Assessing edge-coupled interdependent network disintegration via rank aggregation and elite enumeration

The disintegration of networks is a widely researched topic with significant applications in fields such as counterterrorism and infectious disease control. While the traditional approaches for achieving network disintegration involve identifying critical sets of nodes or edges, limited research has been carried out on edge-based disintegration strategies. We propose a novel algorithm, i.e., a rank aggregation elite enumeration algorithm based on edge-coupled networks(RAEEC),which aims to implement tiling for edge-coupled networks by finding important sets of edges in the network while balancing effectiveness and efficiency. Our algorithm is based on a two-layer edge-coupled network model with one-to-one links, and utilizes three advanced edge importance metrics to rank the edges separately. A comprehensive ranking of edges is obtained using a rank aggregation approach proposed in this study. The top few edges from the ranking set obtained by RAEEC are then used to generate an enumeration set, which is continuously iteratively updated to identify the set of elite attack edges.We conduct extensive experiments on synthetic networks to evaluate the performance of our proposed method, and the results indicate that RAEEC achieves a satisfactory balance between efficiency and effectiveness. Our approach represents a significant contribution to the field of network disintegration, particularly for edge-based strategies.

Antioxidant activities of different extracts from Amomum longiligulare Fruits

Objective:To study the antioxidant activities of five extracts ofAmomi longiligulare (A. longiligulare) to determine the antioxidant fraction.Methods: The ethanol extract ofA. longiligulare was extracted by systematic solvent extraction to obtain the petroleum ether, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate, n-butanol fractions successively. Thein vitro antioxidant activities of the five extracts were evaluated by 2, 2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical and hydroxyl radical (OH-) scavenging assay methods.Results: The five extracts showed different extent of antioxidant activities in vitro, especially the ethyl acetate and dichloromethane fractions.Conclusion: The difference of antioxidant activity of different extracts may be associated with the type and structure of antioxidant components in each fraction of A. longiligulare fruits.

Parallel computing approach for efficient 3-D X-ray-simulated image reconstruction

Accurate 3-dimensional(3-D)reconstruction technology for nondestructive testing based on digital radiography(DR)is of great importance for alleviating the drawbacks of the existing computed tomography(CT)-based method.The commonly used Monte Carlo simulation method ensures well-performing imaging results for DR.However,for 3-D reconstruction,it is limited by its high time consumption.To solve this problem,this study proposes a parallel computing method to accelerate Monte Carlo simulation for projection images with a parallel interface and a specific DR application.The images are utilized for 3-D reconstruction of the test model.We verify the accuracy of parallel computing for DR and evaluate the performance of two parallel computing modes-multithreaded applications(G4-MT)and message-passing interfaces(G4-MPI)-by assessing parallel speedup and efficiency.This study explores the scalability of the hybrid G4-MPI and G4-MT modes.The results show that the two parallel computing modes can significantly reduce the Monte Carlo simulation time because the parallel speedup increment of Monte Carlo simulations can be considered linear growth,and the parallel efficiency is maintained at a high level.The hybrid mode has strong scalability,as the overall run time of the 180 simulations using 320 threads is 15.35 h with 10 billion particles emitted,and the parallel speedup can be up to 151.36.The 3-D reconstruction of the model is achieved based on the filtered back projection(FBP)algorithm using 180 projection images obtained with the hybrid G4-MPI and G4-MT.The quality of the reconstructed sliced images is satisfactory because the images can reflect the internal structure of the test model.This method is applied to a complex model,and the quality of the reconstructed images is evaluated.

食管癌组织中VEGF-C表达量与淋巴管新生及肿瘤组织生长的相关性

目的研究食管癌组织中血管内皮生长因子C(VEGF-C)表达量与淋巴管新生、肿瘤组织生长的相关性。方法选取2012年4月-2015年10月在河北大学附属医院手术切除的食管癌组织作为临床标本,采用免疫组织化学试剂盒对食管癌组织中VEGF-C、D2-40进行染色,判读VEGF-C的阳性表达率以及D2-40阳性表达的淋巴管密度(LVD);采用荧光定量聚合酶联反应试剂盒测定Ki-67、Cyclin B1的mRNA含量。结果低未分化、TNMⅢ、Ⅳ、有淋巴结转移的食管癌组织中VEGF-C阳性率、LVD以及Ki-67、Cyclin B1的mRNA含量均高于中高分化、TNMⅠ、Ⅱ期、无淋巴结转移的食管癌组织;VEGF-C阳性表达的食管癌组织中LVD以及Ki-67、Cyclin B1的mRNA含量均高于VEGF-C阴性表达的食管癌组织。结论食管癌组织中高表达的VEGF-C与淋巴管新生以及肿瘤组织生长密切相关。

胸腺瘤术后乳糜胸1例

胸腺瘤是起源于胸腺上皮的成人前纵隔较常见的肿瘤之一[1],在中国,胸腺瘤的发病率约为3.93/100万[2]。手术是目前胸腺瘤最主要的治疗方式。胸腺瘤术后并发乳糜胸鲜有报道,胸腔镜下胸腺瘤切除及扩大胸腺瘤切除术后乳糜胸的发生率至今尚不清楚。术后发生乳糜胸可能是由于切除胸腺或者在广泛剥离胸腺周围组织时损伤纵隔内微小淋巴管及周围侧支所致。术后乳糜胸仍然是一个少见且具有挑战性的临床问题,其治疗方式因乳糜胸的病因、病程及程度而各有不同。河北大学附属医院收治胸腺瘤术后乳糜胸1例,现报道如下。

Epigenetic Silencing of Eyes Absent 4 Gene by Acute Myeloid Leukemia 1-Eight-twenty-one Oncoprotein Contributes to Leukemogenesis in t（8;21） Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Background： The acute myeloid leukemia 1 （AML1）-eight-twenty-one （ETO） fusion protein generated by the t（8;2 1）（q22;q22） translocation is considered to display a crucial role in leukemogenesis in AML. By focusing on the anti-leukemia effects of eyes absent 4 （EYA4） gene on AML cells, we investigated the biologic and molecular mechanism associated with AML 1 -ETO expressed in t（8;21） AML. Methods： Qualitative polymerase chain reaction （PCR）, quantitative reverse transcription PCR （RT-PCR）, and Western blotting analysis were used to observe the mRNA and protein expression levels of EYA4 in cell lines. Different plasmids （including mutant plasmids） of dual luciferase reporter vector were built to study the binding status of AML1-ETO to the promoter region of EYA4. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assay was used to study the epigenetic silencing mechanism of EYA4. Bisulfite sequencing was applied to detect the methylation status in EYA4 promoter region. The influence ofEYA4 gene in the cell proliferation, apoptosis, and cell clone-forming ability was detected by the technique of Cell Counting Kit-8, flow cytometry, and clonogenic assay. Results： EYA4 gene was hyperrnethylated in AMLI-ETO＋ patients and its expression was down-regulated by 6-fold in Kasumi-1 and SKNO-1 cells, compared to HL-60 and SKNO-1-siA/E cells, respectively. We demonstrated that AML1-ETO triggered the epigenetic silencing of EYA 4 gene by binding at AML 1-binding sites and recruiting histone deacetylase 1 and DNA methyltransferases. Enhanced EYA4 expression levels inhibited cellular proliferation and suppressed cell colony formation in AMLI-ETO cell lines. We also found EYA4 transfection increased apoptosis of Kasumi- 1 and SKNO-1 cells by 1.6-fold and 1.4-fold compared to negative control, respectively. Conclusions： Our study identified EYA4 gene as targets for AML1-ETO and indicated it as a novel tumor suppressor gene. In addition, we provided evidence that EYA4 gene might be a novel therapeutic target and a potential candidate for treating AML 1-ETO＋ t （8;21 ） AML.

Genomics-based Approach and Prognostic Stratification Significance of Gene Mutations in Intermediate-risk Acute Myeloid Leukemia

Objective： Intermediate-risk acute myeloid leukemia （IR-AML）, which accounts for a substantial number of AML cases, is highly heterogeneous. We systematically summarize the latest research progress on the significance ofgene mutations for prognostic stratification of IR-AML. Data Sources： We conducted a systemic search from the PubMed database up to October, 2014 using various search terms and their combinations including IR-AML, gene mutations, mutational analysis, prognosis, risk stratification, next generation sequencing （NGS）. Study Selection： Clinical or basic research articles on NGS and the prognosis of gene mutations in 1R-AML were included. Results： The advent of the era of whole-genome sequencing has led to the discovery of an increasing number of molecular genetics aberrations that involved in leukemogenesis, and some of them have been used for prognostic risk stratification. Several studies have consistently identified that some gene mutations have prognostic relevance, however, there are still many controversies for some genes because of lacking sufficient evidence. In addition, tumor cells harbor hundreds of mutated genes and multiple mutations often coexist, therefore, single mutational analysis is not sufficient to make accurate prognostic predictions. The comprehensive analysis of multiple mutations based on sophisticated genomic technologies has raised increasing interest in recent years. Conclusions： NGS represents a pioneering and helpful approach to prognostic risk stratification of 1R-AML patients. Further large-scale studies for comprehensive molecular analysis are needed to provide guidance and a theoretical basis for IR-AML prognostic stratification and clinical management.

Determination of Protopine in Rat Brain Tissues by RRLC-ESI/Q-TOF-MS Method

Objective To analyse the quantification of protopine from Corydalis Decumbentis Rhizoma（CDR）extract in brain tissues of rats.Methods A rapid,sensitive,and accurate analytical method based on rapid resolution liquid chromatography（RRLC）coupled with electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry（Q-TOF-MS）was developed for the quantification of protopine in brain of rats.A simple liquid-liquid extraction process was employed for the sample preparation.Chromatographic separation was achieved using 1.8μm porous particle columns.Results The calibration curve of protopine was linear in the range of 12-897 ng/mL.The relative standard deviations of intra-and inter-day precision values were less than 10%.The extraction recoveries were 96.4%,99.6%,and 98.5%,for protopine at the concentration of 598.0,119.6,and 12.0 ng/mL,respectively,and internal standard（1.27μg/mL）was（98.60±0.02）%.Conclusion The validated method is successfully applied for the determination of protopine in brain tissue of rats after ig administration of CDR extract.

Quantitative Detection of ID4 Gene Aberrant Methylation in the Differentiation of Myelodysplastic Syndrome from Aplastic Anemia

Background：The diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome （MDS）,especially hypoplastic MDS,and MDS with low blast counts or normal karyotype may be problematic.This study characterized ID4 gene methylation in patients with MDS and aplastic anemia （AA）.Methods：The methylation status ofID4 was analyzed by bisulfite sequencing polymerase chain reaction （PCR） and quantitative real-time methylation-specific PCR （MethyLight PCR） in 100 patients with MDS and 31 patients with AA.Results：The MDS group had a higher ID4 gene methylation positivity rate （22.22%） and higher methylation levels （0.21 [0-3.79]） than the AA group （P 〈 0.05）.Furthermore,there were significant differences between the hypoplastic MDS and AA groups,the MDS with low blast count and the AA groups,and the MDS with normal karyotype and the AA groups.The combination of genetic and epigenetic markers was used in much more patients with MDS （62.5% [35/56]） than the use of genetic markers only （51.79% [29/56]）.Conclusions：These results showed that the detection ofID4 methylation positivity rates and levels could be a useful biomarker for MDS diagnosis.