A Novel Self-adaptive Discrete Wavelet Transform Digital Watermarking Algorithm

On the basis of the research of wavelet transform and digital watermarking technology,this paper proposed a self-adaptive discrete wavelet transform(DWT) digital watermarking algorithm, which can achieve the purpose of embedding hidden watermarks by decompose three-level wavelet of image and decompose bit-plane of watermarking gray scale image by Arnold scrambling transformation. Layer adaptive threshold and quantizer were referenced in this algorithm, and which adaptive selected coefficient of detail subbands of embedded watermarking to improve the robustness of the watermarking. In testing of semi-blind watermarking, renewing of watermarking based on the embedding sequence of point locations and the quantizer sequence without participation of the original image. Experimental results show that the algorithm is effective to improve the robustness of the cut, adding noise, filtering, and compression image attack treatment.DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.11591/telkomnika.v11i11.276

A Common Variant in CLDN14 is Associated with Primary Biliary Cirrhosis and Bone Mineral Density.

Primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), a chronic autoimmune liver disease, has been associated with increased incidence of osteoporosis. Intriguingly, two PBC susceptibility loci identified through genome-wide association studies are also involved in bone mineral density (BMD). These observations led us to investigate the genetic variants shared between PBC and BMD. We evaluated 72 genome-wide significant BMD SNPs for association with PBC using two European GWAS data sets (n = 8392), with replication of significant findings in a Chinese cohort (685 cases, 1152 controls). Our analysis identified a novel variant in the intron of the CLDN14 gene (rs170183, Pfdr = 0.015) after multiple testing correction. The three associated variants were followed-up in the Chinese cohort; one SNP rs170183 demonstrated consistent evidence of association in diverse ethnic populations (Pcombined = 2.43 × 10(-5)). Notably, expression quantitative trait loci (eQTL) data revealed that rs170183 was correlated with a decline in CLDN14 expression in both lymphoblastoid cell lines and T cells (Padj = 0.003 and 0.016, respectively). In conclusion, our study identified a novel PBC susceptibility variant that has been shown to be strongly associated with BMD, highlighting the potential of pleiotropy to improve gene discovery

Electrochemical Treatment of Synthetic Wastewaters Contaminated by Organic Pollutants at Ti4O7 Anode. Study of the Role of Operative Parameters by Experimental Results and Theoretical Modelling

In the last years, an increasing attention has been devoted to the utilization of anodic oxidation (AO) technologies for the treatment of wastewater polluted by recalcitrant organics. Recently, Ti4O7 was proposed as a promising anode for AO for the treatment of various organics. Here the potential utilization of commercial Ti4O7 anodes has been evaluated considering the electrochemical treatment of synthetic wastewater contaminated by three very different organic molecules (namely, oxalic acid, phenol and Acid Orange 7), all characterized by a very high resistance to AO. The performances of Ti4O7 were compared with that of two largely investigated anodes: Boron-doped diamond (BDD), which is probably the most effective electrode for AO, and an Ir-based anode which presents a relatively low cost. Moreover, the effect of various operative conditions (current density, mixing rate and initial concentration of the organic) was evaluated by both experimental studies and the adoption of a theoretical model previously developed for BDD anodes. It was shown that the performances of the process can be improved by a proper selection of operative conditions. Moreover, it was found that the proposed model can be effectively used to predict the effect of operative parameters at Ti4O7 anodes, thus helping the process optimization

A novel glycolysis-related gene signature for predicting the prognosis of multiple myeloma

Background: Metabolic reprogramming is an important hallmark of cancer. Glycolysis provides the conditions on which multiple myeloma (MM) thrives. Due to MM’s great heterogeneity and incurability, risk assessment and treatment choices are still difficult.Method: We constructed a glycolysis-related prognostic model by Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression analysis. It was validated in two independent external cohorts, cell lines, and our clinical specimens. The model was also explored for its biological properties, immune microenvironment, and therapeutic response including immunotherapy. Finally, multiple metrics were combined to construct a nomogram to assist in personalized prediction of survival outcomes.Results: A wide range of variants and heterogeneous expression profiles of glycolysis-related genes were observed in MM. The prognostic model behaved well in differentiating between populations with various prognoses and proved to be an independent prognostic factor. This prognostic signature closely coordinated with multiple malignant features such as high-risk clinical features, immune dysfunction, stem cell-like features, cancer-related pathways, which was associated with the survival outcomes of MM. In terms of treatment, the high-risk group showed resistance to conventional drugs such as bortezomib, doxorubicin and immunotherapy. The joint scores generated by the nomogram showed higher clinical benefit than other clinical indicators. The in vitro experiments with cell lines and clinical subjects further provided convincing evidence for our study.Conclusion: We developed and validated the utility of the MM glycolysis-related prognostic model, which provides a new direction for prognosis assessment, treatment options for MM patients

Non-Fossil Origin Explains the Large Seasonal Variation of Highly Processed Organic Aerosol in the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau (3,200 m a.s.l.)

Carbonaceous aerosol plays an important role in climate, but its sources and atmospheric processes are least understood in the Tibetan Plateau (TP), a remote yet climatically sensitive region. This study presents the first seasonal cycle of radiocarbon and stable isotope 13C of organic and elemental carbon (OC and EC) in the atmosphere of the northeastern TP. Large seasonal variations of EC and OC concentrations were explained by non-fossil sources. Regardless of the season, fossil contribution to OC was strongly correlated with inverse OC concentrations. This allowed the separating a constant background source and a source responsible for OC variability that was mostly of non-fossil origin. The 13C signature of OC shows that OC was highly atmospherically processed and thus less volatile than OC found near sources or in urban areas. The 13C-depleted secondary sources contributed strongly to more volatile OC, whereas the 13C-enriched less volatile OC suggests the influence of atmospheric aging.</p

Prognostic significance of β2-microglobulin decline index in multiple myeloma

PurposeTo assess the prognostic significance of β2-microglobulin decline index (β2M DI) in multiple myeloma (MM).Methods150 MM patients diagnosed with MM were enrolled in this study. Cox proportional hazards model was used to analyze the uni- and multivariate prognosis in training cohort (n=105). A new combined prognostic model containing β2M DI was built up based on the data in training cohort. The validation group was used to verify the model.Resultsβ2M DI showed significant correlation with prognosis in both uni- and multivariate analyses and had a good correlation with complete response (CR) rate and deep remission rate. The ROC and calibration curves in validation cohort (n=45) indicated a good predictive performance of the new model. Based on the median risk score of the training group, we classified patients into high- and low- risk groups. In both training and validation groups, patients in the low-risk group had longer overall survival (OS) time than that in the high-risk group (p&lt;0.05).Conclusionβ2M DI is a good predictive index for predicting treatment response and survival time in MM patients. The prognostic model added with β2M DI showed a better correlation with OS

Identification and validation of a novel cuproptosis-related gene signature in multiple myeloma

Background: Cuproptosis is a newly identified unique copper-triggered modality of mitochondrial cell death, distinct from known death mechanisms such as necroptosis, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis. Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematologic neoplasm characterized by the malignant proliferation of plasma cells. In the development of MM, almost all patients undergo a relatively benign course from monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) to smoldering myeloma (SMM), which further progresses to active myeloma. However, the prognostic value of cuproptosis in MM remains unknown.Method: In this study, we systematically investigated the genetic variants, expression patterns, and prognostic value of cuproptosis-related genes (CRGs) in MM. CRG scores derived from the prognostic model were used to perform the risk stratification of MM patients. We then explored their differences in clinical characteristics and immune patterns and assessed their value in prognosis prediction and treatment response. Nomograms were also developed to improve predictive accuracy and clinical applicability. Finally, we collected MM cell lines and patient samples to validate marker gene expression by quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR).Results: The evolution from MGUS and SMM to MM was also accompanied by differences in the CRG expression profile. Then, a well-performing cuproptosis-related risk model was developed to predict prognosis in MM and was validated in two external cohorts. The high-risk group exhibited higher clinical risk indicators. Cox regression analyses showed that the model was an independent prognostic predictor in MM. Patients in the high-risk group had significantly lower survival rates than those in the low-risk group (p &lt; 0.001). Meanwhile, CRG scores were significantly correlated with immune infiltration, stemness index and immunotherapy sensitivity. We further revealed the close association between CRG scores and mitochondrial metabolism. Subsequently, the prediction nomogram showed good predictive power and calibration. Finally, the prognostic CRGs were further validated by qRT-PCR in vitro.Conclusion: CRGs were closely related to the immune pattern and self-renewal biology of cancer cells in MM. This prognostic model provided a new perspective for the risk stratification and treatment response prediction of MM patients

Identification and validation of a platelet-related signature for predicting survival and drug sensitivity in multiple myeloma

Background: Significant progress has been achieved in the management of multiple myeloma (MM) by implementing high-dose therapy and stem cell transplantation. Moreover, the prognosis of patients has been enhanced due to the introduction of novel immunomodulatory drugs and the emergence of new targeted therapies. However, predicting the survival rates of patients with multiple myeloma is still tricky. According to recent researches, platelets have a significant impact in affecting the biological activity of tumors and are essential parts of the tumor microenvironment. Nonetheless, it is still unclear how platelet-related genes (PRGs) connect to the prognosis of multiple myeloma.Methods: We analyzed the expression of platelet-related genes and their prognostic value in multiple myeloma patients in this study. We also created a nomogram combining clinical metrics. Furthermore, we investigated disparities in the biological characteristics, immunological microenvironment, and reaction to immunotherapy, along with analyzing the drug susceptibility within diverse risk groups.Results: By using the platelet-related risk model, we were able to predict patients’ prognosis more accurately. Subjects in the high-risk cohort exhibited inferior survival outcomes, both in the training and validation datasets, as compared to those in the low-risk cohort (p &lt; 0.05). Moreover, there were differences in the immunological microenvironments, biological processes, clinical features, and chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity between the groups at high and low risk. Using multivariable Cox regression analyses, platelet-related risk score was shown to be an independent prognostic influence in MM (p &lt; 0.001, hazard ratio (HR) = 2.001%, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.467–2.730). Furthermore, the capacity to predict survival was further improved when a combined nomogram was utilized. In training cohort, this outperformed the predictive value of International staging system (ISS) alone from a 5-years area under curve (AUC) = 0.668 (95% CI: 0.611–0.725) to an AUC = 0.721 (95% CI: 0.665–0.778).Conclusion: Our study revealed the potential benefits of PRGs in terms of survival prognosis of MM patients. Furthermore, we verified its potential as a drug target for MM patients. These findings open up novel possibilities for prognostic evaluation and treatment choices for MM

Integration of autophagy-related genes and immune dysregulation reveals a prognostic landscape in multiple myeloma

BackgroundAutophagy is a self-renewal mechanism in which cells degrade damaged organelles or abnormal proteins through lysosomes. This process eliminates harmful components within the cell and maintains energy homeostasis. Multiple myeloma (MM) is a hematological malignancy characterized by uncontrolled plasma cell proliferation. Autophagy plays a dual role in tumorigenesis, yet its prognostic implications in MM remain underexplored.MethodsTranscriptomic and clinical data from 1,386 MM patients (training cohort: GSE136337, n = 415; validation cohorts: GSE24080, n = 558; GSE4581, n = 413) were analyzed. A seven-gene signature (ATIC, CDKN1A, DNAJB9, EDEM1, GABARAPL1, RAB1A, VAMP7) was identified using LASSO-Cox regression. Predictive performance of the autophagy-related model was assessed via Kaplan-Meier analysis, ROC curves, and nomograms. Immune infiltration, drug sensitivity, and functional pathways of the autophagy-related model were evaluated using CIBERSORT, ESTIMATE, and GSEA. The gene expression in the autophagy prognostic model was verified by qRT-PCR in the U266 and RPMI8226 cell lines and blood samples of multiple myeloma patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University.ResultsThe autophagy-related risk score stratified patients into high-risk and low-risk groups with distinct survival outcomes (high-risk HR = 0.391, 95%CI:0.284-0.540, p &lt; 0.001). The model demonstrated robust predictive accuracy (5-year AUC = 0.729) and was independently validated. High-risk patients exhibited elevated immune checkpoint expression (CD48, CD70, BTLA), stromal infiltration, and drug resistance. Functional enrichment linked high-risk profiles to MYC activation and oxidative phosphorylation. Through qRT-PCR, the accuracy of the autophagy-related model has been verified in the U266 and RPMI8226 cell lines, as well as in the blood samples of multiple myeloma patients from the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University.ConclusionThis autophagy-related gene signature provides a reliable prognostic tool for MM, highlighting immune dysregulation and therapeutic resistance mechanisms. Its integration with clinical parameters enhances risk stratification and treatment planning