BPDST: Blockchain-Based Privacy-Preserving Data Sharing on Thin Client for Electronic Medical Records

Sharing medical data can improve the quality of medical services and reduce costs. However, the current Electronic Medical Records (EMRs) are scattered and easily tampered with, which is not conducive to the sharing of EMRs and is not compatible with thin clients. Fortunately, blockchain technology is tamper-proof, decentralized, auditable, and meets the above requirements. To solve these problems, we first propose Blockchain-Based Privacy-Preserving Data Sharing on Thin-Client for Electronic Medical Records (BPDST) approach that combines the k-anonymity and cloud storage, which thin clients can run like a full-node user and safeguard user\u27s EMRs privacy concurrently. Using this approach, patients can control their own EMRs, while the consortium blockchain is responsible for the transaction process and sending the correct results to the patients. BPDST can also share information without leaking or tampering with EMRs\u27 privacy, achieving the purpose of sharing medical data and privacy protection. In the medical field, this study can effectively protect users\u27 privacy when sharing medical data to provide convenience for users and break the "island" phenomenon among various medical institutions. Security analysis and extensive experiments show that BPDST is secure and practical for sharing EMRs

Changing Perceptions of Companies’ Website From Foreign to Local: An Experimental Study of Website Localization Strategies

Website localization is important for companies to do business in the international market. This paper-in-progress explores website localization strategies and their effects. Drawing from social identity paradigm, we develop two website localization strategies: Similarity strategy (leveraging similarities with local people to positively influence consumer attitude towards foreign companies’ websites in website design) and Prosocial strategy (bringing benefits to local people to enhance consumer attitude towards foreign companies’ websites in website design). We also propose hypotheses about how these two strategies affect perceived website localization, trust and purchase intention through perceived similarity and perceived support. An experimental study will be conducted to validate the hypotheses in Mainland, China

Near-Infrared (NIR) Luminescent Homoleptic Lanthanide Salen Complexes Ln(4)(Salen)(4) (Ln = Nd, Yb Or Er)

The series of homoleptic tetranuclear [Ln(4)(L)(2)(HL)(2)(NO3)(2)(OH)(2)]center dot 2(NO3) (Ln = Nd, 1; Ln = Yb, 2; Ln = Er, 3; Ln = Gd, 4) have been self-assembled from the reaction of the Salen-type Schiff-base ligand H2L with Ln(NO3)(3)center dot 6H(2)O (Ln = Nd, Yb, Er or Gd), respectively (H2L: N, N'-bis(salicylidene) cyclohexane-1,2-diamine). The result of their photophysical properties shows that the strong and characteristic NIR luminescence for complexes 1 and 2 with emissive lifetimes in microsecond ranges are observed and the sensitization arises from the excited state (both (LC)-L-1 and (LC)-L-3) of the Salen-type Schiff-base ligand with the flexible linker.National Natural Science Foundation 21173165, 20871098Ministry of Education of China NCET-10-0936Higher Education of China 20116101110003State Key Laboratory of Structure Chemistry 20100014Education Committee Foundation of Shaanxi Province 11JK0588Hong Kong Research Grants Council, P. R. of China HKBU 202407, FRG/06-07/II-16)Hong Kong Research Grants Council, Robert A. Welch Foundation F-816Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board ARP 003658-0010-2006Petroleum Research Fund 47014-AC5Chemistr

Gadd45β and Gadd45γ are critical for regulating autoimmunity

The number of effector T cells is controlled by proliferation and programmed cell death. Loss of these controls on self-destructive effector T cells may precipitate autoimmunity. Here, we show that two members of the growth arrest and DNA damage-inducible (Gadd45) family, β and γ, are critical in the development of pathogenic effector T cells. CD4+ T cells lacking Gadd45β can rapidly expand and invade the central nervous system in response to myelin immunization, provoking an exacerbated and prolonged autoimmune encephalomyelitis in mice. Importantly, mice with compound deficiency in Gadd45β and Gadd45γ spontaneously developed signs of autoimmune lymphoproliferative syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus. Our findings therefore identify the Gadd45β/Gadd45γ-mediated control of effector autoimmune lymphocytes as an attractive novel target for autoimmune disease therapy

Reproductive Factors and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Risk in the California Teachers Study

BACKGROUND:Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is a malignancy etiologically linked to immunomodulatory exposures and disorders. Endogenous female sex hormones may modify immune function and influence NHL risk. Few studies have examined associations between reproductive factors, which can serve as surrogates for such hormonal exposures, and NHL risk by subtype. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:Women in the California Teachers Study cohort provided detailed data in 1995-1996 on reproductive history. Follow-up through 2007 identified 574 women with incident B-cell NHL. Hazard rate ratios (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models to assess associations between reproductive factors and all B-cell NHL combined, diffuse large B-cell lymphomas, follicular lymphomas, and B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemias/small lymphocytic lymphomas. Pregnancy was marginally associated with lower risk of B-cell NHL (RR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.68-1.04). Much of the reduction in risk was observed after one full-term pregnancy relative to nulligravid women (RR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.54-1.06; P for trend <0.01), particularly for diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (P for trend = 0.13), but not among women who had only incomplete pregnancies. Age at first full-term pregnancy was marginally inversely associated with B-cell NHL risk overall (P for trend = 0.08) and for diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (P for trend = 0.056). Breast feeding was not associated with B-cell NHL risk overall or by subtype. CONCLUSIONS:Full-term pregnancy and early age at first full-term pregnancy account for most of the observed reduction in B-cell NHL risk associated with gravidity. Pregnancy-related hormonal exposures, including prolonged and high-level exposure to progesterone during a full-term pregnancy may inhibit development of B-cell NHL

Human Leukocyte Antigen Class I and II Alleles and Overall Survival in Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma and Follicular Lymphoma

Genetic variation in the 6p21 chromosomal region, including human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes and tumor necrosis factor (TNF), has been linked to both etiology and clinical outcomes of lymphomas. We estimated the effects of HLA class I (A, B, and C), class II DRB1 alleles, and the ancestral haplotype (AH) 8.1 (HLAA*01-B*08-DRB1*03-TNF-308A) on overall survival (OS) among patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and follicular lymphoma (FL) in a population-based study of non-Hodgkin lymphoma. During a median followup of 89 months, 31% (52 of 166) DLBCL and 28% (46 of 165) FL patients died. Using multivariate Cox regression models, we observed statistically significant associations between genetic variants and survival: HLA-Cw*07:01 was associated with poorer OS among DLBCL patients (Hazard ratio [HR] = 1.76, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.01–3.05); HLA-A*01:01 was associated with poorer OS (HR = 2.23, 95% CI = 1.24–4.01), and HLA-DRB1*13 (HR = 0.12, 95% CI = 0.02–0.90) and HLA-B Bw4 (HR = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.20–0.63) with better OS among FL patients. These results support a role for HLA in the prognosis of DLBCL and FL and represent a promising class of prognostic factors that warrants further evaluation

Biodiesel production from jatropha seeds: Solvent extraction and in situ transesterification in a single step

The objective of this study was to investigate solvent extraction and in situ transesterification in a single step to allow direct production of biodiesel from jatropha seeds. Experiments were conducted using milled jatropha seeds, and n-hexane as extracting solvent. The influence of methanol to seed ratio (2:1–6:1), amount of alkali (KOH) catalyst (0.05–0.1 mol/L in methanol), stirring speed (700–900 rpm), temperature (40–60 °C) and reaction time (3–5 h) was examined to define optimum biodiesel yield and biodiesel quality after water washing and drying. When stirring speed, temperature and reaction time were fixed at 700 rpm, 60 °C and 4 h respectively, highest biodiesel yield (80% with a fatty acid methyl ester purity of 99.9%) and optimum biodiesel quality were obtained with a methanol to seed ratio of 6:1 and 0.075 mol/L KOH in methanol. Subsequently, the influence of stirring speed, temperature and reaction time on biodiesel yield and biodiesel quality was studied, by applying the randomized factorial experimental design with ANOVA (F-test at p = 0.05), and using the optimum values previously found for methanol to seed ratio and KOH catalyst level. Most experimental runs conducted at 50 °C resulted to high biodiesel yields, while stirring speed and reaction time did not give significantly effect. The highest biodiesel yield (87% with a fatty acid methyl ester purity of 99.7%) was obtained with a methanol to seed ratio of 6:1, KOH catalyst of 0.075 mol/L in methanol, a stirring speed of 800 rpm, a temperature of 50 °C, and a reaction time of 5 h. The effects of stirring speed, temperature and reaction time on biodiesel quality were not significant. Most of the biodiesel quality obtained in this study conformed to the Indonesian Biodiesel Standard