A Reengineering Approach to Reconciling Requirements and Implementation for Context - Aware Web Services Systems

In modern software development, the gap between software requirements and implementation is not always conciliated. Typically, for Web services-based context-aware systems, reconciling this gap is even harder. The aim of this research is to explore how software reengineering can facilitate the reconciliation between requirements and implementation for the said systems. The underlying research in this thesis comprises the following three components. Firstly, the requirements recovery framework underpins the requirements elicitation approach on the proposed reengineering framework. This approach consists of three stages: 1) Hypothesis generation, where a list of hypothesis source code information is generated; 2) Segmentation, where the hypothesis list is grouped into segments; 3) Concept binding, where the segments turn into a list of concept bindings linking regions of source code. Secondly, the derived viewpoints-based context-aware service requirements model is proposed to fully discover constraints, and the requirements evolution model is developed to maintain and specify the requirements evolution process for supporting context-aware services evolution. Finally, inspired by context-oriented programming concepts and approaches, ContXFS is implemented as a COP-inspired conceptual library in F#, which enables developers to facilitate dynamic context adaption. This library along with context-aware requirements analyses mitigate the development of the said systems to a great extent, which in turn, achieves reconciliation between requirements and implementation

The flavonoid nobiletin inhibits tumor growth and angiogenesis of ovarian cancers via the Akt pathway

Despite its importance, the death rate of ovarian cancer has remained unchanged over the past five decades, demanding an improvement in prevention and treatment of this malignancy. With no known carcinogens, targeted prevention is currently unavailable, and efforts in early detection of this malignancy by screening biomarkers have failed. The inhibition of angiogenesis, also known as angioprevention, is a promising strategy to limit the growth of solid tumors, including ovarian cancers. Nobiletin, a polymethoxy flavonoid compound isolated from the tiansheng plant, has been shown to inhibit the growth of multiple types of human cancers. However, there are no reports involving the effect on nobiletin on human ovarian cancer. The present report shows that nobiletin potently decreases the viability of ovarian cancer cells in vitro. However, nobiletin does not affect the viability of normal ovarian epithelial cells at \u3c40 µM. The antitumor activity of nobiletin was also observed in athymic mouse models and in chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) models. The anti-neoplastic activity of nobiletin was due to its ability to inhibit angiogenesis. We also studied the molecular mechanisms by which nobiletin suppresses angiogenesis. We observed that nobiletin inhibits secretion of the key angiogenesis mediators, Akt, HIF-1α, NF-κB and vascular epithelial growth factor (VEGF) by ovarian cancer cells. Transient transfection experiments showed that nobiletin inhibits production of HIF-1α by downregulation of Akt. Such decreased levels of HIF-1α were responsible for nobiletin-induced suppression of VEGF. Our data suggest that nobiletin may be a promising anti-angiogenic agent relevant for therapy of ovarian cancers

Fungal diversity notes 929–1035: taxonomic and phylogenetic contributions on genera and species of fungi

This article is the ninth in the series of Fungal Diversity Notes, where 107 taxa distributed in three phyla, nine classes, 31 orders and 57 families are described and illustrated. Taxa described in the present study include 12 new genera, 74 new species, three new combinations, two reference specimens, a re-circumscription of the epitype, and 15 records of sexualasexual morph connections, new hosts and new geographical distributions. Twelve new genera comprise Brunneofusispora, Brunneomurispora, Liua, Lonicericola, Neoeutypella, Paratrimmatostroma, Parazalerion, Proliferophorum, Pseudoastrosphaeriellopsis, Septomelanconiella, Velebitea and Vicosamyces. Seventy-four new species are Agaricus memnonius, A. langensis, Aleurodiscus patagonicus, Amanita flavoalba, A. subtropicana, Amphisphaeria mangrovei, Baorangia major, Bartalinia kunmingensis, Brunneofusispora sinensis, Brunneomurispora lonicerae, Capronia camelliaeyunnanensis, Clavulina thindii, Coniochaeta simbalensis, Conlarium thailandense, Coprinus trigonosporus, Liua muriformis, Cyphellophora filicis, Cytospora ulmicola, Dacrymyces invisibilis, Dictyocheirospora metroxylonis, Distoseptispora thysanolaenae, Emericellopsis koreana, Galiicola baoshanensis, Hygrocybe lucida, Hypoxylon teeravasati, Hyweljonesia indica, Keissleriella caraganae, Lactarius olivaceopallidus, Lactifluus midnapurensis, Lembosia brigadeirensis, Leptosphaeria urticae, Lonicericola hyaloseptispora, Lophiotrema mucilaginosis, Marasmiellus bicoloripes, Marasmius indojasminodorus, Micropeltis phetchaburiensis, Mucor orantomantidis, Murilentithecium lonicerae, Neobambusicola brunnea, Neoeutypella baoshanensis, Neoroussoella heveae, Neosetophoma lonicerae, Ophiobolus malleolus, Parabambusicola thysanolaenae, Paratrimmatostroma kunmingensis, Parazalerion indica, Penicillium dokdoense, Peroneutypa mangrovei, Phaeosphaeria cycadis, Phanerochaete australosanguinea, Plectosphaerella kunmingensis, Plenodomus artemisiae, P. lijiangensis, Proliferophorum thailandicum, Pseudoastrosphaeriellopsis kaveriana, Pseudohelicomyces menglunicus, Pseudoplagiostoma mangiferae, Robillarda mangiferae, Roussoella elaeicola, Russula choptae, R. uttarakhandia, Septomelanconiella thailandica, Spencermartinsia acericola, Sphaerellopsis isthmospora, Thozetella lithocarpi, Trechispora echinospora, Tremellochaete atlantica, Trichoderma koreanum, T. pinicola, T. rugulosum, Velebitea chrysotexta, Vicosamyces venturisporus, Wojnowiciella kunmingensis and Zopfiella indica. Three new combinations are Baorangia rufomaculata, Lanmaoa pallidorosea and Wojnowiciella rosicola. The reference specimens of Canalisporium kenyense and Tamsiniella labiosa are designated. The epitype of Sarcopeziza sicula is re-circumscribed based on cyto- and histochemical analyses. The sexual-asexual morph connection of Plenodomus sinensis is reported from ferns and Cirsium for the first time. In addition, the new host records and country records are Amanita altipes, A. melleialba, Amarenomyces dactylidis, Chaetosphaeria panamensis, Coniella vitis, Coprinopsis kubickae, Dothiorella sarmentorum, Leptobacillium leptobactrum var. calidus, Muyocopron lithocarpi, Neoroussoella solani, Periconia cortaderiae, Phragmocamarosporium hederae, Sphaerellopsis paraphysata and Sphaeropsis eucalypticola

Kinetic-Thermodynamic Analysis of the Reactive Distillation Process of the Cyclohexene Hydration Using the Zeolite Catalyst

Reactive distillation could be utilized to produce cyclohexanol through the cyclohexene hydration. By means of highly active zeolite catalyst HZSM-5, the kinetic-thermodynamic analysis of this reactive distillation has been carried out to get the characteristics of the reactive distillation. Results from kinetic and thermodynamic analysis indicate that the optimal pressure of this reactive distillation process should be set to higher pressure such as 0.3 or 0.4 MPa. To avoid the recovery of cyclohexanol at the top of the column, an unreactive section should be allocated at the upper column. In addition, the inert component benzene is more unfavorable to the reactive distillation process in comparison with the inert cyclohexane

Gamma-Aminobutyric Acid Enhances Cadmium Phytoextraction by <i>Coreopsis grandiflora</i> by Remodeling the Rhizospheric Environment

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) significantly affects plant responses to heavy metals in hydroponics or culture media, but its corresponding effects in plant–soil systems remain unknown. In this study, different GABA dosages (0–8 g kg−1) were added to the rhizosphere of Coreopsis grandiflora grown in Cd-contaminated soils. Cd accumulation in the shoots of C. grandiflora was enhanced by 38.9–159.5% by GABA in a dose-dependent approach because of accelerated Cd absorption and transport. The increase in exchangeable Cd transformed from Fe-Mn oxide and carbonate-bound Cd, which may be mainly driven by decreased soil pH rather than GABA itself, could be a determining factor responsible for this phenomenon. The N, P, and K availability was affected by multiple factors under GABA treatment, which may regulate Cd accommodation and accumulation in C. grandiflora. The rhizospheric environment dynamics remodeled the bacterial community composition, resulting in a decline in overall bacterial diversity and richness. However, several important plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria, especially Pseudomonas and Sphingomonas, were recruited under GABA treatment to assist Cd phytoextraction in C. grandiflora. This study reveals that GABA as a soil amendment remodels the rhizospheric environment (e.g., soil pH and rhizobacteria) to enhance Cd phytoextraction in plant–soil systems

Assessing impacts of climate change and human activities on the abnormal correlation between actual evaporation and atmospheric evaporation demands in southeastern China

Generally, atmospheric evaporation demand (AED) shows a positive correlation with actual evaporation (AE) in&nbsp;the Yangtze River basin. In order to explore whether and why abnormal correlation exits in its five sub-basins,&nbsp;the temporal changes between AED and AE were compared, and then the impacts of climate change and human&nbsp;activities on abnormal correlations were assessed using the sensitivity method of Penman equation and the&nbsp;decomposition method of Budyko equation. The results indicated: (1) Pan evaporation and potential evaporation&nbsp;(indicators of AED) decreased at rates of up to -0.04 and -0.06mm d&minus;1 decade&minus;1, respectively. In contrast, the&nbsp;water budget-derived evaporation (an indicator of AE) increased at the rate of 0.09mm d&minus;1 decade&minus;1 in the Fuhe River basin and remained stable in other basins. Abnormal correlations (nonpositive correlations) were&nbsp;observed. (2) Decreasing net radiation and wind speed were major climate factors resulting in simultaneous&nbsp;temporal decreases in AED and AE. In contrast, afforestation was a major human factor leading to an increase in&nbsp;annual AE of 78 mm, but had no effect on AED. Afforestation was the primary driving force of the abnormal&nbsp;correlation. These results could provide water-energy guidance for urban climate change mitigation and flood/drought disaster management.</p

Nobiletin suppresses cell viability through AKT Pathways in PC-3 and DU-145 prostate cancer cells

Background Nobiletin is a non-toxic dietary flavonoid that possesses anti-cancer properties. Nobiletin has been reported to reduce the risk of prostate cancer, but the mechanism is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of nobiletin in prostate cancer cell lines PC-3 and DU-145. Methods Nobiletin was isolated from a polymethoxy flavonoid mixture using HPLC, cell viability was analyzed with MTS-based assays. Protein expression was examined by ELISA and western blotting. Gene expression was examined by luciferase assay. And the pathways were examined by manipulating genetic components with plasmid transfection. Results Data showed that nobiletin decreased cell viability in both prostate cell lines, with a greater reduction in viability in PC-3 cells. HIF-1α expression and AKT phosphorylation were decreased in both cell lines. The VEGF expression was inhibited in PC-3 but not DU-145 cells. cMyc expression was decreased in DU-145 cells. Nobiletin down-regulated NF-κB (p50) expression in nuclei of DU145 cells but not whole cells. It also suppressed NF-κB expression in both whole cells and nuclei of PC-3 cells. Increasing HIF-1α levels reversed nobiletin’s inhibitory effects on VEGF expression, and up-regulating AKT levels reversed its inhibitory effects on HIF-1α expression. We speculate that AKT influences cell viability probably by its effect on NF-κB in both prostate cells. The effect of nobiletin on VEGF expression in PC-3 cell lines was through the AKT/HIF-1α pathway. Conclusion Taken together, our results show that nobiletin suppresses cell viability through AKT pathways, with a more profound effect against the more metastatic PC-3 line. Due to this enhanced action against a more malignant cell type, nobiletin may be used to improve prostate cancer survival rates

Nobiletin suppresses cell viability through AKT Pathways in PC-3 and DU-145 prostate cancer cells

Background Nobiletin is a non-toxic dietary flavonoid that possesses anti-cancer properties. Nobiletin has been reported to reduce the risk of prostate cancer, but the mechanism is not well understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of nobiletin in prostate cancer cell lines PC-3 and DU-145. Methods Nobiletin was isolated from a polymethoxy flavonoid mixture using HPLC, cell viability was analyzed with MTS-based assays. Protein expression was examined by ELISA and western blotting. Gene expression was examined by luciferase assay. And the pathways were examined by manipulating genetic components with plasmid transfection. Results Data showed that nobiletin decreased cell viability in both prostate cell lines, with a greater reduction in viability in PC-3 cells. HIF-1α expression and AKT phosphorylation were decreased in both cell lines. The VEGF expression was inhibited in PC-3 but not DU-145 cells. cMyc expression was decreased in DU-145 cells. Nobiletin down-regulated NF-κB (p50) expression in nuclei of DU145 cells but not whole cells. It also suppressed NF-κB expression in both whole cells and nuclei of PC-3 cells. Increasing HIF-1α levels reversed nobiletin’s inhibitory effects on VEGF expression, and up-regulating AKT levels reversed its inhibitory effects on HIF-1α expression. We speculate that AKT influences cell viability probably by its effect on NF-κB in both prostate cells. The effect of nobiletin on VEGF expression in PC-3 cell lines was through the AKT/HIF-1α pathway. Conclusion Taken together, our results show that nobiletin suppresses cell viability through AKT pathways, with a more profound effect against the more metastatic PC-3 line. Due to this enhanced action against a more malignant cell type, nobiletin may be used to improve prostate cancer survival rates