Faster Bootstrapping with Multiple Addends

As an important cryptographic primitive in cloud computing and outsourced computation, fully homomorphic encryption (FHE) is an animated area of modern cryptography. However, the efficiency of FHE has been a bottleneck that impeding its application. According to Gentry’s blueprint, bootstrapping, which is used to decrease ciphertext errors, is the most important process in FHE. However, bootstrapping is also the most expensive process that affecting the efficiency of the whole system. Firstly, we notice that, hundreds of serial homomorphic additions take most of the time of bootstrapping. We made use of the properties of Boolean circuit to reduce the number of serial homomorphic additions by two-thirds, and thus constructed an efficient FHE scheme with bootstrapping in 10ms. Secondly, the most expensive parts in our bootstrapping, EHCM and addition operations of multiple matrices, can be accelerated by parallel. This parallel may accelerate the bootstrapping. At last, we found a set of more efficient combination of parameters. As a result, our security parameter level is 128 bits and the correctness is elevated, compared with TFHE scheme in ASIACRYPT 2016. Experiments show that the running time of our bootstrapping is 10ms, which is only 52 percent of TFHE, and is less than CGGI17

Cell-free miRNAs may indicate diagnosis and docetaxel sensitivity of tumor cells in malignant effusions

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Circulating cell-free microRNAs have been identified as potential cancer biomarkers. However, the existence and the potential application of cell-free miRNAs in effusion samples are still uncertain. In order to explore the potential role of cell-free miRNA in malignant effusions, we selected 22 miRNAs differentially expressed in the serum of lung cancer patients and studied their expression levels in body cavity effusion samples.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>We measured the expression of 22 miRNAs using qRT-PCR in two samples, which were pooled with 18 malignant and 12 benign effusions, respectively. After discarding 9 lowly expressed miRNAs, a panel of 13 miRNAs were measured in 29 samples (benign n = 11, malignant n = 18). We also carried out a WST-8 test to evaluate the docetaxel sensitivity of tumor cells directly isolated from 15 malignant effusions.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We compared the miRNA expression levels between benign and malignant effusions using a Mann-Whitney U test and found miR-24, miR-26a and miR-30d were expressed differently between the two groups (<it>P </it>= 0.006, 0.021 and 0.011, respectively). Cells isolated from effusions rich in cell-free miR-152 were more sensitive to docetaxel (r = 0.60, <it>P </it>= 0.016).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Collectively, our study demonstrated that cell-free miRNAs in the supernatant of effusions may aid in the diagnosis of malignancy and predict chemosensitivity to docetaxel.</p

Associations of miR-499 and miR-34b/c Polymorphisms with Susceptibility to Hepatocellular Carcinoma: An Evidence-Based Evaluation

Background. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) represents the sixth common cancer in the world. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in microRNA genes may be associated with susceptibility to HCC. Recently, several studies have reported possible associations of SNPs miR-499 T>C rs3746444 and miR-34b/c T>C rs4938723 with the risk of HCC. However the results are inconsistent and inconclusive. In this present study, we conducted a meta-analysis to comprehensively evaluate potential associations between the two SNPs and HCC susceptibility. Methods. Through a systematic literature search, 8-case-control studies involving 5464 subjects were identified and included in this meta-analysis. The association between the two common SNPs and HCC risk was estimated by pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Our results showed no significant association between rs3746444 and susceptibility to HCC, whereas variant genotypes of rs4938723 were associated with increased HCC risk in allele frequency model and heterozygous model (C versus T, OR=1.11, 95% CI: 1.01–1.23, P=0.04; TC versus TT, OR=1.19, 95% CI: 1.03–1.37, P=0.02). Conclusions. The current evidence did not support association between rs3746444 and HCC risk. SNP rs4938723 may be associated with susceptibility to HCC. Further well-designed studies are required to clarify the relationships between the two SNPs and HCC risk

Water Quality in Irrigated Paddy Systems

Irrigated paddy rice (Oryza sativa L.) is a staple food for roughly half of the world’s population. Concerns over water quality have arisen in recent decades, particularly in China, which is the largest rice-producing country in the world and has the most intensive use of nutrients and water in rice production. On the one hand, the poor water quality has constrained the use of water for irrigation to paddy systems in many areas of the world. On the other hand, nutrient losses from paddy production systems contribute to contamination and eutrophication of freshwater bodies. Here, we review rice production, water requirement, water quality issues, and management options to minimize nutrient losses from paddy systems. We conclude that management of nutrient source, rate, timing, and placement should be combined with the management of irrigation and drainage water to reduce nitrogen and phosphorus losses from paddies. More research is needed to identify cost-effective monitoring approaches and mitigation options, and relevant extension and policy should be enforced to achieve water quality goals. The review is preliminarily based on China’s scenario, but it would also provide valuable information for other rice-producing countries

Current limiting simulation of magneto-biased superconducting fault current limiter (SFCL) applied in 66kV/10kV power substation in China

The short-circuit fault currents in the large capacity transmission lines pose a challenge to the stability and safety of power system. Magneto-biased superconducting fault current limiter (MBSFCL) is with the advantages of two-stage current limiting, self-triggering and fast recovery so that it can effectively reduce the short-circuit fault current when applied to the urban power system. This paper analyzes the operation principle of MBSFCL and establishes a package type magneto-thermal coupled simulation model of MBSFCL based on MATLAB/SIMULINK. A power system model of a 66 kV/10 kV Zhang Tai Zi power substation which is in Liaoning province in China has been established and the grid-connected simulation applied MBSFCL has been achieved. Moreover, the grid-connected test is carried out, and the results of fault current, quench resistance and temperature change are obtained. The comparison of results between simulation and test verifies the accuracy of the simulation model and the application feasibility of MBSFCL

Scoliotic posture as the initial symptom in adolescents with lumbar disc herniation: its curve pattern and natural history after lumbar discectomy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>There have been few studies focusing on the curve pattern of scoliosis caused by lumbar disc herniation (LDH) in adolescents and the natural history of scoliosis after discectomy. The current study was carried out to identify the curve pattern of scoliosis and investigate the effect of posterior discectomy on the curve improvement in adolescents with LDH.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This review focused on a group of 26 adolescents with LDH who initially presented to our clinic for evaluation of scoliosis, followed by posterior discectomy between 2000 and 2009. Radiographic measurements included curve pattern, specific curve features, trunk shift, and sagittal profile. The correlation between the side of disc herniation and the direction of lumbosacral curve and the trunk shift was evaluated.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A typical curve pattern was initially identified in all of the patients as a short lumbosacral curve accompanied with a long thoracic or thoracolumbar curve toward the opposite side. 23 of 26 patients (88.5%) had a trunk shift more than 2.0 cm away from the midline, showing a poor coronal balance. A relatively straight sagittal profile was noted in all the patients. 84.6% (22/26) patients had a disc herniation at the convex side of lumbosacral curve. Similarly, 73.1% (19/26) patients showed a trunk shift toward the opposite side of disc herniation. All of the patients had an marked curve improvement immediately after discectomy. In the 17 patients with a more than 2-year follow-up, only two had a residual lumbosacral curve greater than or equal to 20 degrees. The mean ODI improved from 21.4% before surgery to 7.3% at the final follow-up.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>A short lumbosacral curve accompanied with a long thoracic or thoracolumbar curve toward the opposite side, and a relatively straight sagittal profile have been noted in all the patients. The direction of lumbosacral curve and trunk shift was related to the side of disc herniation. A majority of patients have a small curve size while assosiated with a significant coronal imbalance. Earlier decompression can provide a greater opportunity for spontaneous correction of scoliosis.</p

Reversion of pH-Induced Physiological Drug Resistance: A Novel Function of Copolymeric Nanoparticles

The extracellular pH of cancer cells is lower than the intracellular pH. Weakly basic anticancer drugs will be protonated extracellularly and display a decreased intracellular concentration. In this study, we show that copolymeric nanoparticles (NPs) are able to overcome this “pH-induced physiological drug resistance” (PIPDR) by delivering drugs to the cancer cells via endocytosis rather than passive diffussion.As a model nanoparticle, Tetradrine (Tet, Pka 7.80) was incorporated into mPEG-PCL. The effectiveness of free Tet and Tet-NPs were compared at different extracellular pHs (pH values 6.8 and 7.4, respectively) by MTT assay, morphological observation and apoptotic analysis in vitro and on a murine model by tumor volume measurement, PET-CT scanning and side effect evaluation in vivo.<0.05) when the extracellular pH decreased from 7.4 to 6.8. Meanwhile, the cytotoxicity of Tet-NPs was not significantly influenced by reduced pH. In vivo experiment also revealed that Tet-NPs reversed PIPDR more effectively than other existing methods and with much less side effects.The reversion of PIPDR is a new discovered mechanism of copolymeric NPs. This study emphasized the importance of cancer microenvironmental factors in anticancer drug resistance and revealed the superiority of nanoscale drug carrier from a different aspect