Search

Abstract Here, we propose a quantum asymmetric key cryptography scheme using Grover’s quantum search algorithm. In the proposed scheme, Alice generates a pair of public and private keys, keeps the private keys safe, and only discloses public keys to the outside. Bob uses Alice's public key to send a secret message to Alice and Alice uses her private key to decrypt the secret message. Furthermore, we discuss the safety of quantum asymmetric key encryption techniques based on quantum mechanical properties.

Abstract Background Recent studies suggest that angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and angiotensin-(1–7) [Ang-(1–7)] might have beneficial effects on the cardiovascular system. We investigated the effects of olmesartan on the changes in serum ACE2 and Ang-(1–7) levels as well as kidney and vascular function in patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Methods This was a prospective, randomized, active comparator-controlled trial. Eighty participants with type 2 diabetes and hypertension were randomized to receive 20 mg of olmesartan (N = 40) or 5 mg of amlodipine (N = 40) once daily. The primary endpoint was changes of serum Ang-(1–7) from baseline to week 24. Results Both olmesartan and amlodipine treatment for 24 weeks decreased systolic and diastolic blood pressures significantly by > 18 mmHg and > 8 mmHg, respectively. Serum Ang-(1–7) levels were more significantly increased by olmesartan treatment (25.8 ± 34.5 pg/mL → 46.2 ± 59.4 pg/mL) than by amlodipine treatment (29.2 ± 38.9 pg/mL → 31.7 ± 26.0 pg/mL), resulting in significant between-group differences (P = 0.01). Serum ACE2 levels showed a similar pattern (6.31 ± 0.42 ng/mL → 6.74 ± 0.39 ng/mL by olmesartan treatment vs. 6.43 ± 0.23 ng/mL → 6.61 ± 0.42 ng/mL by amlodipine treatment; P

To maintain normal glucose homeostasis after a meal, it is essential to secrete an adequate amount of insulin from pancreatic β-cells. However, if pancreatic β-cells solely depended on the blood glucose level for insulin secretion, a surge in blood glucose levels would be inevitable after the ingestion of a large amount of carbohydrates. To avoid a deluge of glucose in the bloodstream after a large carbohydrate- rich meal, enteroendocrine cells detect the amount of nutrient absorption from the gut lumen and secrete incretin hormones at scale. Since insulin secretion in response to incretin hormones occurs only in a hyperglycemic milieu, pancreatic β-cells can secrete a “Goldilocks” amount of insulin (i.e., not too much and not too little) to keep the blood glucose level in the normal range. In this regard, pancreatic β-cell sensitivity to glucose and incretin hormones is crucial for maintaining normal glucose homeostasis. In this Namgok lecture 2022, we review the effects of current anti-diabetic medications on pancreatic β-cell sensitivity to glucose and incretin hormones.

Abstract Background Skin metastasis from papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) is a rare entity that can occur up to decades after treatment of the primary tumor. Here, we present a patient who developed skin metastasis 10 years after treatment of her primary tumor and describe the molecular findings of the metastatic lesion. Case presentation A 44-year-old female with a history of PTC who underwent a total thyroidectomy and radioactive iodine (RAI) treatment 10 years ago presented with a 1.3-cm skin lesion along the prior thyroidectomy scar. A biopsy revealed metastatic PTC, and the patient underwent surgical excision of the lesion. ThyroSeq molecular testing showed the copresence of BRAFV600E mutation and TERT promoter C228T mutation. The patient subsequently received one round of adjuvant RAI therapy. Conclusions A high index of suspicion is warranted in patients with a history of PTC who develop a skin lesion, even several years after remission of the primary disease. In patients with high-risk mutations, such as BRAFV600E and TERT promoter C228T mutations, long-term surveillance of disease recurrence is particularly important.

Abstract Introduction Combined phacovitrectomy is gaining popularity due to efficiency and immediate visual improvement. However, concerns regarding erroneous intraocular lens (IOL) calculation in combination surgery are increasing, such as myopic shift owing to a thick macula and consequent underestimation of the axial length. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the refractive outcomes of combined phacovitrectomy in patients with highly myopic and non-highly myopic eyes. Methods A retrospective chart review was performed on patients who received combined phacoemulsification, intraocular lens implantation, and small gauge pars plana vitrectomy for cataract and macular pathologies in highly myopic and non-highly myopic eyes. Pre- and postoperative evaluation and ocular parameters were recorded, and analyses were performed using the Student’s t test and regression analysis. Results A total of 133 patients with macular pathologies, including myopic tractional maculopathy, macular hole, and epiretinal membrane, were enrolled. SRK II or SRK/T models were used for calculating IOL. The mean absolute error of refraction change was 0.65 D; 83.5% of patients were within 1-D error, 57.9% within 0.5-D error, and 35.3% within 0.25-D error, with SRK/T showing better precision and yielding more myopic shift. Furthermore, the predictive accuracy of SRK II or SRK/T was better in patients with non-highly myopic eyes. Moreover, Barrett’s universal II formula was not superior to SRK II or SRK/T in the prediction of postoperative refractive error (p = 0.48). Conclusion Refractive outcomes were satisfactory in the cohort of patients with highly myopic eyes. The combined implementation of SRK II and SRK/T was not inferior to Barrett’s universal II formula in predicting satisfactory refractive outcomes. Combination surgery can be an option for patients with both cataract and macular pathologies.

Gamma-ray irradiation is one of the most widely used mutagens worldwide. We previously conducted mutation breeding using gamma irradiation to develop new Citrus unshiu varieties. Among these mutants, Gwonje-early had an ovate shape, a protrusion of the upper part of the fruit, and a large fruit size compared with wild-type (WT) fruits. We investigated the external/internal morphological characteristics and fruit sugar/acid content of Gwonje-early. Additionally, we investigated genome-wide single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and insertion/deletion (InDel) variants in Gwonje-early using whole-genome re-sequencing. Functional annotation by Gene Ontology analysis confirmed that InDels were more commonly annotated than SNPs. To identify specific molecular markers for Gwonje-early, allele-specific PCR was performed using homozygous SNPs detected via Gwonje-early genome re-sequencing. The GJ-SNP1 and GJ-SNP4 primer sets were effectively able to distinguish Gwonje-early from the WT and other commercial citrus varieties, demonstrating their use as specific molecular markers for Gwonje-early. These findings also have important implications in terms of intellectual property rights and the variety protection of Gwonje-early. Our results may provide insights into the understanding of morphological traits and the molecular breeding mechanisms of citrus species.

This study aimed to investigate the characteristic choroidal changes in patients with diabetic retinopathy and identify factors affecting choroidal thickness (CTh), choroidal vascular index (CVI), and choriocapillaris flow. We retrospectively analyzed 79 eyes of 48 patients with diabetes between August 2021 and February 2022. We collected laboratory data, including HbA1c, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen, triglyceride, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. Optical coherence tomography images of the foveal avascular zone, retinal vascular density, choroidal flow, retinal thickness, CTh, and CVI were analyzed. Possible determining factors affecting CTh, CVI, and choriocapillaris flow were analyzed using nonparametric multivariate analysis. LDL (p < 0.001) positively correlated with CTh, whereas CVI (p = 0.007) was negatively correlated with CTh in diabetic patients with diabetes. We also identified a negative correlation between choriocapillaris flow and deep parafoveal retinal vessel density in patients with low-grade diabetic retinopathy (DR), which diminished in those with more advanced DR. Our study provides further information on the changes in choroidal structure and blood flow in patients with diabetes.

In today’s society, where people spend over 90% of their time indoors, indoor air quality (IAQ) is crucial for sustaining human life. However, as various indoor activities such as cooking generate diverse types of pollutants in indoor spaces, IAQ has emerged as a serious issue. Previous studies have employed methods such as CO2 sensors, smart floor systems, and video-based pattern recognition to distinguish occupants’ activities; however, each method has its limitations. This study delves into the classification of occupants’ cooking activities using sound recognition technology. Four deep learning-based sound recognition models capable of recognizing and classifying sounds generated during cooking were presented and analyzed. Experiments were carried out using sound data collected from real kitchen environments and online data-sharing websites. Additionally, changes in performance according to the amount of collected data were observed. Among the developed models, the most efficient is found to be the convolutional neural network, which is relatively unaffected by fluctuations in the amount of sound data and consistently delivers excellent performance. In contrast, other models exhibited a tendency for reduced performance as the amount of sound data decreased. Consequently, the results of this study offer insights into the classification of cooking activities based on sound data and underscore the research potential for sound-based occupant behavior recognition classification models.

Chaenomeles sinensis has traditionally been used as an herbal medicine due to its characteristics that protect against inflammation, hypertension, and mutagenesis. However, the effect of Chaenomeles sinensis extract (CSE) on allergic rhinitis (AR) and its underlying mechanisms have yet to be thoroughly investigated. The current study explored the likely effect of CSE on AR in an ovalbumin (OVA)-induced AR mouse model. To this end, OVA-specific immunoglobulins, nasal symptoms, cytokine production, the infiltration of inflammatory cells, and nasal histopathology were assessed to determine the role of CSE against AR. The supplementation of CSE was found to suppress OVA-specific IgE, while OVA-specific IgG2a was increased in the serum. Further, CSE ameliorated the production of T helper type 2 (Th2) cytokines whereas it increased Th1 cytokine levels in nasal lavage fluid. Moreover, the CSE treatment group exhibited significant inhibition of IL-33/ST2 signaling. Subsequently, CES reversed the OVA-induced enhancement of epithelial permeability and upregulated E-cadherin, thus indicating that CES plays a protective role on epithelial barrier integrity. Altogether, the oral administration of CSE effectively controlled allergic response by restricting the buildup of inflammatory cells, enhancing nasal and lung histopathological traits, and regulating cytokines associated with inflammation. Collectively, the results show that the supplementation of CSE at different doses effectively regulated AR, thus suggesting the therapeutic efficiency of CSE in suppressing airway diseases.

Combined allergic rhinitis and asthma syndrome (CARAS) causes chronic respiratory inflammation in allergic individuals. Long-term exposure to particulate matter 2.5 (PM2.5; particles 2.5 µm or less in diameter) can aggravate respiratory damage. Bergapten (5-methoxysporalen) is a furocoumarin mostly found in bergamot essential oil and has significant antioxidant, anticancer, and anti-inflammatory activity. This study created a model in which CARAS was exacerbated by PM2.5 exposure, in BALB/c mice and explored the potential of bergapten as a therapeutic agent. The bergapten medication increased ovalbumin (OVA)-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) G2a level in serum and decreased OVA-specific IgE and IgG1 expression. Clinical nasal symptoms diminished significantly, with weakened inflammatory reaction in both the nasal mucosa and lungs. Furthermore, bergapten controlled the T helper (Th)1 to Th2 ratio by increasing cytokines associated with Th1-like interleukin (IL)-12 and interferon gamma and decreasing the Th2 cytokines IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13. Factors closely related to the balance between regulatory T cells and Th17 (such as IL-10, IL-17, Forkhead box protein P3, and retinoic-related orphan receptor gamma) were also regulated. Notably, pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha were reduced by bergapten, which suppressed the activation of both the signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 signaling pathway and the mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway. Therefore, bergapten might have potential as a therapeutic agent for CARAS.