Autocorrelation of a class of quaternary sequences of period 2pm2p^m

Sequences with good randomness properties are quite important for stream ciphers. In this paper, a new class of quaternary sequences is constructed by using generalized cyclotomic classes of $\mathbb{Z}_{2p^m}$ $(m\geq1)$. The exact values of autocorrelation of these sequences are determined based on cyclotomic numbers of order $2$ with respect to $p^m$. Results show that the presented sequences have the autocorrelations with at most $4$ values

Orexin-A protects against oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation-induced cell damage by inhibiting endoplasmic reticulum stress-mediated apoptosis via the Gi and PI3K signaling pathways

The neuropeptide orexin-A (OXA) has a neuroprotective effect, acting as an anti-apoptotic factor in response to multiple stimuli. Apoptosis induced by endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) underlies oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R)-induced cell damage, an in vitro model of ischemia/reperfusion injury. However, that OXA inhibits ERS-induced apoptosis in the OGD/R model has not been reported. In the present study, we investigated the neuroprotective effect of OXA (0.1 μM) on OGD/R-induced damage in the human neuroblastoma cell line SH-SY5Y. After OXA treatment following 4 h oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD) and then 4 h reoxygenation (R), cell morphology, viability, and apoptosis were analyzed by histology, Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, and flow cytometry, respectively. Western blotting was used to measure expression levels of ERS- and apoptosis-related proteins. To determine signaling pathways involved in OXA-mediated neuroprotection, the Gi pathway inhibitor pertussis toxin (PTX; 100 ng/mL) and PI3K inhibitor LY294002 (LY; 10 μM) were added. In addition, in order to prove the specificity of these characteristics, the OXA antagonist Suvorexant (DORA; Ki of 0.55 nM and 0.35 nM for OX1R and OX2R) was used for intervention. Our results showed that OGD/R induced cell damage, manifested as morphological changes and a significant decrease in viability. Furthermore, Western blotting detected an increase in ERS-related proteins GRP78, p-IRE1α, p-JNK, and Cleaved caspase-12, as well as apoptosis-related proteins Cleaved caspase-3 and Bax, and a decrease in the anti-apoptosis factor Bcl-2. OXA intervention alleviated the degree of cellular damage, and protein expression was also reversed. In addition, the protective effect of OXA was reduced by adding PTX and LY. Meanwhile, after the use of DORA, changes in the expression of related proteins were detected, and it was found that the protective effect of OXA was weakened. Collectively, our results indicate that OXA has a neuroprotective effect on OGD/R-induced cell damage by inhibiting ERS-induced apoptosis through the combined action of Gi and PI3K signaling pathways. These findings help to clarify the mechanism underlying the neuroprotective action of OXA, which should aid the development of further candidate drugs, and provide a new therapeutic direction for the treatment of ischemic stroke

catena-Poly[[(5-phenyl-2,2′-bipyridine-κ2 N,N′)copper(I)]-μ-thio­cyanido-κ2 N:S]

The title compound, [Cu(NCS)(C16H12N2)]n, was synthesised under hydro­thermal conditions. The CuI ion shows distorted tetra­hedral geometry being coordinated by two N atoms from a 5-phenyl-2,2′-bipyridine ligand and by the N and S atoms from two different thio­cyanate anions. The CuI ions are bridged by thio­cyanide groups, forming a one-dimensional coordination polymer along the b axis. The crystal packing is through van der Waals contacts and C—H⋯π inter­actions

Poly[penta­kis­(μ-cyanido-κ2 N:C)tris­(5-phenyl-2,2′-bipyridine-κ2 N,N′)penta­copper(I)]

The hydro­thermal reaction of Cu(acetate)2 and K3[Fe(CN)6] with 5-phenyl-2,2′-bipyridine (5-ph-2,2′-bpy) in water yields the polymeric title complex, [Cu5(CN)5(C16H12N2)3]n, which consists of ribbons along the a axis, constructed from 26-membered {Cu10(CN)8} rings. In these rings, the metal atoms are bridged by cyanide groups, except for one close Cu⋯Cu contact [2.7535 (12) Å], which can be considered as ligand-unsupported. Within the rings, one Cu atom has a distorted tetra­hedral geometry through the coordination to two N atoms from 5-ph-2,2′-bpy and two N/C atoms from two cyanide groups. Two Cu atoms have a trigonal planar environment being coordinated by three cyanide groups and two other Cu atoms have a distorted square planar geometry through coordination to two N atoms from 5-ph-2,2′-bpy and two N/C atoms from two cyanide groups

Topological Defects and Non-homogeneous Melting of Large 2D Coulomb Clusters

The configurational and melting properties of large two-dimensional clusters of charged classical particles interacting with each other via the Coulomb potential are investigated through the Monte Carlo simulation technique. The particles are confined by a harmonic potential. For a large number of particles in the cluster (N>150) the configuration is determined by two competing effects, namely in the center a hexagonal lattice is formed, which is the groundstate for an infinite 2D system, and the confinement which imposes its circular symmetry on the outer edge. As a result a hexagonal Wigner lattice is formed in the central area while at the border of the cluster the particles are arranged in rings. In the transition region defects appear as dislocations and disclinations at the six corners of the hexagonal-shaped inner domain. Many different arrangements and type of defects are possible as metastable configurations with a slightly higher energy. The particles motion is found to be strongly related to the topological structure. Our results clearly show that the melting of the clusters starts near the geometry induced defects, and that three different melting temperatures can be defined corresponding to the melting of different regions in the cluster.Comment: 7 pages, 11 figures, submitted to Phys. Rev.

Transition Between Ground State and Metastable States in Classical 2D Atoms

Structural and static properties of a classical two-dimensional (2D) system consisting of a finite number of charged particles which are laterally confined by a parabolic potential are investigated by Monte Carlo (MC) simulations and the Newton optimization technique. This system is the classical analog of the well-known quantum dot problem. The energies and configurations of the ground and all metastable states are obtained. In order to investigate the barriers and the transitions between the ground and all metastable states we first locate the saddle points between them, then by walking downhill from the saddle point to the different minima, we find the path in configurational space from the ground state to the metastable states, from which the geometric properties of the energy landscape are obtained. The sensitivity of the ground-state configuration on the functional form of the inter-particle interaction and on the confinement potential is also investigated

Genomic Analyses Reveal Mutational Signatures and Frequently Altered Genes in Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the most common cancers worldwide and the fourth most lethal cancer in China. However, although genomic studies have identified some mutations associated with ESCC, we know little of the mutational processes responsible. To identify genome-wide mutational signatures, we performed either whole-genome sequencing (WGS) or whole-exome sequencing (WES) on 104 ESCC individuals and combined our data with those of 88 previously reported samples. An APOBEC-mediated mutational signature in 47% of 192 tumors suggests that APOBEC-catalyzed deamination provides a source of DNA damage in ESCC. Moreover, PIK3CA hotspot mutations (c.1624G>A [p.Glu542Lys] and c.1633G>A [p.Glu545Lys]) were enriched in APOBEC-signature tumors, and no smoking-associated signature was observed in ESCC. In the samples analyzed by WGS, we identified focal (<100 kb) amplifications of CBX4 and CBX8. In our combined cohort, we identified frequent inactivating mutations in AJUBA, ZNF750, and PTCH1 and the chromatin-remodeling genes CREBBP and BAP1, in addition to known mutations. Functional analyses suggest roles for several genes (CBX4, CBX8, AJUBA, and ZNF750) in ESCC. Notably, high activity of hedgehog signaling and the PI3K pathway in approximately 60% of 104 ESCC tumors indicates that therapies targeting these pathways might be particularly promising strategies for ESCC. Collectively, our data provide comprehensive insights into the mutational signatures of ESCC and identify markers for early diagnosis and potential therapeutic targets

Canagliflozin and Cardiovascular and Renal Outcomes in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus and Chronic Kidney Disease in Primary and Secondary Cardiovascular Prevention Groups

Background: Canagliflozin reduces the risk of kidney failure in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease, but effects on specific cardiovascular outcomes are uncertain, as are effects in people without previous cardiovascular disease (primary prevention). Methods: In CREDENCE (Canagliflozin and Renal Events in Diabetes With Established Nephropathy Clinical Evaluation), 4401 participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease were randomly assigned to canagliflozin or placebo on a background of optimized standard of care. Results: Primary prevention participants (n=2181, 49.6%) were younger (61 versus 65 years), were more often female (37% versus 31%), and had shorter duration of diabetes mellitus (15 years versus 16 years) compared with secondary prevention participants (n=2220, 50.4%). Canagliflozin reduced the risk of major cardiovascular events overall (hazard ratio [HR], 0.80 [95% CI, 0.67-0.95]; P=0.01), with consistent reductions in both the primary (HR, 0.68 [95% CI, 0.49-0.94]) and secondary (HR, 0.85 [95% CI, 0.69-1.06]) prevention groups (P for interaction=0.25). Effects were also similar for the components of the composite including cardiovascular death (HR, 0.78 [95% CI, 0.61-1.00]), nonfatal myocardial infarction (HR, 0.81 [95% CI, 0.59-1.10]), and nonfatal stroke (HR, 0.80 [95% CI, 0.56-1.15]). The risk of the primary composite renal outcome and the composite of cardiovascular death or hospitalization for heart failure were also consistently reduced in both the primary and secondary prevention groups (P for interaction &gt;0.5 for each outcome). Conclusions: Canagliflozin significantly reduced major cardiovascular events and kidney failure in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and chronic kidney disease, including in participants who did not have previous cardiovascular disease

Canagliflozin and renal outcomes in type 2 diabetes and nephropathy

BACKGROUND Type 2 diabetes mellitus is the leading cause of kidney failure worldwide, but few effective long-term treatments are available. In cardiovascular trials of inhibitors of sodium–glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2), exploratory results have suggested that such drugs may improve renal outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes. METHODS In this double-blind, randomized trial, we assigned patients with type 2 diabetes and albuminuric chronic kidney disease to receive canagliflozin, an oral SGLT2 inhibitor, at a dose of 100 mg daily or placebo. All the patients had an estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) of 30 to &lt;90 ml per minute per 1.73 m2 of body-surface area and albuminuria (ratio of albumin [mg] to creatinine [g], &gt;300 to 5000) and were treated with renin–angiotensin system blockade. The primary outcome was a composite of end-stage kidney disease (dialysis, transplantation, or a sustained estimated GFR of &lt;15 ml per minute per 1.73 m2), a doubling of the serum creatinine level, or death from renal or cardiovascular causes. Prespecified secondary outcomes were tested hierarchically. RESULTS The trial was stopped early after a planned interim analysis on the recommendation of the data and safety monitoring committee. At that time, 4401 patients had undergone randomization, with a median follow-up of 2.62 years. The relative risk of the primary outcome was 30% lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group, with event rates of 43.2 and 61.2 per 1000 patient-years, respectively (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.59 to 0.82; P=0.00001). The relative risk of the renal-specific composite of end-stage kidney disease, a doubling of the creatinine level, or death from renal causes was lower by 34% (hazard ratio, 0.66; 95% CI, 0.53 to 0.81; P&lt;0.001), and the relative risk of end-stage kidney disease was lower by 32% (hazard ratio, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.54 to 0.86; P=0.002). The canagliflozin group also had a lower risk of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or stroke (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.67 to 0.95; P=0.01) and hospitalization for heart failure (hazard ratio, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47 to 0.80; P&lt;0.001). There were no significant differences in rates of amputation or fracture. CONCLUSIONS In patients with type 2 diabetes and kidney disease, the risk of kidney failure and cardiovascular events was lower in the canagliflozin group than in the placebo group at a median follow-up of 2.62 years