A New Quantum Private Protocol for Set Intersection Cardinality Based on a Quantum Homomorphic Encryption Scheme for Toffoli Gate.

Set Intersection Cardinality (SI-CA) computes the intersection cardinality of two parties' sets, which has many important and practical applications such as data mining and data analysis. However, in the face of big data sets, it is difficult for two parties to execute the SI-CA protocol repeatedly. In order to reduce the execution pressure, a Private Set Intersection Cardinality (PSI-CA) protocol based on a quantum homomorphic encryption scheme for the Toffoli gate is proposed. Two parties encode their private sets into two quantum sequences and encrypt their sequences by way of a quantum homomorphic encryption scheme. After receiving the encrypted results, the semi-honest third party (TP) can determine the equality of two quantum sequences with the Toffoli gate and decrypted keys. The simulation of the quantum homomorphic encryption scheme for the Toffoli gate on two quantum bits is given by the IBM Quantum Experience platform. The simulation results show that the scheme can also realize the corresponding function on two quantum sequences.

[The relationship of serum testosterone and its related index with the metabolism syndrome in women at perimenopausal or postmenopausal periods].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the relationship between testosterone level and related index and metabolic syndrome (MS) of women in perimenopause or postmenopause period. METHODS: From May 2009 to August 2010, 911 women aged 40-65 years underwent physical examination in the Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University were enrolled in this study, which were divided into 175 women with early perimenopause period in group A, 112 women late perimenopause period in group B, 161 women with early postmenopause period in group C, 132 women with moderate postmenopause period in group D, 88 women with late postmenopause period in group E, 243 women with regular menstruation as control group (group F). MS was defined according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. The relationship of free testosterone level and MS of women in different stage of menopause was analyzed. RESULTS: (1) Compared with 1.13 nmol/L in group F, median testosterone level of 1.03 nmol/L in group A, 0.91 nmol/L in group B, 0.91 nmol/L in group C, 0.87 nmol/L in group D, 0.83 nmol/L in group E decreased significantly at early peri-menopause period (P < 0.01). Median free androgen index (FAI) was 1.33 in group A, 1.56 in group B, 1.69 in group F. When compared median FAI in group A with those in group F or B, it all showed significantly difference (P < 0.01); Testosterone (T)/estradiol (E(2)) were 0.042 in group C, 0.040 in group D, 0.042 in group E, 0.010 in group A. When compared T/E(2) in group C with group F, D and E, it all reached statistical difference (P < 0.01). (2) There were negative correlation among waist circumference (WC, r = -0.287), fasting blood glucose (FBG, r = -0.281), triglyceride (TG, r = -0.224) and sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) and positive correlation with high density lipoprotein cholesterone (HDL-C, r = 0.314). The logistic regression analysis for MS showed that the MS was associated with SHBG significantly (OR = 0.993, 95%CI: 0.986 - 0.999, P = 0.035). (3) When cut-off value of SHBG was defined at 56.14 nmol/L, SHBG was used to predict MS with sensitivity of 63.13% and specificity of 69.45%. CONCLUSIONS: Serum testosterone was associated with MS in women at perimenopausal and postmenopausal period, so window period of preventing MS was set at perimenopausal period. A serum testosterone level was elevated from premenopause to postmenopause period. Because there was an association between SHBG and MS, SHBG was a selectable parameter to predict MS.

Estrogen-increased SGK1 Promotes Endometrial Stromal Cell Invasion in Adenomyosis by Regulating with LPAR2.

Adenomyosis is an estrogen-dependent gynecological disorder. The abnormal migration and invasion of the eutopic endometrium is thought to be the primary role in the pathogenesis of adenomyosis. However, the exact underlying mechanism remains unclear. This study investigated involvement of serum and glucocorticoid-regulated kinase 1 (SGK1) in the pathogenesis of adenomyosis. The SGK1 expression level was higher in the eutopic endometrium of adenomyosis. Upregulation of SGK1 can promote the migration, invasion of human stromal endometrial cells (HESC). Through RNA sequencing and other technical methods, we found that SGK1 regulates the expression of the important downstream molecule Lysophosphatidic acid receptor 2 (LPAR2), and ultimately regulates the expression level of functional proteins such as matrix metalloproteinase 2 and matrix metalloproteinase 9, which are related to migration and invasion. Then, we found that 17ß-estradiol (E2) upregulated the expression of SGK1 in endometrial cells in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, SGK1 shRNA significantly suppressed the migration and invasion induced by E2 in endometrial cells, as well as the related factors. Our study revealed the possible role of SGK1 in the migration and invasion in the development of adenomyosis.

Levonorgestrel Inhibits Human Endometrial Cell Proliferation through the Upregulation of Gap Junctional Intercellular Communication via the Nuclear Translocation of Ser255 Phosphorylated Cx43.

OBJECTS: To assess whether LNG exerts antiproliferation effects on human endometrial cells through changes of GJIC function and the phosphorylated Cx43. METHODS: Cell proliferation and apoptosis of human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) and glandular cells (HEGCs) treated with LNG in a dose- and time-dependent manner. GJIC change and further total Cx43 and serine 368 and 255 phosphorylated Cx43 were measured. RESULTS: 5 × 10(-5) mol/L LNG revealed a time-dependent inhibition of cell proliferation and an increase of apoptosis in both HESCs and HEGCs. Furthermore, these cells demonstrated a significant GJIC enhancement upon treatment with 5 × 10(-5) mol/L for 48 hours. The effects of LNG were most noticeable in HESCs rather than in HEGCs. Associated with these changes, LNG induced a relative increase in total Cx43 in a time-dependent manner but not Ser368 phosphorylated Cx43. Moreover, laser scanning confocal microscope confirmed the increased expression of total Cx43 in the cytoplasm and, interestingly, the nuclear translocation of Ser255 phosphorylated Cx43. CONCLUSIONS: LNG likely inhibits the proliferation and promotes apoptosis in HESCs and HEGCs though an increase in gap junction permeability in vitro, which is achieved through the upregulation of Cx43 expression and the translocation of serine 255 phosphorylated Cx43 from the plasma to the nuclear compartment.

DICER1 mutations in a patient with an ovarian Sertoli-Leydig tumor, well-differentiated fetal adenocarcinoma of the lung, and familial multinodular goiter.

DICER1 syndrome, a recently described tumor-predisposition syndrome, often involves multiple organs and is characterized by pleuropulmonary blastoma (PPB), cystic nephroma, ovarian Sertoli-Leydig tumors, familial multinodular goiter, etc. Germline DICER1 mutations have been identified in individuals with a variety of malignant conditions. However, in a review of the reported DICER1 syndrome cases that feature an unusual array of neoplastic and hyperplastic phenotypes, no mentions are made of these patients also presenting well-differentiated fetal adenocarcinoma of the lung. Here, we present a 16-year-old Chinese adolescent suffering from an ovarian Sertoli-Leydig cell tumor,well-differentiated fetal adenocarcinoma of the lung, and familial multinodular goiter with a nonsense mutation (c.3540C > A; p.Tyr1180*) in exon 21 of DICER1. This report presents the first case in which the clinical features of DICER1 syndrome appear in combination with well-differentiated fetal adenocarcinoma of the lung. We hypothesize that this case may suggest that well-differentiated fetal adenocarcinoma of the lung falls within the wide spectrum of manifestations of the DICER1 syndrome. Remarkably, this mutation is reported in a patient from The International PPB Registry.

Serum sex hormone binding globulin profile and its association with insulin resistance in Chinese peri-menopausal women.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to measure serum sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG) profile in Chinese peri-menopausal women, and assess its correlation with insulin resistance (IR)-related parameter, namely HOMA-IR, in this special population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study by the method of cluster sampling was performed in 1,827 women, who were in hospital for routine check-up. Serum SHBG profile and anthropometric indices of hormonal, adiposity, and metabolic variables were measured. According to their age and menstruation status, the subjects were divided into three groups: pre-menopause group, peri-menopause group, and post-menopause group. RESULTS: Serum SHBG level was found to be negatively correlated with BMI in all groups and to increase in parallel with age in women of reproductive age. However, independently of age, it significantly increased from the onset of menopause transition, and slightly declined after menopause. After adjustment for age and BMI, HOMA-IR in peri-menopausal women was closely related only to SHBG. SHBG level was found to be the only independent significant determinant of HOMA-IR. On the basis of ROC curve analysis for the prediction of insulin resistance using HOMA-IR value, AUC for SHBG reached a value of 0.816 (0.636-0.996, 95% confidence interval). The best cutoff value that discriminates peri-menopausal women with or without insulin resistance is 41.73 nmol/L, with a sensitivity of 81.4% and a specificity of 87.5%. CONCLUSIONS: Low SHBG level may be an independent risk factor of insulin resistance in Chinese peri-menopausal women.