MODEL OF WORKING SHIP CROSSING CHANNEL

An application method for working ship crossing safely is proposed to determine how to make navigation scheme at a certain time. This method makes it possible for decision makers to make reasonable judgments at different times. In this paper, the position relationship between working ship and navigation vessel in waterway is analysed by considering the ship size, hydrological conditions of waterway, ship arrival model and ship navigation trajectory. Using genetic algorithm, the operation scheme of keeping a safe distance between the working ship and the vessel in the channel is solved by taking the speed and direction of the working ship as genetic factors. By analysing the crossing scheme at each starting time in a given time range, the optimal crossing scheme with the farthest distance between the working ship and the vessels in the channel is obtained. According to the measured data, the simulation is carried out with MATLAB to verify the model of working ship crossing channel. The results show that it is safe and reliable to choose the navigation scheme proposed in this paper, which has strong application value

Reduction of Benzoquinones to Hydroquinones via Spontaneous Reaction with Glutathione and Enzymatic Reaction by S-Glutathionyl-Hydroquinone Reductases

S-Glutathionyl-hydroquinone reductases (GS-HQRs) are a new class of glutathione transferases, widely present in bacteria, halobacteria, fungi, and plants. They catalyze glutathione (GSH)-dependent reduction of GS-trichloro-p-hydroquinone to trichloro-p-hydroquinone. Since GS-trichloro-p-hydroquinone is uncommon in nature, the extensive presence of GS-HQRs suggests they use common GS-hydroquinones. Here we demonstrate that several benzoquinones spontaneously reacted with GSH to form GS-hydroquinones via Michael addition, and four GS-HQRs from yeast and bacteria reduced the GS-hydroquinones to the corresponding hydroquinones. The spontaneous and enzymatic reactions led to the reduction of benzoquinones to hydroquinones with the concomitant oxidation of GSH to oxidized glutathione (GS-SG). The enzymes did not use GS-benzoquinones or other thiol-hydroquinones, for example, S-cysteinyl-hydroquinone, as substrates. Apparent kinetic parameters showed the enzymes preferred hydrophobic, bulky substrates, such as GS-menadiol. The broad substrate range and their wide distribution suggest two potential physiological roles: channeling GS-hydroquinones back to hydroquinones and reducing benzoquinones via spontaneous formation of GS-hydroquinones and then enzymatic reduction to hydroquinones. The functions are likely important in metabolic pathways with quinone intermediates

A Robust Hybrid Approach Based on Estimation of Distribution Algorithm and Support Vector Machine for Hunting Candidate Disease Genes

Microarray data are high dimension with high noise ratio and relatively small sample size, which makes it a challenge to use microarray data to identify candidate disease genes. Here, we have presented a hybrid method that combines estimation of distribution algorithm with support vector machine for selection of key feature genes. We have benchmarked the method using the microarray data of both diffuse B cell lymphoma and colon cancer to demonstrate its performance for identifying key features from the profile data of high-dimension gene expression. The method was compared with a probabilistic model based on genetic algorithm and another hybrid method based on both genetics algorithm and support vector machine. The results showed that the proposed method provides new computational strategy for hunting candidate disease genes from the profile data of disease gene expression. The selected candidate disease genes may help to improve the diagnosis and treatment for diseases

Quantum Security of TNT

Many classical secure structures are broken by quantum attacks. Evaluating the quantum security of a structure and providing a tight security bound is a challenging research area. As a tweakable block cipher structure based on block ciphers, $\mathsf{TNT}$ was proven to have $O(2^{3n/4})$ CPA and $O(2^{n/2})$ CCA security in the classical setting. We prove that $\mathsf{TNT}$ is a quantum-secure tweakable block cipher with a bound of $O(2^{n/6})$. In addition, we show the tight quantum PRF security bound of $O(2^{n/3})$ when $\mathsf{TNT}$ is based on random functions, which is better than $O(2^{n/4})$ given by Bhaumik et al. and solves their open problem. Our proof uses the recording standard oracle with errors technique of Hosoyamada and Iwata based on Zhandry’s compressed oracle technique

The pattern of late gadolinium enhancement by cardiac MRI in fulminant myocarditis and its prognostic implication: a two-year follow-up study

BackgroundMyocardial fibrosis, as quantified by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) in cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), provides valuable prognostic information for patients with myocarditis. However, due to the low incidence rate of fulminant myocarditis (FM) and accordingly small sample size, the knowledge about the role of LGE to patients with FM is limited.Methods and resultsA total of 44 adults with viral-FM receiving the Chinese treating regimen were included in this retrospective study. They were divided into the low LGE group and the high LGE group according to the ratio of LGE to left ventricular mass (LGE mass%). CMR exams and LGE were performed after hemodynamic assistance at discharge in all patients with FM. Routine echocardiography parameters and global longitudinal strain (GLS) at discharge and at 2-year follow-up were obtained and then compared. Both left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and GLS showed no significant difference in both groups at discharge, whereas significant differences were observed at 2-year follow-up between two groups. Moreover, there were significant improvements of LVEF and GLS in the low LGE group, but not in the high LGE group during the 2-year period. Furthermore, LGE mass% was negatively correlated with GLS and LVEF.ConclusionsThere were two distinct forms of LGE presentation in patients with FM. Moreover, the cardiac function of patients with low LGE was significantly better than those with high LGE at 2-year follow-up. LGE mass% at discharge provided significant prognosis information about cardiac function of patients with FM

Stomatal Conductance and Morphology of Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Wheat Plants Response to Elevated CO2 and NaCl Stress

Stomata play a critical role in the regulation of gas exchange between the interior of the leaf and the exterior environment and are affected by environmental and endogenous stimuli. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungus, Rhizophagus irregularis, on the stomatal behavior of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) plants under combination with elevated CO2 and NaCl stress. Wheat seedlings were exposed to ambient (400 ppm) or elevated (700 ppm) CO2 concentrations and 0, 1, and 2 g kg−1 dry soil NaCl treatments for 10 weeks. AM symbiosis increased the leaf area and stomatal density (SD) of the abaxial surface. Stomatal size and the aperture of adaxial and abaxial leaf surfaces were higher in the AM than non-AM plants under elevated CO2 and salinity stress. AM plants showed higher stomatal conductance (gs) and maximum rate of gs to water vapor (gsmax) compared with non-AM plants. Moreover, leaf water potential (Ψ) was increased and carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13C) was decreased by AM colonization, and both were significantly associated with stomatal conductance. The results suggest that AM symbiosis alters stomatal morphology by changing SD and the size of the guard cells and stomatal pores, thereby improving the stomatal conductance and water relations of wheat leaves under combined elevated CO2 and salinity stress

Gut dysbiosis contributes to chlamydial induction of hydrosalpinx in the upper genital tract

Chlamydia trachomatis is one of the most common sexually infections that cause infertility, and its genital infection induces tubal adhesion and hydrosalpinx. Intravaginal Chlamydia muridarum infection in mice can induce hydrosalpinx in the upper genital tract and it has been used for studying C. trachomatis pathogenicity. DBA2/J strain mice were known to be resistant to the chlamydial induction of hydrosalpinx. In this study, we took advantage of this feature of DBA2/J mice to evaluate the role of antibiotic induced dysbiosis in chlamydial pathogenicity. Antibiotics (vancomycin and gentamicin) were orally administrated to induce dysbiosis in the gut of DBA2/J mice. The mice with or without antibiotic treatment were evaluated for gut and genital dysbiosis and then intravaginally challenged by C. muridarum. Chlamydial burden was tested and genital pathologies were evaluated. We found that oral antibiotics significantly enhanced chlamydial induction of genital hydrosalpinx. And the antibiotic treatment induced severe dysbiosis in the GI tract, including significantly reduced fecal DNA and increased ratios of firmicutes over bacteroidetes. The oral antibiotic did not alter chlamydial infection or microbiota in the mouse genital tracts. Our study showed that the oral antibiotics-enhanced hydrosalpinx correlated with dysbiosis in gut, providing the evidence for associating gut microbiome with chlamydial genital pathogenicity

The immunomodulatory role of matrix metalloproteinases in colitis-associated cancer

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are an important class of enzymes in the body that function through the extracellular matrix (ECM). They are involved in diverse pathophysiological processes, such as tumor invasion and metastasis, cardiovascular diseases, arthritis, periodontal disease, osteogenesis imperfecta, and diseases of the central nervous system. MMPs participate in the occurrence and development of numerous cancers and are closely related to immunity. In the present study, we review the immunomodulatory role of MMPs in colitis-associated cancer (CAC) and discuss relevant clinical applications. We analyze more than 300 pharmacological studies retrieved from PubMed and the Web of Science, related to MMPs, cancer, colitis, CAC, and immunomodulation. Key MMPs that interfere with pathological processes in CAC such as MMP-2, MMP-3, MMP-7, MMP-9, MMP-10, MMP-12, and MMP-13, as well as their corresponding mechanisms are elaborated. MMPs are involved in cell proliferation, cell differentiation, angiogenesis, ECM remodeling, and the inflammatory response in CAC. They also affect the immune system by modulating differentiation and immune activity of immune cells, recruitment of macrophages, and recruitment of neutrophils. Herein we describe the immunomodulatory role of MMPs in CAC to facilitate treatment of this special type of colon cancer, which is preceded by detectable inflammatory bowel disease in clinical populations

Adenomatoid Tumor of the Adrenal Gland: Report of Two Cases and Review of the Literature

Adenomatoid tumor (AT) is an uncommon benign neoplasm of mesothelial origin, usually occurring in the female and male genital tracts. Extragenital localization such as the adrenal gland is extremely rare. Until now, only 39 cases of adrenal AT have been reported in the English literature. Here we report two novel cases of adrenal AT that occurred in male patients aged 30 and 31 years. The tumors were discovered incidentally by computed tomography (CT). Macroscopically, the tumors were unilateral and solid, and the greatest dimension of the tumors was 3.5 and 8.0 cm, respectively. Histologically, the tumors consisted of angiomatoid, cystic, and solid patterns and infiltrated the adrenal cortical or medullary tissue. The tumor cells had low nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio, with no pathological mitosis or nuclear pleomorphism. Thread-like bridging strands and signet-ring-like cells could be seen. Immunohistochemically, the tumor cells were positive for epithelial markers (AE1/AE3, CK7) and mesothelial markers (D2-40, calretinin, and WT-1). The Ki-67 index was approximately 1 and 2%, respectively. The differential diagnosis of adrenal AT includes a variety of benign and malignant tumors. The patients had neither local recurrence nor distant metastasis at 21 and 8 months after removal of the tumor. In the literature review, we comprehensively summarized the clinical, morphological, immunohistochemical, and prognostic features of adrenal AT. Adrenal ATs are morphologically and immunophenotypically identical to those that occur in the genital tracts. Combining the histology with immunohistochemical profiles is very supportive in reaching the diagnosis of this benign tumor, helping to avoid misdiagnosis and overtreatment