Meet-in-the-Middle Attacks on 3-Line Generalized Feistel Networks

In the paper, we study the security of 3-line generalized Feistel network, which is a considerate choice for some special needs, such as designing a 96-bit cipher based on a 32-bit round function. We show key recovery attacks on 3-line generic balanced Feistel-2 and Feistel-3 based on the meet-in-the-middle technique in the chosen ciphertext scenario. In our attacks, we consider the key size is as large as one-third of the block size. For the first network, we construct a 9-round distinguisher and launch a 10-round key-recovery attack. For the second network, we show a 13-round distinguisher and give a 17-round attack based on some common assumptions

Dynamic changes of rumen bacteria and their fermentative ability in high-producing dairy cows during the late perinatal period

BackgroundHigh-producing dairy cows face varying degrees of metabolic stress and challenges during the late perinatal period, resulting in ruminal bacteria abundance and their fermentative ability occurring as a series of changes. However, the dynamic changes are still not clear.Aims/methodsTen healthy, high-producing Holstein dairy cows with similar body conditions and the same parity were selected, and ruminal fluid from the dairy cows at postpartum 0, 7, 14, and 21 d was collected before morning feeding. 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing, GC-MS/MS targeted metabolomics, and UPLC-MS/MS untargeted metabolomics were applied in the study to investigate the dynamic changes within 21 d postpartum.ResultsThe results displayed that the structures of ruminal bacteria were significantly altered from 0 to 7 d postpartum (R = 0.486, P = 0.002), reflecting the significantly declining abundances of Euryarchaeota and Chloroflexi phyla and Christensenellaceae, Methanobrevibacter, and Flexilinea genera (P < 0.05) and the obviously ascending abundances of Ruminococcaceae, Moryella, Pseudobutyrivibrio, and Prevotellaceae genera at 7 d postpartum (P < 0.05). The structures of ruminal bacteria also varied significantly from 7 to 14 d postpartum (R = 0.125, P = 0.022), reflecting the reducing abundances of Christensenellaceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Moryella genera (P < 0.05), and the elevating abundances of Sharpea and Olsenella genera at 14 d postpartum (P < 0.05). The metabolic profiles of ruminal SCFAs were obviously varied from 0 to 7 d postpartum, resulting in higher levels of propionic acid, butyric acid, and valeric acid at 7 d postpartum (P < 0.05); the metabolic profiles of other ruminal metabolites were significantly shifted from 0 to 7 d postpartum, with 27 significantly elevated metabolites and 35 apparently reduced metabolites (P < 0.05). The correlation analysis indicated that propionic acid was positively correlated with Prevotellaceae and Ruminococcaceae (P < 0.05), negatively correlated with Methanobrevibacter (P < 0.01); butyric acid was positively associated with Prevotellaceae, Ruminococcaceae, and Pseudobutyrivibrio (P < 0.05), negatively associated with Christensenellaceae (P < 0.01); valeric acid was positively linked with Prevotellaceae and Ruminococcaceae (P < 0.05); pyridoxal was positively correlated with Flexilinea and Methanobrevibacter (P < 0.05) and negatively correlated with Ruminococcaceae (P < 0.01); tyramine was negatively linked with Ruminococcaceae (P < 0.01).ConclusionThe findings contribute to the decision of nutritional management and prevention of metabolic diseases in high-producing dairy cows during the late perinatal period

A retrospective comparative study on the diagnostic efficacy and the complications: between CassiII rotational core biopsy and core needle biopsy

Accurate pathologic diagnosis and molecular classification of breast mass biopsy tissue is important for determining individualized therapy for (neo)adjuvant systemic therapies for invasive breast cancer. The CassiII rotational core biopsy system is a novel biopsy technique with a guide needle and a “stick-freeze” technology. The comprehensive assessments including the concordance rates of diagnosis and biomarker status between CassiII and core needle biopsy were evaluated in this study. Estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PgR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and Ki67 were analyzed through immunohistochemistry. In total, 655 patients with breast cancer who underwent surgery after biopsy at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital between January 2019 to December 2021 were evaluated. The concordance rates (CRs) of malignant surgical specimens with CassiII needle biopsy was significantly high compared with core needle biopsy. Moreover, CassiII needle biopsy had about 20% improvement in sensitivity and about 5% improvement in positive predictive value compared to Core needle biopsy. The characteristics including age and tumor size were identified the risk factors for pathological inconsistencies with core needle biopsies. However, CassiII needle biopsy was associated with tumor diameter only. The CRs of ER, PgR, HER2, and Ki67 using Cassi needle were 98.08% (kappa, 0.941; p<.001), 90.77% (kappa, 0.812; p<.001), 69.62% (kappa, 0.482; p<.001), and 86.92% (kappa, 0.552; p<.001), respectively. Post-biopsy complications with CassiII needle biopsy were also collected. The complications of CassiII needle biopsy including chest stuffiness, pain and subcutaneous ecchymosis are not rare. The underlying mechanism of subcutaneous congestion or hematoma after CassiII needle biopsy might be the larger needle diameter and the effect of temperature on coagulation function. In summary, CassiII needle biopsy is age-independent and has a better accuracy than CNB for distinguishing carcinoma in situ and invasive carcinoma

Biological differences between normal and cancer-associated fibroblasts in breast cancer

Background: Cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) constitute the primary constituents of the tumor microenvironment (TME) and exert significant influences on cancer progression. However, adequate comprehension of CAF profiles in breast cancer, as well as the precise mechanisms underlying their promotion of cancer, remains lacking. Objectives: To discerns the biological differences between normal fibroblasts (NFs) and CAFs in breast cancer and explore the underlying mechanism. Methods: Three pairs of CAFs and NFs were isolated from breast cancer patients of diverse subtypes who had not undergone prior radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Morphological characteristics of CAFs and NFs were assessed through optical and electron microscopy, their biological attributes were examined using cell counting kits and transwell assays, and their impact on breast cancer cells was simulated using a coculture system. Furthermore, the miRNA profiles of CAFs and NFs were sequenced via an Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform. Results: CAFs exhibited higher growth rate and motility than NFs and a stronger potential to promote the malignancy of breast cancer cells. RNA sequencing of both NFs and CAFs revealed differentially expressed miRNAs with notable variability among distinct patients within their NFs and CAFs, while the enrichment of the target genes of differentially expressed miRNAs within both GO terms and KEGG pathways demonstrated significant similarity across patients with different profiles. Conclusion: CAFs have greater malignancy and higher potential to influence the growth, migration, invasion and chemoresistance of cocultured breast cancer cells than NFs. In addition, the miRNAs that are differentially expressed in CAFs when compared to NFs display substantial variability across patients with distinct breast cancer subtypes, while the enrichment of target genes regulated by these miRNAs, within GO terms and KEGG pathways, remains remarkably consistent among patients with varying profiles

Data_Sheet_1_Dynamic changes of rumen bacteria and their fermentative ability in high-producing dairy cows during the late perinatal period.docx

BackgroundHigh-producing dairy cows face varying degrees of metabolic stress and challenges during the late perinatal period, resulting in ruminal bacteria abundance and their fermentative ability occurring as a series of changes. However, the dynamic changes are still not clear.Aims/methodsTen healthy, high-producing Holstein dairy cows with similar body conditions and the same parity were selected, and ruminal fluid from the dairy cows at postpartum 0, 7, 14, and 21 d was collected before morning feeding. 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing, GC-MS/MS targeted metabolomics, and UPLC-MS/MS untargeted metabolomics were applied in the study to investigate the dynamic changes within 21 d postpartum.ResultsThe results displayed that the structures of ruminal bacteria were significantly altered from 0 to 7 d postpartum (R = 0.486, P = 0.002), reflecting the significantly declining abundances of Euryarchaeota and Chloroflexi phyla and Christensenellaceae, Methanobrevibacter, and Flexilinea genera (P ConclusionThe findings contribute to the decision of nutritional management and prevention of metabolic diseases in high-producing dairy cows during the late perinatal period.</p

Table_1_A retrospective comparative study on the diagnostic efficacy and the complications: between CassiII rotational core biopsy and core needle biopsy.docx

Accurate pathologic diagnosis and molecular classification of breast mass biopsy tissue is important for determining individualized therapy for (neo)adjuvant systemic therapies for invasive breast cancer. The CassiII rotational core biopsy system is a novel biopsy technique with a guide needle and a “stick-freeze” technology. The comprehensive assessments including the concordance rates of diagnosis and biomarker status between CassiII and core needle biopsy were evaluated in this study. Estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PgR), human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), and Ki67 were analyzed through immunohistochemistry. In total, 655 patients with breast cancer who underwent surgery after biopsy at Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital between January 2019 to December 2021 were evaluated. The concordance rates (CRs) of malignant surgical specimens with CassiII needle biopsy was significantly high compared with core needle biopsy. Moreover, CassiII needle biopsy had about 20% improvement in sensitivity and about 5% improvement in positive predictive value compared to Core needle biopsy. The characteristics including age and tumor size were identified the risk factors for pathological inconsistencies with core needle biopsies. However, CassiII needle biopsy was associated with tumor diameter only. The CRs of ER, PgR, HER2, and Ki67 using Cassi needle were 98.08% (kappa, 0.941; p<.001), 90.77% (kappa, 0.812; p<.001), 69.62% (kappa, 0.482; p<.001), and 86.92% (kappa, 0.552; p<.001), respectively. Post-biopsy complications with CassiII needle biopsy were also collected. The complications of CassiII needle biopsy including chest stuffiness, pain and subcutaneous ecchymosis are not rare. The underlying mechanism of subcutaneous congestion or hematoma after CassiII needle biopsy might be the larger needle diameter and the effect of temperature on coagulation function. In summary, CassiII needle biopsy is age-independent and has a better accuracy than CNB for distinguishing carcinoma in situ and invasive carcinoma.</p

Intelligent Estimating the Tree Height in Urban Forests Based on Deep Learning Combined with a Smartphone and a Comparison with UAV-LiDAR

In this paper, a method for extracting the height of urban forest trees based on a smartphone was proposed to efficiently and accurately determine tree heights. First, a smartphone was used to obtain person–tree images, LabelImg was used to label the images, and a dataset was constructed. Secondly, based on a deep learning method called You Only Look Once v5 (YOLOv5) and the small-hole imaging and scale principles, a person–tree scale height measurement model was constructed. This approach supports recognition and mark functions based on the characteristics of a person and a tree in a single image. Finally, tree height measurements were obtained. By using this method, the heights of three species in the validation set were extracted; the range of the absolute error was 0.02 m–0.98 m, and the range of the relative error was 0.20–10.33%, with the RMSE below 0.43 m, the rRMSE below 4.96%, and the R2 above 0.93. The person–tree scale height measurement model proposed in this paper greatly improves the efficiency of tree height measurement while ensuring sufficient accuracy and provides a new method for the dynamic monitoring and investigation of urban forest resources