Toward the modeling of data provenance in scientific publications

In this paper, we implement a provenance-aware system for documenting publications, called PADS. It employs a three-layered provenance hierarchy, which can output diverse types of provenance data related to the research life cycle. From this, we generate different profiles for research ventures, reviewers, and authors. PADS employs the standard Open Provenance Model (OPM) specification for capturing provenance data, and stores this data as ontological instances. We show that data is retrieved without any apparent delay in the execution time of the queries. We also demonstrate how this data can be used to make useful recommendations to the organizers, in order to manage upcoming research ventures.     

Control of a robotic orthosis for gait rehabilitation

Robot assisted gait training may help in producing rapid improvements in functional gait parameters. This paper presents new experimental results with an intrinsically compliant robotic gait training orthosis. The newly developed robotic orthosis has 6 degrees of freedom (DOFs). A trajectory tracking controller based on the boundary layer augmented sliding control (BASMC) law was implemented to guide the subject’s limbs on physiological gait trajectories. The compliance of the robotic orthosis sagittal plane hip and knee joints was also controlled, independently of the trajectory tracking control. The robotic orthosis and the control scheme were evaluated on three neurologically intact subjects walking on a treadmill. A maximum trajectory tracking error of 10° was recorded at the hip and knee sagittal plane joints. The results showed that subjects can walk in the robotic orthosis with comfort and the BASMC law was able to guide the subject’s limbs on reference physiological trajectories.     

A group theoretic approach to construct cryptographically strong substitution boxes

In this paper, we present a method to construct a substitution box used in encryption applications. The proposed algorithm for the construction of substitution box relies on the linear fractional transform method. The design methodology is simple, while the confusion-creating ability of the new substitution box is complex. The strength of the proposed substitution box is evaluated, and an insight is provided to quantify the confusion-creating ability. In addition, tests are performed to assess the vulnerability of the encrypted data to algebraic and statistical attacks. The substitution box is critically analyzed by strict avalanche criterion, bit independent criterion, differential approximation probability test, linear approximation probability test, non-linearity test, and majority logic criterion. The performance of the proposed substitution box is also compared with those of some of the well-known counterparts including AES, APA, Gray, S₈, Skipjack, Xyi, and prime of residue substitution boxes. It is apparent that the performance, in terms of confusion-creating ability, of the new substitution box is better than those of some of the existing non-linear components used in encryption systems. The majority logic criterion is applied to these substitution boxes to further evaluate the strength and usefulness.     

BUILDING USER TASK SPACE BY MINING TEMPORALLY PROXIMATE DESKTOP ACTIONS

Awareness of the user's current context, that is, the task the user resides in, can allow for various ways of supporting their work. In this article we present a novel approach for mining user's regular tasks on the basis of temporal proximity of users’ desktop actions without user intervention in a completely automatic, unobtrusive, and unsupervised manner. The proposed method is based on time-based clustering of a user's desktop actions and, in contrast to previous approaches, it does not enforce fixed time constraints on the mined actions, and typical transition times, when they exist, emerge from the logged activity data for that specific user. The performance of our technique was evaluated on a large data set of 724 days of desktop work by five knowledge workers. The results showed that our approach performed very well and was able to cluster those temporally proximate user actions that commonly used fix time window techniques fail to deal with. Notably, the main improvement is in the recall of the tasks, where our approach recalled 10.18% more actions than the predefined time window technique.     

Significant improvement of semi-solid microstructure and mechanical properties of A356 alloy by ARB process

Accumulative roll bonding (ARB) process was used in this study as an effective method for manufacturing high-strength, finely-dispersed and highly-uniform A356 alloy. It was found that when the number of ARB cycles was increased, the uniformity of silicon particles in the aluminum matrix improved, the particles became finer and spheroider and therefore, the tensile strength (TS) and ductility of the samples improved. The microstructure of the manufactured A356 alloy after five ARB cycles indicated a totally modified structure such that it's TS and elongation values reached 269 MPa and 5.3% which were 2.6 and 2.5 times greater than those of the as-cast material, respectively. Also, the hardness value increased from 55.4 (for as-cast sample) to 100.2 HV (after the fifth cycle of ARB), and registered 81% increase.     

Coherent control of symmetric and asymmetric diffraction grating via relative phase

ABSTRACT

We present a theoretical model to realize the symmetric and asymmetric diffraction grating in a four-level atomic medium. The proposed atomic medium follows a double lambda configuration where four fields interact with it. We get control over symmetric and asymmetric behavior of the diffraction grating by manipulating the relative phase of the fields. Interestingly, the symmetric and asymmetric diffraction grating become prominent when the vortex beam is used instead of the plane wave. Enhanced first, second, and third-order diffraction gratings are achieved via the vortex beam. Further, we find control over asymmetric diffraction gratings by the relative phase of the fields. Coherent control of asymmetric diffraction grating in negative and positive diffracted angles is also achieved via the relative phase.     

Study on crosslinked gelatin–montmorillonite nanoparticles for controlled drug delivery applications

Gelatin, because of its biodegradability and ecofriendly nature, has been the best choice for controlled release applications. Montmorillonite (MMT) clay shows a very important role in controlling drug delivery. Hence, an attempt was made in this work to prepare gelatin–MMT nanoparticles by desolvation method using acetone as precipitating agent, glutaraldehyde (GA) as crosslinking agent, and water as reaction media for controlled delivery of isoniazid, a drug for tuberculosis. Characterization of the MMT and isoniazid-loaded gelatin–MMT nanoparticles was carried out using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction study, scanning electron microscopy study, and transmission electron microscopy study. The effect of MMT on gelatin nanoparticles was evaluated in terms of water uptake studies, and subsequently to the release of isoniazid drug in buffer solution at pH 1.2 (gastric pH) and pH 7.4 (intestinal pH). Swelling experiment indicated that the gelatin nanoparticles were very sensitive to the pH environment. The release profile of drug was studied by a UV–Visible spectrophotometer. Cytotoxicity study revealed that MMT-containing nanoparticles showed less cytotoxicity than MMT-free nanoparticles.     

Algal ecology and composition in the Garmat ali river,Iraq

Planktonic, epipelic and epiphytic algae were studied monthly, during the period from January to December 1985 in the Garmat ali river, a naturally regulated river draining to the al-Hammar marsh, Iraq. Chlorophyll-a, primary productivity and water quality variables were also measured. High light penetration was noticed during the winter and spring. The water is oligohaline, alkaline and very hard. Reactive nitrate was found in higher concentrations than nitrite, and there were low concentrations of reactive phosphate. Two peaks were noticed for chlorophyll-a concentrations during spring and autumn, whereas only one occurred during autumn for primary productivity. The study area may be characterized as typically mesotrophic. A total of 154 species of algae was identified, including 65, 89, 98 and 77 species of plankton, epipelic and epiphytic algae on Potamogeton lucens and on Ceratophyllum demersum, respectively. Only 25 species were common to all the different communities. Diatoms were the dominant group in the epipelic and epiphytic algae during the study period, as well as in the plankton during spring and autumn. Seasonal variations were clear in the total cell numbers of algae from different habitats.     

Ternary MOF‑Based Redox Active Sites Enabled 3D‑on‑2D Nanoarchitectured Battery‑Type Electrodes for High‑Energy‑Density Supercapatteries

Designing rationally combined metal-organic frameworks(MOFs)with multifunctional nanogeometries is of significant research interest to enable the electrochemical properties in advanced energy storage devices.Herein,we explored a new class of binderfree dual-layered Ni-Co-Mn-based MOFs(NCM-based MOFs)with three-dimensional(3D)-on-2D nanoarchitectures through a polarityinduced solution-phase method for high-performance supercapatteries.The hierarchical NCM-based MOFs having grown on nickel foam exhibit a battery-type charge storage mechanism with superior areal capacity(1311.4μAh cm^−2 at 5 mA cm^−2),good rate capability(61.8%;811.67μAh cm^−2 at 50 mA cm^−2),and an excellent cycling durability.The superior charge storage properties are ascribed to the synergistic features,higher accessible active sites of dual-layered nanogeometries,and exalted redox chemistry of multi metallic guest species,respectively.The bilayered NCM-based MOFs are further employed as a battery-type electrode for the fabrication of supercapattery paradigm with biomass-derived nitrogen/oxygen doped porous carbon as a negative electrode,which demonstrates excellent capacity of 1.6 mAh cm^−2 along with high energy and power densities of 1.21 mWh cm^−2 and 32.49 mW cm^−2,respectively.Following,the MOF-based supercapattery was further assembled with a renewable solar power harvester to use as a self-charging station for various portable electronic applications.