Research of Multiple Text Watermarks Technique in Electric Power System Texts

Aiming at the reliable transmission security problems of electric power system texts, multiple text watermarking algorithm is first applied into protecting it. Take protecting the transmission of electricity price in the in electric power system text and authenticating the content from the sender for example, and robustness watermarking algorithm is employed to transmit the electricity price with covert communication which makes it possible to resist different kinds of attacks. The semi-fragile watermark is utilized to confirm the identity of the sender which can show whether the text is stolen or misused, and find where the contents are tampered. The experiments show that multiple text watermarking algorithm can protect the data effectively aiming at different purpose which achieves its application value. Those also show the validity of multiple text watermarking technique used in the reliable transmission of electric power system texts and that this technique has a vast application prospect

Effect of polygonimitin C on bone formation and resorption in human osteoblast-like MG63 cells

Purpose: To investigate the effect of polygonimitin C (PC) on bone formation and resorption in human osteoblast-like MG63 cells.Methods: MG63 cells were treated with PC at doses of 0, 20, 40 or 80 μg/mL for 48 h, with an untreated group as control. The effect of PC on alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity in MG63 cells was investigated by p-nitrophenyl phosphate disodium hexahydrate assay. Western blot assay was used to evaluate the effect of PC on the expressions of osterix (OSX), bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2), runt-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX-2), osteocalcin (OC), fibronectin (FN), type I collagen (COL I), osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL) proteins in MG63 cells.Results: ALP relative activity in MG63 cells treated with PC at 20, 40 or 80 μg/mL (123.58, 137.74 or 159.62 %, respectively) was significantly (p < 0.05 or 0.01) higher than that in control group (99.37 %). Expressions of OSX, BMP-2, RUNX-2, OC, FN, COL I and OPG proteins in MG63 cells treated with PC at 20, 40 or 80 μg/mL were significantly (p < 0.01) higher than those in control group. However, there were no statistically significant differences in RANKL protein expression between PC-treated MG63 cells and control group.Conclusion: These results show that PC exerts protective effects against osteoporosis by promoting bone formation and inhibiting bone resorption. Thus, PC may be useful in the development of new antiosteoporosis drugs.Keywords: Polygonimitin C, MG63 cells, Bone formation, Bone resorption, Osteoporosi

Systemically administered liposome-encapsulated Ad-PEDF potentiates the anti-cancer effects in mouse lung metastasis melanoma

BACKGROUND: The use of adenoviral vector for gene therapy is still an important strategy for advanced cancers, however, the lack of the requisite coxsackie-adenovirus receptor in cancer cells and host immune response to adenovirus limit the application of adenoviral vector in vivo. METHOD: We designed the antiangiogenic gene therapy with recombinant PEDF adenovirus (Ad-PEDF) encapsulated in cationic liposome (Ad-PEDF/Liposome), and investigated the anti-tumor efficacy of Ad-PEDF/Liposome complex on inhibition of tumor metastasis. RESULTS: We found that systemic administration of Ad-PEDF/liposome was well tolerated and resulted in marked suppression of tumor growth, and was more potent than uncoated Ad-PEDF to induce apoptosis in B16-F10 melanoma cells and inhibit murine pulmonary metastases in vivo. After Ad-luciferase was encapsulated with liposome, its distribution decreased in liver and increased in lung. The anti-Ad IgG level of Ad-PEDF/Liposome was significantly lower than Ad-PEDF used alone. CONCLUSION: The present findings provide evidences of systematic administration of cationic liposome-encapsulated Ad-PEDF in pulmonary metastatic melanoma mice model, and show an encouraging therapeutic effect for further exploration and application of more complexes based on liposome-encapsulated adenovirus for more cancers

Fat fraction quantification of lumbar spine: comparison of T1-weighted two-point Dixon and single-voxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy in diagnosis of multiple myeloma

PURPOSEWe aimed to investigate the value of T1-weighted two-point Dixon technique and single-voxel magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) in diagnosis of multiple myeloma (MM) through quantifying fat content of vertebral marrow.METHODSA total of 30 MM patients and 30 healthy volunteers underwent T1-weighted two-point Dixon and single-voxel MRS imaging. The fat fraction map (FFM) was reconstructed from the Dixon images using the equation FFM = Lip/In, where Lip represents fat maps and In represents in-phase images. The fat fraction (FF) of MRS was calculated by using the integral area of Lip peak divided by the sum of integral area of Lip peak and water peak.RESULTSFF values measured by the Dixon technique and MRS were significantly decreased in MM patients (45.99%±3.39% and 47.63%±4.38%) compared with healthy controls (64.43%±0.96% and 76.22%±1.91%) (P < 0.001 with both methods). FF values measured by Dixon technique were significantly positively correlated to those measured by MRS in MM (r = 0.837, P < 0.001) and healthy control group (r = 0.735, P < 0.001), respectively. There was no significant difference between area under the curve (AUC) obtained by the Dixon technique (0.878±0.047; range, 0.785 to 0.971; optimal cutoff, 56.35 for healthy controls vs. MM) and MRS (0.883±0.047; range, 0.791 to 0.974; optimal cutoff, 61.00 for healthy controls vs. MM). The ability of Dixon technique to differentiate MM group from healthy controls was equivalent to single-voxel MRS.CONCLUSIONRegarding detection of fat contents in vertebral bone, T1-weighted two-point Dixon technique exhibited equivalent performance to single-voxel MRS in the diagnosis of multiple myeloma. Moreover, two-point Dixon is a more convenient and stable technique for assessing bone marrow changes in MM patients than single-voxel MRS

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors-Related Thyroid Dysfunction: Epidemiology, Clinical Presentation, Possible Pathogenesis, and Management

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are a group of drugs employed in the treatment of various types of malignant tumors and improve the therapeutic effect. ICIs blocks negative co-stimulatory molecules, such as programmed cell death gene-1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated antigen-4 (CTLA-4), reactivating the recognition and killing effect of the immune system on tumors. However, the reactivation of the immune system can also lead to the death of normal organs, tissues, and cells, eventually leading to immune-related adverse events (IRAEs). IRAEs involve various organs and tissues and also cause thyroid dysfunction. This article reviews the epidemiology, clinical manifestations, possible pathogenesis, and management of ICIs-related thyroid dysfunction

Detecting CD20-Rituximab interaction forces using AFM single-molecule force spectroscopy

The invention of atomic force microscopy (AFM) has provided new technology for measuring specific molecular interaction forces. Using AFM single-molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) techniques, CD20-Rituximab rupture forces were measured on purified CD20 proteins, Raji cells, and lymphoma patient B cells. Rituximab molecules were linked onto AFM tips using AFM probe functionalization technology, and purified CD20 proteins were attached to mica using substrate functionalization technology. Raji cells (a lymphoma cell line) or lymphoma patient cells were immobilized on a glass substrate via electrostatic adsorption and chemical fixation. The topography of the purified CD20 proteins, Raji cells, and patient lymphoma cells was visualized using AFM imaging and the differences in the rupture forces were analyzed and measured. The results showed that the rupture forces between the CD20 proteins on Raji cells and Rituximab were markedly smaller than those for purified CD20 proteins and CD20 proteins on lymphoma patient B cells. These findings provide an effective experimental method for investigating the mechanisms underlying the variable efficacy of Rituximab. © 2011 Science China Press and Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.Link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Combination of D-dimer level and neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio predicts long-term clinical outcomes in acute coronary syndrome after percutaneous coronary intervention

Background: High D-dimer (DD) is associated with short-term adverse outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS). In ACS patients who underwent percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), however, the value of DD (or combined with neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio [NLR]) to predict long-term major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) has not been fully evaluated. Methods: Patients diagnosed with ACS and receiving PCI were included. The primary outcome was MACEs. Cox proportional hazards regression and logistic regression was used to illustrate the relationship between clinical risk factors, biomarkers and MACEs. Survival models were developed based on significant factors and evaluated by the Concordance-index (C-index). Results: The final study cohort was comprised of 650 patients (median age, 64 years; 474 males), including 98 (15%) with MACEs during a median follow-up period of 40 months. According to the cut-off value of DD and NLR, the patients were separated into four groups: high DD or nonhigh DD with high or nonhigh NLR. After adjusting for confounding variables, DD (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR]: 2.39, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.52–3.76) and NLR (aHR: 2.71, 95% CI: 1.78–4.11) were independently associated with long-term MACEs. Moreover, patients with both high DD and NLR had a significantly higher risk in MACEs when considering patients with nonhigh DD and NLR as reference (aHR: 6.19, 95% CI: 3.30–11.61). The area under curve (AUC) increased and reached 0.70 in differentiating long-term MACEs when DD and NLR were combined, and survival models incorporating the two exhibited a stronger predictive power (C-index: 0.75). Conclusions: D-dimer (or combined with NLR) can be used to predict long-term MACEs in ACS patients undergoing PCI

Mechanistic aspects of photo-induced formation of peroxide ions on the surface of cubic Ln(2)O(3) (Ln = Nd, Sm, Gd) under oxygen

National Basic Research Program of China [2010CB732303]; National Natural Science Foundation of China [21173173, 21033006, 20923004]; Program for Changjiang Scholars and Innovative Research Team in University [IRT1036]The photo-induced formation of peroxide ions on the surface of cubic Ln(2)O(3) (Ln = Nd, Sm, Gd) was studied by in situ microprobe Raman spectroscopy using a 325 nm laser as excitation source. It was found that the Raman bands of peroxide ions at 833-843 cm(-1) began to grow at the expense of the Ln(3+)-O-2 bands at 333-359 cm(-1) when the Ln(2)O(3) samples under O-2 were continuously irradiated with a focused 325 nm laser beam at temperatures between 25-150 degrees C. The intensity of the peroxide Raman band was found to increase with increasing O-2 partial pressure, whereas no peroxide band was detected on the Ln(2)O(3) under N-2 as well as on the samples first irradiated with laser under Ar or N-2 followed by exposure to O-2 in the dark. The experiments using O-18 as a tracer further confirmed that the peroxide ions are generated by a photo-induced reaction between O-2 and the lattice oxygen (O2-) species in Ln(2)O(3). Under the excitation of 325 nm UV light, the transformation of O-2 to peroxide ions on the surface of the above lanthanide sesquioxides can even take place at room temperature. Basicity of the lattice oxygen species on Ln(2)O(3) also has an impact on the peroxide formation. Higher temperature or laser irradiation power is required to initiate the reaction between O-2 and O2- species of weaker basicity

CIP2A Causes Tau/APP Phosphorylation, Synaptopathy, and Memory Deficits in Alzheimer's Disease

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) inhibition causes hyperphosphorylation of tau and APP in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the mechanisms underlying the downregulation of PP2A activity in AD brain remain unclear. We demonstrate that Cancerous Inhibitor of PP2A (CIP2A), an endogenous PP2A inhibitor, is overexpressed in AD brain. CIP2A-mediated PP2A inhibition drives tau/APP hyperphosphorylation and increases APP beta-cleavage and A beta production. Increase in CIP2A expression also leads to tau mislocalization to dendrites and spines and synaptic degeneration. In mice, injection of AAV-CIP2A to hippocampus induced AD-like cognitive deficits and impairments in long-term potentiation (LTP) and exacerbated AD pathologies in neurons. Indicative of disease exacerbating the feedback loop, we found that increased CIP2A expression and PP2A inhibition in AD brains result from increased A beta production. In summary, we show that CIP2A overexpression causes PP2A inhibition and AD-related cellular pathology and cognitive deficits, pointing to CIP2A as a potential target for AD therapy

In-orbit background simulation of a type-B CATCH satellite

The Chasing All Transients Constellation Hunters (CATCH) space mission plans to launch three types of micro-satellites (A, B, and C). The type-B CATCH satellites are dedicated to locating transients and detecting their time-dependent energy spectra. A type-B satellite is equipped with lightweight Wolter-I X-ray optics and an array of position-sensitive multi-pixel Silicon Drift Detectors. To optimize the scientific payloads for operating properly in orbit and performing the observations with high sensitivities, this work performs an in-orbit background simulation of a type-B CATCH satellite using the Geant4 toolkit. It shows that the persistent background is dominated by the cosmic X-ray diffuse background and the cosmic-ray protons. The dynamic background is also estimated considering trapped charged particles in the radiation belts and low-energy charged particles near the geomagnetic equator, which is dominated by the incident electrons outside the aperture. The simulated persistent background within the focal spot is used to estimate the observation sensitivity, i.e. 4.22$\times$10$^{-13}$ erg cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ with an exposure of 10$^{4}$ s and a Crab-like source spectrum, which can be utilized further to optimize the shielding design. The simulated in-orbit background also suggests that the magnetic diverter just underneath the optics may be unnecessary in this kind of micro-satellites, because the dynamic background induced by charged particles outside the aperture is around 3 orders of magnitude larger than that inside the aperture.Comment: 24 pages, 13 figures, 7 tables, accepted for publication in Experimental Astronom