is development of the method for identifying optimised service deployment option in available cloud environments based on the model of the service and its context, with the aim of minimising the operational cost of the cloud service, while fulfilling the requirements defined by the service level agreement. A cloud application context metamodel is proposed that includes parameters related to both the application service and the cloud infrastructure relevant for the cost and quality of service. By using the proposed optimisation method, the knowledge is gained about the effects that the cloud application context parameters have on the service cost and quality of service, which is then used to determine the optimised service deployment option. The service models are validated using cloud application services deployed in laboratory conditions, and the optimisation method is validated using the simulations based on proposed cloud application context metamodel. The experimental results based on two cloud application services demonstrate the ability of the proposed approach to provide relevant information about the impact of cloud application context parameters on service cost and quality of service, and use this information in the optimisation aimed at reducing service operational cost while preserving the acceptable service quality level. The results indicate the applicability and relevance of the proposed approach for cloud applications in the early service lifecycle phase since application providers can gain useful insights regarding service deployment decision without acquiring extensive datasets for the analysis.
PMHE:A Wearable Medical Sensor Assisted Framework For Health Care Based On Blockchain And Privacy Computing
Authors: Zhao Jindong , Wang Wenshuo , Wang Dan , Mu Chunxiao 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Nowadays, smart medical cloud platforms have become a new direction in the industry. However, because the medical system involves personal physiological data, user privacy in data transmission and processing is also easy to leak in the smart medical cloud platform. This paper proposed a medical data privacy protection framework named PMHE based on blockchain and fully homomorphic encryption technology. The framework receives personal physiological data from wearable devices on the client side, and uses blockchain as data storage to ensure that the data cannot be tampered with or forged; Besides, it use fully homomorphic encryption method to design a disease prediction model, which was implemented using smart contracts. In PMHE, data is encoded and encrypted on the client side, and encrypted data is uploaded to the cloud platform via the public Internet, preventing privacy leakage caused by channel eavesdropping; Smart contracts run on the blockchain platform for disease prediction, and the operators participating in computing are encrypted user data too, so it avoids privacy and security issues caused by platform data leakage. The client-to-cloud interaction protocol is also designed to overcome the defect that fully homomorphic encryption only supports addition and multiplication by submitting tuples on the client side, to ensure that the prediction model can perform complex computing. In addition, the design of the smart contract is introduced in detail, and the performance of the system is analyzed. Finally, experiments are conducted to verify the operating effect of the system, ensuring that user privacy is not leaked without affecting the accuracy of the model, and realizing a smart medical cloud platform in which data can be used but cannot be borrowed.
Cytotoxic Effect of Disulfiram/Copper On Human Cervical Cancer Cell Lines and LGR5-Positive Cancer Stem-Like Cells
Authors: Cao Hao-Zhe , Zheng Peng-Sheng , Yang Wen-Ting 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Background: Tumor resistance is a global challenge for tumor treatment. Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are the main population of tumor cells for drug resistance. We have reported that high aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) activity represents a functional marker for cervical CSCs. Here we aim at disulfiram (DS), an ALDH inhibitor, that has the potential as a novel treatment to be used for cervical cancer.Methods: MTT assay, western blot, FCS analysis and sorting, vector construction and transfection, in vivo anti-tumor assays were performed using cervical cancer cell lines SiHa and HeLa. Cell cycle distribution and cell apoptosis were carried out by flow cytometry. The cytotoxicity of DS was detected by MTT assay and a xenograft cervical cancer model. Results: Disulfiram was cytotoxic to cervical cancer cell lines in a copper (Cu)-dependent manner. Disulfiram/copper (DS/Cu) complex induced deregulation of S-phase and inhibited the expression of stemness marker in cervical cancer cells. DS/Cu caused the death of LGR5-positive cervical cancer cells, a cancer stem-like cell population, which lead to cisplatin resistance in cervical cancer cells. Furthermore, DS/Cu complex had the greater antitumor efficacy on cervical cancer than cisplatin group in vitro and in vivo. Conclusion: Our findings indicate that the cytotoxicity of DS/Cu complex may be superior to cisplatin because of targeting LGR5-positive cervical cancer stem-like cells in cervical cancer. Thus, the DS/Cu complex may represent a potential therapeutic strategy for cervical cancer patients.
Does Manufacturing Agglomeration Promote Or Hinder Green Development Efficiency? Evidence From Yangtze River Economic Belt, China
Authors: Yuan Huaxi , Zou Longhui , Feng Yidai , Huang Lei 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Sustainable development can be mainly achieved by promoting the green transformation and development of the world economy and by improving the efficiency of regional green development, which often receive extensive attention from the academia. This paper uses a spatial econometric model to estimate the impact of manufacturing agglomeration on green development efficiency based on the panel data of China’s Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB). The results show an overall large gap of green development efficiency between regions in the Yangtze River Economic Zone, mostly due to the extremely uneven development of green development efficiency in the upper reaches. Opposite to the middle and lower reaches, manufacturing agglomeration in the upper reaches of the YREB improves green development efficiency. Manufacturing agglomeration is conducive to the improvement of green development efficiency in neighboring areas. Nonetheless, it may hinder green development efficiency by inhibiting green technological innovation. This paper provides empirical evidence and policy implications for applying manufacturing agglomeration to promote green development efficiency in accordance with local conditions.
Rcl1 Suppresses Tumor Progression of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: A Comprehensive Analysis of Bioinformatics and in Vitro Experiments
Authors: Yu Jiaze , Sinan Hou , Minjie Yang , Yongjie Zhou , Nan Du , Liangwen Wang , Wen Zhang , Jianjun Luo , Zhiping Yan 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Background

RNA 3’-terminal phosphate cyclase-like protein (Rcl1) is involved in pre-rRNA processing, but its implication in cancers remains unclear.
Methods

RCL1 expressions in 21 malignancies was examinated through GEPIA website portal. Clinical implication data related to RCL1 level in Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) samples were downloaded through TCGA, ICGC, GEO databases. Survival analysis and gene function enrichment analyses were performed through R software. The correlation between RCL1 expression and tumor immune infiltration was assessed via the TIMER2.0 database. The effects of Rcl1 overexpression or knockdown on cell growth and metastasis was evaluated by CCK8, transwell, and cell cycle assays.
Results

RCL1 expression is commonly down-regulated in HCC. The lower expression of RCL1 is associated with higher tumor stage, higher AFP level, vascular invasion, and poor prognosis. RCL1 expression has a significant correlation with immune cells infiltration in HCC, especially myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC). Moreover, it was further identified that Rcl1 expression was reduced in HCC cell lines and negatively correlated with invasion of HCC cell lines. Immunofluorescence (IF) analysis revealed that the level of Rcl1 expression in the cytoplasm of HCC cells is significantly lower than that in the cytoplasm of L-02 cell. Moreover, both gain- and loss-of-function studies demonstrated that Rcl1 inhibited the growth and metastasis of HCC cells and regulated cell cycle progression in vitro.
Conclusions

Rcl1 may serve as a novel tumor suppressor in HCC, and its biological effect needs further study.
How Do Environmental Subsidies Affect The Environmental Performance of Heavy Polluting Enterprises：Evidence From China
Authors: Liao Feimei , Ye Songqin 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Taking 257 heavily polluted A-share listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen from 2010 to 2017 as research samples, this paper investigates the impact effect and mechanism of environmental subsidies on enterprise environmental performance. The study found that environmental subsidies have a positive incentive effect on the environmental performance of heavy polluting enterprises, and its positive incentive effect mainly plays a role through three channels: promoting green technology innovation, increasing government environmental supervision and enhancing executives' environmental awareness. Further research shows that environmental subsidies have a more significant promoting effect on environmental performance in non-state-owned enterprises and enterprises with high degree of financing constraints and high level of risk taking. Based on the perspective of environmental benefits of micro enterprises, this paper not only provides direct evidence at the micro level for the implementation effect of government environmental subsidies, but also provides a reference basis for the government to improve the specific implementation path of environmental subsidies. At the same time, it also provides reference for the government to implement directional regulation and accurate implementation of policies according to the particularity of enterprises with different characteristics.
Phase II Study of Dichloroacetate (DCA) in Combination with Chemoradiotherapy for Unresected, Locally Advanced Head and Neck Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Powell Steven F , Mazurczak Miroslaw , Dib Elie G , Bleeker Jonathon S , Geeraerts Louis H , Tinguely Matthew , Lohr Michele M , McGraw Steven C , Jensen Ashley W , Ellison Christie A , Black Lora J , Puumala Susan E , Reed Valerie J , Miskimins W Keith , Lee John H , Spanos William C 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Background: Chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for locally-advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (LA-HSNCC) yields 5-year survival rates near 50% despite causing significant toxicity. Dichloroacetate (DCA), a pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase metabolic inhibitor, reduces tumor lactate production and has been used in cancer therapy previously. The safety of adding this agent to CRT is unknown. Methods: Our randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind phase II study added DCA to cisplatin-based CRT in patients with LA-HNSCC. The primary endpoint was safety by adverse events (AEs). Secondary endpoints compared efficacy via 3-month end-of-treatment response, 5-year progression-free and overall survival. Translational research evaluated pharmacodynamics of serum metabolite response. Results: 45 participants (21 DCA, 24 Placebo) were enrolled from May 2011-April 2014. Higher rates of all-grade drug related fevers (43% vs 8%, p = 0.01) and decreased platelet count (67% vs 33%, p = 0.02) were seen in DCA versus placebo. However, there were no significant differences in grade 3/4 AE rates. Treatment compliance to DCA/placebo, radiation therapy, and cisplatin showed no significant difference between groups. While end-of-treatment complete response rates were significantly higher in the DCA group compared to placebo (71.4% vs 37.5%, p = 0.0362), survival outcomes were not significantly different between groups. Treatment to baseline metabolites demonstrated a significant drop in pyruvate (0.47, p <0.005) and lactate (0.61, p <0.005) in the DCA group. Conclusions: Adding DCA to cisplatin-based CRT appears safe with no detrimental effect on survival and expected metabolite changes compared to placebo. This supports further investigation into combining metabolic agents to CRT.Trial registration number: NCT01386632, Date of Registration: July 1, 2011.
In Situ Growth of MnO2 on pDA-Templated Cotton Fabric for Degradation of Formaldehyde
Authors: Zhang Yali , Zhao Zhong , Li Daiqi , Cai Guangming , Tang Xiaoning , Li Wenbin , Cheng Deshan , Wang Xin 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
Degradation of formaldehyde (HCHO) in interior decoration has been an urgent issue due to its toxicity nature and potential threats to human health. In this work, manganese dioxide nanoparticles (MnO2 NPs) were in situ grown on the polydopamine (pDA)-templated cotton fabrics for environmentally friendly HCHO degradation applications. The morphology, elemental composition, and crystal structure of the cotton/pDA/MnO2 were characterized by scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray spectrum (SEM-EDX), Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. The degradation of HCHO by the as-developed cotton/pDA/MnO2 was measured in a self-made quartz reactor, and the stability of adsorption was evaluated by cyclic experiments. The results showed that the HCHO removal efficiency reached to 100% within 20 min after three cycles, suggesting that the as-prepared fabrics exhibited good stability for the degradation of HCHO. The development of MnO2 NPs coated fabrics provides new strategies in degradation HCHO in interior decoration.
Rapid Evidence Synthesis To Enable Innovation And Adoption in Health and Social Care
Authors: Norman Gill , Wilson Paul , Dumville Jo , Bower Peter , Cullum Nicky 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
BackgroundThe rapid identification and adoption of effective innovations in healthcare is a known challenge. The strongest evidence base for innovations can be provided by evidence synthesis, but this is frequently a lengthy process and even rapid versions of this can be time-consuming and complex. In the UK, the Accelerated Access Review and Academic Health Science Network (AHSN) have provided the impetus to develop a faster pathway for identification and adoption of high value innovations in the English NHS. MethodsThe Greater Manchester Applied Research Collaboration (ARC-GM) developed a framework for a rapid evidence synthesis (RES) process, which is highly integrated within the innovation pipeline of the Greater Manchester AHSN and the associated health care and research ecosystem. The RES uses evidence synthesis approaches and draws on the GRADE Evidence to Decision framework to provide rapid assessments of the existing evidence and its relevance for the decision-making process. We implemented this in a real-time context of decision-making around adoption of innovative health technologies.ResultsKey stakeholders in the Greater Manchester decision-making process for healthcare innovations have found that our approach is both timely and flexible, making it a useful input to considerations of innovation for adoption. The RES also identifies limitations of the evidence base for innovations subsequently adopted for roll-out, informing the evaluations planned subsequent to implementation. There is substantial interest from other ARCs and AHSNs in implementing a similar process.ConclusionsThe RES framework we have implemented aims to combine transparency and consistency with flexibility and rapidity, to maximise utility in a real-time decision-making context for healthcare innovations.
Effect of Physical Activity on the Development and the Resolution of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver in Relation to Body Mass Index
Authors: Choi Hyo-In , Lee Mi Yeon , Kim Hyunah , Oh Byeong Kil , Lee Seung Jae , Kang Jeong Gyu , Lee Sung Ho , Kim Byung Jin , Kim Bum Soo , Kang Jin Ho , Lee Jong-Young , Sung Ki-Chul 
Published: December 2021

Abstract
BACKGROUND
Data on whether physical activity (PA) levels are related to nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) when considering body mass index (BMI) are scarce. We assessed whether PA affects the development or resolution of NAFLD in conjunction with BMI changes.
METHODS
Overall, 130,144 participants who underwent health screening during 2011-2016 were enrolled. According to the PA level in the Korean version of the validated International PA Questionnaire Short Form, participants were classified into the inactive, active, and health-enhancing PA (HEPA) groups.
RESULTS
In participants with increased BMI, the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval after multivariable Cox hazard model for incident NAFLD was 0.97 (0.94-1.01) in the active group and 0.94 (0.89-0.99) in the HEPA group, whereas that for NAFLD resolution was 1.03 (0.92-1.16) and 1.04 (0.88-1.23) (reference: inactive group). With increased BMI, high PA affected only new incident NAFLD. PA enhancement or maintenance of sufficient PA prevented new incident NAFLD. In participants with decreased BMI, the HRs were 0.98 (0.90-1.07) and 0.88 (0.78-0.99) for incident NAFLD and 1.07 (0.98-1.17) and 1.33 (1.18-1.49) for NAFLD resolution in the active and HEPA groups, respectively. With decreased BMI, high PA reduced incident NAFLD and increased NAFLD resolution. Maintenance of sufficient PA led to a considerable resolution of NAFLD.
CONCLUSION
In this large longitudinal study, PA prevented incident NAFLD regardless of BMI changes. For NAFLD resolution, sufficient PA was essential along with BMI decrease. Maintaining sufficient PA or increasing the PA level is crucial for NAFLD prevention or resolution.