(h,k)-Arbiters for h-out-of-k mutual exclusion problem

Abstracth-Out-of-k mutual exclusion is a generalization of the 1-mutual exclusion problem, where there are k units of shared resources and each process requests h(1⩽h⩽k) units at the same time. Though k-arbiter has been shown to be a quorum-based solution to this problem, quorums in k-arbiter are much larger than those in the 1-coterie for 1-mutual exclusion. Thus, the algorithm based on k-arbiter needs many messages. This paper introduces the new notion that each request uses different quorums depending on the number of units of its request. Based on the notion, this paper defines two (h,k)-arbiters for h-out-of-k mutual exclusion: a uniform (h,k)-arbiter and a (k+1)-cube (h,k)-arbiter. The quorums in each (h,k)-arbiter are not larger than the ones in the corresponding k-arbiter; consequently, it is more efficient to use (h,k)-arbiters than the k-arbiters. A uniform (h,k)-arbiter is a generalization of the majority coterie for 1-mutual exclusion. A (k+1)-cube (h,k)-arbiter is a generalization of square grid coterie for 1-mutual exclusion

In-Situ Raman Spectroscopic Analysis of Factors Improving Discharge Rate Capability of Na-Ion Batteries with FSA-Based Ionic Liquids

Na-ion batteries (NIBs) with ionic liquid (IL) electrolytes are promising candidates for large-scale energy storage devices owing to the abundance of Na resources and the safety of ILs. In our previous study, we have demonstrated the improved rate capability of NIBs consisting of a hard carbon negative electrode, an NaCrO₂ positive electrode, and an FSA-based IL electrolyte (FSA = bis(fluorosulfonyl)amide) by increasing the Na⁺ ion concentration in the IL. However, this phenomenon is not consistent with the trend observed for the ionic conductivities of bulk ILs. In this study, to clarify the unexplained behavior particularly for electrolytes with high Na⁺ concentrations, we performed in-situ Raman spectroscopic analysis in the vicinity of the electrode/electrolyte interface. The results of discharge rate capability tests indicated that a rate-determining step existed in the reaction at the positive electrode, where Na⁺ insertion occurred during discharge. In-situ Raman spectroscopy for Na/NaCrO₂ half-cells using an IL electrolyte of low Na⁺ concentration (∼1 mol dm⎺³) revealed that the Na⁺ ion concentration at the interface (inside the NaCrO₂ composite electrode) locally decreased as the discharging proceeded. In contrast, a high Na⁺ concentration electrolyte (∼2.2 mol dm⎺³) considerably suppressed the decrease in the Na⁺ ion concentration at the interface. Therefore, the improved performance of the electrolyte with a high Na⁺concentration can be explained by the local Na⁺ ion concentration near the electrode/electrolyte interface, rather than by the bulk properties of the IL electrolytes

A Cryptographic Moving-Knife Cake-Cutting Protocol

This paper proposes a cake-cutting protocol using cryptography when the cake is a heterogeneous good that is represented by an interval on a real line. Although the Dubins-Spanier moving-knife protocol with one knife achieves simple fairness, all players must execute the protocol synchronously. Thus, the protocol cannot be executed on asynchronous networks such as the Internet. We show that the moving-knife protocol can be executed asynchronously by a discrete protocol using a secure auction protocol. The number of cuts is n-1 where n is the number of players, which is the minimum.Comment: In Proceedings IWIGP 2012, arXiv:1202.422

On the Equivalence of Several Security Notions of Key Encapsulation Mechanism

KEM (Key Encapsulation Mechanism) was introduced by Shoup to formalize the asymmetric encryption specified for key distribution in ISO standards on public-key encryption. Shoup defined the ``semantic security (IND) against adaptively chosen ciphertext attacks (CCA2)\u27\u27 as a desirable security notion of KEM. This paper introduces \u27\u27non-malleability (NM)\u27\u27 of KEM, a stronger security notion than IND. We provide three definitions of NM, and show that these three definitions are equivalent. We then show that NM-CCA2 KEM is equivalent to IND-CCA2 KEM. That is, we show that NM is equivalent to IND under CCA2 attacks, although NM is stronger than IND in the definition (or under some attacks like CCA1). In addition, this paper defines the universally composable (UC) security of KEM and shows that NM-CCA2 KEM is equivalent to UC KEM

Increased Systemic Glucose Tolerance with Increased Muscle Glucose Uptake in Transgenic Mice Overexpressing RXRγ in Skeletal Muscle

BACKGROUND: Retinoid X receptor (RXR) γ is a nuclear receptor-type transcription factor expressed mostly in skeletal muscle, and regulated by nutritional conditions. Previously, we established transgenic mice overexpressing RXRγ in skeletal muscle (RXRγ mice), which showed lower blood glucose than the control mice. Here we investigated their glucose metabolism. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: RXRγ mice were subjected to glucose and insulin tolerance tests, and glucose transporter expression levels, hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp and glucose uptake were analyzed. Microarray and bioinformatics analyses were done. The glucose tolerance test revealed higher glucose disposal in RXRγ mice than in control mice, but insulin tolerance test revealed no difference in the insulin-induced hypoglycemic response. In the hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp study, the basal glucose disposal rate was higher in RXRγ mice than in control mice, indicating an insulin-independent increase in glucose uptake. There was no difference in the rate of glucose infusion needed to maintain euglycemia (glucose infusion rate) between the RXRγ and control mice, which is consistent with the result of the insulin tolerance test. Skeletal muscle from RXRγ mice showed increased Glut1 expression, with increased glucose uptake, in an insulin-independent manner. Moreover, we performed in vivo luciferase reporter analysis using Glut1 promoter (Glut1-Luc). Combination of RXRγ and PPARδ resulted in an increase in Glut1-Luc activity in skeletal muscle in vivo. Microarray data showed that RXRγ overexpression increased a diverse set of genes, including glucose metabolism genes, whose promoter contained putative PPAR-binding motifs. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Systemic glucose metabolism was increased in transgenic mice overexpressing RXRγ. The enhanced glucose tolerance in RXRγ mice may be mediated at least in part by increased Glut1 in skeletal muscle. These results show the importance of skeletal muscle gene regulation in systemic glucose metabolism. Increasing RXRγ expression may be a novel therapeutic strategy against type 2 diabetes

The whole blood transcriptional regulation landscape in 465 COVID-19 infected samples from Japan COVID-19 Task Force

「コロナ制圧タスクフォース」COVID-19患者由来の血液細胞における遺伝子発現の網羅的解析 --重症度に応じた遺伝子発現の変化には、ヒトゲノム配列の個人差が影響する--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-08-23.Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a recently-emerged infectious disease that has caused millions of deaths, where comprehensive understanding of disease mechanisms is still unestablished. In particular, studies of gene expression dynamics and regulation landscape in COVID-19 infected individuals are limited. Here, we report on a thorough analysis of whole blood RNA-seq data from 465 genotyped samples from the Japan COVID-19 Task Force, including 359 severe and 106 non-severe COVID-19 cases. We discover 1169 putative causal expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) including 34 possible colocalizations with biobank fine-mapping results of hematopoietic traits in a Japanese population, 1549 putative causal splice QTLs (sQTLs; e.g. two independent sQTLs at TOR1AIP1), as well as biologically interpretable trans-eQTL examples (e.g., REST and STING1), all fine-mapped at single variant resolution. We perform differential gene expression analysis to elucidate 198 genes with increased expression in severe COVID-19 cases and enriched for innate immune-related functions. Finally, we evaluate the limited but non-zero effect of COVID-19 phenotype on eQTL discovery, and highlight the presence of COVID-19 severity-interaction eQTLs (ieQTLs; e.g., CLEC4C and MYBL2). Our study provides a comprehensive catalog of whole blood regulatory variants in Japanese, as well as a reference for transcriptional landscapes in response to COVID-19 infection

DOCK2 is involved in the host genetics and biology of severe COVID-19

「コロナ制圧タスクフォース」COVID-19疾患感受性遺伝子DOCK2の重症化機序を解明 --アジア最大のバイオレポジトリーでCOVID-19の治療標的を発見--. 京都大学プレスリリース. 2022-08-10.Identifying the host genetic factors underlying severe COVID-19 is an emerging challenge. Here we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) involving 2, 393 cases of COVID-19 in a cohort of Japanese individuals collected during the initial waves of the pandemic, with 3, 289 unaffected controls. We identified a variant on chromosome 5 at 5q35 (rs60200309-A), close to the dedicator of cytokinesis 2 gene (DOCK2), which was associated with severe COVID-19 in patients less than 65 years of age. This risk allele was prevalent in East Asian individuals but rare in Europeans, highlighting the value of genome-wide association studies in non-European populations. RNA-sequencing analysis of 473 bulk peripheral blood samples identified decreased expression of DOCK2 associated with the risk allele in these younger patients. DOCK2 expression was suppressed in patients with severe cases of COVID-19. Single-cell RNA-sequencing analysis (n = 61 individuals) identified cell-type-specific downregulation of DOCK2 and a COVID-19-specific decreasing effect of the risk allele on DOCK2 expression in non-classical monocytes. Immunohistochemistry of lung specimens from patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia showed suppressed DOCK2 expression. Moreover, inhibition of DOCK2 function with CPYPP increased the severity of pneumonia in a Syrian hamster model of SARS-CoV-2 infection, characterized by weight loss, lung oedema, enhanced viral loads, impaired macrophage recruitment and dysregulated type I interferon responses. We conclude that DOCK2 has an important role in the host immune response to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the development of severe COVID-19, and could be further explored as a potential biomarker and/or therapeutic target