Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-α (PPARα) Expression in a Clinical Population of Pakistani Patients with Type 2 Diabetes and Dyslipidemia

Poor glycemic control and dyslipidemia are hallmarks of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), which predispose to cardiovascular diseases. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPARα) has been associated with atherosclerosis, but its role in T2DM is less clear. Previously, we studied PPARα expression levels in diabetics with and without dyslipidemia (DD). In this study we described the association with fasting blood glucose, HbA1c levels and lipid levels of the study population. Patient demography and biochemical data were collected from hospitals in Islamabad, Pakistan, and RT-PCR data of PPARα expression were retrieved from our previous study from the same cohort. We performed t-tests and regression analysis to evaluate the relationships between PPARα expression and demographic and clinical variables. As expected, body mass index and HbA1c were elevated in T2DM and DD patients compared to controls. Blood lipids (total cholesterol, triglycerides, LDL and HDL) were significantly higher in the DD group compared to the other two groups. In the T2DM and DD groups, the PPARα expression was not associated with any of the physical and biochemical parameters measured in this study. Expression of the PPARα gene was independent of blood lipids and glycemic control in this study. Further research is necessary to better understand the biological parameters of PPARα expression.     

The EcpD Tip Adhesin of the Escherichia coli Common Pilus Mediates Binding of Enteropathogenic E. coli to Extracellular Matrix Proteins

The attachment of enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) to intestinal epithelial cells is facilitated by several adhesins; however, the individual host-cell receptors for pili-mediated adherence have not been fully characterized. In this study, we evaluated the hypothesis that the E. coli common pilus (ECP) tip adhesin protein EcpD mediates attachment of EPEC to several extracellular matrix (ECM) glycoproteins (fibronectin, laminin, collagens I and IV, and mucin). We found that the ΔecpA mutant, which lacks production of the EcpA filament but retains EcpD on the surface, adhered to these glycoproteins below the wild-type levels, while the ΔecpD mutant, which does not display EcpA or EcpD, bound significantly less to these host glycoproteins. In agreement, a purified recombinant EcpD subunit bound significantly more than EcpA to laminin, fibronectin, collagens I and IV, and mucin in a dose-dependent manner. These are compelling data that strongly suggest that ECP-producing EPEC may bind to host ECM glycoproteins and mucins through the tip adhesin protein EcpD. This study highlights the versatility of EPEC to bind to different host proteins and suggests that the interaction of ECP with the host’s ECM glycoproteins may facilitate colonization of the intestinal mucosal epithelium.     

深度神经网络后门防御综述

深度学习在各领域全面应用的同时, 在其训练阶段和推理阶段也面临着诸多安全威胁。神经网络后门攻击是一类典型的面向深度学习的攻击方式, 攻击者通过在训练阶段采用数据投毒、模型编辑或迁移学习等手段, 向深度神经网络模型中植入非法后门, 使得后门触发器在推理阶段出现时, 模型输出会按照攻击者的意图偏斜。这类攻击赋予攻击者在一定条件下操控模型输出的能力, 具有极强的隐蔽性和破坏性。 因此, 有效防御神经网络后门攻击是保证智能化服务安全的重要任务之一, 也是智能化算法对抗研究的重要问题之一。本文从计算机视觉领域出发, 综述了面向深度神经网络后门攻击的防御技术。首先, 对神经网络后门攻击和防御的基础概念进行阐述, 分析了神经网络后门攻击的三种策略以及建立后门防御机制的阶段和位置。然后,根据防御机制建立的不同阶段或位置, 将目前典型的后门防御方法分为数据集级、模型级、输入级和可认证鲁棒性防御四类。每一类方法进行了详细的分析和总结, 分析了各类方法的适用场景、建立阶段和研究现状。同时, 从防御的原理、手段和场景等角度对每一类涉及到的具体防御方法进行了综合比较。最后, 在上述分析的基础上, 从针对新型后门攻击的防御方法、其他领域后门防御方法、更通用的后门防御方法、和防御评价基准等角度对后门防御的未来研究方向进行了展望。     

Mechanical,morphological, and thermogravimetric analysis of alkali-treated Cordia-Dichotoma natural fiber composites

ABSTRACT

Usage of composites with natural fiber reinforcement is drastically increasing in recent times because of their low density, biodegradable nature, and low cost. However, natural fibers have certain core problems such as poor adhesion between the fiber and matrix and a relatively high degree of moisture absorption. Alkaline treatment of natural fibers is aimed at improving the adhesive strength so that effective stress transferability takes place in the composite. In the present work, Cordia-Dichotoma fibers were treated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and composites were prepared with different weight ratios of these fibers reinforced with epoxy. The prepared composites were tested for their tensile and flexural strengths (mechanical properties). Besides, for a comprehensive material characterization, IR spectroscopy (FT-IR), scanning electron microscope, and thermogravimetric analysis were carried out. This work investigates the influence of aforementioned NaOH treatment on thermal, mechanical, and morphological properties of the composite material.     

A junctionless tunnel field effect transistor with low subthreshold slope

we demonstrate the design of a triple gate n-channel junctionless transistor that we call a junctionless tunnel field effect transistor (JLTFET). The JLTFET is a heavily doped junctionless transistor which uses the concept of tunneling, by narrowing the barrier between source and channel of the device, to turn the device ON and OFF. Simulation shows significant improvement compared to simple junctionless field effect transistor both in I _ON/I _OFF ratio and subthreshold slope. Here, junctionless tunnel field effect transistors with high-k dielectric and low-k spacers are demonstrated through simulation and shows an ON-current of 0.25 mA/μm for the gate voltage of 2 V and an OFF current of 3 pA/μm (neglecting gate leakage). In addition, our device shows optimized performance with high I _ON/I _OFF (～10⁹). Moreover, a subthreshold slope of 47 mV/decade is obtained for a 50 nm gate length of simulated JLTFET at room temperature which indicates that JLTFET is a promising candidate for switching performance.     

A review on solar still: a simple desalination technology to obtain potable water

Present review paper presents an overall summarised presentational view of the research work to be discussed on the solar still. The current review paper also includes the infused crisis and struggle for obtaining fresh water for drinking purpose and consumption for other household activities which are a result of the ecological imbalance that has prevailed and is in continuation for past many centuries. It also shows the various tested and applied techniques for freshwater production and their suitability in the usability context in the present scenario of the scarcity of clean water. The use of solar desalination technology is discussed elaborately for a broader consumption to be employed in the current and future works.     

A multi-item transportation problem with fuzzy tolerance

This paper presents the recently introduced modified subgradient method for optimization and its effectiveness in a fuzzy transportation model. Here a multi-item balanced transportation problem (MIBTP) is formulated where unit transportation costs are imprecise. Also available spaces and budgets at destinations are limited but imprecise. The objective is to find a shipment schedule for the items that minimizes the total cost subjected to imprecise warehouse and budget constraints at destinations. The proposed model is reduced to a multi-objective optimization problem using tolerances, then to a crisp single-objective one using fuzzy non-linear programming (FNLP) technique and Zimmermann's method. The above fuzzy MIBTP is also reduced to another form of deterministic one using modified sub-gradient method (MSM). These two crisp optimization problems are solved by Genetic Algorithm (GA). As an extension, fuzzy multi-item balanced solid transportation problems (STPs) with and without restrictions on some routes and items are formulated and reduced to deterministic ones following FNLP and Zimmermann's methods. These models are also solved by GA. Models are illustrated numerically, optimum results of fuzzy MIBTP from two deductions are compared. Results are also presented for different GA parameters.     

High-Valent Iron-Oxo and -Nitrido Complexes: Bonding and Reactivity

Multiple-bonded iron-oxo and -nitrido species have been identified or proposed as key intermediates in a range of important chemical transformations. The reported model complexes feature various coordination geometries and distinct electronic structures, and therefore exhibit diverse reactivity. The present contribution highlights the synergy from both experimental and theoretical standpoints to elucidate their different bonding situations and delineate their common mechanistic features in hydrogen-atom abstraction processes. Our analysis reveals that a radical centered on the abstracting atom E (E=O, N), which is generated via homolysis of covalent Fe−E bonds upon approaching the transition state, is an intrinsic C−H cleaving agent. The iron-oxo species is predicted to be more reactive than its nitride congener, in general, because the O−H bond formed in the H-atom transfer process is often stronger than the corresponding N−H bond.