EG-ConMix: An Intrusion Detection Method based on Graph Contrastive Learning

As the number of IoT devices increases, security concerns become more prominent. The impact of threats can be minimized by deploying Network Intrusion Detection System (NIDS) by monitoring network traffic, detecting and discovering intrusions, and issuing security alerts promptly. Most intrusion detection research in recent years has been directed towards the pair of traffic itself without considering the interrelationships among them, thus limiting the monitoring of complex IoT network attack events. Besides, anomalous traffic in real networks accounts for only a small fraction, which leads to a severe imbalance problem in the dataset that makes algorithmic learning and prediction extremely difficult. In this paper, we propose an EG-ConMix method based on E-GraphSAGE, incorporating a data augmentation module to fix the problem of data imbalance. In addition, we incorporate contrastive learning to discern the difference between normal and malicious traffic samples, facilitating the extraction of key features. Extensive experiments on two publicly available datasets demonstrate the superior intrusion detection performance of EG-ConMix compared to state-of-the-art methods. Remarkably, it exhibits significant advantages in terms of training speed and accuracy for large-scale graphs

Clinicopathological and Immunohistochemical Characterisation of Gastric Schwannomas in 29 Cases

Schwannomas are tumors arising from the nervous system that also occur infrequently in the gastrointestinal tract, most commonly in the stomach. This report characterizes 29 patients with benign or malignant gastric schwannomas. Surgical data and clinical follow-up information were available for 28 cases with a median postoperative duration of 57 months. Clinicopathological and immunohistochemical characteristics of benign and malignant schwannomas were analysed. Four cases (13.7%) were histologically diagnosed with malignant schwannoma. All tumors were positive for S-100 and CD56 proteins, displaying a diffuse staining pattern. Vimentin was expressed in 100% cases and all schwannomas were negative for smooth muscle actin, c-kit, and HMB-45. A significant difference was observed between the group of benign and malignant schwannomas as regards recurrences and metastasis after complete resection (P=0.015). The survival time of patients with benign schwannomas was longer than the malignant group (P=0.013), so gastric malignant schwannomas have a potential for recurrence and metastasis, with subsequently short survival. Complete resection with an attempt to remove all tumor tissue with negative margins is of paramount importance in the management of gastric schwannomas, particularly when they turn out to be malignant

Precise and Rapid Validation of Candidate Gene by Allele Specific Knockout With CRISPR/Cas9 in Wild Mice

It is a tempting goal to identify causative genes underlying phenotypic differences among inbred strains of mice, which is a huge reservoir of genetic resources to understand mammalian pathophysiology. In particular, the wild-derived mouse strains harbor enormous genetic variations that have been acquired during evolutionary divergence over 100s of 1000s of years. However, validating the genetic variation in non-classical strains was extremely difficult, until the advent of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing tools. In this study, we first describe a T cell phenotype in both wild-derived PWD/PhJ parental mice and F1 hybrids, from a cross to C57BL/6 (B6) mice, and we isolate a genetic locus on Chr2, using linkage mapping and chromosome substitution mice. Importantly, we validate the identification of the functional gene controlling this T cell phenotype, Cd44, by allele specific knockout of the PWD copy, leaving the B6 copy completely intact. Our experiments using F1 mice with a dominant phenotype, allowed rapid validation of candidate genes by designing sgRNA PAM sequences that only target the DNA of the PWD genome. We obtained 10 animals derived from B6 eggs fertilized with PWD sperm cells which were subjected to microinjection of CRISPR/Cas9 gene targeting machinery. In the newborns of F1 hybrids, 80% (n = 10) had allele specific knockout of the candidate gene Cd44 of PWD origin, and no mice showed mistargeting of the B6 copy. In the resultant allele-specific knockout F1 mice, we observe full recovery of T cell phenotype. Therefore, our study provided a precise and rapid approach to functionally validate genes that could facilitate gene discovery in classic mouse genetics. More importantly, as we succeeded in genetic manipulation of mice, allele specific knockout could provide the possibility to inactivate disease alleles while keeping the normal allele of the gene intact in human cells

Research Note: Association of single nucleotide polymorphism of AKT3 with egg production traits in White Muscovy ducks (Cairina moschata).

Prior studies on transcriptomes of hypothalamus and ovary revealed that AKT3 is one of the candidate genes that might affect egg production in White Muscovy ducks. The role of AKT3 in the uterus during reproductive processes cannot be overemphasized. However, functional role of this gene in the tissues and on egg production traits of Muscovy ducks remains unknown. To identify the relationship between AKT3 and egg production traits in ducks, relative expression profile was first examined prior to identifying the variants within AKT3 that may underscore egg production traits [age at first egg (AFE), number of eggs at 300 d (N300D), and number of eggs at 59 wk (N59W)] in 549 ducks. The mRNA expression of AKT3 gene in high producing (HP) ducks was significantly higher than low producing (LP) ducks in the ovary, oviduct, and hypothalamus (P \u3c 0.05 or 0.001). Three variants in AKT3 (C-3631A, C-3766T, and C-3953T) and high linkage block between C-3766T and C-3953T which are significantly (P \u3c 0.05) associated with N300D and N59W were discovered. This study elucidates novel knowledge on the molecular mechanism of AKT3 that might be regulating egg production traits in Muscovy ducks

Relationship between the Composition of Flavonoids and Flower Colors Variation in Tropical Water Lily (Nymphaea) Cultivars

Water lily, the member of the Nymphaeaceae family, is the symbol of Buddhism and Brahmanism in India. Despite its limited researches on flower color variations and formation mechanism, water lily has background of blue flowers and displays an exceptionally wide diversity of flower colors from purple, red, blue to yellow, in nature. In this study, 34 flavonoids were identified among 35 tropical cultivars by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with photodiode array detection (DAD) and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ESI-MS). Among them, four anthocyanins: delphinidin 3-O-rhamnosyl-5-O-galactoside (Dp3Rh5Ga), delphinidin 3-O-(2″-O-galloyl-6″-O-oxalyl-rhamnoside) (Dp3galloyl-oxalylRh), delphinidin 3-O-(6″-O-acetyl-β-glucopyranoside) (Dp3acetylG) and cyanidin 3- O-(2″-O-galloyl-galactopyranoside)-5-O-rhamnoside (Cy3galloylGa5Rh), one chalcone: chalcononaringenin 2′-O-galactoside (Chal2′Ga) and twelve flavonols: myricetin 7-O-rhamnosyl-(1→2)-rhamnoside (My7RhRh), quercetin 7-O-galactosyl-(1→2)-rhamnoside (Qu7GaRh), quercetin 7-O-galactoside (Qu7Ga), kaempferol 7-O-galactosyl-(1→2)-rhamnoside (Km7GaRh), myricetin 3-O-galactoside (My3Ga), kaempferol 7-O-galloylgalactosyl-(1→2)-rhamnoside (Km7galloylGaRh), myricetin 3-O-galloylrhamnoside (My3galloylRh), kaempferol 3-O-galactoside (Km3Ga), isorhamnetin 7-O-galactoside (Is7Ga), isorhamnetin 7-O-xyloside (Is7Xy), kaempferol 3-O-(3″-acetylrhamnoside) (Km3-3″acetylRh) and quercetin 3-O-acetylgalactoside (Qu3acetylGa) were identified in the petals of tropic water lily for the first time. Meanwhile a multivariate analysis was used to explore the relationship between pigments and flower color. By comparing, the cultivars which were detected delphinidin 3-galactoside (Dp3Ga) presented amaranth, and detected delphinidin 3′-galactoside (Dp3′Ga) presented blue. However, the derivatives of delphinidin and cyanidin were more complicated in red group. No anthocyanins were detected within white and yellow group. At the same time a possible flavonoid biosynthesis pathway of tropical water lily was presumed putatively. These studies will help to elucidate the evolution mechanism on the formation of flower colors and provide theoretical basis for outcross breeding and developing health care products from this plant

BacHBerry: BACterial Hosts for production of Bioactive phenolics from bERRY fruits

BACterial Hosts for production of Bioactive phenolics from bERRY fruits (BacHBerry) was a 3-year project funded by the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) of the European Union that ran between November 2013 and October 2016. The overall aim of the project was to establish a sustainable and economically-feasible strategy for the production of novel high-value phenolic compounds isolated from berry fruits using bacterial platforms. The project aimed at covering all stages of the discovery and pre-commercialization process, including berry collection, screening and characterization of their bioactive components, identification and functional characterization of the corresponding biosynthetic pathways, and construction of Gram-positive bacterial cell factories producing phenolic compounds. Further activities included optimization of polyphenol extraction methods from bacterial cultures, scale-up of production by fermentation up to pilot scale, as well as societal and economic analyses of the processes. This review article summarizes some of the key findings obtained throughout the duration of the project

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Background:In recent years, atmospheric UV-B radiation and nitrogen deposition caused by human activities have become increasingly serious, seriously affecting the productivity and biodiversity of terrestrial ecosystems. At present, there is a lack of attention on the impact of UV-B radiation enhancement and nitrogen deposition on the decomposition of fir litter, which limits people's understanding of the mechanism of fir litter decomposition in the context of global change. (2) Methods:Taking the fir plantation litter as the research object, by setting up different UV-B radiation enhancement and nitrogen deposition experimental treatments, a one-year positional study was conducted on the impact of the combined effect of UV-B enhancement and nitrogen deposition on the decomposition process of fir litter.(3) Results:Nitrogen deposition, UV-B radiation enhancement, and the combined effects of UV-B radiation enhancement and nitrogen deposition will shorten the litter decomposition cycle.(4) Conclusions: UV-B enhancement increases the photodegradation effect of UV-B on litter lignin and increases the population diversity and abundance of bacteria to promote litter decomposition. N deposition increases the diversity and richness of fungal communities, accelerates the release of nutrient elements, and accelerates the litter decomposition process.</p

Ultrafast energy quenching mechanism of LHCSR3-dependent photoprotection in Chlamydomonas

Abstract Photosynthetic organisms have evolved an essential energy-dependent quenching (qE) mechanism to avoid any lethal damages caused by high light. While the triggering mechanism of qE has been well addressed, candidates for quenchers are often debated. This lack of understanding is because of the tremendous difficulty in measuring intact cells using transient absorption techniques. Here, we have conducted femtosecond pump-probe measurements to characterize this photophysical reaction using micro-sized cell fractions of the green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii that retain physiological qE function. Combined with kinetic modeling, we have demonstrated the presence of an ultrafast excitation energy transfer (EET) pathway from Chlorophyll a (Chl a) Qy to a carotenoid (car) S1 state, therefore proposing that this carotenoid, likely lutein1, is the quencher. This work has provided an easy-to-prepare qE active thylakoid membrane system for advanced spectroscopic studies and demonstrated that the energy dissipation pathway of qE is evolutionarily conserved from green algae to land plants

A Novel Nonlinear Optimal Control Approach for the Dynamic Process of a Hybrid Electric Vehicle Equipped with Electromechanical Transmission

Coordinatively controlling the engine and several motor/generators (MGs) during a dynamic process is a challenging problem because they are coupled together by the electromechanical transmission (EMT) system and all of them have strong nonlinear characteristics. We develop a novel nonlinear optimal control approach based on the multiobjective dynamic optimization model of the hybrid electric vehicle (HEV), which is equipped with an EMT system. In this approach, the current states of the components are obtained by using the state observation algorithm based on Kalman filtering; the future states of the components and the feasible region of the control variables are estimated by using the dynamic prediction algorithm based on the nonlinear model of the EMT system. Then, the control variables are achieved by using the optimal decision algorithm based on the hierarchical optimization and nonlinear programming, and the influence of the model error and the external disturbance are modified by using the feedback compensation algorithm. The simulation results illustrate the efficiency of the proposed control approach, and the test results verify its real-time performance