Enhanced security computational double random phase encryption by using additional random function

Image encryption technique has been actively researched and improved. Double Random Phase Encryption (DRPE), known as the typical way of optical encryption, can easily encrypt images. In the decryption process of DRPE, the complex conjugate of random phase mask used as the encryption key in the Fourier domain is used as the decryption key. As a result, computational DRPE has a vulnerability in image transmission when the random phase mask is stolen. Our proposed method utilizes the random function defined by the sender, and it generates additional random variable to multiply the random phase mask. Finally, our proposed method can enhance the security of the encryption process. However, the random phase mask and random variable information generated by random function are needed to decrypt the image. To send both information, high cost is required in the transmission process. To overcome this problem, our proposed method sends the conjugate random phase mask and random function to the receiver for the decryption process. Finally, our proposed method can enhance security with a low transmission cost.13th International Conference on ITC Convergence (ICTC2021), October 20-22, 2021, Jeju, Kore

Activity of Health Education at Primary School Attached to the School Education, Okayama University

　附属小学校において，日頃の保健室で児童との関わりから気づいた課題と体育科保健領域とのつながりを意識しながら，歯・口を題材に，からだの発育発達についての保健指導を行った。同時に，養護教諭養成をになう附属小学校として，保健指導に取り組む際のプロセスを明確にすることを目的に，実践の振り返りを行った。指導計画の作成から実践までの過程を，児童の学び，授業者の反省，学級担任の評価についてまとめ，保健指導の展開にいかす視点を検討したので報告する

Familial Occurrence of a Congenital Portosystemic Shunt of the Portal Vein

A congenital portosystemic shunt of the portal vein is a very rare vascular anomaly associated with the liver. We report the case of a 5-year-old girl with a patent ductus venosus and her 31-year-old mother with a congenital portosystemic shunt. The child presented with a history of an extremely low birth weight in addition to an atrial septal defect and a patent ductus venosus. At the age of 2, she underwent ligation of the ductus venosus. Her mother was also diagnosed with a congenital vascular anomaly at the age of 16. We have followed up and evaluated her asymptomatic mother for 15 years. To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the occurrence of a congenital portosystemic shunt in both a mother and her child

Inhibitory Effects of Antithrombin III on Interactions between Blood Cells and Endothelial Cells during Retinal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

PURPOSE. Infiltrating leukocytes have long been widely thought to be key mediators of ischemia-reperfusion injury. Recently, however, evidence suggests that platelets accumulating in postischemic tissues also contribute to ischemia-reperfusion injury because of their inflammatory properties and promotion of formation of thrombi. This study was designed to evaluate quantitatively the inhibitory effects of antithrombin (AT)-III on the interactions between blood cells and retinal endothelial cells in vivo after transient retinal ischemia. METHODS. Transient retinal ischemia was induced for 60 minutes in male Long-Evans rats by ligation of the optic nerve. AT III (250 U/kg) was administered intravenously just after induction of ischemia. Leukocyte and platelet behavior in the retina was evaluated in vivo with a scanning laser ophthalmoscope. Expression of P-selectin and intracellular adhesion molecule (ICAM)-1 in the postischemic retina was investigated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and immunohistochemistry. After 14 days of reperfusion, ischemia-induced retinal damage was evaluated histologically. RESULTS. Administration of AT III significantly inhibited leukocyte rolling along the major retinal veins and subsequent accumulation of leukocytes in the postischemic retina. Furthermore, the maximum number of rolling and adherent platelets was reduced by 76% (P Ͻ 0.01) and 48% (P Ͻ 0.01), respectively, at 12 hours after reperfusion. Immunohistochemical studies also revealed the suppressive effect of AT III on expression of P-selectin and ICAM-1. Finally, histologic examination demonstrated the protective effects of AT III against retinal damage after transient retinal ischemia. CONCLUSIONS. This study demonstrates the inhibitory effects of AT III on leukocyte and platelet recruitment to the postischemic retina, which may account for the neuroprotective properties of this ␣-2 globulin against retinal ischemia-reperfusion injury. (Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2003;44:332-341) DOI: 10.1167/iovs.02-0493 I nfiltrating leukocytes have long been acknowledged to be a feature of ischemia-reperfusion injury. 1-4 Recently, however, evidence suggests that platelets also play an important role in the pathogenesis of ischemia-reperfusion injury. 5,6 The importance of platelets is supported by many studies that have demonstrated the beneficial effects of platelet depletion against ischemia-reperfusion injury. 20,21 Thrombin, which is the terminal serine protease of the coagulation cascade, has the ability to activate platelets and fibrinogen. Recently, many investigators have focused on the role of thrombin in various pathologic conditions. It has been demonstrated that an increase in thrombin in postischemic tissues activates vascular endothelial cells. Such activated vascular endothelial cells express adhesion molecules, which contribute to the recruitment of leukocytes and platelets. We recently developed an in vivo method to quantitatively evaluate platelet-endothelium interactions in rat retina. 26 Using this method, we have found that platelets roll along and adhere to retinal venous endothelium during ischemia-reperfusion and that these interactions are mediated by endothelial Pselectin, not by platelet P-selectin. MATERIALS AND METHODS Animal Model Male pigmented Long-Evans rats (200 -250 g) were used in this study. Transient retinal ischemia was induced for 60 minutes in the right eye of each rat

Assessment of Outcome of Hepatic Arterial Infusion Chemotherapy in Patients with Advanced Hepatocellular Carcinoma by the Combination of RECIST and Tumor Markers

To assess the outcome of stable disease (SD) patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by tumor markers after the first course of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC). The study subjects were 156 HCC patients treated with HAIC and classified as Child Pugh A, with no extrahepatic metastasis, and no history of sorafenib treatment. In the study and validation cohorts, the AFP and DCP ratios of patients who were considered SD to the first course of HAIC were analyzed by AUROC for a prediction of response to the second course of HAIC. The imaging response to the first course of HAIC was classified as partial response (PR), SD and progressive disease (PD) in 29 (18.8%), 80 (51.9%), and 44 (28.6%) patients respectively. For SD patients, the α-fetoprotein (AFP) and des-γ-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) ratios of patients who were considered SD to the first course of HAIC were analyzed by the receiver operating characteristic curve for prediction of response to the second course of HAIC in the study cohorts. The area under the curve of AFP ratio was 0.743. The area under the curve of DCP ratio was 0.695. The cut-off values of AFP and DCP ratios were 1.3 and 1.0, respectively. In the validation cohort, the accuracy of the prediction of response in this validation cohort (71.4%) showed no significant difference compared to that in the study cohort (72.4%) (p = 1.0). The results suggested that patients with a high tumor marker ratio could be switched to alternative therapeutic regimens despite the SD response to HAIC

Hepatitis C Virus Infection Suppresses the Interferon Response in the Liver of the Human Hepatocyte Chimeric Mouse

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Recent studies indicate that hepatitis C virus (HCV) can modulate the expression of various genes including those involved in interferon signaling, and up-regulation of interferon-stimulated genes by HCV was reported to be strongly associated with treatment outcome. To expand our understanding of the molecular mechanism underlying treatment resistance, we analyzed the direct effects of interferon and/or HCV infection under immunodeficient conditions using cDNA microarray analysis of human hepatocyte chimeric mice. METHODS: Human serum containing HCV genotype 1b was injected into human hepatocyte chimeric mice. IFN-α was administered 8 weeks after inoculation, and 6 hours later human hepatocytes in the mouse livers were collected for microarray analysis. RESULTS: HCV infection induced a more than 3-fold change in the expression of 181 genes, especially genes related to Organismal Injury and Abnormalities, such as fibrosis or injury of the liver (P = 5.90E-16∼3.66E-03). IFN administration induced more than 3-fold up-regulation in the expression of 152 genes. Marked induction was observed in the anti-fibrotic chemokines such as CXCL9, suggesting that IFN treatment might lead not only to HCV eradication but also prevention and repair of liver fibrosis. HCV infection appeared to suppress interferon signaling via significant reduction in interferon-induced gene expression in several genes of the IFN signaling pathway, including Mx1, STAT1, and several members of the CXCL and IFI families (P = 6.0E-12). Genes associated with Antimicrobial Response and Inflammatory Response were also significantly repressed (P = 5.22×10(-10)∼1.95×10(-2)). CONCLUSIONS: These results provide molecular insights into possible mechanisms used by HCV to evade innate immune responses, as well as novel therapeutic targets and a potential new indication for interferon therapy

Effect of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and angiotensin receptor blocker initiation on organ support-free days in patients hospitalized with COVID-19

IMPORTANCE Overactivation of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) may contribute to poor clinical outcomes in patients with COVID-19. Objective To determine whether angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor or angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) initiation improves outcomes in patients hospitalized for COVID-19. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS In an ongoing, adaptive platform randomized clinical trial, 721 critically ill and 58 non–critically ill hospitalized adults were randomized to receive an RAS inhibitor or control between March 16, 2021, and February 25, 2022, at 69 sites in 7 countries (final follow-up on June 1, 2022). INTERVENTIONS Patients were randomized to receive open-label initiation of an ACE inhibitor (n = 257), ARB (n = 248), ARB in combination with DMX-200 (a chemokine receptor-2 inhibitor; n = 10), or no RAS inhibitor (control; n = 264) for up to 10 days. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES The primary outcome was organ support–free days, a composite of hospital survival and days alive without cardiovascular or respiratory organ support through 21 days. The primary analysis was a bayesian cumulative logistic model. Odds ratios (ORs) greater than 1 represent improved outcomes. RESULTS On February 25, 2022, enrollment was discontinued due to safety concerns. Among 679 critically ill patients with available primary outcome data, the median age was 56 years and 239 participants (35.2%) were women. Median (IQR) organ support–free days among critically ill patients was 10 (–1 to 16) in the ACE inhibitor group (n = 231), 8 (–1 to 17) in the ARB group (n = 217), and 12 (0 to 17) in the control group (n = 231) (median adjusted odds ratios of 0.77 [95% bayesian credible interval, 0.58-1.06] for improvement for ACE inhibitor and 0.76 [95% credible interval, 0.56-1.05] for ARB compared with control). The posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitors and ARBs worsened organ support–free days compared with control were 94.9% and 95.4%, respectively. Hospital survival occurred in 166 of 231 critically ill participants (71.9%) in the ACE inhibitor group, 152 of 217 (70.0%) in the ARB group, and 182 of 231 (78.8%) in the control group (posterior probabilities that ACE inhibitor and ARB worsened hospital survival compared with control were 95.3% and 98.1%, respectively). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE In this trial, among critically ill adults with COVID-19, initiation of an ACE inhibitor or ARB did not improve, and likely worsened, clinical outcomes. TRIAL REGISTRATION ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT0273570

Interpersonal physiological connection is associated with improved orchestral performance

Interpersonal physiological connection is thought to play a crucial role in group activities. A previous study with participants who had little musical experience has shown that the groups with higher heart rate synchronization were better able to perform simple drumming tasks in a coordinated manner. In the present study, we investigated whether heart-rate synchronization is associated with improvement in a complex harmonic performance of an orchestra. The subject of this study was an orchestra composed of several semi-professional and amateur musicians rehearsing a new original piece. The heart rates of sixteen musicians were simultaneously measured during a joint rehearsal. The results indicate that while the average heart rate of the musicians decreased, heart-rate synchronization among the musicians increased over the course of repeated group rehearsals. For a harmonic performance, the musicians may need to have a physiological connection to each other without their physiological arousal being too high