An efficient fragile watermarking scheme with multilevel tamper detection and recovery based on dynamic domain selection

Self-recoverable fragile watermarking is meant for accurate tamper localization as well as image recovery with superior visual quality. However, most of the existing state of art approaches perform authentication and recovery on block basis owing to which the entire block is categorized as tampered in case of alteration of one or more pixels of it. This, results in staircase formation of tamper detected regions, hence lacking in accuracy. Furthermore, the visual quality of the recovered image also deteriorates as an approximate value is assigned to all the block pixels corresponding to the altered region. The proposed watermarking scheme performs both authentication and recovery pixelwise. The authentication of each pixel is done via multi level tamper detection(MLTD) through three authentication bits based on value, location and neighbourhood information. The domain for image recovery is chosen dynamically based on the content of the block, may it be in spatial domain for smooth blocks or frequency domain for the rough ones. This provides high accuracy in recovery. As the embedding of recovery information is done in the frequency domain, the imperceptibility of the watermarked image scheme remains high. Also, embedding of authentication information in the spatial domain maintains its fragile nature. Even for higher tampering ratios, the lost content is rebuilt with high peak signal to noise ratio(PSNR) of the recovered image. The probabilities of false rejection and false acceptance head towards the ideal value for most of the empirical analysis. Comparative study via metric evaluation of probability of false rejection (PFR), probability of false acceptance (PFA) and PSNR of recovered image for different standard test cover images demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed scheme over other existing state of art approaches. Further, the security of the proposed scheme remains high due to usage of multi-layered secret keys and chaos based random mapping handling worst tamper scenarios.     

Viscoelastic flow in an obstructed microchannel at high Weissenberg number

Detailed measurements of the flow instability of dilute shear-thinning viscoelastic aqueous solutions, with relatively low zero-shear viscosities, in an obstructed microchannel flow are reported. We examine the flow behaviour resulting from a 100 μm post placed in the channel centreline over a range of Reynolds numbers (\(5<Re<300\)) and Weissenberg numbers (\(20<Wi<10^3\)). Micro-particle image velocimetry measurements show the onset of an upstream instability within a Reynolds number range and at a critical elasticity number corresponding to polymer concentrations above 25 ppm of long-chain polyacrylamide. The instability results in significant local fluctuations in the flow field approaching 30 % of the mean velocity. The magnitude of the local viscosity ratio in the region upstream of the post is proposed as a driving mechanism for the instability which resembles a buckling flow. Additionally, the classical instability owing to separation and vortex formation downstream of the post in Newtonian flow is suppressed and a very long stable wake is observed extending over 10 post-diameters downstream.     

A Multi-Criteria Route Selection Method for Vehicles Using Genetic Algorithms Based on Driver’s Preference

Wireless Personal Communications - Finding the best path between a given source and a destination in a road network is an important problem. It has its applications in various map services and...     

Let There be Light: Polymeric Micelles with Upper Critical Solution Temperature as Light‐Triggered Heat Nanogenerators for Combating Drug‐Resistant Cancer

Complete drug release and efficient drug retention are two critical factors in reversing drug resistance in cancer therapy. In this regard, polymeric micelles with an upper critical solution temperature (UCST) are designed as a new exploration to reverse drug resistance. The amphiphilic UCST‐type block copolymers are used to encapsulate photothermal agent IR780 and doxorubicin (DOX) simultaneously. The integrated UCST‐type drug nanocarriers show light‐triggered multiple synergistic effects to reverse drug resistance and are expected to kill three birds with one stone: First, owing to the photothermal effect of IR780, the nanocarriers will be dissociated upon exposure to laser irradiation, leading to complete drug release. Second, the photothermal effect‐induced hyperthermia is expected to avoid the efflux of DOX and realize efficient drug retention. Last but not least, photothermal ablation of cancer cells can be achieved after laser irradiation. Therefore, the UCST‐type drug nanocarriers provide a new strategy in reversing drug resistance in cancer therapy.     

Unsteady development of a deformable bubble rising in a quiescent liquid

An accurate finite-volume based numerical method for the simulation of an isothermal two-phase flow, consisting of a rising deformable bubble translating in a quiescent, unbounded liquid, is presented. This direct simulation method is built on a sharp interface concept and developed on an Eulerian, Cartesian fixed-grid with a cut-cell scheme and marker points to track the moving interface. The unsteady Navier–Stokes equations in both liquid and gas phases are solved separately. The mass continuity and momentum flux conditions are explicitly matched at the true surface phase boundary to determine the evolving interface shape and movement of the bubble. The highlights of this method are that it utilizes a combined Eulerian–Lagrangian approach, and is capable of treating the interface as a sharp discontinuity. A fixed underlying grid is used to represent the control volume. The interface, however, is denoted by a separate set of marker particles which move along with the interface. A quadratic curve fitting algorithm with marker points is used to yield smooth and accurate information of the interface curvatures. This numerical scheme can handle a wide range of density and viscosity ratios. The bubble is assumed to be spherical and at rest initially, but deforms as it rises through the liquid pool due to buoyancy. Additionally, the flow is assumed to be axisymmetric and incompressible. The bubble deformation and dynamic motion are characterized by the Reynolds number, the Weber number, the density ratio and the viscosity ratio. The effects of these parameters on the translational bubble dynamics and shape are given and the physical mechanisms are explained and discussed. Results for the shape, velocity profile and various forces acting on the bubble are presented here as a function of time until the bubble reaches terminal velocity. The range of Reynolds numbers investigated is 1 < Re < 100, and that of Weber number is 1 < We < 10.     

Electronic Contracts

As service-oriented computing increases, so does the role of e-contracts in helping business partners automate contractual agreements and relationships. The key challenge is to translate traditional contracts into executable e-contracts in a way that facilitates runtime monitoring and management. As research in this area progresses, organizations will have different approaches for modeling, implementing, and managing e-contracts. For now, developers must contend with several key research issues and challenges.     

Tactical approaches for alleviating distance in global softwaredevelopment

To overcome the problem of distance in global software development, various managers are experimenting and quickly adjusting their tactical approaches. We discuss some emerging approaches and explain their motivations from conceptual and practical perspectives. The most intuitive approach for alleviating distance is to apply communication technologies, but this is not our focus. Rather, we examine tactics that go beyond communication technologies, tactics aimed at reducing intensive collaboration, national and organizational cultural differences, and temporal distance