On Oblivious Amplification of Coin-Tossing Protocols

We consider the problem of amplifying two-party coin-tossing protocols: given a protocol where it is possible to bias the common output by at most ?, we aim to obtain a new protocol where the output can be biased by at most ?* < ?. We rule out the existence of a natural type of amplifiers called oblivious amplifiers for every ?* < ?. Such amplifiers ignore the way that the underlying ?-bias protocol works and can only invoke an oracle that provides ?-bias bits. We provide two proofs of this impossibility. The first is by a reduction to the impossibility of deterministic randomness extraction from Santha-Vazirani sources. The second is a direct proof that is more general and also rules outs certain types of asymmetric amplification. In addition, it gives yet another proof for the Santha-Vazirani impossibility

A Tight Computational Indistinguishability Bound for Product Distributions

Assume that distributions $X_0,X_1$ (respectively $Y_0,Y_1$) are $d_X$ (respectively $d_Y$) indistinguishable for circuits of a given size. It is well known that the product distributions $X_0Y_0,\,X_1Y_1$ are $d_X+d_Y$ indistinguishable for slightly smaller circuits. However, in probability theory where unbounded adversaries are considered through statistical distance, it is folklore knowledge that in fact $X_0Y_0$ and $X_1Y_1$ are $d_X+d_Y-d_X\cdot d_Y$ indistinguishable, and also that this bound is tight. We formulate and prove the computational analog of this tight bound. Our proof is entirely different from the proof in the statistical case, which is non-constructive. As a corollary, we show that if $X$ and $Y$ are $d$ indistinguishable, then $k$ independent copies of $X$ and $k$ independent copies of $Y$ are almost $1-(1-d)^k$ indistinguishable for smaller circuits, as against $d\cdot k$ using the looser bound. Our bounds are useful in settings where only weak (i.e. non-negligible) indistinguishability is guaranteed. We demonstrate this in the context of cryptography, showing that our bounds yield simple analysis for amplification of weak oblivious transfer protocols

Table of Contents and Prologue

Editorial board, Table of contents, and a Prologue on Public Design Interest by John Car

Counterexample to OWF Self-XOR Being a DOWF

We study the effects of the XOR transformation, that is, $f^{\oplus 2}(x_1,x_2):= f(x_1)\oplus f(x_2)$, on one-wayness. More specifically, we present an example showing that if one-way functions exist, there also exists a one-way function $f$ such that $f^{\oplus 2}$ is not even a distributional one-way function, demonstrating that one-wayness may severely deteriorate

Hyperbaric treatment for children with autism: a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Several uncontrolled studies of hyperbaric treatment in children with autism have reported clinical improvements; however, this treatment has not been evaluated to date with a controlled study. We performed a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial to assess the efficacy of hyperbaric treatment in children with autism.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>62 children with autism recruited from 6 centers, ages 2–7 years (mean 4.92 ± 1.21), were randomly assigned to 40 hourly treatments of either hyperbaric treatment at 1.3 atmosphere (atm) and 24% oxygen ("treatment group", n = 33) or slightly pressurized room air at 1.03 atm and 21% oxygen ("control group", n = 29). Outcome measures included Clinical Global Impression (CGI) scale, Aberrant Behavior Checklist (ABC), and Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC).</p> <p>Results</p> <p>After 40 sessions, mean physician CGI scores significantly improved in the treatment group compared to controls in overall functioning (p = 0.0008), receptive language (p < 0.0001), social interaction (p = 0.0473), and eye contact (p = 0.0102); 9/30 children (30%) in the treatment group were rated as "very much improved" or "much improved" compared to 2/26 (8%) of controls (p = 0.0471); 24/30 (80%) in the treatment group improved compared to 10/26 (38%) of controls (p = 0.0024). Mean parental CGI scores significantly improved in the treatment group compared to controls in overall functioning (p = 0.0336), receptive language (p = 0.0168), and eye contact (p = 0.0322). On the ABC, significant improvements were observed in the treatment group in total score, irritability, stereotypy, hyperactivity, and speech (p < 0.03 for each), but not in the control group. In the treatment group compared to the control group, mean changes on the ABC total score and subscales were similar except a greater number of children improved in irritability (p = 0.0311). On the ATEC, sensory/cognitive awareness significantly improved (p = 0.0367) in the treatment group compared to the control group. Post-hoc analysis indicated that children over age 5 and children with lower initial autism severity had the most robust improvements. Hyperbaric treatment was safe and well-tolerated.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Children with autism who received hyperbaric treatment at 1.3 atm and 24% oxygen for 40 hourly sessions had significant improvements in overall functioning, receptive language, social interaction, eye contact, and sensory/cognitive awareness compared to children who received slightly pressurized room air.</p> <p>Trial Registration</p> <p>clinicaltrials.gov NCT00335790</p

Expert consensus document:Cholangiocarcinoma: current knowledge and future perspectives consensus statement from the European Network for the Study of Cholangiocarcinoma (ENS-CCA)

Cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) is a heterogeneous group of malignancies with features of biliary tract differentiation. CCA is the second most common primary liver tumour and the incidence is increasing worldwide. CCA has high mortality owing to its aggressiveness, late diagnosis and refractory nature. In May 2015, the "European Network for the Study of Cholangiocarcinoma" (ENS-CCA: www.enscca.org or www.cholangiocarcinoma.eu) was created to promote and boost international research collaboration on the study of CCA at basic, translational and clinical level. In this Consensus Statement, we aim to provide valuable information on classifications, pathological features, risk factors, cells of origin, genetic and epigenetic modifications and current therapies available for this cancer. Moreover, future directions on basic and clinical investigations and plans for the ENS-CCA are highlighted

Rhodium complexes containing arylspiroborates derived from 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol and their use in catalyzed hydroborations

Tl(acac) reacts quantitatively with B2butcat3 (butcat = 3,5-di-tert-butylcatecholato) to give butcatB(acac) and Tl(Bbutcat 2) (1), the latter of which is soluble in common organic solvents such as THF and dichloromethane. Addition of 1 to a mixture of [RhCl(coe) 2]2 (coe = cis-cyclooctene) and diphosphine in THF gave the thallium bridged dinuclear complexes [(P2)Rh(μ-Cl) 2(μ-Tl)Rh(P2)][Bbutcat2] (2-5, P2 is dppm = 1,1′-bis(diphenylphosphino)methane, dppe = 1,2- bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane, dppp = 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane and dppb = 1,4-bis(diphenylphosphino)butane) as the only new rhodium containing species. Unsymmetrical binding of the thallium atom is observed in some cases owing to a secondary interaction with the phenyl rings of the phosphine ligands. Mononuclear cationic species of the type [(P2)Rh(NCCH 3)2][Bbutcat2] (6-9) were formed when reactions were carried out in acetonitrile, where preferential binding of the solvent was observed over the bulky arylspiroborate ligand. The zwitterionic species Rh(η6-butcatBbutcat)(P2), 11 and 12, could be generated via a different route, by addition of B2butcat3 to Rh(acac)(P2), but only for the sterically-constrained diphosphines dppm and dppe, respectively. While all new complexes effectively catalyzed the addition of catecholborane to 4-vinylanisole and α-methylstyrene, product distributions suffered from a competing dehydrogenative borylation pathway

Selective and Cytokine-Dependent Regulation of Hepatic Transporters and Bile Acid Homeostasis during Infectious Colitis in Mice

Various disease models have been shown to alter hepatic drug-metabolizing enzyme (DME) and transporter expression and to induce cholestasis through altered enzyme and transporter expression. Previously, we detailed the regulation of hepatic DMEs during infectious colitis caused by Citrobacter rodentium infection. We hypothesized that this infection would also modulate hepatic drug transporter expression and key genes of bile acid (BA) synthesis and transport. Mice lacking Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), interleukin-6 (IL-6), or interferon-gamma (IFNγ) and appropriate wild-type animals were orally infected with C. rodentium and sacrificed 7 days later. In two wild-type strains, drug transporter mRNA expression was significantly decreased by infection for Slc22a4, Slco1a1, Slco1a4, Slco2b1, and Abcc6, whereas the downregulation of Abcc2, Abcc3, and Abcc4 were strain-dependent. In contrast, mRNA expressions of Slco3a1 and Abcb1b were increased in a strain-dependent manner. Expression of Abcb11, Slc10a1, the two major hepatic BA transporters, and Cyp7a1, the rate-limiting enzyme of BA synthesis, was also significantly decreased in infected animals. None of the above effects were caused by bacterial lipopolysaccharide, since they still occurred in the absence of functional TLR4. The downregulation of Slc22a4 and Cyp7a1 was absent in IFNγ-null mice, and the downregulation of Slco1a1 was abrogated in IL-6-null mice, indicating in vivo roles for these cytokines in transporter regulation. These data indicate that C. rodentium infection modulates hepatic drug processing through alteration of transporter expression as well as DMEs. Furthermore, this infection downregulates important genes of BA synthesis and transport and may increase the risk for cholestasis

Synthesis and molecular structure of a novel barium arylspiroboronate ester

The compound barium bis{bis-(4,6-di-tert-butyl[1,2-benzenediolato(2-)-O,O'] borate)} has been prepared by the addition of 3,5-di-tert-butylcatechol to a solution of boric acid and Ba(OH)2 and characterized by a single crystal X-ray diffraction study. The title compound crystallized in the triclinic space group P-1, with cell parameters a = 13.280(2) Å, b = 15.755(3) Å, and c = 16.980(3) Å, α = 71.691(2)o, β = 79.528(3)o, γ = 80.741(3)o, Z = 1, and V = 3296.1(10) Å3. The structure was solved by direct methods and refined to a final R = 0.0459 for 14370 reflections with I > 2σ(I). One of the arylspiroboronate ester counterions is bound to the barium atom in a rare example of the h1 bonding mode via a single oxygen of one of the catecholato groups. The coordination sphere around the barium is complemented by four molecules of water, one molecule of acetone and two bridging water molecules, connecting to an adjacent barium atom