The adaptive chirplet transform and visual evoked potentials

We propose a new approach based upon the adaptive chirplet transform (ACT) to characterize the time-dependent behavior of the visual evoked potential (VEP) from its initial transient portion (tVEP) to the steady-state portion (ssVEP). This approach employs a matching pursuit (MP) algorithm to estimate the chirplets and then a maximum-likelihood estimation (MLE) algorithm to refine the results. The ACT decomposes signals into Gaussian chirplet basis functions with four adjustable parameters, i.e., time-spread, chirp rate, time-center and frequency-center. In this paper, we show how these four parameters can be used to distinguish between the transient and the steady-state phase of the response. We also show that as few as three chirplets are required to represent a VEP response. Compared to decomposition with Gabor logons, a more compact representation can be achieved by using Gaussian chirplets. Finally, we argue that the adaptive chirplet spectrogram gives a superior visualization of VEP signals' time-frequency structures when compared to the conventional spectrogram.     

Correlations, partitioning and bioaccumulation of heavy metals between different compartments of Lake Balaton

Correlations between trace metals in dissolved and particulate phases, zooplankton, mussels and sediments in Lake Balaton were investigated. The degree of correlation between the various metals was different in each of the investigated compartments. Particulate metal concentrations (microg g(-1)) were anti-correlated with suspended particulate matter (SPM) (mg l(-1)), indicating a dilution effect, while total metal concentrations in the water column (microg l(-1)) were highly correlated with SPM, implying a major influence of the turbidity on the total metal concentrations. Between compartments, not many significant correlations were recognized. Only Ba, Ca, Sr and Mg are correlated in the sediments and in the particulate phase, suggesting common sources for both compartments. Partitioning coefficients (Kd) of trace metals between dissolved and particulate phases are generally low, typical for natural water and fairly stable over the lake. Most of the trace metals (Zn, Co, Cd and Pb) exist in the particulate phase (for about 70% of the total metal load). Cu and Ni are exceptions, showing a more equal distribution. Bioconcentration factors (BCF) of zooplankton and mussels were comparable to those of other natural waters. A negative biomagnification from suspended particulate matter to zooplankton and from sediment to mussel was recognized for all trace metals, except a small enrichment of Zn in zooplankton and Cd in mussel. Four factors were recognized in SPM and in sediments but they did not contain the same group of metals. Cluster analysis showed that metal accumulations in the sediments were different between northern and southern shores and in SPM between western and eastern areas.     

Oxygen-limited autotrophic nitrification-denitrification (OLAND) in a rotating biological contactor treating high-salinity wastewater

A lab-scale rotating biological contactor (RBC) reactor operated under OLAND conditions was slowly adapted during 178 days to increasing salt concentrations going up to 30 g NaCl L(-1). The reactor performed well during this experimental period. However, the removal capacity of the reactor was lower under high-salinity conditions. A removal efficiency of 84% was achieved at a N loading rate of 725 mg N L(-1) d(-1) and a salt concentration of 30 g L(-1). The effect of salt shock loading and adaptation to 30 g NaCl L(-1) on the specific nitritation and anammox activity of the biomass was investigated in short-term batch experiments. A salt shock loading of 30 g L(-1) caused a 43% decrease in specific nitritation activity and 96% loss of specific anammox activity compared to reference biomass (not exposed to salt). The salt-adapted biomass (3-4 weeks) showed a specific nitritation activity that was 23% lower, and a specific anammox activity that was 58% lower, compared to the reference biomass. Overall, these results demonstrate that the OLAND process can have the potential to treat ammonium-rich brines after adaptation to high salinity.     

Occurrence and origin of phosphine in landfill gas

A landfill (Hooge Maey, Flanders, Belgium) was subjected to an in-depth study in order to explain the origin of phosphine detected in high amounts in landfill gas, in comparison with biogas from other sources, during a previous study. The spatial and temporal variability of the phosphine concentration in landfill gas was assessed. Twenty-four wells were monitored and differences in phosphine concentration up to one log unit were observed (3.2-32.4 microg/m(3)). The phosphine concentration in each well was constant in time over a period of 4 months. No correlation was found between the phosphine concentration and methane, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, ethene or ethane concentration. In a series of laboratory tests, it was shown that phosphine was emitted during batch fermentation tests inoculated with landfill leachate when Fe(0) or Al(0) specimens were added. Conditions favouring corrosion of iron gave rise to higher emissions of phosphine. The phosphine concentration in the headspace of a batch test rose to 1.43 mg/m(3) after 27 days of incubation. Weight loss of corroding steel coupons correlated with phosphine emission. Calculations showed that all phosphine emitted from the 0.005 km(3) landfill (160 g/year) could be attributed to corrosion of metals. No evidence of de novo synthesis could be established.     

Removal of carbon and nutrients from domestic wastewater using a low investment, integrated treatment concept

An integrated chemical-physical-biological treatment concept for the low-cost treatment of domestic wastewater is proposed. Domestic wastewater was subjected to a chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT), followed by treatment in an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor. In addition, a regenerable zeolite was used to remove NH4+, either after CEPT pretreatment or after biological treatment in the UASB reactor. The CEPT pretreatment consisted of the addition of a coagulant (FeCl3) and an anionic organic flocculant and removed on average 73% of the total chemical oxygen demand (COD(t)), 85% of the total suspended solids, and 80% of PO4(3-) present in the wastewater. The UASB system, which consequently received a low COD(t) input of approximately 140 mg/L, was operated using a volumetric loading rate of 0.4 g COD(t)/L. d (hydraulic retention time [HRT]=10 h) and 0.7 g COD(t)/L. d (HRT=5 h). For these conditions, the system removed about 55% of the COD(t) in its influent, thus producing an effluent with a low COD(t) of approximately 50 mg/L. The zeolite, when applied in batch mode before the UASB reactor, removed approximately 45% of the NH4+, whereas its application as a post-treatment cartridge resulted in almost 100% NH4+ removal. The simple design and relatively low operating costs, due to low costs of added chemicals and low energy input (estimated at Euro 0.07-0.1 per m3 wastewater treated), combined with excellent treatment performance, means that this system can be used as a novel domestic wastewater treatment system for developing countries. Therefore, the system is called a Low Investment Sewage Treatment (LIST) system.     

A short ID‐based proxy signature scheme

The notion of identity‐based proxy signature with message recovery feature has been proposed to shorten identity‐based proxy signatures and improve their communication overhead because signed messages are not transmitted with these kinds of signatures. There are a few schemes for this notion: the schemes of Singh and Verma and Yoon et al. Unfortunately, Tian et al., by presenting two forgery attacks, show that Singh and Verma scheme is not secure, and also, the scheme of Yoon et al. does not support provable security. The contributions of this paper are twofold. First, we review the scheme by Yoon et al. and discuss why it does not have message recovery property, and consequently, it is not short. Second, we propose a short identity‐based proxy signature scheme with the help of message recovery property and show that it is secure under computational Diffie–Hellman assumption in the random oracle model. Furthermore, our scheme is more efficient than (as efficient as) previous identity‐based proxy signatures. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Derivation of the Landau quantum hydrodynamics for interacting bose systems

In this work we demonstrate that the basic equations of the Landau hydrodynamics may be derived directly from the quantum-mechanical microscopic N-body Hamiltonian, which is expressed as a functional of the local observables, namely, particle and current densities. The Landau quantum hydrodynamic equations are then the Heisenberg equations of motion of these quantities.     

LC-atmospheric pressure chemical ionization-MS/ MS analysis of multiple illicit drugs,methadone, and their metabolites in oral fluid following protein precipitation

A quantitative LC-APCI-MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of multiple illicit drugs, methadone, and their metabolites in oral fluid was developed and validated. Sample pretreatment was limited to acetonitrile protein precipitation. LC separation was performed in 25.5 min, with a total analysis time of 35 min. Identification and quantitation were based on selected reaction monitoring. Calibration by linear regression analysis utilized deuterated internal standards and a weighing factor 1/x. Limits of detection and lower limits of quantitation (LOQ) were established between 0.25 and 5 ng/ mL and 0.5-10 ng/mL, respectively. linearity was obtained with an average correlation coefficient (R2) of >0.99, over a dynamic range from the LOQ up to maximum 500 ng/mL The method demonstrated good accuracy, intra- and interbatch precision, recovery, and stability for all compounds. No oral fluid matrix effect was observed throughout the chromatographic run. Protein precipitation provided a fast and simple sample pretreatment, while LC-APCI-MS/MS proved to be a sensitive and rugged quantitative method for multiple illicit and legal drugs in oral fluid. The method proved to be suitable for the evaluation of oral fluid as an alternative matrix to urine for monitoring illicit drug use and for determining oral fluid methadone concentrations in pregnant opiate and/or cocaine addicts.     

Secure access privilege delegation using attribute-based encryption

International Journal of Information Security - Attribute-based encryption (ABE) is widely used for a secure and efficient data sharing. The predetermined access policy of ABE shares the data with...