Elliptic curve cryptography on embedded multicore systems

The increasing use of network-connected embedded devices and online transactions creates a growing demand of network security for embedded systems. The security requirements, such as authentication, confidentiality and integrity, always make computationally intensive processes and can easily become the bottleneck of the related applications. In this paper we implement Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) (Miller in Lecture Notes in Computer Science, vol. 218, pp. 417–426, 1985; Koblitz in Math. Comput. 48:203–209, 1987) on an embedded multicore system, and explore the task scheduling methods in different levels. First, we propose an instruction scheduling method that utilizes all the cores to perform one modular operation in parallel. Second, we perform multiple modular operations with multiple cores in parallel. The performance of those two implementations is compared and a scheduling method combining these two types of parallelism is proposed. We discuss the details of our proposed method by using an FPGA implementation of ECC over a prime field.     

ESBL-producing E. coli in Austrian sewage sludge

The aim of this study was to investigate the degree of contamination of sewage sludge with ESBL-producing Escherichia coli strains and the effectiveness of different sewage sludge treatment methods.Monthly sewage sludge samples were collected between January and September 2009 in 5 different sewage treatment plants and tested for the presence of ESBL E. coli. In addition, the number of colony forming units (CFU) of E. coli and coliform bacteria before and after the different sludge treatment methods (aerobic/anaerobic digestion, lime stabilization, and thermal treatment) was investigated.Of the 72 sewage sludge samples investigated, ESBL-positive E. coli were found in 44 (61.1%) sewage sludge samples. The classification of β-lactamase groups was carried out in 15 strains resulting in the detection of 2 different groups (CTX-M and TEM) of bla genes. All 15 of them had a CTX-M gene and 4 of these strains furthermore carried a TEM gene.With regard to the CFU of E. coli and coliform bacteria, thermal treatment and lime stabilization following dehydration sufficiently reduced pathogen concentrations. The plants using merely stabilization and dehydration showed an increase of E. coli and coliform bacteria and thus also an increase in ESBL-producing E. coli.     

Effectiveness of the Body Mass Index in the nutritional diagnosis of pregnant adolescents

The purpose of this study was to analyze the diagnostic capacity of different classification criteria based on Body Mass Index in the assessment of nutritional status and to evaluate their effectiveness. The sample comprised 367 healthy pregnant adolescents in their first trimester of gestation, from a socioeconomic level IV, between Oct. 1999 and Dec. 2008. Two methodologies were applied for the nutritional classification: (1) Integral nutritional diagnosis (gold standard), and (2) Body Mass Index (BMI), using local reference values: Proyecto Venezuela and the Transversal Study of Caracas, and international reference values: Frisancho and WHO 2006. Concordances, kappa, sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, positive and negative likelihood ratios, and the Youden index were calculated. According to the gold standard and BMI, the percentage of well-nourished pregnant women ranged between 62.4% and 80.6%. Within the deficit range, Frisancho was the most effective with kappa: 0.80; sensitivity: 87.3%; specificity: 94.8%; positive likelihood ratio: 16.9, and negative likelihood ratio: 0.13; Youden index: 0.82. Within the excess range, Frisancho and the Transversal Study of Caracas were the most effective with Youden index: 0.86 and 0.83, respectively. These results revealed that Frisancho was the best criterion to diagnose malnutrition in deficit in pregnant women. All references have an adequate diagnostic capacity for the excess range, of which Frisancho and the Transversal Study of Caracas are the best. We recommend using such reference values to optimize the efficiency of the BMI indicator in diagnosing malnutrition in deficit and in excess in the first trimester of gestation in pregnant adolescents within populations with similar characteristics.     

Addressing the information gaps associated with valuing green infrastructure in west Michigan: INtegrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services Tool (INVEST)

Land use change is profoundly influencing the environmental resources of the Great Lakes region. In West Michigan, population growth and rapid land use change have resulted in urbanization and a loss in the diversity of green infrastructure that provides a variety of benefits–ecosystem services–to regional residents and visitors. To address these changes in land use and cover in ways that are objective, transparent, and defensible, local policy makers need tools to help inform local and regional land use decisions. An interdisciplinary team, engaged by a regional policy organization, developed one such online tool, the INtegrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services Tool (INVEST). INVEST utilizes static GIS maps, graphs, and tables, to help educate local and regional decision-makers about the underlying values of ecosystem services associated with green infrastructure, particularly those services that do not pass through traditional commercial markets. In this article we provide a general overview of the development of INVEST and examine its current application as an educational tool, including the specific challenges associated with addressing the information gaps.     

The influence of wine additives on colour and colour quality of young red wine

Summary Zweigelt 1987, a typical Austrian wine treated with wine additives such as sulphur dioxide,l-ascorbic acid and sorbic acid was stored for 77 days. All characteristic wine components were analysed during the storage period. Only changes in colour could be detected. The changes in the amount of anthocyanins and anthocyanidin chlorides were analysed. The results show that Zweigelt 1987 mixed with wine additives such asl-ascorbic acid or sorbic acid resulted in a larger loss in colour than untreated wine. The changes could be measured photometrically but they were invisible to the naked eye. Appropriate use of wine additives did not appear to deterioriate the ruby colour of young red wine during the period tested.

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Der Einfluß von Wein-Zusatzstoffen auf Farbe und Farbqualität von jungem Rotwein

Zusammenfassung Österreichischer Wein Zweigelt 1987, welcher für die Versuchsreihe unter authentischen Bedingungen hergestellt worden war, wurde mit Weinbehandlungsmitteln wie Schwefeldioxid, Sorbinsäure undl-Ascorbinsäure versetzt. Die Wechselwirkungen der Farbe des Rotweines mit den zugesetzten Chemikalien wurden während einer Lagerzeit von 77 Tagen studiert. Die Anthocyane und Anthocyanidinchloridmengen wurden bestimmt. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, daß Zweigelt 1987, der mitl-Ascorbinsäure bzw. Sorbinsäure versetzt worden war, etwas größere Farbverluste zeigte als unbehandelter Wein. Abschließend wurde festgestellt, daß die Farbveränderungen zwar photometrisch meßbar sind, aber mit freiem Auge nicht erkannt werden. Eine Verwendung dieser Weinbehandlungsmittel in richtiger Dosierung führt zu keiner Verschlechterung der Farbqualität bei jungem Rotwein über den untersuchten Zeitraum.

     

Non-alloy Mg anode for Ni-MH batteries: Multiple approaches towards a stable cycling performance

Mg attracts much research interest as anode material for Ni-MH batteries thanks to its lightweight, cost-effectiveness and high theoretical capacity (2200 mA h g^?1). However, its practical application is tremendously challenged by the poor hydrogen sorption kinetics, passivation from aggressive aqueous electrolytes, and insulating nature of MgH₂. Mg-based alloys exhibit enhanced hydrogen sorption kinetics and electrical conductivity, but significant amount of costly transition metal elements are required. In this work, we have, for the first time, utilized non-alloyed but catalyzed Mg as anode for Ni-MH batteries. 5 mol.% TiF₃ was added to nanosized Mg for accelerating the hydrogen sorption kinetics. Several strategies for preventing the problematic passivation of Mg have been studied, including protective encapsulation of the electrode and utilizing room-temperature/high-temperature ionic liquids and an alkaline polymer membrane as working electrolyte. Promising electrochemical performance has been achieved in this Mg–TiF₃ composite anode based Ni-MH batteries with room for further improvements.     

Environmental and economic feasibility of palm oil biodiesel in the Mexican transportation sector

This study analyses the environmental and economic feasibility of producing palm oil-based biodiesel in Mexico in order to substitute of diesel fuel consumption using B5 until 2015 and B10 from 2016 to 2031 in the transportation sector. Two scenarios were created by projecting demand and costs for biodiesel as well as greenhouse gases emissions reduction over the next 26 years. In the environmental section, avoided emissions of Particulate matter, Total Hydrocarbons, Carbon Monoxide, Sulphur Dioxide, and Carbon Dioxide as well as the increase in Nitrous Oxide emissions were estimated for each scenario. In the economic section, a cost–benefit analysis of biodiesel substitution was implemented, and mitigation costs of Carbon Dioxide were estimated. Our results show that the feasibility of palm oil biodiesel use is directly related to the implementation of fiscal incentives, such as the exemption from tax (Special Tax on Production and Services).     

Major nutrient balances in small-scale vegetable farming systems in peri-urban areas in China

Balances of major nutrients such as nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) in small-scale farming systems are of critical importance to nutrient management and sustainable agricultural development. Mass balances of N, P, and K and some of their influencing factors were studied for two years from July 2003 to July 2005 on small-scale vegetable-farming systems in two contrasting peri-urban areas (Nanjing and Wuxi) of the Yangtze river delta region of China. This balance approach considered organic fertilizer inputs (cow manure, pig manure, and human biosolids), inorganic fertilizer inputs (urea, composite fertilizer, and phosphates), irrigation water, and atmospheric deposition; and considered outputs by vegetables. Input via organic fertilizers was significant for all element balances in the Nanjing area. Inorganic and organic fertilizer, particularly inorganic fertilizer, contributed major nutrient inputs to the system in the Wuxi area. Compared with nutrient output by vegetables, there were significant surpluses of N and P on two vegetable farm systems. Furthermore, N surplus in the Nanjing area was higher than that in the Wuxi area with an inverse relationship to P surplus. In contrast, the general trend of K balances was negative on both sites; hence, the nutrient use efficiency was significantly lower for N and P than K. The nutrient imbalance may be attributed to the differences between fertilizer types and management modes driven by social economic status differences among farmer households. The large N and P net excess creates an environmental threat because of potential losses to ground or surface waters, whereas negative K balance creates soil fertility risks. The results highlight researchers’ and farmers’ need to develop rational fertilization technology to optimize nutrient management on vegetable farmlands to promote sustainable agricultural development in peri-urban areas.