Improved Secure Integer Comparison via Homomorphic Encryption

Secure integer comparison has been one of the first problems introduced in cryptography, both for its simplicity to describe and for its applications. The first formulation of the problem was to enable two parties to compare their inputs without revealing the exact value of those inputs, also called the Millionaires\u27 problem. The recent rise of fully homomorphic encryption has given a new formulation to this problem. In this new setting, one party blindly computes an encryption of the boolean $(a<b)$ given only ciphertexts encrypting $a$ and $b$. In this paper, we present new solutions for the problem of secure integer comparison in both of these settings. The underlying idea for both schemes is to avoid decomposing the integers in binary in order to improve the performances. Our fully homomorphic based solution is inspired by Bourse et al, and makes use of the fast bootstrapping techniques recently developpedto obtain scalability for large integers while preserving high efficiency. On the other hand, our solution to the original Millionaires\u27 problem is inspired by the protocol of Carlton et al, based on partially homomorphic encryption. We tweak their protocol in order to minimize the number of interactions required, while preserving the advantage of comparing non-binary integers. Both our techniques provide efficient solutions to the problem of secure integer comparison for large (even a-priori unbounded in our first scenario) integers with minimum interaction

Preparation and Instability of Nanocrystalline Cuprous Nitride

Low-dimensional cuprous nitride (Cu3N) was synthesized by nitridation (ammonolysis) of cuprous oxide (Cu2O) nanocrystals using either ammonia (NH3) or urea (H2NCONH2) as the nitrogen source. The resulting nanocrystalline Cu3N spontaneously decomposes to nanocrystalline CuO in the presence of both water and oxygen from air at room temperature. Ammonia was produced in 60% chemical yield during Cu3N decomposition, as measured using the colorimetric indophenol method. Because Cu3N decomposition requires H2O and produces substoichiometric amounts of NH3\u3e, we conclude that this reaction proceeds through a complex stoichiometry that involves the concomitant release of both N2 and NH3. This is a thermodynamically unfavorable outcome, strongly indicating that H2O (and thus NH3 production) facilitate the kinetics of the reaction by lowering the energy barrier for Cu3N decomposition. The three different Cu2O, Cu3N, and CuO nanocrystalline phases were characterized by a combination of optical absorption, powder X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and electronic density of states obtained from electronic structure calculations on the bulk solids. The relative ease of interconversion between these interesting and inexpensive materials bears possible implications for catalytic and optoelectronic applications

Final results from the PERUSE study of first-line pertuzumab plus trastuzumab plus a taxane for HER2-positive locally recurrent or metastatic breast cancer, with a multivariable approach to guide prognostication

Background: The phase III CLinical Evaluation Of Pertuzumab And TRAstuzumab (CLEOPATRA) trial established the combination of pertuzumab, trastuzumab and docetaxel as standard first-line therapy for human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive locally recurrent/metastatic breast cancer (LR/mBC). The multicentre single-arm PERtUzumab global SafEty (PERUSE) study assessed the safety and efficacy of pertuzumab and trastuzumab combined with investigator-selected taxane in this setting. Patients and methods: Eligible patients with inoperable HER2-positive LR/mBC and no prior systemic therapy for LR/mBC (except endocrine therapy) received docetaxel, paclitaxel or nab-paclitaxel with trastuzumab and pertuzumab until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. The primary endpoint was safety. Secondary endpoints included progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). Prespecified subgroup analyses included subgroups according to taxane, hormone receptor (HR) status and prior trastuzumab. Exploratory univariable analyses identified potential prognostic factors; those that remained significant in multivariable analysis were used to analyse PFS and OS in subgroups with all, some or none of these factors. Results: Of 1436 treated patients, 588 (41%) initially received paclitaxel and 918 (64%) had HR-positive disease. The most common grade 653 adverse events were neutropenia (10%, mainly with docetaxel) and diarrhoea (8%). At the final analysis (median follow-up: 5.7 years), median PFS was 20.7 [95% confidence interval (CI) 18.9-23.1] months overall and was similar irrespective of HR status or taxane. Median OS was 65.3 (95% CI 60.9-70.9) months overall. OS was similar regardless of taxane backbone but was more favourable in patients with HR-positive than HR-negative LR/mBC. In exploratory analyses, trastuzumab-pretreated patients with visceral disease had the shortest median PFS (13.1 months) and OS (46.3 months). Conclusions: Mature results from PERUSE show a safety and efficacy profile consistent with results from CLEOPATRA and median OS exceeding 5 years. Results suggest that paclitaxel is a valid alternative to docetaxel as backbone chemotherapy. Exploratory analyses suggest risk factors that could guide future trial design

Présentation clinique et évolution d’une population pédiatrique atteinte de la grippe A (H1N1)v. Enquête multicentrique prospective aux urgences pédiatriques

International audienc

Stage IV breast cancer: a population-based study about prognostic factors according to HER2 and HR status

International audienceWe aim to describe trends in net survival (NS) and to assess the prognostic factors among women with de novo metastatic breast cancer (MBC) according to human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) and hormone receptor (HR) status. Data on women suffering from de novo MBC and diagnosed from 1998 to 2009 were provided by the Côte-d'Or breast cancer registry. NS was described using the Pohar Perme estimator and prognostic factors were investigated in a generalised linear model. We identified 232 patients (mean age = 64.7). Median NS was 29.2 months, 1- and 5-year NS were 76% and 26% respectively. The survival trend in patients with HER2-positive tumours who did not receive trastuzumab was similar to that in women with triple-negative tumours. A higher relative excess risk of death by cancer was observed for high-grade tumours [RER, relative excess rates = 1.76 (95% CI, confidence intervals: 1.17-2.62) for Scarff Bloom Richardson grade 3 vs. 1 + 2], while a lower risk was observed for luminal tumours [RER = 0.49 (95% CI: 0.27-0.89)] and HER2-positive tumours treated with trastuzumab [RER = 0.28 (95% CI: 0.14-0.59)], both compared with triple-negative tumours. Surgery of the primary tumour was associated with better survival [RER = 0.43 (95% CI: 0.28-0.68)]. With half of the women dead before 29 months, stage IV breast cancer still has a bleak outlook. Progress should continue with new target therapies for both HR and HER2 receptors

Predictive factors of pathologic complete response of HER2-positive breast cancer after preoperative chemotherapy with trastuzumab: development of a specific predictor and study of its utilities using decision curve analysis

International audiencePURPOSE:The aim of this study was to assess the Institut Gustave Roussy/M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (IGR/MDACC) nomogram in predicting pathologic complete response (pCR) to preoperative chemotherapy in a cohort of human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive tumors treated with preoperative chemotherapy with trastuzumab. We then combine clinical and pathological variables associated with pCR into a new nomogram specific to HER2-positive tumors treated by preoperative chemotherapy with trastuzumab.PATIENTS AND METHODS:Data from 270 patients with HER2-positive tumors treated with preoperative chemotherapy with trastuzumab at the Institut Curie and at the Georges François Leclerc Cancer Center were used to assess the IGR/MDACC nomogram and to subsequently develop a new nomogram for pCR based on multivariate logistic regression. Model performance was quantified in terms of calibration and discrimination. We studied the utility of the new nomogram using decision curve analysis.RESULTS:The IGR/MDACC nomogram was not accurate for the prediction of pCR in HER2-positive tumors treated by preoperative chemotherapy with trastuzumab, with poor discrimination (AUC = 0.54, 95% CI 0.51-0.58) and poor calibration (p = 0.01). After uni- and multivariate analysis, a new pCR nomogram was built based on T stage (TNM), hormone receptor status, and Ki67 (%). The model had good discrimination with an area under the curve (AUC) at 0.74 (95% CI 0.70-0.79) and adequate calibration (p = 0.93). By decision curve analysis, the model was shown to be relevant between thresholds of 0.3 and 0.7.CONCLUSION:To the best of our knowledge, ours is the first nomogram to predict pCR in HER2-positive tumors treated by preoperative chemotherapy with trastuzumab. To ensure generalizability, this model needs to be externally validated

Contributions à l'inventaire de la bryoflore française de l'année 2017

National audienceLes observations sont classées par région et par département et sont présentées de la façon suivante, pour chaque espèce : Nom de la commune (code insee), lieu-dit, précision de localisation (et altitude si précisée), date d'observation, vérification d'identification le cas échéant. Les espèces nouvelles pour le département sont suivies de [Ndep], nouvelles pour la région [Nreg], nouvelles pour l'ancienne région [NexReg]. p. 91 : découvertes d'espèces inconnues dans des départements de la région Centre-Val de Loire dans le cadre des projets Défiforbois et BioMareau I

Plantes envahissantes pour les milieux naturels de Nouvelle-Calédonie

Menaces pour la biodiversité, contraintes pour les agriculteurs et les activités humaines, les plantes envahissantes constituent un problème de plus en plus évoqué à travers le monde. Partant de ce constat, l'APICAN (Agence pour la Prévention et l'Indemnisation des Calamités Agricoles ou Naturelles) et ses partenaires ont soutenu l'élaboration de ce guide dans le but de faire connaitre, du plus grand nombre, les problématiques liées aux plantes envahissantes, les moyens de les identifier et les techniques à mettre en oeuvre pour les contrôler. Il s'adresse aux services techniques des communes et des réserves naturelles terrestres, aux exploitants agricoles, aux professionnels des espaces verts mais aussi aux citoyens sensibilisés à la protection de l'environnement. Ce guide décrit 81 espèces végétales envahissantes principales des milieux naturels de Nouvelle-Calédonie (Grande Terre et îles Loyauté). Le texte donne la description, la biologie, la répartition et les moyens de contrôler chaque espèce. Des photographies accompagnent chaque fiche pour faciliter l'identification des plantes

Endocrine therapy or chemotherapy as first-line therapy in hormone receptor–positive HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer patients

International audienceBACKGROUND:For hormone receptor-positive (HR+) human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2-) negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC), international guidelines recommend endocrine therapy as first-line treatment, except in case of 'visceral crisis'. In the latter case, chemotherapy is preferred. Few studies have compared these two strategies. We used the Epidemiological Strategy and Medical Economics (ESME) programme, UNICANCER, a large national observational database (NCT03275311), to address this question.METHODS:All patients who initiated treatment for a newly diagnosed HR+ HER2-negative MBC between January 2008 and December 2014 in any of the 18 French Comprehensive Cancer Centers participating to ESME were selected. Patients should be aromatase inhibitor (AI)-sensitive (no previous AI or relapse occurring more than 1 year after last adjuvant AI). Objectives of the study were evaluation of progression-free and overall survival (OS) according to the type of first-line treatment adjusted on main prognostic factors using a propensity score.RESULTS:Six thousand two hundred sixty-five patients were selected: 2733 (43.6%) received endocrine therapy alone, while 3532 (56.4%) received chemotherapy as first-line therapy. Among the latter, 2073 (58.7%) received maintenance endocrine therapy. Median OS was 60.78 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 57.16-64.09) and 49.64 months (95% CI, 47.31-51.64; p < 0.0001) for patients receiving endocrine therapy alone and chemotherapy ± maintenance endocrine therapy, respectively. However, this difference was not significant after adjusting on the propensity score (hazard ratio: 0.943, 95% CI 0.863-1.030, p = 0.19).CONCLUSION:In this large retrospective cohort of patients with AI-sensitive metastatic luminal BC, OS was similar, whether first-line treatment was chemotherapy or endocrine therapy. In agreement with international guidelines, endocrine therapy should be the first choice for first-line systemic treatment for MBC in the absence of visceral crisis