A Collaborative Jamming Algorithm Based on Multi-UAV Scheduling

In this paper, we consider the problem of multi-unmanned aerial vehicles' scheduling for cooperative jamming, where UAVs equipped with directional antennas perform collaborative jamming tasks against several targets of interest. To ensure effective jamming towards the targets, we formulate it as an non-convex optimization problem, aiming to minimize the communication performance of the targets by jointly optimizing UAVs' deployment and directional antenna orientations. Due to the unique structure of the problem, we derive an equivalent transformation by introducing a set of auxiliary matrices. Subsequently, we propose an efficient iterative algorithm based on the alternating direction method of multipliers, which decomposes the problem into multiple tractable subproblems solved in closed-form or by gradient projection method. Extensive simulations validate the efficacy of the proposed algorithm

Catalytic Asymmetric Amino Acid and Its Derivatives by Chiral Aldehyde Catalysis

Amine acid transformation is an important chemical process in biological systems. As a well-developed and acknowledged tool, chiral aldehyde catalysis provides good catalytic activation and stereoselective control abilities in the asymmetric reaction of N-unprotected amino acid esters and amino acid esters analogs, in which the key to success is the design of the catalysts derived from chiral BINOL aldehyde, which is based on the face control of enolate intermediates. In this review, one of the co-catalytic systems that combined with a transition metal to form a multiplex catalytic system and the well-established multiplex stereocenters of chiral aldehyde catalysis have been reviewed. Finally, a novel organocatalysis is prospected

Platinum-based chemotherapy plus cetuximab first-line for Asian patients with recurrent and/or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck: Results of an open-label, single-arm, multicenter trial

Background The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetics of cisplatin-based chemotherapy plus cetuximab as first-line treatment in Chinese and Korean patients with recurrent and/or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). Methods Patients (n = 68) received cetuximab weekly plus 3-week cycles of cisplatin/5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy for up to 6 cycles. The primary endpoint was overall response rate. Results The overall response rate was 55.9%, including 2 complete responses (CRs). Median overall survival (OS) was 12.6 months and median progression-free survival (PFS) was 6.6 months. Grade 3/4 adverse events (AEs) were reported in 41 (60.3%) patients. The safety profile was in line with previous clinical experience. The pharmacokinetic profile was in line with that observed with cetuximab in white and Japanese patients. Conclusion The efficacy, safety, and pharmacokinetic findings from this study support the use of first-line platinum-based chemotherapy plus cetuximab in Chinese and Korean patients with recurrent and/or metastatic SCCHN (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT01177956). © 2014 The Authors Head & Neck Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 37: 1081–1087, 201

Effect of Microwave-Ultrasound Treatment on Physicochemical and Structural Properties of Highland Barley β-Glucan

The extraction efficiency, physicochemical properties, and structural characteristics of β-glucan extracted from highland barley branby sequential microwave-ultrasound-assisted extraction were explored. At the same heating rate, microwave enhanced α-amylase activity. The extraction efficiency of highland barley β-glucan was correlated with ultrasound power and treatment time. An ultrasound power of 600 W for 30 min and microwave heating at 60 ℃ for 30 min resulted in the maximum β-glucan yield of (6.30 ± 0.38)%. The results of physicochemical properties showed that with increasing sonication time up to 40 min, the solubility and foaming capacity of barley β-glucan increased significantly (P < 0.05), while the turbidity and emulsifying capacity decreased significantly (P < 0.05). The results of particle size distribution showed that with increasing sonication time, the relative molecular mass of barley β-glucan decreased, and ultrasound changed the rheological behavior of β-glucan, decreasingits viscosity and resulting in shear thinning. The infrared spectroscopic results showed that sonication did not change the functional groups of β-glucan, but it caused partial breakage of the glycosidic bonds. The microscopic results showed that ultrasonic treatment led to a looser structure of barley β-glucan, which was conducive to improving its extraction efficiency. Therefore, the microwave-ultrasound-assisted extraction of β-glucan from highland barley provides a basis for developing new food types and functional products

Determination of free cyclosporine A with a LC-MS/MS method: Application to C2 monitoring in rabbits

Cyclosporine A (CsA) is a cyclic peptide widely used as an immunosuppressant. Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM) of CsA is becoming mandatory for transplant patients who received CsA therapy in the routine clinical practice because of large individual variability, dose-related toxicity and the risk of acute rejection. In this study, a rapid, sensitive, and selective LC-MS/MS method was developed and validated for the quantitative analysis of free CsA (fCsA), a better indicator for the prediction of efficacy and safety of CsA-based therapy. Following ultrafiltration for fCsA, chromatographic separation was performed on an Agilent Zorbax SB-C18 column (100 mm x 2.1 mm, 3.5 μm ) with acetonitrile and 0.1 % ammonium hydroxide in water (85:15, v/v) as the mobile phases. The compounds were quantified by positive electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. Selectivity, linearity, accuracy, precision, recovery, and stability were evaluated during method validation. The validated method was applied to a single blood concentration measurement 2 h after CsA administration (C2) measurement study of fCsA after an oral administration of a single 15 mg/kg intravenous dose of CsA to six rabbits.Colegio de Farmacéuticos de la Provincia de Buenos Aire

The Epigenetic Modifier PRDM5 Functions as a Tumor Suppressor through Modulating WNT/β-Catenin Signaling and Is Frequently Silenced in Multiple Tumors

BACKGROUND: PRDM (PRDI-BF1 and RIZ domain containing) proteins are zinc finger proteins involved in multiple cellular regulations by acting as epigenetic modifiers. We studied a recently identified PRDM member PRDM5 for its epigenetic abnormality and tumor suppressive functions in multiple tumorigeneses. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: Semi-quantitative RT-PCR showed that PRDM5 was broadly expressed in human normal tissues, but frequently silenced or downregulated in multiple carcinoma cell lines due to promoter CpG methylation, including 80% (4/5) nasopharyngeal, 44% (8/18) esophageal, 76% (13/17) gastric, 50% (2/4) cervical, and 25% (3/12) hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines, but not in any immortalized normal epithelial cell lines. PRDM5 expression could be restored by 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine demethylation treatment in silenced cell lines. PRDM5 methylation was frequently detected by methylation-specific PCR (MSP) in multiple primary tumors, including 93% (43/46) nasopharyngeal, 58% (25/43) esophageal, 88% (37/42) gastric and 63% (29/46) hepatocellular tumors. PRDM5 was further found a stress-responsive gene, but its response was impaired when the promoter was methylated. Ectopic PRDM5 expression significantly inhibited tumor cell clonogenicity, accompanied by the inhibition of TCF/β-catenin-dependent transcription and downregulation of CDK4, TWIST1 and MDM2 oncogenes, while knocking down of PRDM5 expression lead to increased cell proliferation. ChIP assay showed that PRDM5 bound to its target gene promoters and suppressed their transcription. An inverse correlation between the expression of PRDM5 and activated β-catenin was also observed in cell lines. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: PRDM5 functions as a tumor suppressor at least partially through antagonizing aberrant WNT/β-catenin signaling and oncogene expression. Frequent epigenetic silencing of PRDM5 is involved in multiple tumorigeneses, which could serve as a tumor biomarker