A selective encryption for H.264/AVC videos based on scrambling

H.264/Advanced Video Coding (H.264/AVC) is one of the video compression standards that is 50% more efficient than previously introduced standards. Given that the H.264/AVC standard is considered and used in a variety of video applications, it is essential to provide a suitable solution for video encryption with good security, high encryption speed, and to prevent bitrate increases. In this paper, we propose a method selective encryption of H.264/AVC for the digital rights management (DRM) applications. In this method, discrete cosine transform (DCT) coefficients, which affect the texture and content of the H.264/AVC video during compression, are encrypted after the zigzag scanning and based on Context-Adaptive Binary Arithmetic Coding (CABAC). The experimental results and encryption efficiency analysis demonstrate that the proposed method with the format compliance has good security and high encryption speed and it can prevent the bitrate from rising and is thus usable in industrial and the DRM applications.

     

Designing river commissions to implement treaties and manage water disputes: the story of the Joint Water Committee and Permanent Indus Commission

States have signed hundreds of treaties and protocols over their shared rivers. Many of these agreements established commissions to implement the accords and maintain cooperation. Consistent with this expectation, the Israeli–Jordanian Peace Treaty established the Joint Water Committee (JWC). Through a comparison of the JWC with the Permanent Indus Commission, established to manage the Indus River between India and Pakistan, the paper argues that the JWC has been only somewhat effective. To account for the source of effectiveness it is necessary to consider the capabilities vested in commissions. Commissioners can fulfil their tasks when they communicate directly, hold regular meetings, monitor the river's development and possess conflict resolution mechanism.     

Average-case improvements when integrating ML and KA

In this paper we develop a mathematical analysis, based on empirical measurements, of expected average improvements when integrating Machine Learning and Knowledge Acquisition systems in real-life domains. The analysis is based on the characteristics of component systems and combining techniques. Important characteristics include the accuracy of component systems, the degree to which component systems complement each other's weaknesses, and the ability of the combining mechanism to make good choices among competing component systems. Empirical measurements in a real-life application, in the Sendzimir rolling mill, have shown that integrating both approaches enables significant improvements. Improvements when combining systems in two oncological domains were smaller, yet positive again. Analytical average-case integrated models consisting of two systems are introduced. Conditions for improvements over the best, average and the worst system are established and the expected gains are analytically computed based on expected performances. Models strongly suggest that a reasonable integration of two systems offers significant improvements over the best single system in many or even most real-life domains.     

A 110–140 GHz Millimeter-Wave VCO Using Varactor and Bulk Effective Technique in 65 nm CMOS Process

In this paper, an enhanced voltage controlled oscillator (VCO) at center frequency 125 GHz with tuning rang of 24% is presented. The proposed idea is based on the tuning capacitance using MOS varactor. The structure is consisted of applying an MOS varactor capacitor to the drain and bulk (in parallel) of NMOS transistor in 65 nm CMOS standard technology. The obtained output of the proposed VCO at 2nd harmonic is tunable at 110–140 GHz frequency with applying?±?1.2 input tuning voltage. Simulation results of the proposed circuit are obtained after extracting post layout (with total chip size of 0.07 mm²) and confirm theoretical results. Compared to the resent designs, the obtained results indicate that the proposed circuit has high tuning range, low die area and a good figure of merit @ 1.2 power supply voltage.

     

Comparison of energy consumption for reader anti-collision protocols in dense RFID networks

Wireless Networks - Radio-frequency identification (RFID) is known as a universal technology and has been in the center of attention in the past few years. Readers and tags constitute the main...     

DMSO Chemically Alters Cell Membranes to Slow Exocytosis and Increase the Fraction of Partial Transmitter Released

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is frequently used as a solvent in biological studies and as a vehicle for drug therapy; but the side effects of DMSO, especially on the cell environment, are not well understood, and controls with DMSO are not neutral at higher concentrations. Herein, electrochemical measurement techniques are applied to show that DMSO increases exocytotic neurotransmitter release, while leaving vesicular contents unchanged. In addition, the kinetics of release from DMSO‐treated cells are faster than that of untreated ones. The results suggest that DMSO has a significant influence on the chemistry of the cell membrane, leading to alteration of exocytosis. A speculative chemical mechanism of the effect on the fusion pore during exocytosis is presented.     

Bones Morphogenic Protein‐4 and retinoic acid combined treatment comparative analysis for in vitro differentiation potential of murine mesenchymal stem cells derived from bone marrow and adipose tissue into germ cells

Nowadays, infertility is no longer considered as an unsolvable disorder due to progresses in germ cells derived from stem lineage with diverse origins. Technical and ethical challenges push researchers to investigate various tissue sources to approach more efficient gametes. The purpose of the current study is to investigate the efficacy of a combined medium, retinoic acid (RA) together with Bone Morphogenic Protein‐4 (BMP4), on differentiation of Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells (BMMSCs) and adipose‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) into germ cells. Murine MSCs were obtained from both Bone Marrow (BM) and Adipose Tissue (AT) samples and were analyzed for surface markers to get further verification of their nature. BMMSCs and ADMSCs were induced into osteogenic and adipogenic lineage cells respectively, to examine their multipotency. They were finally differentiated into germ cells using media enriched with BMP4 for 4 days followed by addition of RA for 7 days (11 days in total). Analyzing of differentiation potential of BMMSCs‐ and ADMSCs were performed via Immunofluorescence, Flowcytometry and Real time‐PCR techniques for germ cell‐specific markers (Mvh, Dazl, Stra8 and Scp3). Mesenchymal surface markers (CD90 and CD44) were expressed on both BMMSCs and ADMSCs, while endothelial and hematopoietic cell markers (CD31 and CD45) had no expression. Finally, all germ‐specific markers were expressed in both BM and AT. Although germ cells differentiated from ADMSCs showed faster growth and proliferation as well as easy collection, they significantly expressed germ‐specific markers lower than BMMSCs. This suggests stronger differentiation potential of murine BMMSCs than ADMSCs.     

Design of MMIC oscillators using GaAs 0.2 μm PHEMT technology

We propose a feedback type oscillator and two negative resistance oscillators.These microwave oscillators have been designed in the S band frequency.A relatively symmetric resonator is used in the feedback type oscillator.The first negative resistance oscillator uses a simple lumped element resonator which is substituted by a microstrip resonator in the second oscillator to improve results.The negative resistance oscillator produces 4.207 dBm and 7.124 dBm output power with the lumped element resonator and microstrip resonator respectively,and the feedback type oscillator produces ?10.707 dBm output power.The feedback type oscillator operates at 3 GHz with phase noise levels at-83.30 dBc/Hz and-103.3 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz and 1 MHz offset frequencies respectively.The phase noise levels of the negative resistance oscillator with the lumped element resonator are-94.64 dBc/Hz and-116 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz and 1 MHz offset frequencies respectively,at an oscillation frequency of 3.053 GHz.With the microstrip resonator the phase noise levels are-99.49 dBc/Hz and-119.641 dBc/Hz at 100 kHz and 1 MHz offset frequencies respectively,at an oscillation frequency of 3.072 GHz.The results showed that both the output power and the phase noise of the negative resistance oscillators were better than those of the feedback type oscillator.