157 research outputs found
Card-Based Zero-Knowledge Proof for Sudoku
In 2009, Gradwohl, Naor, Pinkas, and Rothblum proposed physical zero-knowledge proof protocols for Sudoku. That is, for a puzzle instance of Sudoku, their excellent protocols allow a prover to convince a verifier that there is a solution to the Sudoku puzzle and that he/she knows it, without revealing any information about the solution. The possible drawback is that the existing protocols have a soundness error with a non-zero probability or need special cards (such as scratch-off cards). Thus, in this study, we propose new protocols to perform zero-knowledge proof for Sudoku that use a normal deck of playing cards and have no soundness error. Our protocols can be easily implemented by humans with a reasonable number of playing cards
Experimental Study on Thermoelectric Energy Harvesting using the Temperature Distribution on Bridge Components
To secure power supplies is a critical problem for bridge health monitoring (BHM), and energy harvesting has attracted attention in recent years as one solution to this problem. We focused on the temperature distribution in bridge components which influences the structural behavior of bridges. The thermoelectric energy harvesting uses the Seebeck effect and converts temperature differences into electricity. As a fundamental study on the thermoelectric energy harvesting using the temperature distribution on bridge components, temperature measurements on an existing steel girder bridge was carried out. The appropriate components of bridges and installation locations for high conversion efficiency of energy harvesting were discussed from the results. Abilities of a prototype thermoelectric generator were tested, and the characteristic curves between power generation and temperature differences were formulated. Finally, the harvesting energy was estimated by using the characteristic curves of the thermoelectric generator and the measured temperature on the target bridge
Echinococcus felidis in hippopotamus, South Africa
Hydatid cysts of Echinococcus felidis are described from the hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) from Mpumalanga Province, South Africa. Among six hippopotami investigated, hepatic hydatids were found in three. The identification was based on mitochondrial and nuclear DNA sequences. In addition, the rostellar hook morphology was analysed. This is the first morphological description of the metacestode of E. felidis, and the first molecularly confirmed report of the intermediate host of E. felidis in South Africa. The definitive host of E. felidis in South Africa is the lion (Panthera leo).Peer reviewe
High-energy spin and charge excitations in electron-doped copper oxide superconductors
The evolution of electronic (spin and charge) excitations upon carrier doping
is an extremely important issue in superconducting layered cuprates and the
knowledge of its asymmetry between electron- and hole-dopings is still
fragmentary. Here we combine x-ray and neutron inelastic scattering
measurements to track the doping dependence of both spin and charge excitations
in electron-doped materials. Copper L3 resonant inelastic x-ray scattering
spectra show that magnetic excitations shift to higher energy upon doping.
Their dispersion becomes steeper near the magnetic zone center and deeply mix
with charge excitations, indicating that electrons acquire a highly itinerant
character in the doped metallic state. Moreover, above the magnetic
excitations, an additional dispersing feature is observed near the
{\Gamma}-point, and we ascribe it to particle-hole charge excitations. These
properties are in stark contrast with the more localized spin-excitations
(paramagnons) recently observed in hole-doped compounds even at high
doping-levels.Comment: 20 page
Dysregulated Aire expression and autoimmunity
Deficiency for AIRE/Aire in both humans and mice results in the development of organ-specific autoimmune disease. We tested whether augmented and/or dysregulated AIRE/Aire expression might be also prone to the breakdown of self-tolerance. To define the effect of augmented Aire expression on the development of autoimmunity, antigen-specific clonal deletion and production of clonotypic regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the thymus were examined using mice expressing two additional copies of Aireāin a heterozygous state (3xAire-knockin mice: 3xAire-KI). We found that both clonal deletion of autoreactive T cells and production of clonotypic Tregs in the thymus from 3xAire-KI were impaired in a T-cell receptor-transgenic system. Furthermore, 3xAire-KI females showed higher scores of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis induced by myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein than wild-type littermates, suggesting that augmented Aire expression exacerbates organ-specific autoimmunity under disease-prone conditions. In humans, we found that one patient with amyopathic dermatomyositis showed CD3āCD19ā cells expressing AIRE in the peripheral blood before the treatment but not during the remission phase treated with immunosuppressive drugs. Thus, not only loss of function of AIRE/Aire but also augmented and/or dysregulated expression of AIRE/Aire should be considered for the pathogenesis of organ-specific autoimmunity. We suggest that further analyses should be pursued to establish a novel link between organ-specific autoimmune disease and dysregulated AIRE expression in clinical settings
Feminizing Wolbachia endosymbiont disrupts maternal sex chromosome inheritance in a butterfly species
Wolbachia is a maternally inherited ubiquitous endosymbiotic bacterium of arthropods that displays a diverse repertoire of host reproductive manipulations. For the first time, we demonstrate that Wolbachia manipulates sex chromosome inheritance in a sexually reproducing insect. Eurema mandarina butterfly females on Tanegashima Island, Japan, are infected with the wFem Wolbachia strain and produce allāfemale offspring, while antibiotic treatment results in male offspring. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) revealed that wFemāpositive and wFemānegative females have Z0 and WZ sex chromosome sets, respectively, demonstrating the predicted absence of the W chromosome in wFemāinfected lineages. Genomic quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis showed that wFemāpositive females lay only Z0 eggs that carry a paternal Z, whereas females from lineages that are naturally wFemānegative lay both WZ and ZZ eggs. In contrast, antibiotic treatment of adult wFem females resulted in the production of Z0 and ZZ eggs, suggesting that this Wolbachia strain can disrupt the maternal inheritance of Z chromosomes. Moreover, most male offspring produced by antibioticātreated wFem females had a ZZ karyotype, implying reduced survival of Z0 individuals in the absence of feminizing effects of Wolbachia. Antibiotic treatment of wFemāinfected larvae induced maleāspecific splicing of the doublesex (dsx) gene transcript, causing an intersex phenotype. Thus, the absence of the femaleādetermining W chromosome in Z0 individuals is functionally compensated by Wolbachiaāmediated conversion of sex determination. We discuss how Wolbachia may manipulate the host chromosome inheritance and that Wolbachia may have acquired this coordinated dual mode of reproductive manipulation first by the evolution of femaleādetermining function and then cytoplasmically induced disruption of sex chromosome inheritance
Sex-inducing effects toward planarians widely present among parasitic flatworms
Summary
Various parasitic flatworms infect vertebrates for sexual reproduction, often causing devastating diseases in their hosts. Consequently, flatworms are of great socioeconomic and biomedical importance. Although the cessation of parasitic flatworm sexual reproduction is a major target of anti-parasitic drug design, little is known regarding bioactive compounds controlling flatworm sexual maturation. Using the planarian Dugesia ryukyuensis, we observed that sex-inducing substances found in planarians are also widespread in parasitic flatworms, such as monogeneans and flukes (but not in tapeworms). Reverse-phase HPLC analysis revealed the sex-inducing substance(s) eluting around the tryptophan retention time in the fluke Calicophoron calicophorum, consistent with previous studies on the planarian Bipalium nobile, suggesting that the substance(s) is likely conserved among flatworms. Moreover, six of the 18 ovary-inducing substances identified via transcriptome and metabolome analyses are involved in purine metabolism. Our findings provide a basis for understanding and modifying the life cycles of various parasitic flatworms.journal articl
Effects of a high-fat diet on the electrical properties of porcine atria
AbstractBackgroundBecause obesity is an important risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF), we conducted an animal study to examine the effect of a high-fat diet (HFD) on atrial properties and AF inducibility.MethodsTen 8-week-old pigs (weight, 18ā23kg) were divided into two groups. For 18 weeks, five pigs were fed a HFD (HFD group) and five were fed a normal diet (control group). Maps of atrial activation and voltages during sinus rhythm were created for all pigs using the EnSite NavX system. Effective refractory period (ERP) and AF inducibility were also determined. When AF was induced, complex fractionated atrial electrogram (CFAE) mapping was performed. At 18 weeks, hearts were removed for comparing the results of histological analysis between the two groups. Body weight, lipid levels, hemodynamics, cardiac structures, and electrophysiological properties were also compared.ResultsTotal cholesterol levels were significantly higher (347 [191ā434] vs. 81 [67ā88]mg/dL, P=0.0088), and left atrium pressure was higher (34.5 [25.6ā39.5] vs. 24.5 [21.3ā27.8]mmHg, P=0.0833) in the HFD group than in the control group, although body weight only increased marginally (89 [78ā101] vs. 70 [66ā91]kg, P=0.3472). ERPs of the pulmonary vein (PV) were shorter (P<0.05) and AF lasted longer in the HFD group than in the control group (80 [45ā1350] vs. 22 [3ā30]s, P=0.0212). Neither CFAE site distribution nor histopathological characteristics differed between the two groups.ConclusionsThe shorter ERPs for the PV observed in response to the HFD increased vulnerability to AF, and these electrophysiological characteristics may underlie obesity-related AF
- ā¦