1,022 research outputs found
Embedding a Deterministic BFT Protocol in a Block DAG
This work formalizes the structure and protocols underlying recent distributed systems leveraging block DAGs, which are essentially encoding Lamport's happened-before relations between blocks, as their core network primitives. We then present an embedding of any deterministic Byzantine fault tolerant protocol ℘ to employ a block DAG for interpreting interactions between servers. Our main theorem proves that this embedding maintains all safety and liveness properties of ℘. Technically, our theorem is based on the insight that a block DAG merely acts as an efficient reliable point-to-point channel between instances of ℘ while also using ℘ for efficient message compression
Association of serum-soluble heat shock protein 60 with carotid atherosclerosis: clinical significance determined in a follow-up study
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Previous work has shown that soluble heat shock protein 60 (HSP60; sHSP60), present in circulating blood, is associated with carotid atherosclerosis. In the current evaluation, we tested the hypothesis that sHSP60 levels are associated with the progression of carotid arteriosclerosis, prospectively. METHODS: The association of sHSP60 with early atherogenesis (5-year development and progression of nonstenotic carotid plaques) was investigated as part of the population-based prospective Bruneck Study. The current study focused on the follow-up period between 1995 and 2000 and, thus, included 684 subjects. RESULTS: sHSP60 levels measured in 1995 and 2000 were highly correlated (r=0.40; P<0.001), indicating consistency over a 5-year period. Circulating HSP60 levels were significantly correlated with antilipopolysaccharide and anti-HSP60 antibodies. It was also elevated in subjects with chronic infection (top quintile group of HSP60, among subjects with and without chronic infection: 23.8% versus 17.0%; P=0.003 after adjustment for age and sex). HSP60 levels were significantly associated with early atherogenesis, both in the entire population (multivariate odds ratio, for a comparison between quintile group V versus I+II: 2.0 [1.2 to 3.5] and the subgroup free of atherosclerosis at the 1995 baseline: 3.8 [1.6 to 8.9]). The risk of early atherogenesis was additionally amplified when high-sHSP60 and chronic infection were present together. CONCLUSIONS: Our study provides the first prospective data confirming an association between high levels of sHSP60 and early carotid atherosclerosis. This possibly indicates an involvement of sHSP60 in activating proinflammatory processes associated with early vessel pathology
COVID-19 revisiting inflammatory pathways of arthritis
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an infectious disease, caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2, which predominantly affects the lungs and, under certain circumstances, leads to an excessive or uncontrolled immune activation and cytokine response in alveolar structures. The pattern of pro-inflammatory cytokines induced in COVID-19 has similarities to those targeted in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Several clinical studies are underway that test the effects of inhibiting IL-6, IL-1\u3b2 or TNF or targeting cytokine signalling via Janus kinase inhibition in the treatment of COVID-19. Despite these similarities, COVID-19 and other zoonotic coronavirus-mediated diseases do not induce clinical arthritis, suggesting that a local inflammatory niche develops in alveolar structures and drives the disease process. COVID-19 constitutes a challenge for patients with inflammatory arthritis for several reasons, in particular, the safety of immune interventions during the pandemic. Preliminary data, however, do not suggest that patients with inflammatory arthritis are at increased risk of COVID-19
The projective translation equation and unramified 2-dimensional flows with rational vector fields
Let X=(x,y). Previously we have found all rational solutions of the
2-dimensional projective translation equation, or PrTE,
(1-z)f(X)=f(f(Xz)(1-z)/z); here f(X)=(u(x,y),v(x,y)) is a pair of two (real or
complex) functions. Solutions of this functional equation are called projective
flows. A vector field of a rational flow is a pair of 2-homogenic rational
functions. On the other hand, only special pairs of 2-homogenic rational
functions give rise to rational flows. In this paper we are interested in all
non-singular (satisfying the boundary condition) and unramified (without
branching points, i.e. single-valued functions in C^2\{union of curves})
projective flows whose vector field is still rational. We prove that, up to
conjugation with 1-homogenic birational plane transformation, these are of 6
types: 1) the identity flow; 2) one flow for each non-negative integer N -
these flows are rational of level N; 3) the level 1 exponential flow, which is
also conjugate to the level 1 tangent flow; 4) the level 3 flow expressable in
terms of Dixonian (equianharmonic) elliptic functions; 5) the level 4 flow
expressable in terms of lemniscatic elliptic functions; 6) the level 6 flow
expressable in terms of Dixonian elliptic functions again. This reveals another
aspect of the PrTE: in the latter four cases this equation is equivalent and
provides a uniform framework to addition formulas for exponential, tangent, or
special elliptic functions (also addition formulas for polynomials and the
logarithm, though the latter appears only in branched flows). Moreover, the
PrTE turns out to have a connection with Polya-Eggenberger urn models. Another
purpose of this study is expository, and we provide the list of open problems
and directions in the theory of PrTE; for example, we define the notion of
quasi-rational projective flows which includes curves of arbitrary genus.Comment: 34 pages, 2 figure
Monocyte chemoattractant proteins in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis
Activation of the immune system and increased synthesis of extracellular matrix proteins by fibroblasts are hallmarks in the pathogenesis of SSc. The molecular mechanisms underlying the infiltration of inflammatory cells into the skin and the subsequent activation of fibroblasts are still largely unknown. Chemokines are a family of small molecules that are classified according to the position of the NH2-terminal cysteine motif. Recent data indicate that chemokines and in particular two members of the subfamily of monocyte chemoattractant proteins, MCP-1 (CCL-2) and MCP-3 (CCL-7), might be involved in the pathogenesis of SSc. MCP-1 and -3 are overexpressed by SSc fibroblasts and in skin lesions from SSc patients compared to healthy controls. MCP-1 and -3 are chemotactic for inflammatory cells and stimulate their migration into the skin. In addition to their pro-inflammatory effects, MCP-1 and -3 contribute to tissue fibrosis by activating the synthesis of extracellular matrix proteins in SSc fibroblasts. Therapeutic strategies targeting MCP-1 have revealed promising results in several animal models of SSc. Antagonists against the receptor CCR2 are currently tested in clinical trials of a variety of diseases and also represent interesting candidates for target-directed therapy in SS
Comparative analysis of anti-histone and anti-chromatin antibody specificity in lupus erythematosus cell-positive and -negative sera and their relation to disease activity
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