A new smart smudge attack using CNN

International Journal of Information Security - This paper deals with a well-known problem in the area of the smudge attacks: when a user draws a pattern to unlock the pattern lock on a smartphone...     

Annular‐ring slot antenna designs with circular polarization radiation

The design of a microstrip‐fed annular‐ring slot antenna (ARSA) with circular polarization (CP) radiation is initially studied. To obtain CP radiation with broad 3‐dB axial ratio (AR) bandwidth that can cover the WiMAX 2.3 GHz (2305–2320 MHz, 2345–2360 MHz) and WLAN 2.4 GHz (2400–2480 MHz) bands, a novel technique of extending an inverted L‐shaped slot from the bottom section of the annular‐ring is proposed. To suppress the harmonic modes induced by the CP ARSA, the technique of integrating a defected ground structure into the annular‐ring slot is further introduced. From the measured results, 10‐dB impedance bandwidth and 3‐dB AR bandwidth of 44.86 and 9.68% were achieved by the proposed harmonic suppressed CP ARSA. Furthermore, average gain and radiation efficiency of ～4.7 dBic and 71%, respectively, were also exhibited across the bands of interest. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J RF and Microwave CAE 25:337–345, 2015.     

The role of hydrodynamic stress on the phenotypic characteristics of single and binary biofilms of Pseudomonas fluorescens.

This study investigates the phenotype of turbulent (Re = 5,200) and laminar (Re = 2,000) flow-generated Pseudomonas fluorescens biofilms. Three P. fluorescens strains, the type strain ATCC 13525 and two strains isolated from an industrial processing plant, D3-348 and D3-350, were used throughout this study. The isolated strains were used to form single and binary biofilms. The biofilm physiology (metabolic activity, cellular density, mass, extracellular polymeric substances, structural characteristics and outer membrane proteins [OMP] expression) was compared. The results indicate that, for every situation, turbulent flow-generated biofilms were more active (p < 0.05), had more mass per cm(2) (p < 0.05), a higher cellular density (p < 0.05), distinct morphology, similar matrix proteins (p > 0.1) and identical (isolated strains -single and binary biofilms) and higher (type strain) matrix polysaccharides contents (p < 0.05) than laminar flow-generated biofilms. Flow-generated biofilms formed by the type strain revealed a considerably higher cellular density and amount of matrix polysaccharides than single and binary biofilms formed by the isolated strains (p < 0.05). Similar OMP expression was detected for the several single strains and for the binary situation, not dependent on the hydrodynamic conditions. Binary biofilms revealed an equal coexistence of the isolated strains with apparent neutral interactions. In summary, the biofilms formed by the type strain represent, apparently, the worst situation in a context of control. The results obtained clearly illustrate the importance of considering strain variation and hydrodynamics in biofilm development, and complement previous studies which have focused on physical aspects of structural and density differences.     

Complement resistance of capsulated strains of Aeromonas salmonicida

1. We investigated the effect of exercise on plasma adrenomedullin, atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) concentrations and studied the relationship between these peptides and haemodynamic parameters in nine patients with old myocardial infarction (MI) and in eight normal subjects. 2. The exercise protocol consisted of two fixed work loads (40 and 80 W) for 4 min each and venous blood samples were taken at rest, during each exercise stage and after exercise while monitoring the mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR). In MI, pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP), pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP) and cardiac output (CO) were measured throughout exercise. 3. Adrenomedullin levels did not significantly increase with exercise. Adrenomedullin levels correlated with PAP and PCWP at rest (P < 0.05). Atrial natriuretic peptide levels correlated with PAP, PCWP and LVEDP throughout exercise (P < 0.05) but, on multiple regression analysis, PCWP correlated only with ANP (P < 0.01). Brain natriuretic peptide levels correlated with LVEDP throughout exercise (P < 0.01) and its increment correlated closely with basal BNP levels at rest (P < 0.01). 4. These results suggest that adrenomedullin does not respond to the acute haemodynamic changes of exercise, whereas ANP responds to it and PCWP is the major stimulus factor. Brain natriuretic peptide responds to exercise in proportion to the basal synthesis of BNP in patients with left ventricular dysfunction and LVEDP may play a role in increasing BNP during exercise.     

When is the shape of a scene unique given its light-field: a fundamental theorem of 3D vision?

The complete set of measurements that could ever be used by a passive 3D vision algorithm is the plenoptic function or light-field. We give a concise characterization of when the light-field of a Lambertian scene uniquely determines its shape and, conversely, when the shape is inherently ambiguous. In particular, we show that stereo computed from the light-field is ambiguous if and only if the scene is radiating light of a constant intensity (and color, etc.) over an extended region.     

14 kV single-phase superconducting fault current limiter based on YBCO films

We present the fabrication and short circuit test results of a 14 kV single-phase resistive superconducting fault current limiter (SFCL) based on YBa₂Cu₃O₇ (YBCO) films. Individual components were processed using the 4″ YBCO films and have the rated voltage and current of 600 V and 35 A at 77 K, respectively. Twenty four components, eight components in series and three lines in parallel, make a module having the rated voltage and current of 4.8 kV and 105 A, respectively. Three modules were assembled in series to produce the SFCL working at 77 K, a 14 kV single-phase machine for the 22.9 kV Y-Y grid. short circuit tests were successfully conducted in an accredited test facility with the maximum fault currents up to 14.1 kA_P. All components quenched together upon faults and shared the rated voltage evenly without any supplementary device between the modules. This proves that the SFCL based on YBCO films may not only work reliably at 22.9 kV, but also provide technical feasibility for higher voltage application including the transmission grids.     

Measurements of coupling and reflection characteristics of butt-joints in passive waveguide integrated laser diodes

Amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) spectra of passive waveguide integrated lasers have been studied to estimate the coupling efficiency and the reflectivity at the butt-joints between active and passive waveguides. A new method has been proposed for the analysis of ASE to extract the coupling efficiency and reflectivity at the butt-joints. This method was applied experimentally to estimate the coupling and reflection of the passive waveguide integrated lasers with different amounts of vertical misalignments of active and passive waveguides.     

Variability in the interpretation of thorax radiography in a primary care medical community and its reference radiologists

OBJECTIVE: To know the variability in the interpretation (normal/pathological) of posteroanterior view chest radiograph and the associated factors between a medical primary care community and a Gold Standard (GS) from 3 reference radiologists. DESIGN: Crossover study. SETTING: Primary care. Teaching health centers of Elche. METHODS: Interobserver percentage agreement (IPA) and Kappa statistic (K) were used to analyse the interobserver agreement (IA) between the GS and every of the participants in interpretation of 100 radiographs. Intraobserver variability was assessed with a second review. Using uni and multivariant analysis some possibly associated factors were studied. RESULTS: Overall IPA and K were 71.3% (CI 95%: 69.2-73.3) and 0.41 (CI 95%: 0.36-0.46) respectively. Time employed in radiographs reading and time passed after medicine studies finished were independently and significantly associated to higher and lower interobserver agreement results respectively, whereas recent professional experience, permanent job and age were not associated. Professional training is the variable that most explain the inter and intraobserver variability. CONCLUSIONS: Overall IA is acceptable. The IA showed by the participants trained under the MIR system is good but the IA achieved by the rest of participants is not acceptable. It is necessary a training which increase the clinical competence, as it does MIR training.     

A knowledge-based expert system for gearing design application using Prolog and C

This paper describes the development of an expert system in gearing design application. The knowledge in this design field is vast and involves selection of appropriate data from large amounts of engineering standards data available in engineering catalogues and design handbooks. Experts very oftens have different opinions in determining the design solution. The theme of the work is to organise, systemise, conserve and spread this knowledge relating to gearing design and configuration.

There is a large number of design parameters involved in gearing design. The design of gears also requires an iterative approach to optimize these design parameters that govern the kinematic, as well as the strength performance. Owing to the complex combinations of these aspects, conventional design office practice tends to become complicated and time consuming. Hence, in this piece of work, attempts are made to formulate a design system capable of designing a required type of gear and its configuration under a specified set of working conditions.

The main features of the expert gearing design system are the use of semantic nets in representing the objects, a frame-based data acquisition and representation system, and production rules in representing the domain-specific knowledge base. The system provides a very user-friendly interface through the use of an expert system development tool Prolog. While Prolog is used to set up the various databases and the inference engine, the detail gear design calculations are performed by C. It is found that the communication between these two language media is excellent in terms of performance and efficiency.     

A Monte Carlo model for bone mineral measurement using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry

We discuss the surgical approach used for and outcome in 11 infants (< or =3 years) who were treated at our institution for ependymomas arising in the cerebellar-pontine (C-P) angle. The median age of the group was 19 months (range: 6-26 months). Of these 11 patients, the initial surgery for 8 was performed at our center and achieved a gross total resection (GTR) in 4 patients and a subtotal resection (STR) in the remaining 4. The 3 patients who had tumor debulking performed elsewhere were subsequently referred to our institution and had definitive surgery after receiving 3-4 courses of chemotherapy; one of these children had a GTR, whereas the remaining 2 had an STR. During the immediate postoperative period, 9 patients had cranial nerve deficits that necessitated placement of a tracheostomy and a gastrostomy feeding tube; these were discontinued in 6 of the 9 patients as the deficits resolved. The majority of the permanent cranial nerve deficits involved the sixth and seventh cranial nerves. Of the 11 patients, 4 have died (progressive disease, n = 1; accidental death, n = 2; withdrawal of life support, n = 1); the remaining 7 patients are alive, with a median follow-up of 37 months (range: 20-73 months). Aggressive surgical resection for tumors arising in the C-P region is associated with postoperative deficits, which resolve over time with appropriate supportive care. This approach may increase the number of children in whom GTR is achieved, thereby potentially increasing the cure rate for these patients.