•A framework for data security in mobile cloud platform developed.•Optimal Pixel Repetition based cover image generation instead of conventional interpolation, used, to achieve reversibility.•Pixel ...permutation is used to embed data and ensures histogram invariance between cover and stego-images.•Blind data extraction i.e., for the extraction of EPR from the stego-image, the original image is not required.•High embedding capacity of about 1.25 bpp is achieved.
Internet of things (IoT) coupled with mobile cloud computing has made a paradigm shift in the service sector. IoT-assisted mobile cloud based e-healthcare services are making giant strides and are likely to change the conventional ways of healthcare service delivery. Though numerous approaches for preventing unauthorized access to information exchanged between a mobile phone and cloud platform do exist, but there is no security mechanism to prevent unauthorized access by the cloud administrators. With an aim to ensure security of client data such as Electronic Patient Records (EPR), we propose a novel high-capacity and reversible data hiding approach for securely embedding EPR within the medical images using Optimal Pixel Repetition (OPR). OPR converts every pixel of the input image to a 2 × 2 block to facilitate reversibility by ensuring all the pixels in a 2 × 2 block to have different values. Since a 2 × 2 block is comprised of 4-pixel elements, which could be arranged in sixteen possible ways; we generate a lookup table corresponding to sixteen possible positions of pixels. EPR hiding in each block is achieved by permuting the pixels of a block according to the four-bit word of secret data, resulting in a histogram invariant stego image. The histogram invariance improves the robustness of the proposed scheme to statistical attacks. A stego image is said to hide embedded data securely, when it provides better imperceptivity for an appreciably high payload. Thus, while using information embedding approach for securing client data on a mobile-cloud platform, high imperceptivity is a desirable feature. Experimental results show that average PSNR obtained is 42 dB for payload 1.25 bpp by our scheme, showing its effectiveness for preventing unauthorized access to client’s sensitive data.
With the exponential rise in networked infrastructure and advancement of the IoT, the smart city has become an emerging paradigm. The main attributes of a smart city are to monitor the physical world ...in real time, provide smart services to inhabitants in terms of healthcare, environment, entertainment, transportation, and energy. However, as smart city applications collect wide range of privacy-sensitive information, various issues pertaining to security of data in such systems need to be addressed. On such applications that demands high degree of privacy in an IoT based healthcare setup is security of Electronic Health Records (EHR). Further, as smart city based applications have to react to real time situations, there is a growing demand for more and more computationally efficient algorithms for such applications. In this paper a high capacity, secure and computationally efficient Electronic Health Record (EHR) hiding technique in medical images in an Internet of Things (IoT) driven healthcare system is proposed. The scheme is based on Pixel Repetition Method (PRM) and modular arithmetic. Pixel Repetition Method has been used to scale up the input medical image for cover image generation and modular arithmetic has been used to embed the secret EHR into the scaled-up images. The proposed scheme has been extensively tested for various commonly used medical/test images, and a group of randomly chosen images from UCID repository. Experimental investigations reveal that the proposed system besides being reversible is capable of providing secure and high embedding capacity while maintaining fair imperceptibility. Further the usage of PRM for cover image generation has been found to be highly efficient from computational point of view compared to state-of- art in the area and hence is best suited for the exchange of Electronic Health Records (EHR) in an IoT based healthcare system for smart city applications.
•Development of a high capacity and computationally efficient EMR embedding technique.•Lesser computational complexity coupled with high payload and reversibility feature.•Successful development and implementation of computationally efficient PRM technique.•Use of PRM as an effective alternative to Interpolation.•The proposed scheme supports blind extraction.
A combination of calculations using the FactSage software and measurements using a number of experimental techniques was explored to assess the solidification characteristics of ternary Mg-Zn-Nd ...alloys along with the commercial grade ZEK100 and determine the role of rare earth metal neodymium. For each chemical composition tested, the solidification under equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions affected the type and volume fractions of phases formed. Thermal analysis identified two major reactions during solidification: formation of α-Mg dendrites followed by the eutectic transformation. For a constant Zn content of 2% and 4%, an increase in Nd content in the range of 1–2% caused a reduction in liquidus temperature but increase in solidus and eutectic temperatures. As verified by controlled solidification experiments the cooling rate during solidification affected the refinement of alloy microstructure, a volume fraction of intermetallic precipitates and their distribution. There was no obvious influence of Nd content on the value of secondary dendrite arm spacing for all cooling rates examined. However, there was an influence of Zn where an increase of its content from 1% to 4% halved the average secondary dendrite arm spacing. The beneficial role of Zr is confirmed and a presence of 0.25%Zr in ZEK100 caused a dendrite refinement comparable to that achieved through an increase in a cooling rate from 30 °C/s to 110 °C/s. The role of small-additions of Nd and Zn in design of new magnesium alloys, specifically optimized for twin roll casting, is discussed.
•Some discrepancies in phases predicted by FACTsage software and identified in diluted Mg-Zn-Nd castings were revealed.•There was no obvious influence of Nd content on the secondary dendrite arm spacing for all cooling rates examined.•An increase of Zn content from 1% to 4% reduced almost twice the average secondary dendrite arm spacing.•0.25%Zr caused dendrite refinement comparable to that achieved by increase in cooling rate from 30 to 110 °C/s.
We report on an upward traveling, radio-detected cosmic-ray-like impulsive event with characteristics closely matching an extensive air shower. This event, observed in the third flight of the ...Antarctic Impulsive Transient Antenna (ANITA), a NASA-sponsored long-duration balloon payload, is consistent with a similar event reported in a previous flight. These events could be produced by the atmospheric decay of an upward-propagating τ lepton produced by a ν_{τ} interaction, although their relatively steep arrival angles create tension with the standard model neutrino cross section. Each of the two events have a posteriori background estimates of ≲10^{-2} events. If these are generated by τ-lepton decay, then either the charged-current ν_{τ} cross section is suppressed at EeV energies, or the events arise at moments when the peak flux of a transient neutrino source was much larger than the typical expected cosmogenic background neutrinos.
Prior to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), tuberculosis (TB) was the worst killer among infectious diseases. The union of these two obnoxious respiratory diseases can be devastating, with severe ...public health implications. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected all TB-elimination programmes due to the severe burden on healthcare systems and the diversion of funds and attention towards controlling the pandemic. The emerging data show that the COVID-19 pandemic caused a marked decrease in case notifications and bacille Calmette-Guérin immunisations, ultimately promoting disease transmission and increasing the susceptible population. The similarity between the clinical characteristics of TB and COVID-19 adds to the public health complications, with evidence of immune dysregulation in both cases leading to severe consequences. Clinical evidence suggests that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection predisposes patients to TB infection or may lead to reactivation of latent disease. Similarly, underlying TB disease can worsen COVID-19. Treatment options are limited in COVID-19; therefore, using immunosuppressive and immunomodulatory regimens that can modulate the concomitant bacterial infection and interaction with anti-TB drugs requires caution. Thus, considering the synergistic impact of these two respiratory diseases, it is crucial to manage both diseases to combat the syndemic of TB and COVID-19.
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•Implementation and successful usage of Pixel to Block conversion technique (PTB) for high capacity.•Computationally efficient mechanism for generating cover image from input ...image.•Block checksum computation and it's use for tamper detection and localization.•Putting non-linear dynamics of chaos to use for enhancing security of clinical secret data.
A new high capacity and reversible data hiding scheme for e-healthcare applications has been presented in this paper. Pixel to Block (PTB) conversion technique has been used as an effective and computationally efficient alternative to interpolation for the cover image generation to ensure reversibility of medical images. A fragile watermark and Block Checksum (computed for each 4×4 block) have been embedded in the cover image for facilitating tamper detection and tamper localization, and hence content authentication at receiver. The EPR, watermark data and checksum data has been embedded using Intermediate Significant Bit Substitution (ISBS) to avoid commonly used LSB removal/replacement attack. Non-linear dynamics of chaos have been put to use for encrypting the Electronic Patient Record (EPR)/clinical data and watermark data for improving the security of data embedded. The scheme has been evaluated for perceptual imperceptibility and tamper detection capability by subjecting it to various image processing and geometric attacks. Experimental results reveal that the proposed system besides being completely reversible is capable of providing high quality watermarked images for fairly high payload. Further, it has been observed that the proposed technique is able to detect and localise the tamper. A comparison of the observed results with that of some state-of-art schemes show that our scheme performs better.
Genomic selection (GS) is a promising approach exploiting molecular genetic markers to design novel breeding programs and to develop new markers-based models for genetic evaluation. In plant ...breeding, it provides opportunities to increase genetic gain of complex traits per unit time and cost. The cost-benefit balance was an important consideration for GS to work in crop plants. Availability of genome-wide high-throughput, cost-effective and flexible markers, having low ascertainment bias, suitable for large population size as well for both model and non-model crop species with or without the reference genome sequence was the most important factor for its successful and effective implementation in crop species. These factors were the major limitations to earlier marker systems viz., SSR and array-based, and was unimaginable before the availability of next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies which have provided novel SNP genotyping platforms especially the genotyping by sequencing. These marker technologies have changed the entire scenario of marker applications and made the use of GS a routine work for crop improvement in both model and non-model crop species. The NGS-based genotyping have increased genomic-estimated breeding value prediction accuracies over other established marker platform in cereals and other crop species, and made the dream of GS true in crop breeding. But to harness the true benefits from GS, these marker technologies will be combined with high-throughput phenotyping for achieving the valuable genetic gain from complex traits. Moreover, the continuous decline in sequencing cost will make the WGS feasible and cost effective for GS in near future. Till that time matures the targeted sequencing seems to be more cost-effective option for large scale marker discovery and GS, particularly in case of large and un-decoded genomes.
Healthcare workers (HCWs) across the globe have met tremendous challenges during the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic, such as shortages of personal protective equipment, extensive work ...hours, and constant fear of catching the virus or transmitting it to loved ones. Adding on to the already existing burnout, an increase in incidents of violence and aggression against HCWs was seen in Pakistan and globally.
Primarily to review cases of violence against HCWs in Pakistan, highlighting and comparing the instigating factors seen within the country and globally. Secondly, to enlist possible interventions to counter workplace violence in healthcare during a pandemic and in general.
Incidents of violence towards HCWs in Pakistan during the COVID-19 pandemic occurring between April 7, 2020, and August 7, 2020, were included. The incidents reported from local newspapers were reviewed.
A total of 29 incidents were identified, with perpetrators of violence most commonly being relatives of COVID-19 patients. Most frequent reasons included mistrust in HCWs, belief in conspiracy theories, hospitals' refusal to admit COVID-19 patients due to limited space, COVID-19 hospital policies, and the death of the COVID-19 patients. Protests by doctors and other HCWs for provision of adequate PPE, better quarantine conditions for doctors with suspected COVID-19, and better compensation for doctors on COVID-19 patient duty resulted in police violence towards HCWs. To avoid such incidents in the future, institutions, healthcare policymakers, media organisations, and law enforcement agencies must work together for widespread public awareness to counter misconceptions and to exhibit responsible journalism. In hospitals, measures such as de-escalation training and increased security must be implemented. Furthermore, law enforcement agencies must be trained in non-violent methods of crowd dispersal and control to manage peaceful protests by HCWs over legitimate issues.
Gases such as ethylene, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) have been recognized as vital signaling molecules in plants and animals. Of these ...gasotransmitters, NO and H2S have recently gained momentum mainly because of their involvement in numerous cellular processes. It is therefore important to study their various attributes including their biosynthetic and signaling pathways. The present review provides an insight into various routes for the biosynthesis of NO and H2S as well as their signaling role in plant cells under different conditions, more particularly under heavy metal stress. Their beneficial roles in the plant's protection against abiotic and biotic stresses as well as their adverse effects have been addressed. This review describes how H2S and NO, being very small‐sized molecules, can quickly pass through the cell membranes and trigger a multitude of responses to various factors, notably to various stress conditions such as drought, heat, osmotic, heavy metal and multiple biotic stresses. The versatile interactions between H2S and NO involved in the different molecular pathways have been discussed. In addition to the signaling role of H2S and NO, their direct role in posttranslational modifications is also considered. The information provided here will be helpful to better understand the multifaceted roles of H2S and NO in plants, particularly under stress conditions.
This paper presents a chaotic encryption-based blind digital image watermarking technique applicable to both grayscale and color images. Discrete cosine transform (DCT) is used before embedding the ...watermark in the host image. The host image is divided into <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">8\times 8 </tex-math></inline-formula> nonoverlapping blocks prior to DCT application, and the watermark bit is embedded by modifying difference between DCT coefficients of adjacent blocks. Arnold transform is used in addition to chaotic encryption to add double-layer security to the watermark. Three different variants of the proposed algorithm have been tested and analyzed. The simulation results show that the proposed scheme is robust to most of the image processing operations like joint picture expert group compression, sharpening, cropping, and median filtering. To validate the efficiency of the proposed technique, the simulation results are compared with certain state-of-art techniques. The comparison results illustrate that the proposed scheme performs better in terms of robustness, security, and imperceptivity. Given the merits of the proposed scheme, it can be used in applications like e-healthcare and telemedicine to robustly hide electronic health records in medical images.
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