Portfolio-Based Incentive Mechanism Design for Cross-Device Federated Learning

In recent years, there has been a significant increase in attention towards designing incentive mechanisms for federated learning (FL). Tremendous existing studies attempt to design the solutions using various approaches (e.g., game theory, reinforcement learning) under different settings. Yet the design of incentive mechanism could be significantly biased in that clients' performance in many applications is stochastic and hard to estimate. Properly handling this stochasticity motivates this research, as it is not well addressed in pioneering literature. In this paper, we focus on cross-device FL and propose a multi-level FL architecture under the real scenarios. Considering the two properties of clients' situations: uncertainty, correlation, we propose FL Incentive Mechanism based on Portfolio theory (FL-IMP). As far as we are aware, this is the pioneering application of portfolio theory to incentive mechanism design aimed at resolving FL resource allocation problem. In order to more accurately reflect practical FL scenarios, we introduce the Federated Learning Agent-Based Model (FL-ABM) as a means of simulating autonomous clients. FL-ABM enables us to gain a deeper understanding of the factors that influence the system's outcomes. Experimental evaluations of our approach have extensively validated its effectiveness and superior performance in comparison to the benchmark methods

Cell cycle arrest mediated by Cd-induced DNA damage in Arabidopsis root tips

Accumulating evidence demonstrates that the aberrant expression of cell cycle regulation and DNA repair genes can result in abnormal cell proliferation and genomic instability in eukaryotic cells under different stresses. Herein, Arabidopsis thaliana (Arabidopsis) seedlings were grown hydroponically on 0.5 × MS media containing cadmium (Cd) at 0–2.5 mg L−1 for 5 d of treatment. Real time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis revealed that expression of DNA damage repair and cell cycle regulation genes, including BRCA1, MRE11, WEE1, CDKA;1 and PCNA1, showed an inverted U-shaped dose-response. In contrast, notably reduced expression was observed for G1-to-S transition-related genes, Histone H4, E2Fa and PCNA2; DSB end processing, GR1; G2-to-M transition-related gene, CYCB1;1; and DNA mismatch repair, MSH2, MSH6 and MLH1 genes in root tips exposed to 0.125–2.5 mg/L Cd for 5 d. Flow cytometry (FCM) analysis revealed significant increases of cells with a 2C nuclear content and with a 4C and 8C nuclear content under Cd stresses of 0.125 and 1–2.5 mg L−1, respectively. Our results suggest that 0.125 mg L−1 Cd-induced DNA damage induced the marked G1/S arrest, leading to accelerated growth in root tips, while 1.0–2.5 mg L−1 Cd-induced DNA damage caused a notable G2/M arrest in root tips, leading to reduced growth in root tips. This may be a protective mechanism that prevents cells with damaged DNA from dividing under Cd stress

PL-010 Chronic mild stress improves glucose homeostasis via myonectin-mediated suppression of sympathetic activity in high-fat diet-fed mice

Objective Recent studies suggest that chronic stress exposure can ameliorate the progression of diet-induced prediabetic disease, by inhibiting an increase in weight gain, caloric intake and efficiency and insulin resistance. To determine the underlying mechanism by which chronic stress improves the progression of type 2 diabetes, we developed a model of chronic mild stress in high-fat diet(HFD)-fed mice which are resistant to obesity and exhibit a healthy-like metabolic phenotype. Methods High-fat diet (HFD): 45% kcal derived from fat (Research Diets, Inc.).Mice experienced one stressor during the day and a different stressor during the night. Stressors were randomly chosen from the following list : cage tilt on a 45° angle for 1 to 16 h; food deprivation for 12 to 16 h; white noise for 1 to 16 h; strobe light illumination for 1 to 16 h; crowded housing; light cycle (continuous illumination) for 24 to 36 h; dark cycle (continuous darkness) for 24 to 36 h; water deprivation for 12 to 16 h; damp bedding (200 ml water poured into sawdust bedding) for 12 to 16 h.Recombinant adeno-associated virus (AAV): AAV9 vectors encoding myonectin under the control of the ubiquitous CMV promoter (AAV9-CMV-Vip) or an equal dose of the AAV9-CMV-null vector were delivered to C57BL/6 mice by the tail vein. Mice were deprived of food for 16 h and then subjected to test 7 days after AAV injection. Results Chronic stress improved glucose intolerance and sympathetic overactivity in HFD-fed mice. Chronic stress attenuated epinephrine(EPI)-stimulated glycerol release into blood in vivo and accelerated glycerol release from white adipose tissue followed by in vitro incubation with EPI. Chronic stress reduced plasma triglyceride but increased the levels of plasma insulin and myonectin. We further found that adeno-associated virus 9 (AAV9)-mediated myonectin overexpression improved glucose homeostasis and reduced epinephrine sensitivity. Myonectin overexpression reduced plasma norepinephrine, EPI and leptin levels, and increased insulin sensitivity in brown and white adipose tissue. Intense sympathetic activity with high-intensity running inhibited myonectin expression in skeletal muscle, whereas medium and low-intensity exercise running increased myonectin expression. Conclusions These findings suggest that chronic mild stress can improve glucose homeostasis via myonectin-mediated suppression of sympathetic activity in high-fat diet-fed mice

Characterizing the Penumbras of White Matter Hyperintensities and Their Associations With Cognitive Function in Patients With Subcortical Vascular Mild Cognitive Impairment

Normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) surrounding white matter hyperintensities (WMHs), frequently known as the WMH penumbra, is associated with subtle white matter injury and has a high risk for future conversion to WMHs. The goal of this study was to define WMH penumbras and to further explore whether the diffusion and perfusion parameters of these penumbras could better reflect cognitive function alterations than WMHs in subjects with subcortical vascular mild cognitive impairment (svMCI). Seventy-three svMCI subjects underwent neuropsychological assessments and 3T MRI scans, including diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and arterial spin labeling (ASL). To determine the extent of cerebral blood flow (CBF) and DTI penumbras. A NAWM layer mask was generated for periventricular WMHs (PVWMHs) and deep WMHs (DWMHs) separately. Mean values of CBF, fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD) within the WMHs and their corresponding NAWM layer masks were computed and compared using paired t-tests. Pearson's partial correlations were used to assess the relations of the mean CBF, FA, and MD values within the corresponding penumbras with composite z-scores of global cognition and four cognitive domains controlling for age, sex, and education. For both PVWMHs and DWMHs, the CBF penumbras were wider than the DTI penumbras. Only the mean FA value of the PVWMH-FA penumbra was correlated with the composite z-scores of global cognition before correction (r = 0.268, p = 0.024), but that correlation did not survive after correcting the p-value for multiple comparisons. Our findings showed extensive white matter perfusion disturbances including white matter tissue, both with and without microstructural alterations. The imaging parameters investigated, however, did not correlate to cognition

Resting-State Activity of Prefrontal-Striatal Circuits in Internet Gaming Disorder: Changes With Cognitive Behavior Therapy and Predictors of Treatment Response

Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is effective for the treatment of Internet gaming disorder (IGD). However, the mechanisms by which CBT improves IGD-related clinical symptoms remain unknown. This study aimed to discover the therapeutic mechanism of CBT in IGD subjects using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rsfMRI). Twenty-six IGD subjects and 30 matched healthy controls (HCs) received rsfMRI scan and clinical assessments; 20 IGD subjects completed CBT and then were scanned again. The amplitude of low-frequency (ALFF) values and the functional connectivity (FC) between the IGD group and the HC group were compared at baseline, as well as the ALFF values and FC before and after the CBT in the IGD group. Prior to treatment, the IGD group exhibited significantly increased ALFF values in the bilateral putamen, the right medial orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), the bilateral supplementary motor area (SMA), the left postcentral gyrus, and the left anterior cingulate (ACC) compared with the HC group. The HC group showed significantly increased FC values between the left medial OFC and the putamen compared with the IGD group, the FC values of IGD group were negatively associated with the BIS-11 scores before treatment. After the CBT, the weekly gaming time was significantly shorter, and the CIAS and BIS-II scores were significantly lower. The ALFF values in the IGD subjects significantly decreased in the left superior OFC and the left putamen, and the FC between them significantly increased after the CBT. The degree of the FC changes (ΔFC/Pre−FC) was positively correlated with the scale of the CIAS scores changes (ΔCIAS/Pre−CIAS) in the IGD subjects. CBT could regulate the abnormal low-frequency fluctuations in prefrontal-striatal regions in IGD subjects and could improve IGD-related symptoms. Resting-state alternations in prefrontal-striatal regions may reveal the therapeutic mechanism of CBT in IGD subjects

Roles of MSH2 and MSH6 in cadmium-induced G2/M checkpoint arrest in Arabidopsis roots

DNA mismatch repair (MMR) proteins have been implicated in sensing and correcting DNA damage, and in governing cell cycle progression in the presence of structurally anomalous nucleotide lesions induced by different stresses in mammalian cells. Here, Arabidopsis seedlings were grown hydroponically on 0.5 × MS media containing cadmium (Cd) at 0–4.0 mg L−1 for 5 d. Flow cytometry results indicated that Cd stress induced a G2/M cell cycle arrest both in MLH1-, MSH2-, MSH6-deficient, and in WT roots, associated with marked changes of G2/M regulatory genes, including ATM, ATR, SOG1, BRCA1, WEE1, CYCD4; 1, MAD2, CDKA;1, CYCB1; 2 and CYCB1; 1. However, the Cd-induced G2/M phase arrest was markedly diminished in the MSH2- and MSH6-deficient roots, while a lack of MLH1 had no effect on Cd-induced G2 phase arrest relative to that in the wild type roots under the corresponding Cd stress. Expression of the above G2/M regulatory genes was altered in MLH1, MSH2 and MSH6-deficient roots in response to Cd treatment. Furthermore, Cd elicited endoreplication in MSH2- and MSH6-deficient roots, but not in MLH1-deficient Arabidopsis roots. Results suggest that MSH2 and MSH6 may act as direct sensors of Cd-mediated DNA damage. Taken together, we conclude that MSH2 and MSH6, but not MLH1, components of the MMR system are involved in the G2 phase arrest and endoreplication induced by Cd stress in Arabidopsis roots

Urban-Rural Disparity in Cancer Incidence, Mortality, and Survivals in Shanghai, China, During 2002 and 2015

Introduction: Disparities in the incidence, mortality, and survival of cancer types between urban and rural areas in China reflect the effects of different risk factor exposure, education, and different medical availability. We aimed to characterize the disparities in the incidence, mortality, and survivals of cancer types between urban and rural areas in Shanghai, China, 2002-2015.Materials and Methods: The incidence and mortality were standardized by Segi's world standard population. Trends in the incidence and mortality of cancers were compared using annual percent change. The 5-year observed and relative survivals were calculated with life table and Ederer II methods.Results: Age-standardized incidences and mortalities were 212.55/105 and 109.45/105 in urban areas and 210.14/105 and 103.99/105 in rural areas, respectively. Female breast cancer and colorectal cancer occurred more frequently in urban than in rural areas, quite in contrast to liver cancer and cervical cancer. Cancers of lung and bronchus, liver, stomach, and colon and rectum were the leading causes of cancer death in both areas. Age-standardized incidence of female breast cancer and colorectal cancer in urban areas increased while gastric cancer and liver cancer decreased in both areas. Age-standardized mortalities of cancers of breast, esophagus, stomach, colon and rectum, liver, and lung and bronchus decreased in both areas. For all cancers combined, the 5-year observed and relative survivals of cancer patients were higher in urban than in rural areas. The 5-year observed and relative survivals of cancers of liver, pancreas, stomach, brain and central nervous system (CNS), and prostate were higher in urban than in rural areas. The 5-year observed and relative survivals of cervical cancer were higher in rural than in urban areas.Conclusions: Factors promoting female breast cancer and colorectal cancer in urban areas and liver cancer and cervical cancer in rural areas should be specifically intervened in cancer prophylaxis. Improved medical services can greatly prolong the survival of major cancers in rural areas

Anti-plasmodial polyvalent interactions in Artemisia annua L. aqueous extract – possible synergistic and resistance mechanisms

Artemisia annua hot water infusion (tea) has been used in in vitro experiments against P. falciparum malaria parasites to test potency relative to equivalent pure artemisinin. High performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and mass spectrometric analyses were employed to determine the metabolite profile of tea including the concentrations of artemisinin (47.5±0.8 mg L-1), dihydroartemisinic acid (70.0±0.3 mg L-1), arteannuin B (1.3±0.0 mg L-1), isovitexin (105.0±7.2 mg L-1) and a range of polyphenolic acids. The tea extract, purified compounds from the extract, and the combination of artemisinin with the purified compounds were tested against chloroquine sensitive and chloroquine resistant strains of P. falciparum using the DNA-intercalative SYBR Green I assay. The results of these in vitro tests and of isobologram analyses of combination effects showed mild to strong antagonistic interactions between artemisinin and the compounds (9-epi-artemisinin and artemisitene) extracted from A. annua with significant (IC50 <1 μM) anti-plasmodial activities for the combination range evaluated. Mono-caffeoylquinic acids, tri-caffeoylquinic acid, artemisinic acid and arteannuin B showed additive interaction while rosmarinic acid showed synergistic interaction with artemisinin in the chloroquine sensitive strain at a combination ratio of 1:3 (artemisinin to purified compound). In the chloroquine resistant parasite, using the same ratio, these compounds strongly antagonised artemisinin anti-plasmodial activity with the exception of arteannuin B, which was synergistic. This result would suggest a mechanism targeting parasite resistance defenses for arteannuin B’s potentiation of artemisinin

SnS2 nanosheets arrays sandwiched by N-doped carbon and TiO2 for high-performance Na-ion storage

In this paper, SnS2 nanosheets arrays sandwiched by porous N-doped carbon and TiO2 (TiO2@SnS2@N-C) on flexible carbon cloth are prepared and tested as a free-standing anode for high-performance sodium ion batteries. The as-obtained TiO2@SnS2@N-C composite delivers a remarkable capacity performance (840 mA h g−1 at a current density of 200 mA g−1), excellent rate capability and long-cycling life stability (293 mA h g−1 at 1 A g−1 after 600 cycles). The excellent electrochemical performance can be attributed to the synergistic effect of each component of the unique hybrid structure, in which the SnS2 nanosheets with open framworks offer high capacity, while the porous N-doped carbon nanoplates arrays on flexible carbon cloth are able to improve the conductivity and the TiO2 passivation layer can keep the structure integrity of SnS2 nanosheets

Hoxa5 Promotes Adipose Differentiation via Increasing DNA Methylation Level and Inhibiting PKA/HSL Signal Pathway in Mice

Background/Aims: Impaired adipogenesis may be the underlying cause in the development of obesity and type II diabetes. Mechanistically, the family of Homeobox transcription factors is implicated in the regulation of adipocyte fate. Hoxa5 is highly expressed in adipocytes, and its mRNA expression is decreased during differentiation. However, the function of Hoxa5 in adipose tissue has been poorly understood. The aim of this study is to unveil the role of Hoxa5 on adipocyte differentiation and its underlying mechanisms. Methods: Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and western blot were performed to determine Hoxa5 expression in primary adipocytes and in adipose tissues from mice. Lipid accumulation was evaluated by bodipy staining. Dual luciferase assay was applied to explore the transcription factor of Hoxa5 and the transcriptional target gene modulated by Hoxa5. All measurements were performed at least for three times at least. Results: A significant reduction of Hoxa5 expression was observed in adipose tissue of High Fat Diet (HFD) induced obesity mice. We determined Hoxa5 increased adipocytes differentiation and mitochondrial biogenesis in adipocytes in vitro. CEBPβ was determined a transcription factor of Hoxa5 and inhibited methylation level of Hoxa5 by combining on the promoter of Hoxa5. Importantly, we found Fabp4, a known positive regulator of adipocytes differentiation, was transcriptional activation by Hoxa5. In addition, Hoxa5 promotes adipocytes differentiation by inhibiting PKA/HSL pathway. Conclusion: Our study demonstrated the promoting role of Hoxa5 in adipocytes differentiation and therefore bringing a new therapeutic mean to the treatment of obesity and type II diabetes