PICO: Accelerating All k-Core Paradigms on GPU

Core decomposition is a well-established graph mining problem with various applications that involves partitioning the graph into hierarchical subgraphs. Solutions to this problem have been developed using both bottom-up and top-down approaches from the perspective of vertex convergence dependency. However, existing algorithms have not effectively harnessed GPU performance to expedite core decomposition, despite the growing need for enhanced performance. Moreover, approaching performance limitations of core decomposition from two different directions within a parallel synchronization structure has not been thoroughly explored. This paper introduces an efficient GPU acceleration framework, PICO, for the Peel and Index2core paradigms of k-core decomposition. We propose PeelOne, a Peel-based algorithm designed to simplify the parallel logic and minimize atomic operations by eliminating vertices that are 'under-core'. We also propose an Index2core-based algorithm, named HistoCore, which addresses the issue of extensive redundant computations across both vertices and edges. Extensive experiments on NVIDIA RTX 3090 GPU show that PeelOne outperforms all other Peel-based algorithms, and HistoCore outperforms all other Index2core-based algorithms. Furthermore, HistoCore even outperforms PeelOne by 1.1x - 3.2x speedup on six datasets, which breaks the stereotype that the Index2core paradigm performs much worse than the Peel in a shared memory parallel setting

A 90-DAY SUBCHRONIC TOXICOLOGICAL ASSESSMENT of DEINOCOCCUS GRANDIS FERMENTED SOYMILK IN SPRAGUE-DAWLEY RATS

Objective: Despite the fact that there was no adverse effect observed in previous animal safety studies of Deinococcus grandis (D. grandis) fermented soymilk, including acute oral toxicity assay, 3 different test systems of genotoxicity test and teratogenicity study, whether D. grandis fermented soymilk is safe for long-term use remains unknown. Therefore, the study was conducted further to clarify the edible safety of D. grandis fermented soymilk for long term use.Methods: Eighty Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were divided into four groups, each consisting of ten male and ten female rats. Rats were orally administrated with reverse osmosis water (control) or 1,000, 2,000 and 3,000 mg/kg b.w./d freeze dried D. grandis fermented soymilk powder for 90 consecutive days. Clinical observation of the rats was carried out daily. The body weight and feed intake of the rats were recorded weekly. At the end of the study, all rats were sacrificed and the blood and organs were collected for hematology, clinical biochemistry and histopathological examination.Results: During the study period, no abnormality occurred in clinical signs, body weight, and ophthalmological examination. There were no significant differences in urinalysis, hematology and clinical biochemistry parameters between the treatment and control group. Necropsy and histopathological examination showed no treatment-related change.Conclusion: According to the results, the no-observed-adverse-effect level (NOAEL) of D. grandis fermented soymilk was greater than 3,000 mg/kg b.w./d in SD rats.Keywords: Deinococcus grandis (D. grandis), 90-day subchronic toxicity, NOAEL, Safety assessment, GKB-Aid 199

A novel effect of geraniin on OPG/RANKL signaling in osteoblasts

In this study, the effects of geraniin on osteoprotegerin/receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand(OPG/ RANKL) in regulating the proliferation of osteoblasts and suppression of osteoclast-like cells (OLC) in OLC-osteoblast co-cultured system in vitro were investigated. Osteoblasts were cultured and identified with alkaline phosphatase (ALP), gomori stain, and mineralized nodule stain. OLCs were isolated from long bones of Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats and identified with tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase(TRAP) stain. Methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium assay was used to examine the proliferation of osteoblasts, and immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization to analyze the expression OPG/RANKL in osteoblasts co-cultured with osteoclasts under the action of geraniin, respectively. Geraniin could regulate the proliferation of osteoblasts MC3T3-E1, decrease the number of OLC in OLC-osteoblast co-cultured system, and inhibit the bone resorption areas and resorption pits of OLC in vitro experiments. Geraniin could promote the mRNA and protein expression levels of OPG and suppress those of RANKL in osteoblasts. These results indicate that geraniin has a promoting effect on the proliferation of osteoblasts and an inhibitory effect on the osteoclastic bone-resorption through regulating OPG/RANKL signaling pathway in OLC-OB co-cultured system

Effects of meteorological factors on the incidence of meningococcal meningitis

Background and Objectives: Substantial climate changes have led to the emergence and re-emergence of various infectious diseases worldwide, presenting an imperative need to explore the effects of meteorological factors on serious contagious disease incidences such as that of meningococcal meningitis (MCM).Methods: The incidences of MCM and meteorology data between 1981 and 2010 were obtained from Chaoyang city. Structure Equation Modeling was used to analyze the relationships between meteorological factors and the incidence of MCM, using the LISREL software.Results: The SEM results showed that Adjusted Goodness of Fit Index (AGFI) = 0.30, Goodness of Fit Index (GFI) = 0.63, and Root Mean Square Error of Approximation (RMSEA) = 0.31. Humidity and temperature both had negative correlations with MCM incidence, with factor loads of -0.32 and -0.43, while sunshine was positively correlated with a factor load of 0.42. For specific observable variables, average air pressure, average evaporation, average air temperature, and average ground temperature exerted stronger influence, with item loads between observable variables and MCM incidence being -0.42, 0.34, -0.32, and -0.32 respectively.Conclusion: Public health institutions should pay more attention to the meteorological variables of humidity, sunshine, and temperature in prospective MCM control and prevention.Keywords: Meningococcal meningitis, Neisseria meningitidis, epidemiology, humidity, temperature, sunshine, meteorological variables, structure equation mode

NDRG2 suppresses the proliferation of clear cell renal cell carcinoma cell A-498

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Recently, the anti-tumor activity of N-myc downstream-regulated gene 2 (NDRG2) was shown decreased expression in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (CCRCC), but the role of the down-expression of NDRG2 has not been described.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>The NDRG2 recombinant adenovirus plasmid was constructed. The proliferation rate and NDRG2 expression of cell infected with recombinant plasmid were mesured by MTT, Flow cytometry analysis and western blot.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The CCRCC cell A-498 re-expressed NDRG2 when infected by NDRG2 recombinant adenovirus and significantly decreased the proliferation rate. Fluorescence activated cell sorter analysis showed that 25.00% of cells expressed NDRG2 were in S-phase compared to 40.67% of control cells, whereas 62.08% of cells expressed NDRG2 were in G1-phase compared to 54.39% of control cells (<it>P </it>< 0.05). In addition, there were much more apoptotic cells in NDRG2-expressing cells than in the controls (<it>P </it>< 0.05). Moreover, upregulation of NDRG2 protein was associated with a reduction in cyclin D1, cyclin E, whereas cyclinD2, cyclinD3 and cdk2 were not affected examined by western blot. Furthermore, we found that p53 could upregulate NDRG2 expression in A-498 cell.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>We found that NDRG2 can inhibit the proliferation of the renal carcinoma cells and induce arrest at G1 phase. p53 can up-regulate the expression of NDRG2. Our results showed that NDRG2 may function as a tumor suppressor in CCRCC.</p