nMIBAS: A Novel Multi-Receiver ID-Based Anonymous Signcryption with Decryption Fairness

Based on the ring signature technology, the multi-receiver ID-based anonymous signcryption (MIBAS) is proposed, and its goal is to protect the privacy of the sender or so-called signer. In an MIBAS scheme, every receiver can verify whether the sender is a member of a trusted group and thus ensure the reliability of the message source, but he could not get the real sender. However, MIBAS paid no attention to privacy of the receivers and has not taken the privacy of the receivers into account during its design. Our analyses show that there widely exist the receiver privacy exposure and decryption unfairness problems in the existing multi-receiver ID-based signcryption schemes. Motivated by these concerns, a new multi-receiver ID-based anonymous signcryption (nMIBAS) is proposed to protect the identity of the receivers. The nMIBAS scheme can not only solve the problem that the existing schemes cannot protect the privacy of receivers, but also meet the fairness of decryption to prevent the possible cheating behavior of the sender effectively. Analysis shows that this scheme is a secure and effective signcryption scheme

An Exploratory Case Study on IS Implementation and Organizational Change in China

Owing to the turbulent and fast changing environment in which Chinese firms operate, Information Systems (IS) implementation triggers important organizational changes in these firms. Starting with the premise that both the depth and nature of such changes are markedly different from what firms experience in other economies, this paper makes an attempt in conceptualizing issues relating to IS implementation in the Chinese context. It addresses critical success factors, expounds on the processes involved, and deals with the criteria for assessing a firm’s success or failure. A case study was conducted which entailed the examination of two key applications, financial accounting and personnel administration. This initial exploration indicates relevance of certain factors in the existing literature, and brings to light the potentiality of several factors pertinent to the current state of the Chinese business environment, which is heavily influenced by the cultural and economic backgrounds of this huge country. The study is the beginning part of a larger research program, which aims to include multiple cases in different but major industries. The findings enrich the literature on IS implementation by offering some new dimensions of understanding

Specific Alleles of Bitter Receptor Genes Influence Human Sensitivity to the Bitterness of Aloin and Saccharin

SummaryVariation in human taste is a well-known phenomenon [1]. However, little is known about the molecular basis for it. Bitter taste in humans is believed to be mediated by a family of 25 G protein-coupled receptors (hT2Rs, or TAS2Rs) [2–7]. Despite recent progress in the functional expression of hT2Rs in vitro, up until now, hT2R38, a receptor for phenylthiocarbamide (PTC), was the only gene directly linked to variations in human bitter taste [8]. Here we report that polymorphism in two hT2R genes results in different receptor activities and different taste sensitivities to three bitter molecules. The hT2R43 gene allele, which encodes a protein with tryptophan in position 35, makes people very sensitive to the bitterness of the natural plant compounds aloin and aristolochic acid. People who do not possess this allele do not taste these compounds at low concentrations. The same hT2R43 gene allele makes people more sensitive to the bitterness of an artificial sweetener, saccharin. In addition, a closely related gene's (hT2R44's) allele also makes people more sensitive to the bitterness of saccharin. We also demonstrated that some people do not possess certain hT2R genes, contributing to taste variation between individuals. Our findings thus reveal new examples of variations in human taste and provide a molecular basis for them

The efficacy of furmonertinib in untreated advanced NSCLC patients with sensitive EGFR mutations in a real-world setting: a single institutional experience

BackgroundFurmonertinib is the standard treatment option in the first-line setting for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with sensitive epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations in China. However, there are limited real-world data available.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective study at a single center, analyzing a cohort of 73 NSCLC patients who tested positive for EGFR mutations and were treated with furmonertinib as their initial therapy between August 2022 and December 2023. The primary endpoint was progression-free survival (PFS), with secondary endpoints including objective response rate (ORR), overall survival (OS), and safety profile.ResultsThe median observation period was 9 months (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.0–20.0). The median PFS was 19.5 months (95% CI, 14.6–24.4). OS data were not yet mature. Univariate analysis showed no significant correlation between PFS and factors such as Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status (ECOG PS) score, presence of brain or liver metastases, sex, age, EGFR mutation status, or number of metastatic sites. However, multivariate analysis indicated a potential trend toward extended PFS in patients younger than 65 years (p = 0.053, 95% CI, 0.10–1.02), although the p-value was only marginally significant. The most common adverse events were diarrhea (24%), anemia (36%), and liver injury (32%); however, only four cases experienced severe adverse events.ConclusionIn a real-world setting, furmonertinib appears to be a favorable treatment option for EGFR-mutated patients. The manageable nature of adverse events further supports its use in clinical practice

Corrigendum: Case Report: Durable response to immuno-chemotherapy in a case of ROS1 fusion-positive advanced lung adenocarcinoma: A case report

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have greatly transformed the treatment and improved the prognosis for patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) without driver gene alterations. However, the effects of ICI combination therapy in ROS1 fusion-positive NSCLC remains unclear. Herein, we present a case with ROS1 fusion-positive NSCLC treated with ICI plus chemotherapy. The patient achieved a continuous partial response (PR) to ICI plus chemotherapy and a more than 35 months progression free survival. This case demonstrates that ICI plus chemotherapy is a promising option for patients with ROS1 fusion-positive NSCLC

Testosterone Upregulates the Expression of Mitochondrial ND1 and ND4 and Alleviates the Oxidative Damage to the Nigrostriatal Dopaminergic System in Orchiectomized Rats

Testosterone deficiency, as a potential risk factor for aging and aging-related neurodegenerative disorders, might induce mitochondrial dysfunction and facilitate the declines of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system by exacerbating the mitochondrial defects and increasing the oxidative damage. Thus, how testosterone levels influence the mitochondrial function in the substantia nigra was investigated in the study. The present studies showed that testosterone deficiency impaired the mitochondrial function in the substantia nigra and induced the oxidative damage to the substantia nigra as well as the deficits in the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system. Of four mitochondrial respiratory chain complexes, castration of male rats reduced the activity of mitochondrial complex I and downregulated the expression of ND1 and ND4 of 7 mitochondrial DNA- (mtDNA-) encoded subunits of complex I in the substantia nigra. Supplements of testosterone propionate to castrated male rats ameliorated the activity of mitochondrial complex I and upregulated the expression of mitochondrial ND1 and ND4. These results suggest an important role of testosterone in maintaining the mitochondrial function in the substantia nigra and the vulnerability of mitochondrial complex I to testosterone deficiency. Mitochondrial ND1 and ND4, as potential testosterone targets, were implicated in the oxidative damage to the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system