Memetic Optimization with Cryptographic Encryption for Secure Medical Data Transmission in IoT-Based Distributed Systems

In the healthcare system, the Internet of Things (IoT) based distributed systems play a vital role in transferring the medical-related documents and information among the organizations to reduce the replication in medical tests. This datum is sensitive, and hence security is a must in transforming the sensational contents. In this paper, an Evolutionary Algorithm, namely the Memetic Algorithm is used for encrypting the text messages. The encrypted information is then inserted into the medical images using Discrete Wavelet Transform 1 level and 2 levels. The reverse method of the Memetic Algorithm is implemented when extracting a hidden message from the encoded letter. To show its precision, equivalent to five RGB images and five Grayscale images are used to test the proposed algorithm. The results of the proposed algorithm were analyzed using statistical methods, and the proposed algorithm showed the importance of data transfer in healthcare systems in a stable environment. In the future, to embed the privacy-preserving of medical data, it can be extended with blockchain technology.     

Subcritical Crack Growth in Soda–Lime Glass under Mixed-Mode Loading

Subcritical crack growth in glasses and ceramics has been studied extensively under Mode I loading. In this study, subcritical crack growth in soda–lime glass under mixed-mode loading has been determined, using the double cleavage drilled compression (DCDC) specimens with a hole offset from the center line. With this test configuration, cracks are nucleated at the pole of the hole and propagated parallel to the centerline of the specimen under mixed-mode loading. Under mixed-mode loading, subcritical-crack-growth rates are significantly less than those under Mode I loading at the same energy-release rates. Possible mechanisms for this increased resistance to subcritical crack growth under mixed-mode loading are discussed.     

Widespread presence of naturally occurring perchlorate in high plains of Texas and New Mexico

Perchlorate (CLO4-) occurrence in groundwater has previously been linked to industrial releases and the historic use of Chilean nitrate fertilizers. However, recently a number of occurrences have been identified for which there is no obvious anthropogenic source. Groundwater from an area of 155,000 km2 in 56 counties in northwest Texas and eastern New Mexico is impacted bythe presence of ClO4-. Concentrations were generally low (<4 ppb), although some areas are impacted by concentrations up to 200 ppb. ClO4- distribution is not related to well type (public water system, domestic, agricultural, or water-table monitoring) or aquifer (Ogallala, Edward Trinity High Plains, Edwards Trinity Plateau, Seymour, or Cenozoic). Results from vertically nested wells strongly indicate a surface source. The source of ClO4- appears to most likely be atmospheric deposition. Evidence supporting this hypothesis primarily relates to the presence of ClO4- in tritium-free older water, the lack of relation between land use and concentration distribution, the inability of potential anthropogenic sources to account for the estimated mass of ClO4-, and the positive relationship between conserved anions (e.g., IO3-, Cl-, SO4(-2)) and ClO4-. The ClO4- distribution appears to be mainly related to evaporative concentration and unsaturated transport. This process has led to higher ClO4- and other ion concentrations in groundwater where the water table is relatively shallow, and in areas with lower saturated thickness. Irrigation may have accelerated this process in some areas by increasing the transport of accumulated salts and by increasing the number of evaporative cycles. Results from this study highlight the potential for ClO4- to impact groundwater in arid and semi-arid areas through long-term atmospheric deposition.     

Discrete-time output feedback sliding-mode control design for uncertain systems using linear matrix inequalities

An output feedback-based sliding-mode control design methodology for discrete-time systems is considered in this article. In previous work, it has been shown that by identifying a minimal set of current and past outputs, an augmented system can be obtained which permits the design of a sliding surface based upon output information only, if the invariant zeros of this augmented system are stable. In this work, a procedure for realising discrete-time controllers via a particular set of extended outputs is presented for non-square systems with uncertainties. This method is applicable when unstable invariant zeros are present in the original system. The conditions for existence of a sliding manifold guaranteeing a stable sliding motion are given. A procedure to obtain a Lyapunov matrix, which simultaneously satisfies both a Riccati inequality and a structural constraint, is used to formulate the corresponding control to solve the reachability problem. A numerical method using linear matrix inequalities is suggested to obtain the Lyapunov matrix. Finally, the design approach given in this article is applied to an aircraft problem and the use of the method as a reconfigurable control strategy in the presence of sensor failure is demonstrated.     

Parallel imports and unparallel laws: an examination of the exhaustion doctrine through the lens of pharmaceutical products

Parallel imports, the natural consequence of exhaustion doctrine, represent a complex interaction between the issue of free flow of international trade and the protection of intellectual property rights. There is considerable divergence among scholars, both economic and legal, about the need for harmonisation of principles of exhaustion, and consequently parallel import laws. In this article, we examine the need for harmonisation of parallel import laws through the lens of pharmaceutical products. We highlight the necessity for the affirmative norm of exhaustion doctrine in the Trade Related Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement and suggest amendment to TRIPS Agreement Article 6 mandating international exhaustion doctrine as international legal standard with limited exceptions as an intermediate approach to strike a balance between the interests of the IP owners and consumers, and concurrently addressing the concerns of developed and developing countries.     

Microstructure and magnetism in barium strontium titanate (BSTO)-barium hexaferrite (BaM) multilayers

High quality multilayers of barium ferrite (BaM) and barium strontium titanate (BSTO) were grown in optimized conditions on thermally oxidized Si(1 0 0) and Al₂O₃ substrates using magnetron sputtering. As-grown films were amorphous and different annealing procedures were explored to stabilize crystalline phases. BSTO and BaM phases were identified using X-ray diffraction and cross-sectional scanning electron micrographs showed sharp interfaces between BSTO and BaM layers. Magnetic hysteresis loops obtained at various temperatures and field orientations showed a large coercivity (∼2500 Oe) consistent with the hard magnetic hexaferrite component. Hysteresis loops also revealed the distinct influence of magnetocrystalline and shape anisotropies at different temperature ranges.     

Overview of the Plasma Science and Innovation Center (PSI – Center)

The principal goal of the Plasma Science and Innovation Center (PSI – Center) is to achieve significantly improved computational predictive capability for smaller-scale devices. This is being accomplished through the refinement of existing computational tools through adding sufficient physics modeling, boundary conditions, and geometric capabilities while benchmarking results against experimental data. The work emphasizes the modeling needs of emerging concept (EC) experiments, but improved simulation capabilities for all innovative confinement concepts (ICC) are expected. A special emphasis is placed on physics effects that may extend beyond the standard analysis applied to the mainline programs.     

Goal directed life cycle costing as a method to evaluate the economic feasibility of office buildings with conventional and TI‐façades

Transparent insulation systems (TI‐systems) of less than 20cm thick have been developed as an alternative to opaque wall insulation and windows, which provide a financial return to building occupants when applied to building façades. Lack of detailed cost analysis of TI‐systems is a major constraint to the application of TI‐wall and TI‐glazing in buildings. A goal directed life cycle costing (LCC) technique and sensitivity analysis used to evaluate the economic feasibility of TI‐applications in office buildings form the basis of this research. It was undertaken as part of research to determine optimum energy and cost performance of TI‐systems for external cladding of high‐rise and low‐rise office buildings in temperate and tropical climates. The LCC of the buildings with conventional façades were compared with those with TI‐façades. The results show that LCC can be used to evaluate the economic feasibility of low carbon technologies such as TI‐systems effectively. A detailed account is provided of how different sources of cost data can be captured, collected and integrated to perform selective goal directed LCC analysis in the absence of detailed historical LCC data. The use of the goal directed LCC method and cost influence diagram presented in this research can be adopted as a standard method for assessing the economic feasibility of applying low carbon technologies to buildings.     

A vision system for inspection of ball bonds and 2-D profile ofbonding wires in integrated circuits

A critical stage in the manufacture of integrated circuit devices is inspection of the wire bonds which connect the chip to the lead fingers of the device. This paper describes a vision system for 1) automatic inspection of that part of the wire bond where the wire connects to the bond pad on the chip and 2) inspection of the 2-D profile of the bonding wire. A popular type of bonding (connection to bond pad) known as “ball bond” is considered here. Using two-dimensional images taken from the top of the IC wafer, the system determines several geometric measures which are important in determining the quality of the bond and the wire. These include the center and the boundary of the bond as well as the degree of straightness of the wire. A bond shape analysis based on the parameters of the best fitting ellipse to the bond is developed. The bonding process can be monitored through tracking the statistics of the bond shape measures. The system has been tested in a prototype manufacturing environment with excellent results