70 research outputs found
Prioritizing MCDC test cases by spectral analysis of Boolean functions
Test case prioritization aims at scheduling test cases in an order that improves some performance goal. One performance goal is a measure of how quickly faults are detected. Such prioritization can be performed by exploiting the Fault Exposing Potential (FEP) parameters associated to the test cases. FEP is usually approximated by mutation analysis under certain fault assumptions. Although this technique is effective, it could be relatively expensive compared to the other prioritization techniques. This study proposes a cost-effective FEP approximation for prioritizing Modified Condition Decision Coverage (MCDC) test cases. A strict negative correlation between the FEP of a MCDC test case and the influence value of the associated input condition allows to order the test cases easily without the need of an extensive mutation analysis. The
method is entirely based on mathematics and it provides useful insight into how spectral analysis of Boolean functions can benefit software testing
Additional file 1: of L161982 alleviates collagen-induced arthritis in mice by increasing Treg cells and down-regulating Interleukin-17 and monocyte-chemoattractant protein-1 levels
Raw data. Raw data of Table 1 and Fig. 4b. (XLSX 11 kb
Geographical variation in limb muscle mass of the Andrew’s toad (Bufo andrewsi)
<p>Muscles are vital for the process of
movement, mating and escape of predators in amphibians. During evolution, the
morphological and genetic characteristics as well as the size of muscles in
species will change to adapt different environments. Theory predicts that low
male-male competition in highaltitude/ latitude selects for small limb muscles.
Here, we used the Andrew’s toad (<i>Bufo andrewsi</i>) as a model animal to test this
prediction by analyzing geographical variation in the mass of limb muscles across
nine populations from the Hengduan Mountains in China. Inconsistent with the
prediction, we found that latitude and altitude did not affect the relative
mass of total combined limb muscles and mass of combined hindlimb muscles among
populations. Meanwhile, the relative mass of combined forelimb muscles, the two
forelimb muscles (flexor carpi radialis and extensor carpi radialis) and the four
hindlimb muscles (e.g. biceps femoris, semimebranous, semitendinosus and
peroneus) was lowest in middle latitude and largest in low latitude whereas
gracilis minor was largest in high latitudes. However, we did not find any
correlations between the two forelimb muscles and the four hindlimb muscles and
altitude. Our findings suggest that combined forelimb muscles, flexor carpi
radialis, extensor carpi radialis, biceps femoris, semimebranous,
semitendinosus and peroneus are largest in low latitudes due to pressures of
mate competition.</p
Serum IgE Induced Airway Smooth Muscle Cell Remodeling Is Independent of Allergens and Is Prevented by Omalizumab
<div><p>Background</p><p>Airway wall remodeling in allergic asthma is reduced after treatment with humanized anti-IgE-antibodies. We reported earlier that purified IgE, without the presence of allergens, is sufficient to induce airway wall remodeling due to airway smooth muscle cell (ASMC) activity deposing extracellular matrix.</p><p>Objective</p><p>We postulate that IgE contained in serum of allergic asthma patients, in the absence of allergens, stimulates ASMC remodeling activities and can be prevented by anti-IgE antibodies.</p><p>Methods</p><p>Isolated human ASMC were exposed to serum obtained from: (i) healthy controls, or patients with (ii) allergic asthma, (iii) non-allergic asthma, and (iv) atopic non-asthma patients. Proliferation and the deposition of collagens and fibronectin were determined after 3 and 5 days.</p><p>Results</p><p>Serum from patients with allergies significantly stimulated: (i) ASMC proliferation, (ii) deposition of collagen type-I (48 hours) and (iii) of fibronectin (24 hours). One hour pre-incubation with Omalizumab prevented these three effects of allergic serum, but had no significant effect on serum from healthy donors or non-allergic asthma patients. Interestingly, the addition of allergens did not further increase any of the IgE effects.</p><p>Conclusion and Clinical Relevance</p><p>Our data provides experimental evidence that the beneficial effect of Omalizumab on airway wall remodeling and improved lung function may be due to its direct action on IgE bound ASMC.</p></div
Hypothesized signal pathway for IgE induced airway wall remodeling in human airway smooth muscle cells.
<p>Hypothesized signal pathway for IgE induced airway wall remodeling in human airway smooth muscle cells.</p
Disease specific increased collagen type-I deposition by ASMC.
<p>(A) disease specific collagen type-I deposition stimulating effect of serum (n = 10) at 48 hours. (B) Inhibitory effect of Omalizumab on disease specific serum stimulated collagen type-I deposition by ASMC. (C) Signalling pathways and IgE-receptor mediation of collagen type-I deposition (n = 3). (D) The effect of allergen mix to serum induced collagen type-I deposition (n = 4). All data represent the mean±S.E.M. The optical density measurements of the deposed collagen type I for all experiments are provided as shown in <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0136549#pone.0136549.s001" target="_blank">S1 File</a>.</p
Dose and disease specific effects of serum and IgE on ASMC.
<p>(A) Concentration-dependent proliferative effect of human versus fetal calf serum (FCS) on primary ASMC isolated from asthmatic (n = 5) and non-asthmatic (n = 5) patients. (B) Disease specific ASMC proliferation by 2% fetal calf serum or control human serum. (C) Disease and origin specific proliferative effect of four different serum groups (control, atopic-non asthma, asthma, atopic asthma) on asthmatic and non-asthmatic ASMC. Ten sera of each donor group were tested on 5 ASMC of asthma patients and 5 ASMC of non-asthma patients. (D) Inhibitory effect of Omalizumab on serum-induced proliferation on asthmatic ASMC (n = 5). (E) The role of Erk1/2 MAPK and Igε-RI on serum-induced proliferation of asthmatic ASMC. * indicates statistic significant reduction of asthmatic ASMC proliferation compared to serum stimulation (first black bar in each group) with p < 0.05. All presented values present mean±S.E.M.</p
Clinical characteristic of cell donors for ASMC and fibroblasts.
<p>Clinical characteristic of cell donors for ASMC and fibroblasts.</p
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