A novel multi-party semiquantum private comparison protocol of size relationship with d-dimensional single-particle states

By using d-level single-particle states, the first multi-party semiquantum private comparison (MSQPC) protocol which can judge the size relationship of private inputs from more than two classical users within one execution of protocol is put forward. This protocol requires the help of one quantum third party (TP) and one classical TP, both of whom are allowed to misbehave on their own but cannot conspire with anyone else. Neither quantum entanglement swapping nor unitary operations are necessary for implementing this protocol. TPs are only required to perform d-dimensional single-particle measurements. The correctness analysis validates the accuracy of the compared results. The security analysis verifies that both the outside attacks and the participant attacks can be resisted.Comment: 19 pages, 2 figures, 2 table

Multi-party quantum private comparison of size relationship with two third parties based on d-dimensional Bell states

In this paper, we put forward a multi-party quantum private comparison (MQPC) protocol with two semi-honest third parties (TPs) by adopting d-dimensional Bell states, which can judge the size relationship of private integers from more than two users within one execution of protocol. Each TP is permitted to misbehave on her own but cannot collude with others. In the proposed MQPC protocol, TPs are only required to apply d-dimensional single-particle measurements rather than d-dimensional Bell state measurements. There are no quantum entanglement swapping and unitary operations required in the proposed MQPC protocol. The security analysis validates that the proposed MQPC protocol can resist both the outside attacks and the participant attacks. The proposed MQPC protocol is adaptive for the case that users want to compare the size relationship of their private integers under the control of two supervisors. Furthermore, the proposed MQPC protocol can be used in the strange user environment, because there are not any communication and pre-shared key between each pair of users.Comment: 15 pages, 1 figure, 1 tabl

Semiquantum private comparison via cavity QED

In this paper, we design the first semiquantum private comparison (SQPC) protocol which is realized via cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED) by making use of the evolution laws of atom. With the help of a semi-honest third party (TP), the proposed protocol can compare the equality of private inputs from two semiquantum parties who only have limited quantum capabilities. The proposed protocol uses product states as initial quantum resource and employs none of unitary operations, quantum entanglement swapping operation or delay lines. Security proof turns out that it can defeat both the external attack and the internal attack.Comment: 16 pages, 2 figures, 2 table

Antitumor efficacy of combination of interferon-gamma-inducible protein 10 gene with gemcitabine, a study in murine model

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Interferon-γ-inducible protein 10 (IP-10) is a potent inhibitor of tumor angiogenesis. It has been reported that the antiangiogenic therapy combined with chemotherapy has synergistic effects.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>To elucidate the mechanisms of IP-10 gene combined with a chemotherapy agent, we intramuscularly injected pBLAST-IP-10 expression plasmid combined with gemcitabine into tumor-bearing mice.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The proliferation of endothelial cells was effectively inhibited by IP-10 combined with gemcitabine <it>in vitro</it>. Treatment with pBLAST-IP-10 twice a week for 4 weeks combined with gemcitabine 10 mg/kg (once a week) resulted in sustained high level of IP-10 protein in serum, inhibition of tumor growth and prolongation of the survival of tumor-bearing mice. Compared with administration of IP-10 plasmid or gemcitabine alone, the angiogenesis in tumors were apparently inhibited, and the numbers of apoptotic cells and lymphocytes in tumor increased in the combination therapy group.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Our data indicate that the gene therapy of antiangiogenesis by intramuscular delivery of plasmid DNA encoding IP-10 combined with gemcitabine has synergistic effects on tomor by inhibiting the proliferation of endothelail cells, inducing the apoptosis of tumor cells, and recruiting lymphocytes to tumor in murine models. The present findings provided evidence of antitumor effects of genetherapy combined with chemotherapy.</p

Functional variant of the carboxypeptidase M (CPM) gene may affect silica-related pneumoconiosis susceptibility by its expression: a multistage case-control study.

ObjectivesIn a genome-wide association study, we discovered chromosome 12q15 (defined as rs73329476) as a silica-related pneumoconiosis susceptibility region. However, the causal variants in this region have not yet been reported.MethodsWe systematically screened eight potentially functional single-neucleotide polymorphism (SNPs) in the genes near rs73329476 (carboxypeptidase M (CPM) and cleavage and polyadenylation specific factor 6 (CPSF6)) in a case-control study including 177 cases with silicosis and 204 healthy controls, matched to cases with years of silica dust exposure. We evaluated the associations between these eight SNPs and the development of silicosis. Luciferase reporter gene assays were performed to test the effects of selected SNP on the activity of CPM in the promoter. In addition, a two-stage case-control study was performed to investigate the expression differences of the two genes in peripheral blood leucocytes from a total of 64 cases with silicosis and 64 healthy controls with similar years of silica dust exposure as the cases.ResultsWe found a strong association between the mutant rs12812500 G allele and the susceptibility of silicosis (OR=1.45, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.04, p=0.034), while luciferase reporter gene assays indicated that the mutant G allele of rs12812500 is strongly associated with increased luciferase levels compared with the wild-type C allele (p&lt;0.01). Moreover, the mRNA (peripheral blood leucocytes) expression of the CPM gene was significantly higher in subjects with silicosis compared with healthy controls.ConclusionsThe rs12812500 variant of the CPM gene may increase silicosis susceptibility by affecting the expression of CPM, which may contribute to silicosis susceptibility with biological plausibility

Variations in photoprotective potential along gradients of leaf development and plant succession in subtropical forests under contrasting irradiances

The successful development of photosynthetic organs is the basis of plant growth and community development. To reveal photo-acclimation to high irradiance in tree species during the course of leaf development and plant succession of subtropical forests, photosynthetic efficiency and photoprotective compounds were analyzed in young and mature leaves of three mid-successional tree species (Castanopsis fissa, Castanopsis chinensis and Schima superba) and three late-successional tree species (Machilus chinensis, Cryptocarya chinensis and Cryptocarya concinna), grown in 100% full sunlight (FL) or 30% of FL (low light, LL). Young leaves of the two species groups exhibited lower chlorophyll (Chl) content, Rubisco content, net photosynthetic rate (Pn), carboxylation efficiency (CE), effective photochemical yield (ΦPSII), photorespiratory electron flow (JO), but higher dark respiration (Rd), and ratios of carotenoids/chlorophylls (Car/Chl), anthocyanins/chlorophylls (Anth/Chl), flavonoids/chlorophylls (Flav/Chl), phenols/chlorophylls (Phen/Chl) and total antioxidant capacity/chlorophylls (TAC/Chl) than those of mature leaves, regardless of growth irradiance. Young leaves of both species groups demonstrated a higher flexibility of Anth/Chl, Flav/Chl, Phen/Chl and TAC/Chl in response to different light conditions than mature leaves. Flav/Chl in young leaves of late-successional group was remarkably higher than that of mid-successional group under the same light conditions. There was a negative correlation between antioxidant-dependent photoprotective potential and photosynthetic efficiency in young and mature leaves of the six tree species grown under either FL or LL. Our results explain partial mechanisms that lie behind the replacement of communities in subtropical forests: highly integrated photoprotective potential allows young leaves of shade-tolerant late-successional species to develop smoothly into mature organs under high irradiance.This work was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31570398, 31270287). The study was also supported by the key programme of Guangdong Province Natural Science Foundation (2015A030311023)

Diethylene glycol poisoning and liver function following accidental diethylene glycol injection

The aim of the present study was to investigate the hepatotoxic effects of accidental intravenous diethylene glycol (DEG) poisoning in patients with liver disease. Clinical manifestations were recorded and liver function tests were carried out for 64 patients with liver disease who had been accidentally treated intravenously with DEG. Comparisons were made between the poisoned and non-poisoned groups. Of the 64 cases with preexisting liver disease, 15 cases (23.4 %) developed toxic presentations after exposure to DEG. All cases were men. Twelve of the 15 poisoned patients (80 %)died within seven days. The intravenous administration of DEG resulted in only mild liver function impairment. Gender (p = 0.039) and the severity of jaundice prior to DEG administration were risk factors related to the occurrence of toxin-induced renal failure (p < 0.006). The results suggest that DEG may worsen liver damage in patients with preexisting liver disease. However, our study demonstrated only mild, transient alterations in patients’ baseline liver functions. Severe liver damage secondary to DEG was only occasionally seen in patients with concomitant renal failure

Expression of a LINE-1 endonuclease variant in gastric cancer: its association with clinicopathological parameters

BACKGROUND: Long interspersed nuclear element-1 (LINE-1 or L1), the most abundant and only autonomously active family of non-LTR retrotransposons in the human genome, expressed not only in the germ lines but also in somatic tissues. It contributes to genetic instability, aging, and age-related diseases, such as cancer. Our previous study identified in human gastric adenocarcinoma an upregulated transcript GCRG213, which shared 88% homology with human L1 sequence and contained a putative conserved apurinic/apyrimidinic endonucleas1 domain. METHODS: Immunohistochemistry was carried out by using a monoclonal mouse anti-human GCRG213 protein (GCRG213p) antibody produced in our laboratory, on tissue microarray constructed with specimens from 175 gastric adenocarcinoma patients. The correlation between GCRG213p expression and patient clinicopathological parameters was evaluated. GCRG213p expression in gastric cancer cell lines were studied using Western blotting analysis. L1 promoter methylation status of gastric cancer cells was tested using methylation-specific PCR. BLASTP was used at the NCBI Blast server to identify GCRG213p sequence to any alignments in the Protein Data Bank databases. RESULTS: Most primary gastric cancer, lymph node metastases and gastric intestinal metaplasia glands showed positive GCRG213p immunoreactivity. High GCRG213p immunostaining score in the primary gastric cancer was positively correlated with tumor differentiation (well differentiated, p = 0.001), Lauren’s classification (intestinal type, p < 0.05) and a late age onset of gastric adenocarcinoma (≥65 yrs; p < 0.05). GCRG213p expression has no association with other clinicopathological parameters, including survival. Western blotting analysis of GCRG213p expression in gastric cancer cells indicated that GCRG213p level was higher in gastric cancer cell lines than in human normal gastric epithelium immortalized cell line GES-1. Partial methylation of L1 in gastric cancer cells was confirmed by methylation-specific PCR. BLASTP program analysis revealed that GCRG213p peptide shared 83.0% alignment with the C-terminal region of L1 endonuclease (L1-EN). GCRG213p sequence possesses the important residues that compose the conserved features of L1-EN. CONCLUSIONS: GCRG213p could be a variant of L1-EN, a functional member of L1-EN family. Overexpression of GCRG213p is common in both primary gastric cancer and lymph node metastasis. These findings provide evidence of somatic L1 expression in gastric cancer, and its potential consequences in the form of tumor