Are Smell-Based Metrics Actually Useful in Effort-Aware Structural Change-Proneness Prediction? An Empirical Study

Bad code smells (also named as code smells) are symptoms of poor design choices in implementation. Existing studies empirically confirmed that the presence of code smells increases the likelihood of subsequent changes (i.e., change-proness). However, to the best of our knowledge, no prior studies have leveraged smell-based metrics to predict particular change type (i.e., structural changes). Moreover, when evaluating the effectiveness of smell-based metrics in structural change-proneness prediction, none of existing studies take into account of the effort inspecting those change-prone source code. In this paper, we consider five smell-based metrics for effort-aware structural change-proneness prediction and compare these metrics with a baseline of well-known CK metrics in predicting particular categories of change types. Specifically, we first employ univariate logistic regression to analyze the correlation between each smellbased metric and structural change-proneness. Then, we build multivariate prediction models to examine the effectiveness of smell-based metrics in effort-aware structural change-proneness prediction when used alone and used together with the baseline metrics, respectively. Our experiments are conducted on six Java open-source projects with up to 60 versions and results indicate that: (1) all smell-based metrics are significantly related to structural change-proneness, except metric ANS in hive and SCM in camel after removing confounding effect of file size; (2) in most cases, smell-based metrics outperform the baseline metrics in predicting structural change-proneness; and (3) when used together with the baseline metrics, the smell-based metrics are more effective to predict change-prone files with being aware of inspection effort

Bis[4-oxido-2-oxo-2,3-di­hydro­pyrimidin-1-ium-5-carboxyl­ato(1.5−)-κ2 O 4,O 5]bis­(1,10-phenanthroline-κ2 N,N′)dysprosium(III) dihydrate

In the title compound, [Dy(C5H2.5N2O4)2(C12H8N2)2]·2H2O, the DyIII ion is located on a twofold rotation axis and is coordinated in a square-anti­prismatic geometry by two chelating 1,10-phenanthroline mol­ecules as well as two 4-oxido-2-oxo-2,3-di­hydro­pyrimidin-1-ium-5-carboxyl­ato(1.5−) anions. N—H⋯O and O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds help to stabilize the crystal structure. The H atom involved in an N—H⋯N hydrogen bond is disordered around a twofold rotation axis

Fabrication and Characteristics of Macroporous TiO

Macroporous TiO2 photocatalyst was synthesized by a facile nanocasting method using polystyrene (PS) spherical particles as the hard template. The synthesized photocatalyst was characterized by transmission electron microscope (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermogravimetry-differential thermogravimetry (TG-DTG), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and N2-sorption. TEM, SEM, and XRD characterizations confirmed that the macroporous TiO2 photocatalyst is composed of anatase phase. The high specific surface area of 87.85 m2/g can be achieved according to the N2-sorption analysis. Rhodamine B (RhB) was chosen as probe molecule to evaluate the photocatalytic activity of the TiO2 catalysts. Compared with the TiO2 materials synthesized in the absence of PS spherical template, the macroporous TiO2 photocatalyst sintered at 500°C exhibits much higher activity on the degradation of RhB under the UV irradiation, which can be assigned to the well-structured macroporosity. The macroporous TiO2 material presents great potential in the fields of environmental remediation and energy conversion and storage

The efficacy of dapagliflozin for type 1 diabetes: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled studies

Introduction: The efficacy of dapagliflozin for type 1 diabetes remains controversial. We conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the treatment efficacy of dapagliflozin versus placebo in patients with type 1 diabetes. Methods: We have searched PubMed, EMbase, Web of science, EBSCO and Cochrane library databases through May 2019 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effect of dapagliflozin versus placebo for type 1 diabetes. This meta-analysis is performed using the random-effect model. Results: Six RCTs are included in the meta-analysis. Overall, compared with control group for type 1 diabetes, dapagliflozin treatment shows favorable impact on glycated hemoglobin HbA1c ( standard mean difference SMD=-3.93; 95% confidence interval CI =-4.44 to -3.48; P<0.00001), HbA1c reduction of 650.5% (risk ratio RR=1.98; 95% CI=1.65 to 2.39; P<0.00001), and fasting plasma glucose FPG (SMD=-0.93; 95% CI=-1.77 to -0.10; P=0.03). There is no statistical difference of hypoglycemia (RR=1.09; 95% CI=0.66 to 1.79; P=0.75) or adverse events (RR=1.07; 95% CI=0.96 to 1.20; P=0.20) between two groups, but the incidence of ketone-related events is higher than those in control group (RR=0.28; 95% CI=3.96 to 11.52; P=0.01). Conclusions: Dapagliflozin treatment benefits to reduce HbA1c and FPG for type 1 diabetes

Effects of Plastic Mulching and Basal Nitrogen Application Depth on Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Yield in Maize

The demand for increased grain production to support population and consumption growth has led to increased interest in field management approaches that incorporate plastic mulching and fertilization management. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of plastic mulching and basal nitrogen (N)-fertilizer application depth on N balance estimations, N use efficiency (NUE) and maize yield. The experiment was conducted in 2014 and 2015 with six treatments: no N fertilizer and no mulching (CK), traditional broadcast N fertilizer with mulching (T0), basal N-fertilizer application at a depth of 6 cm with no mulching (T1), basal N-fertilizer application at a depth of 6 cm with plastic mulching (T2), basal N-fertilizer application at a depth of 12 cm with no mulching (T3) and basal N-fertilizer application at a depth of 12 cm with plastic mulching (T4). Mulching and basal N-fertilizer application depth each had significant effects on grain yield, but there were no significant interactions between them. The highest grain yield was observed in the T2 treatment and was 89.1% and 99.8% higher than the grain yield in the CK treatment in 2014 and 2015, respectively. The N uptake in T2 was 21.3% and 25.3% higher than that in the T0 treatment in 2014 and 2015, respectively. Relative to the value in the T0 treatment, the mean N loss over the 2 years was reduced by 34.6% in T2 and by 39.8% in T4. The basal N-fertilizer application depth of 12 cm yielded an obvious increase in NUE, but a high N residual remained below 50 cm after harvest, indicating the higher potential for N losses. In addition, the field application of this type of fertilizer management would require more labor in the absence of the implementation of mechanization. Based on the results, basal N-fertilizer application a depth of 6 cm without plastic mulching is recommended because it significantly increased grain yield and NUE, reduced N loss and requires no investment in plastic film, which are conducive to food security and environmental conservation

Stability and drug dissolution evaluation of Qingkailing soft/hard capsules based on multi-component quantification and fingerprint pattern statistical analysis

Purpose: To carry out a post-marketing evaluation of the stability and drug dissolution of Qingkailing soft/hard capsules.Methods: High performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection (HPLC-DAD) method was developed for the determination of three key ingredients (chlorogenic acid, geniposide and baicalin) and fingerprints of QKL soft/hard capsules. Stability tests were carried out based on long-term testing. The drug release profile of Qingkailing soft and hard capsules were studied using semi-bionic incubation experiments.Results: The linearity, precision, stability, repeatability and recovery of HPLC and fingerprint all met the requirements of CFDA. Stability data from long-term studies showed that within 6 months the contents of the three key ingredients in both soft and hard capsules remained > 90 %. However, fingerprint pattern statistical analysis showed that the soft capsule is more stable than the hard capsule. Furthermore, the key ingredients of the hard capsule dissolved much faster (p < 0.05) than from the soft capsule. The level of dissolved drug of hard capsule is about 4 times the rate of soft capsule, after a 4-h incubation in gastric lavage fluid. In intestinal lavage fluid, more than 90 % of chlorogenic acid, geniposide and baicalin of hard capsule were dissolved in 2 h, while the soft capsule displayed a 12 h sustained release. Fingerprint pattern statistical analysis also showed that most of the components of soft capsule dissolved after 8 h.Conclusion: Compared with the hard capsule, Qingkailing soft capsule has certain advantages in stability and drug dissolution, which may affect the biopharmaceutics and the clinical effects of the drug.Keywords: Qingkailing capsule, Chlorogenic acid, Geniposide, Baicalin, Fingerprint, Sustained release, Principal component analysi

A novel approach to inhibit HIV-1 infection and enhance lysis of HIV by a targeted activator of complement

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The complement system is one of the most potent weapons of innate immunity. It is not only a mechanism for direct protection against invading pathogens but it also interacts with the adaptive immunity to optimize the pathogen-specific humoral and cellular defense cascades in the body. Complement-mediated lysis of HIV is inefficient but the presence of HIV particles results in complement activation by the generation of many C3-fragments, such as C3dg and C3d. It has been demonstrated that activation of complement can enhance HIV infection through the binding of special complement receptor type 2 expression on the surface of mature B cells and follicular dendritic cells.</p> <p>Presentation of the hypothesis</p> <p>Previous studies have proven that the complement-mediated antibody-dependent enhancement of HIV infection is mediated by the association of complement receptor type 2 bound to the C3 fragment and deposited on the surface of HIV virions. Thus, we hypothesize that a new activator of complement, consisting of a target domain (C3-binding region of complement receptor type 2) linked to a complement-activating human IgG1 Fc domain (CR2-Fc), can target and amplify complement deposition on HIV virions and enhance the efficiency of HIV lysis.</p> <p>Testing the hypothesis</p> <p>Our hypothesis was tested using cell-free HIV-1 virions cultivated <it>in vitro </it>and assessment of virus opsonization was performed by incubating appropriate dilutions of virus with medium containing normal human serum and purified CR2-Fc proteins. As a control group, viruses were incubated with normal human serum under the same conditions. Virus neutralization assays were used to estimate the degree of CR2-Fc-enhanced lysis of HIV compared to untreated virus.</p> <p>Implications of the hypothesis</p> <p>The targeted complement activator, CR2-Fc, can be used as a novel approach to HIV therapy by abrogating the complement-enhanced HIV infection of cells.</p

A Truncated IL‐17RC Peptide Ameliorates Synovitis and Bone Destruction of Arthritic Mice

Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134880/1/adhm201600668_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134880/2/adhm201600668-sup-0001-S1.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/134880/3/adhm201600668.pd

Shift in subsistence crop dominance from broomcorn millet to foxtail millet around 5500 BP in the western Loess Plateau

Broomcorn and foxtail millet were the most important crops in northern China during the Neolithic period. Although the significance of broomcorn millet in human subsistence exceeded that of foxtail millet during the early Neolithic, this pattern was reversed by the end of Neolithic period. However, the process underlying this shift remains unclear. The recent excavation of the Gedachuan (GDC) in Zhangjiachuan county has revealed an abundance of relics including millet crop remains from relatively continuous strata of the Yangshao and Qijia cultures, and therefore provides a unique opportunity to examine how and when foxtail millet replaced broomcorn millet as the dominant crop in the western Loess Plateau during the Neolithic period. In this study, we identify 1,738 and 2,686 broomcorn and foxtail millet remains, respectively, from 74 flotation samples, accounting for 38.81% and 59.98% of total plant remains, respectively. Compared with 23 direct dates of carbonized crop grains in GDC, we propose that the weight of foxtail millet in plant subsistence of GDC first exceeded that of broomcorn millet as early as ∼5,500 BP, filling an important gap in the archaeobotanical record from the western Loess Plateau. Further comparative analysis of multidisciplinary data suggests the shift in significance of these two millet crops during the late Neolithic may have been triggered by variations in human settlement intensity and climate change in the western Loess Plateau. The results of this study also suggest that the Banpo Phase of Yangshao Culture survived in the western Loess Plateau as late as ∼5,600 BP