bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Myricetin suppresses breast cancer metastasis through down‐regulating the activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐2/9
Authors: Ci Yingqian , Zhang Yubo , Liu Yanjie , Lu Shuai , Cao Jianhua , Li Huajun , Zhang Jing , Huang Zongyu , Zhu Xudong , Gao Jin , Han Mei 
Published: March 2018

Tumour metastasis is the major cause of breast cancer mortality. Myricetin, a natural polyphenol, is found in teas, wines, and berries. The pharmacodynamic action and molecular mechanism of myricetin on breast cancer metastasis remain unknown. Here, we investigated the effect of myricetin on MDA‐Mb‐231Br cell viability, migration, invasion, and 4T1 mouse lung metastasis mouse models. MMP‐2/9 protein expression and ST6GALNAC5 expression were analysed using western blot assays and quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction, respectively. Cell migration and invasion were detected by wound‐healing and Boyden transwell assays. The antimetastatic effect in vivo was evaluated by lung metastasis model. Myricetin significantly decreased the activities of MMP‐2/9 and mRNA levels of ST6GALNAC5. In addition, the migration, invasion, and adhesion were effectively inhibited in a concentration‐dependent manner. On the other hand, mice treated with myricetin exhibited smaller tumour nodules compared with the vehicle mice, with only 17.78 ± 15.41% after treatment with 50 mg/kg myricetin. In conclusion, myricetin could significantly block invasion of MDA‐Mb‐231Br cells through suppressing the protein expression of MMP‐2/9 and the expression of ST6GALNAC5, as well as lung metastasis in a mouse model, which suggests that myricetin should be developed as a potential therapeutic candidate for breast cancer.
Robust parameter design optimization for type‐Iright censored data
Authors: Khamkanya Anintaya , Cho Byung Rae , Isik Tugce 
Published: March 2018

AbstractRobust parameter design (RPD) aims to build product quality in the early design phase of product development by optimizing operating conditions of process parameters. A vast majority of the current RPD studies are based on an uncensored random sample from a process distribution. In reality, censoring schemes are widely implemented in lifetime testing, survival analysis, and reliability studies in which the value of a measurement is only partially known. However, there has been little work on the development of RPD when censored data are under study. To fill in the research gaps given practical needs, this paper proposes response surface–based RPD models that focus on survival times and hazard rate. Primary tools used in this paper include the Kaplan‐Meier estimator, Greenwood's formula, the Cox proportional hazards regression method, and a nonlinear programming method. The experimental modeling and optimization procedures are demonstrated through a numerical example. Various response surface–based RPD optimization models are proposed, and their RPD solutions are compared.
Fine speciation of active sites in zeolites by a CO probe: Dynamics and IR frequencies
Authors: Rejmak Paweł , Datka Jerzy , Broclawik Ewa 
Published: March 2018

AbstractThe influence of system dynamics onto infrared spectra calculated and measured for probe molecules weakly interacting with active sites is discussed. OH stretching frequencies for Brønsted sites in Y zeolite and their shift on CO adsorption (measured by IR spectroscopy at ca. 170 K) are simulated from AIMD trajectory, based on BO DFT calculations. We present here very good agreement between experimental and computed OH frequency red‐shift on CO adsorption in dealuminated zeolite Y. It is shown that extracting nonharmonic OH frequencies from ab initio molecular dynamics trajectory provides better estimate of experimental IR results than standard vibrational analyses due to realistic computational model and better correspondence with experimental conditions.
Influence of the protein and DFT method on the broken‐symmetry and spin states in nitrogenase
Authors: Cao Lili , Ryde Ulf 
Published: March 2018

AbstractThe enzyme nitrogenase contains a complicated MoFe7CS9 cofactor with 35 possible broken‐symmetry (BS) states. We have studied how the energies of these states depend on the geometry, the surrounding protein, the DFT functional and the basis set, studying the resting state, a one‐electron reduced state and a protonated state. We find that the effect of the basis set is small, up to 11 kJ/mol. Likewise, the effect of the surrounding protein is restricted, up to 10 and 7 kJ/mol for the electrostatic and van der Waals energy terms. Single‐point energies calculated on a single geometry give a good correlation (R2 = 0.92‐0.98) to energies calculated after geometry optimization, but some BS states may be disfavored by up to 37 kJ/mol. A change from the pure TPSS functional to the hybrid B3LYP functional may change the relative energies by up to 58 kJ/mol and the correlation between the two results is only 0.57‐0.72. Both functionals agree that BS7 is the most stable BS state and that the ground spin state is the quartet for the resting state and the quintet for the reduced state. With the TPSS functional, the BS6 state is the second most stable state, always at least 21 kJ/mol less stable than the BS7 state. However, with the B3LYP functional, BS10 is the second most stable state and for the protonated state it comes close in energy. Based on these results, we suggest a procedure how to consider the 35 BS states in future investigations of the nitrogenase reaction mechanism.
The negative differential resistance mechanism of a molecular device based on double‐cage fluorinated fullerene C20F18(NH)2C20F18: A theoretical study
Authors: Bian Jiang‐yu , Zhang Yang , Chang Ying‐fei 
Published: March 2018

AbstractThe electronic transport properties of the molecular device based on double‐cage fluorinated fullerene C20F18(NH)2C20F18 were studied theoretically. The results show that the device exhibits two negative differential resistance (NDR) peaks in its I‐V curve. The NDR peak under low bias voltage originates from the bias‐induced alignment of the molecular orbitals, and the conduction channel being suppressed at a certain bias voltage is the main reason for the NDR peak under a relatively high bias voltage.
Vegetation community response to hydrologic and geomorphic changes following dam removal
Authors: Lisius G. L. , Snyder N. P. , Collins M. J. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractDam removal can restore fish passage, natural flow regimes, sediment transport in streams, dispersal of organic matter, and drift of aquatic insects. However, dam removal also impacts the riparian vegetation, with both immediate and delayed responses. In this study, we measure vegetation change at the Merrimack Village Dam site on the Souhegan River in Merrimack, NH, USA. The August 2008 removal caused a ~3‐m drop in water level and rapid erosion of impounded sediment, with ~50% removed in the first 3 months. Terrace, floodplain, and wetland communities were surveyed in summer 2007, 2009, 2014, and 2015. Temporal change was quantified using Analysis of Similarity on the Bray–Curtis dissimilarity matrix. Only herbaceous vegetation closest to the river channel and in the off‐channel wetland changed significantly. The herbaceous plots directly adjacent to the impoundment eroded to bare sand in 2009, but by 2014, the original riparian fringe community had re‐established in the newly developed floodplain. Between 2007 and 2014, the off‐channel wetland area changed from aquatic species to a stable terrestrial community that persisted without significant change in 2015. The vegetation response was greatest in areas with the largest geomorphic and hydrologic change. These included the channel margin where erosion and bank slumping created an unstable scarp. The mid‐channel island and off‐channel wetland were strongly affected by the lowered water table. However, large unvegetated areas never persisted nor did the areal coverage of invasive species expand, which are two frequent concerns of dam removal stakeholders.
Global climate change in U.S. high school curricula: Portrayals of the causes, consequences, and potential responses
Authors: Meehan Casey R. , Levy Brett L. M. , Collet‐Gildard Lauren 
Published: March 2018

AbstractBroad misconceptions about global climate change (GCC) could hinder efforts to address this large‐scale problem, and curricular materials can play a substantial role in what students learn about GCC. This study examines how U.S. high school textbooks and supplemental curricular materials published between 2007 and 2012 portray the causes, consequences, and potential responses to GCC. Our data included text segments related to these topics in five science textbooks, four social studies textbooks, and eight sets of GCC supplemental materials. To analyze these text segments, we conducted several rounds of coding, first categorizing curricula by their acceptance of the human causes of GCC and then coding relevant text segments on several dimensions related to the consequences of and potential responses to GCC. Findings indicate that (1) about half the curricula portray human activity as a major cause of current climate change, (2) most curricula include information about climatic changes but few details about potentially proximal, near‐term impacts of GCC, and (3) most curricula offer a narrow set of strategies for responding to GCC. These findings suggest that educators should critically examine curricular materials they use to teach about GCC and that scholars should continually examine how GCC is portrayed to youth.
Placenta-Derived Decidua Stromal Cells for Treatment of Severe Acute Graft-Versus-Host Disease
Authors: Ringden Olle , Baygan Arjang , Remberger Mats , Gustafsson Britt , Winiarski Jacek , Khoein Bita , Moll Guido , Klingspor Lena , Westgren Magnus , Sadeghi Behnam 
Published: March 2018

Abstract
Severe acute graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) is a life-threatening complication after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). The placenta protects the fetus from the mother's immune system. We evaluated placenta-derived decidua stromal cells (DSCs), which differ from bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs), as a treatment for severe acute GVHD. DSCs were obtained from term placentas. The DSCs were given to 38 patients with severe acute GVHD; 25 were steroid refractory (SR). DSCs were thawed and infused in buffer supplemented with either 10% AB plasma (group 1, n = 17), or 5% albumin (group 2, n = 21). The viability of cells was higher when thawed in albumin rather than AB plasma (p &lt; .001). Group 1 received a higher cell dose (p &lt; .001), cells of lower passage number (p &lt; .001), and fewer infusions (p = .002) than group 2. The GVHD response (no/partial/complete) was 7/5/5 in group 1 and 0/10/11 in group 2 (p = .01). One-year survival in the two groups was 47% (95% confidence interval [CI] 23–68) and 76% (95% CI 51–89), respectively (p = .016). For the SR patients, 1-year survival was 73% (95% CI 37–90) in SR group 2 (n = 11), which was better than 31% (95% CI 11–54) in SR group 1 (n = 13; p = .02), 20% (95% CI 5–42) in BM-MSC treated (n = 15; p = .0015), and 3% (95% CI 0–14) in historic controls (n = 32; p &lt; .001). DSCs are a promising new treatment for severe acute GVHD. Prospective randomized trials are needed for evaluation of efficacy. (Clinical trial NCT-02172937.)
Comparative sustainable development in sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Asongu Simplice A. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractMotivated by sustainable development challenges in sub‐Saharan Africa, this study assesses the comparative persistence of environmental unsustainability in a sample of 44 countries in the subregion for the period 2000–2012. The empirical evidence is based on Generalized Method of Moments. Of the six hypotheses tested, it is not feasible to assess the hypothesis on resource‐wealth because of issues in the degrees of freedom. For the remaining hypotheses, the following findings are established. (i) Hypothesis 1 postulating that middle‐income countries have a lower level of persistence in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions is valid for CO2 per‐capita emissions, CO2 emissions from electricity and heat production and CO2 emissions from liquid fuel consumption. (ii) Hypothesis 2 that countries on the edge of French civil law is valid for CO2 emissions from liquid fuel consumption and CO2 intensity, but not for CO2 per‐capita emissions. (iii) Hypothesis 3 on the postulation that politically unstable countries reflect more persistence is valid for CO2 per‐capita emissions. (iv) Hypothesis 5 on the propensity for landlocked countries to be associated with more persistence in CO2 emissions is valid for CO2 per‐capita emissions but not for CO2 emissions from liquid fuel consumption. (v) Hypothesis 6 maintaining that Christianity‐dominated countries are more environmentally friendly with regard to CO2 emissions is valid for CO2 per‐capita emissions but not for CO2 emissions from liquid fuel consumption and CO2 intensity. Implications for policy and theory are discussed.
Dell's SupportAssist customer adoption model: enhancing the next generation of data‐intensive support services
Authors: Ghaffarzadegan Navid , Rad Armin A. , Xu Ran , Middlebrooks Sam E. , Mostafavi Sarah , Shepherd Michael , Chambers Landon , Boyum Todd 
Published: March 2018

AbstractWe developed a decision support system to model, analyze, and improve market adoption of Dell's SupportAssist program. SupportAssist is a proactive and preventive support service capability that can monitor system operations data from all connected Dell devices around the world and predict impending failures in those devices. Performance of such data‐intensive services is highly interconnected with market adoption: service performance depends on the richness of the customer database, which is influenced by customer adoption that in turn depends on customer satisfaction and service performance—a reinforcing feedback loop. We developed the SupportAssist adoption model (SAAM). SAAM utilizes various data sources and modeling techniques, particularly system dynamics, to analyze market response under different strategies. Dell anticipates improving market adoption of SupportAssist and revenue from support services, as results of using this analytical tool.Copyright © 2018 The Authors System Dynamics Review published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of System Dynamics Society
Five recommendations for software evolvability
Authors: Rajlich Václav 
Published: March 2018

AbstractEvolvability of software lies in intersection of 3 factors: evolving system properties, human factors present in the developer team, and evolution demands. The paper presents 5 recommendations that enhance software evolvability: defined processes of software change, distinction between evolving and stabilized part of the code, analyzable code segments, significant concept encapsulation, and avoidance of wrapping.
Effects of endogenous and exogenous D1/D5 dopamine receptor activation on LTP in ventral and dorsal CA1 hippocampal synapses
Authors: Papaleonidopoulos Vassilios , Kouvaros Stylianos , Papatheodoropoulos Costas 
Published: March 2018

AbstractHippocampus is importantly involved in dopamine‐dependent behaviors and dopamine is a significant modulator of synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus. Moreover, the dopaminergic innervation appears to be disproportionally segregated along the hippocampal longitudinal (dorsoventral) axis with unknown consequences for synaptic plasticity. In this study we examined the actions of endogenously released dopamine and the effects of exogenous D1/D5 dopamine receptor agonists on theta‐burst stimulation‐induced long‐term potentiation (LTP) of field excitatory synaptic potential (fEPSP) at Schaffer collateral‐CA1 synapses in slices from dorsal (DH) and ventral hippocampus (VH). Furthermore, we quantified D1 receptor mRNA and protein expression levels in DH and VH. We found that blockade of D1/D5 receptors by SCH 23390 (20 μM) significantly reduced the magnitude of LTP in both DH and VH similarly suggesting that dopamine endogenously released during TBS, presumably mimicking low activity of DA neurons, exerts a homogeneous modulation of LTP along the hippocampal long axis. Moderate to high concentrations of the selective partial D1/D5 receptor agonist SKF 38393 (50‐150 μM) did not significantly change LTP in either hippocampal segment. However, the full D1 receptor selective agonist SKF 82958 (10 μM) significantly enhanced LTP in VH but not DH. Furthermore, the expression of D1 receptor mRNA and protein was considerably higher in VH compared with DH. These results suggest that the dynamic range of D1/D5 receptor‐mediated dopamine effects on LTP may be higher in VH than DH and that VH may be specialized to acquire information about behaviorally relevant strong stimuli signaled by the dopamine system.
Clinical application of targeted next‐generation sequencing in fetuses with congenital heart defect
Authors: Hu P. , Qiao F. , Wang Y. , Meng L. , Ji X. , Luo C. , Xu T. , Zhou R. , Zhang J. , Yu B. , Wang L. , Wang T. , Pan Q. , Ma D. , Liang D. , Xu Z. 
Published: March 2018

ABSTRACTObjectivesTo assess the value of targeted next‐generation sequencing (NGS) in prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart defects (CHD) and to investigate the genetic etiology of prenatal CHD.MethodsForty‐four fetuses with CHD, normal molecular karyotype and negative chromosomal microarray results underwent targeted NGS. Fetal genomic DNA was extracted directly from amniotic fluid cells in each prenatal case. A customized targeted‐NGS panel of 77 CHD‐associated genes was designed to detect variants in the coding regions and the splicing sites of these genes. The detected variants were classified as pathogenic, likely pathogenic, of uncertain significance, likely benign or benign, following the guidelines recommended by the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics.ResultsThe detection rates of targeted NGS for pathogenic and likely pathogenic variations were 13.6% (6/44) and 2.3% (1/44), respectively. The turnaround time of the test was 3 weeks. The six pathogenic variations were identified on the genes CHD7 (CHARGE syndrome), CITED2 (tetralogy of Fallot, ventricular septal defect and atrial septal defect), ZFPM2 (tetralogy of Fallot), MYH6 (atrial septal defect, familial isolated dilated cardiomyopathy) and, in two cases, KMT2D (Kabuki syndrome). The likely pathogenic variation was detected on JAG1, which is associated with tetralogy of Fallot and Alagille syndrome. Sanger sequencing in the fetuses and their parents indicated that all seven mutations were de novo. Variations of uncertain significance were detected in 79.5% of cases.ConclusionsTargeted NGS in fetuses with isolated and non‐isolated CHD achieved a high diagnostic yield in our cohort, with an acceptable turnaround time for the prenatal setting. Our results have important implications for clinical management and genetic counseling. Copyright © 2018 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Diagnostic accuracy of first‐trimester ultrasound in detecting abnormally invasive placenta in high‐risk women with placenta previa
Authors: Cali G. , Forlani F. , Foti F. , Minneci G. , Manzoli L. , Flacco M. E. , Buca D. , Liberati M. , Scambia G. , D'Antonio F. 
Published: March 2018

ABSTRACTObjectiveTo ascertain the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound in detecting abnormally invasive placenta (AIP) during the first trimester of pregnancy (11–14 weeks' gestation) in women at risk for this condition.MethodsThis was a retrospective analysis of data collected prospectively from women at risk for AIP based upon the presence of at least one prior Cesarean section (CS) and/or uterine surgery and placenta previa, who had ultrasound assessment for AIP at the time of the 11–14‐week scan. The ultrasound signs explored in the present study were: loss of the clear zone, placental lacunae, bladder wall interruption and uterovesical hypervascularity. The potential of ultrasound and different ultrasound signs to predict the different types of AIP was assessed by computing summary estimates of sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) and positive (LR+) and negative (LR–) likelihood ratios.ResultsOne hundred and eighty‐eight women with placenta previa and at least one previous CS or uterine surgery were included in the study. All the explored ultrasound signs were associated significantly with the occurrence of AIP. Overall, when at least one ultrasound sign was used to make the diagnosis, ultrasound had a sensitivity of 84.3% (95% CI, 74.7–91.4%), specificity of 61.9% (95% CI, 51.9–71.2%), DOR of 8.6 (95% CI, 4.1–19.3), LR+ of 2.2 (95% CI, 1.7–2.9) and LR– of 0.3 (95% CI, 0.1–0.4) in detecting AIP. Using two ultrasound signs to label a case as positive increased the diagnostic accuracy in terms of specificity, although it did not affect sensitivity. Among the different ultrasound signs, loss of the clear zone had a sensitivity of 84.3% (95% CI, 74.7–91.4%) and a specificity of 81.9% (95% CI, 73.2–88.7%) in detecting AIP, while sensitivities for placental lacunae and bladder wall interruption were 78.3% (95% CI, 67.9–86.6%) and 75.9% (95% CI, 65.3–84.6%), respectively, and specificities were 81.0% (95% CI, 72.1–88.0%) and 99.1% (95% CI, 94.8–100.0%), respectively. The optimal combination of sensitivity and specificity was achieved when at least two imaging signs of AIP were used in the diagnostic algorithm.ConclusionsAIP can be detected from the first trimester of pregnancy in women at risk for this condition, and ultrasound performed between 11 and 14 weeks' gestation has an overall good diagnostic accuracy for detecting all types of AIP. However, these findings are applicable only to women with placenta previa and prior uterine scar. Copyright © 2018 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Assessment of offshore wind farm characteristics with the cloud resolving storm simulator: A case study in Japan
Authors: Raak Fredrik , Susuki Yoshihiko , Tsuboki Kazuhisa , Kato Masaya , Eguchi Shinya , Hikihara Takashi 
Published: March 2018

AbstractWind conditions and output power characteristics of a wind farm in Japan are evaluated with highly resolved weather predictions from the so‐called cloud resolving storm simulator. One year of 30‐hour‐ahead predictions with 2‐km spatial resolution and 1‐hour time resolution are evaluated against 10‐minute averaged measurements (averaged to hourly data) from the wind farm. Also, extremely detailed shorter‐term predictions with 200‐m spatial resolution and 1‐second time resolution are evaluated against 1‐Hz measurements. For the hourly data, wind speeds are predicted with an RMSE of 3.0 to 3.5 m/s, and wind power with about 0.3 per unit. Wind direction is predicted with a standard deviation of errors of 16° to 28° for hourly data, and generally below 10° for the 1‐Hz data. We show that wind power variability—here in terms of increments—can be assessed on the timescale of several hours. The measured and predicted wind spectra are found similar on both short and long timescales.