High Security Research Articles

Assessment of bisphenol accumulation from disposable devices used sequentially in IVF routine procedures

Research question: To investigate the release of bisphenols (BPs) from disposable devices (DDs) used in ART procedures and to determine whether they accumulate when several DDs are used sequentially under routine conditions.Design: A comprehensive assessment of 19 individual DDs (31 measurements) and 9 combinations of DDs replicating the main steps in an ART procedure was undertaken. The extraction of BPs followed routine use conditions (temperature and duration). The concentration of 10 BPs was determined using on-line solid phase extraction/liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry methodology.Results: Bisphenol S (BPS) was quantified consistently from 100 mm culture dishes (32 ± 20 pg) and from high security sperm straws (3 ± 1 pg). Also, BPS and Bisphenol A (BPA) were quantified consistently from spermicide-free condoms (95 ± 78 and 83 ± 49 pg, respectively). No other BPs were detected in individually tested DD.When DDs were used together, BPA and BPS were both detected consistently in the association of 13 DDs mimickin;g the sperm collection in condom and its preparation (46 ± 16 and 43 ± 32 pg, respectively). BPS was quantified consistently in the association of 14 DDs mimicking the sperm collection, its preparation and freezing (10 ± 4 pg), and in the association of 17 DDs mimicking the oocyte pick-up (37 ± 22 pg).Conclusions: BPA and BPS are released in small quantities from some DDs used in routine conditions during ART procedures, but do not clearly accumulate when these consumables are used together.

When and how the ‘Neighbours’ matter: ‘Immediate’ opportunity structures in the Eastern neighbourhood and policy frame-alignment by the EU

ABSTRACT The paper examines the external opportunity structures of the EU’s eastern neighbours during times of high security threat. The research investigates when and to what extent opportunities in the neighbourhood affect EU engagement and shape policy-frame alignment. The study introduces the concept of an ‘immediate’ opportunity structure and concludes that the EU’s decisions to initiate or alter policy frames towards countries in the Eastern neighbourhood are driven by immediate security-related opportunity structures that exist at the moment of decision-making. Furthermore, the EU’s decision to engage depends on whether the security threat in the region and the neighbourhood directly affects the Union’s security architecture. As the political environment in the neighbourhood becomes more open and concessions towards the EU increase, the EU boosts its engagement, reflected in its policy alignment. The paper claims that the EU strategy prioritises immediate opportunity structures over indicators of long-term achievements in target countries. This focus on immediate opportunities aims to address, create, and further expand long-term opportunity structures.

A Novel Chaos-Based Encryption Technique with Parallel Processing Using CUDA for Mobile Powerful GPU Control Center

Chaotic systems possess unique properties that can be leveraged for cybersecurity due to their complex and unpredictable nature, making it challenging for systems to interpret them. When combined with CUDA, chaotic systems benefit from high-efficiency parallel processing capabilities, allowing for the rapid and secure handling of large data sets. In this study, a CUDA-supported chaos-based parallel processing encryption mechanism for mobile control centers is developed. The powerful GPU of the control center enables fast encryption and decryption of image data from multiple connected devices. The Logistic Map is used for random number generation, and XOR operations are applied to encrypt the R, G, B, and Gray Scale channels of images. Initially, an analysis of the numbers generated from the Logistic Map is conducted, followed by a detailed explanation of the encryption technique. The technique is then applied to image data, and image analyses are performed. Finally, the performance of the encryption technique is compared with other studies, and encryption speeds are examined. Results indicate that the new encryption technique provides significantly fast encryption and security levels comparable to other studies. The key discovery is that the mechanism is well-suited for parallel processing, allowing for rapid image encryption using the proposed method. For encrypting large IoT files, random number generation is performed first, followed by statistical tests, and then encryption using the developed algorithm. Security analyses are conducted, and the performance of the mechanism is compared with other studies. Results from image analysis and encryption performance demonstrate that the developed mechanism can be effectively used with high security for IoT applications.

Secured and decentralized system for e-voting with hybrid cryptography and Blockchain

Electronic voting is an efficient way of conducting the voting process, which has the characteristics of real-time data and massive data and demands high security. In this paper, we propose a novel approach for electronic voting that utilizes decentralized network architecture with Blockchain and Hybrid cryptography techniques. Our system aims to address the challenges faced in administering EVMs and ensuring high security in strong rooms, which can lead to privacy and security flaws in the voting system. Our proposed model utilizes a wireless mesh topology to enlist vote details and modernize the chain of blocks, resulting in improved data confidentiality and reduced human resources. A customized UDP packet structure is designed to avoid port scanning and network traces, while the use of port numbers is eliminated for increased security. We also incorporate a three-layer encryption stack for secure key exchanges, which ensures perfect forward secrecy and an uncompromised state of the packet. By reducing the number of threads needed for Transport layer Protocol (TCP) connections; our proposed model improves the speed and security of the existing architecture. Overall, our approach offers a highly secure and efficient electronic voting system that meets the demands of secrecy, accuracy, and neutrality in the process of voting and counting. Our proposed system has the potential to prevent poll rigging by trespassers, ensuring a fair and trustworthy electoral process.

Reservoir computing based encryption-then-compression scheme of image achieving lossless compression

Image encryption-then-compression (ETC), combining encryption and compression techniques, is a powerful strategy for image privacy protection. One of the most significant concerns in ETC is to realize a trade-off between high compression and high-quality recovery. To this end, we propose a novel ETC scheme based on a ring-network optical dynamic system and a reservoir computing (RC) system. This optical dynamics system is newly constructed by using three QD spin-VCSELs, then the optical RC system is further specifically designed. To ensure security, we develop a secret key generation method, which involves jointly injecting the original image and chaotic data into the RC system for chaotic transformation to produce high-security secret keys. In our scheme, the original image is first encrypted through scrambling and diffusion using the generated keys, then the obtained encrypted image is segmented into multiple sub-blocks, followed by using uniform down-sampling to select data, the unsampled data will be discarded and the sampled data is to be retained as the resulting compressed image. Flexible compression ratio can be achieved by varying sub-block sizes, with larger sub-blocks yielding higher compression. To realize high-quality recovery, the relationship between the compressed image and the discarded data is constructed in a learning manner by means of the designed RC system, which is conducive to the reconstruction process, resulting in lossless recovery. This work can effectively overcome the limitations of existing schemes in terms of simultaneously achieving both well-performing compression and lossless reconstruction. Experimental results are given which demonstrate the high security and superior performance of the proposed scheme.

Analyzing the theoretical merits of Loxi load balancer for improving the efficiency of load balancing in 5G‐edge IoT applications based on Kubernetes

AbstractLoad balancing, a critical aspect of cloud and cloud‐based applications, is a major challenge that demands our attention. Due to the increasing dynamic workloads, load balancing becomes more important in the cloud. One of the hyperscale models that stands out for its ability to efficiently balance load by scaling the demands and allocating resources is the Loxi‐Load‐Balancer (LLB). This paper explores explicitly LLB's application in the context of 5G‐Edge IoT applications based on Kubernetes. LLB's unique features, such as its open‐source nature for cloud‐native loads, its use of eBPF as the core engine to avoid adding additional software modules to configure the kernel, and its ability to change its services using the existing layers, set it apart from other load balancers. These features provide high security, observability, and networking. This paper delves into how LLB is used for load balancing in Kubernetes to increase speed and provide flexibility and customizable services. LLB automates all the internal and external administrations concerning monitoring, deployment, scaling, migration, routing, configuration, and resource allocation. This paper focused on developing an efficient resource allocation management system by load balancing using Loxi‐Load‐Balancer‐extended Berkeley Packet Filter (LLB‐eBPF). Detailed information about the LLB‐eBPF‐Kubernetes is given in this paper to help you understand the basics of LLB, eBPF, and Kubernetes.

Wavelength-selective, time-resolved, and visible-light-responsive multicolor switching systems for multistate dynamic information encryption

Visible-light-responsive photoreversible multi-color switching systems (PMCSSs) are attractive to meet the advanced demands in dynamic information encryption. Particularly, PMCSSs with wavelength-selective and time-resolved color switching are highly important but underexplored. Here, a new strategy is proposed to realize wavelength-selective, time-resolved, and visible-light-responsive PMCSSs by integrating acetamide ligand-capping CdS (CdS-NH2) nanoparticles and various redox dyes in solid films for multistate dynamic information encryption. The –NH2 groups of surface-bounded CH3CONH2 act as sacrificial electron donors for scavenging photogenerated holes to endow the CdS-NH2 nanoparticles high photoreductive ability and activity in a broad visible light range from 400 to 515 nm, thus enabling the long-waited wavelength-selective multicolor switching via coupling the wavelength-dependent photoreductivity of CdS-NH2 nanoparticles and the discoloration kinetics of redox dyes, such as methylene blue (MB) and phenosafranine (PS). Moreover, the time-dependent color switching during recoloration process of the color switching system can be modulated by tuning the oxidation kinetics of MB and methylene green (MG), enabling time-resolved dynamic imaging characteristics. Based on the unusual properties of the PMCSSs, a kind of wavelength-selective and time-resolved codes are designed for advanced dynamic information encryption. This work provides new guidance for developing of new PMCSSs for information encryption with high security requirements.

A molecule with aggregation-induced emission for the pH sensing and anti-counterfeiting applications

In this paper, a meaningful pH sensor (E)-4-(4-(1,2,2-triphenylvinyl) styryl)quinoline (TPQ) with aggregation-induced emission (AIE) effect was synthesized based on the conjugated 4-(1,2,2-triphenylvinyl)benzaldehyde and 4-methylquinoline connected by a CC bond. The conjugated quinoline moiety acts as a proton acceptor, and the small variations of pH value in the linear range of 4.01–7.03 and 7.96–9.45 can cause obvious fluorescence fluctuations. The TPQ has good selectivity and reversibility in pH detection, and importantly, it can detect pH fluctuations in real-time in practical applications by fluorescent means. Moreover, TPQ can also be used as a potential viscosity fluorescence sensor for organic solvents. In addition, by combining various color changes of TPQ caused by acid, alkali, water and ammonia stimulation under sunlight and 365 nm ultraviolet light irradiation, it provides a novel concealed optical anti-counterfeiting technique with high security. Therefore, TPQ is a multifunctional molecule with great potential for applications in pH, viscosity sensing and anti-counterfeiting.

Nutritional status, food security and other correlates among adult tuberculosis patients in a block of Murshidabad district, West Bengal.

Tuberculosis (TB) and malnutrition are epidemiologically interrelated two major public health problems in India. Food security also influences nutritional status. This aspect needs evaluation in diverse geographical areas. This study aimed to assess the level of food security, nutritional status and correlates among adult TB patients in a block of Murshidabad, West Bengal. This cross-sectional study was undertaken in the Nabagram block of Murshidabad district during April-July 2023. All adult (≥18 years) patients registered under the Tuberculosis Unit of the block during a reference period of 6 months (October 2022-March 2023) were considered study subjects. Eighty such eligible participants recruited randomly were interviewed with a pre-designed schedule for socio-demographic and programmatic characteristics. Household food security was measured using a validated U.S. Household Food Security Survey Module. Anthropometric measurements were taken, and nutritional status was determined based on body mass index. Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 26 was used for analysis. Among 80 TB patients, 51% were underweight and 20% were severely underweight. The majority (90%) of them had high or marginal food security, and 10% had low or very low food security. On multivariable logistic regression, Hindu religion (adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 6.74, 95% confidence interval (CI): 2.12-29.39), presence of any chronic morbidity (AOR: 11.61, 95%CI: 2.71-49.78) and receipt of dietary counselling by a health worker (AOR: 7.25, 95%CI: 1.22-43.13) appeared as predictors of underweight. Underweight among TB patients is quite prevalent in the area, and few programmatic interventions are influencing factors. This underscores the importance of nutritional counselling services and the universal provision of Poshan benefits.

Hyperentanglement quantum communication over a 50 km noisy fiber channel

High-dimensional entanglement not only offers a high security level for quantum communication but also promises improved information capacity and noise resistance of the system. However, due to various constraints on different high-dimensional degrees of freedom, whether these advantages can bring improvement to the actual implementation is still not well proven. Here we present a scheme to fully utilize these advantages over long-distance noisy fiber channels. We exploit polarization and time-bin hyperentanglement to achieve high-dimensional coding, and observe significant enhancements in secure key rates and noise tolerance that surpass the capabilities of qubit systems. Moreover, the demonstration achieves a distribution up to 50 km, which is the longest distance for high-dimensional entanglement-based quantum key distribution up to date, to our knowledge. Our demonstration validates the potential of high-dimensional entanglement for quantum communications over long-distance noisy channels, paving the way for a resilient and resource-efficient quantum network.

Dual-band complex-amplitude metasurface empowered high security cryptography with ultra-massive encodable patterns

Abstract The significance of a cryptograph method lies in its ability to provide high fidelity, high security, and large capacity. The emergence of metasurface-empowered cryptography offers a promising alternative due to its unparalleled wavefront modulation capabilities and easy integration with traditional schemes. However, the majority of reported strategies suffer from limited capacity as a result of restricted independent information channels. In this study, we present a novel method of cryptography that utilizes a dual-band complex-amplitude meta-hologram. The method allows for the encoding of 225 different patterns by combining a modified visual secret-sharing scheme (VSS) and a one-time-pad private key. The use of complex-amplitude modulation and the modified VSS enhances the quality and fidelity of the decrypted results. Moreover, the transmission of the private key through a separate mechanism can greatly heighten the security, and different patterns can be generated simply by altering the private key. To demonstrate the feasibility of our approach, we design, fabricate, and characterize a meta-hologram prototype. The measured results are in good agreement with the numerical ones and the design objectives. Our proposed strategy offers high security, ultra-capacity, and high fidelity, making it highly promising for applications in information encryption and anti-counterfeiting.

Life cycle, host specificity and potential impact of a gall-inducing thrips Acaciothrips ebneri, a biological control agent for prickly acacia (Vachellia nilotica subsp. indica) in Australia

Prickly acacia (Vachellia nilotica subsp. indica (Benth.) Kyal. & Boatwr.; Fabales: Fabaceae) is a Weed of National Significance and a target for biological control in Australia. Currently there are no effective biological control agents for the weed in Australia. Based on genetic and climate matching, a gall thrips (Acaciothrips ebneri Karny; Thysanoptera: Phlaeothripidae) inducing rosette galls resulting in shoot tip dieback, was identified as a prospective biological control agent from Ethiopia. No-choice host-specificity tests were conducted on 59 test plant species in a high security quarantine in Brisbane, Australia. Acaciothrips ebneri is host-specific, inducing galls and reproducing only on prickly acacia. Acaciothrips ebneri, as predicted by the CLIMEX model, is suited to hot and arid western Queensland where major prickly acacia infestations occur. The Australian Government approved A. ebneri for field release in October 2022. This is the first time a true gall-inducing thrips has ever been approved as a weed biological control agent. Field releases commenced in January 2023 and are in progress. There are early signs of field establishment resulting in shoot tip die back in the field, and field release and monitoring will continue.

Research on the application and prospect of RFID technology

As Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) has the advantages of fast scanning speed, small size, large data storage, high security, and other technologies, it is widely used in various fields to upgrade working efficiency. Meanwhile, as one of the research topics of the Internet of Things (IoT), Radio Frequency Identification also provides the possibility for the development and application scope of IoT. Based on the application principle of Radio Frequency Identification technology, this paper discusses the application of Radio Frequency Identification in the two fields of intelligent libraries and intelligent logistics through literature review and theoretical analysis. Through the analysis of the current situation of RFID application in the library management and logistics industry, this paper discusses the advantages and shortcomings of radio frequency identification technology, and according to the existing problems the future direction of development of the corresponding improvement proposals to promote the further improvement of the application of radio frequency identification technology.

A gel polymer electrolyte obtained from cellulose acetate/polyvinylidene fluoride composite electrospun membrane for safe lithium metal batteries with high-rate capability

Li metal battery is a promising next-generation power storage devices, but faces the serious safety issues caused by the uncontrolled Li dendrite growth and leakage of the flammable organic electrolyte. Herein, a low-cost CA/PVDF (cellulose acetate/polyvinylidene fluoride) composite membrane is prepared via electrospinning technology for safe lithium metal batteries. This membrane (45 μm) exhibits the high porosity (76.9 %) and excellent thermally stability (>180 °C) preventing the short circuit during abuse. The CA/PVDF-based gel polymer electrolyte (GPE), fabricated with CA/PVDF electrospun membrane swelled by carbonate-based organic liquid electrolyte, delivers the ionic conductivity of 1.82 mS cm−1 and Li + transfer number of 0.506, which achieve uniform Li+ ion electrodeposition and inhibit the formation of lithium dendrites. As the results, the symmetrical cell Li/CA/PVDF-based GPE/Li exhibits the impressive reversible Li stripping/plating behavior over 300 h at 1 mA cm−2 with the capacity of 1 mA h cm−2. Furthermore, the assembled LiFePO4/GPE/Li battery exhibits the capacity of 101.2 mA h g−1 at 5C with the capacity retention of 94.6 % after 400 cycles, which exceeds that of traditional liquid electrolytes. This research provides a low-cost gel polymer electrolyte via the electrospinning technique for rechargeable lithium batteries with good electrochemical performance and high security.

A Fast and robustColor Image Encryption Scheme by Huffman Compression, 5D Chaotic Map and DNA Encoding

In the era of information technology, securing the real-time digital image is the greatest challenge especially colour image. In this paper, a colour image encryption scheme is introduced to secure the image based on compression-then-encryption concept. Theproposed method is a hybrid combination of the Chaos techniques for key generation, Huffman Encoding/compression for compression and avoiding colour decomposition, scrambling for more confusion and DNA Encoding for reducing storage size. In order to enhance security, scrambled data are converted to the Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequence, make ADD operation and apply the complementary rules to attain the cipher image. Experimental results have been proved as robustness, accurate and high security against attacks, malicious attacks, differential attacks and statistical attacks. Furthermore, results show that the time speed is faster minimum storage space than the existing colour image encryption scheme.

Fisher information of orbital angular momentum quantum states in atmospheric turbulence

Free-space optical communication based on orbital angular momentum (OAM) offers advantages such as high security, large information capacity, and high-speed transmission. However, turbulence can induce random perturbations to the wavefront, thereby affecting communication performance. Hence, accurately measuring turbulence intensity is crucial. We delve into the quantum Fisher information (QFI) of the spatial coherence length, a pivotal parameter in atmospheric turbulence. Within the framework of free-space optical channels, we conduct a comprehensive analysis of the QFI in models encompassing both single and biphoton systems. As photons propagate through free space, the QFI regarding turbulence parameter initially increases and then decreases, due to the coupling and decoherence between the photons and turbulence. Increasing the number of OAM modes can significantly enhance the QFI regarding turbulence parameters. We considered situations closer to practical preparation, our results indicate that the impact of entanglement on estimation precision depends on the purity of the prepared entangled state. Moreover, we discuss and compare the variations in the QFI of various parameters upon considering backward scattering (BS). We believe our work is the first theoretical attempt towards the exploration of estimating the turbulence parameter via QFI.

A GSO‐based multi‐objective technique for performance optimization of blockchain‐based industrial Internet of things

SummaryThe latest developments in the industrial Internet of things (IIoT) have opened up a collection of possibilities for many industries. To solve the massive IIoT data security and efficiency problems, a potential approach is considered to satisfy the main needs of IIoT, such as high throughput, high security, and high efficiency, which is named blockchain. The blockchain mechanism is considered a significant approach to boosting data protection and performance. In the quest to amplify the capabilities of blockchain‐based IIoT, a pivotal role is accorded to the Glowworm Swarm Optimization (GSO) algorithm. Inspired by the collaborative brilliance of glowworms in nature, the GSO algorithm offers a unique approach to harmonizing these conflicting aims. This paper proposes a new approach to improve the performance optimization of blockchain‐based IIoT using the GSO algorithm due to the blockchain's contradictory objectives. The proposed blockchain‐based IIoT system using the GSO algorithm addresses scalability challenges typically associated with blockchain technology by efficiently managing interactions among nodes and dynamically adapting to network demands. The GSO algorithm optimizes the allocation of resources and decision‐making, reducing inefficiencies and bottlenecks. The method demonstrates considerable performance improvements through extensive simulations compared to traditional algorithms, offering a more scalable and efficient solution for industrial applications in the context of the IIoT. The extensive simulation and computational study have shown that the proposed method using GSO considerably improves the objective function and blockchain‐based IIoT systems' performance compared to traditional algorithms. It provides more efficient and secure systems for industries and corporations.

Unemployment and Security Challenges in Southern Axes of Nigeria

This study examines the relationship between unemployment and insecurity in Ukwuani Local Government Area of Delta State, 2000-2023. This period witnessed high youth and security challenges in the local government and neighboring University town of Abraka. Something needed to be done by the state government. This study is part of the response to provide a framework to deal with the problem. The research method employed in this study is the quantitative research method. The questionnaire was the instrument used for data collection. To achieve the objective of the study, three hypotheses were formulated and tested using the cross-sectional research design. A sample size of 200 was drawn from a population of 48,000 residents in the area. The statistical tool used for testing the formulated hypotheses in this study is the Chi-square (χ2). Based on the analysis, it was discovered among others that youth unemployment predisposes young ones to crime leading to insecurity in the area. Based on the research findings, it is therefore recommended among others thus; entrepreneurship training scheme as a development study should be inculcated into the educational curriculum and made more practical irrespective of the course of one’s area of study.

Cyclopentadithiophene-based conjugated polymer artificial synapses for dual information encryption

High-performance polymer memristors with analog-type switching behaviors and low power consumption, which is a perfect candidate for brainoid intelligence, have triggered the research campaign of the novel in-memory computing paradigm. A novel poly[cyclopentadithiophene- alt-thiophene] with triazole and ferrocene moieties in the sidechains (PCTF) is synthesized by copper-catalyzed azide-alkyne Click chemistry reaction of poly[4,4-bis(6-azidohexyl)-4H- cyclopenta(1,2-b: 5,4-b′) dithiophene-alt-thiophene], which is prepared by the reaction of poly[thiophene-alt-4,4- bis(6-bromohexyl)- 4H-cyclopenta(1,2-b:5,4-b′)dithiophene](PTT-Br) with NaN3, with ethynylferrocene. The PTT-Br film sandwiched between the Al and ITO electrodes shows a typical history-dependent memristive switching performance at a small sweep voltage range of ± 1 V, with 6 distinguishable conductance states. The device current can be modulated continuously when being subjected to consecutive positive and negative voltage sweeps. In contrast to PTT-Br, PCTF exhibits excellent nonvolatile memristive performance, with 16 distinguishable conductance states due to the combined action of charge transfer between the triazole and ferrocene moieties, and redox activity from both the ferrocene and polymer backbone. As an important component related to human memory, the short-term synaptic plasticity to long-term potentiation/plasticity transition is, for the first time, successfully used to realize dual information encryption at a high information security level. Only by inputting a given number of voltage pulses and at a specific time can classified information be correctly read out.

A proposed secure framework for protecting cloud-based educational systems from hacking

Educational institutions and users involved in the whole learning process frequently have concerns about the storage and processing of sensitive data and essential apps in the cloud. Security and privacy issues have emerged as a major challenge, limiting cloud computing’s implementation in educational environments. Several users have yet to meet this security challenge, which is linked to the system’s multi-tenancy nature and the outsourcing of resources and data. This study proposes a secure framework for protecting cloud-based educational systems from hacking using a unique encryption technique, as well as a deep learning-based classification for cloud attack detection. Initially, we preprocess the data and extract features using a gray-level covariance matrix (GLCM). Next, we propose a classification based on multiple convolutional neural networks (M−CNN) to detect attacks in the cloud environment. Finally, we propose a modified digital signature algorithm (MDSA) for data encryption and decryption. The proposed technique achieved high security rates, with an accuracy of 97.7%, sensitivity of 96%, specificity of 94.3%, precision of 99.6%, and recall of 97%. Comparative evaluations showed that the proposed mechanism outperformed other encryption techniques. This novel model enhances the security of cloud-based educational systems and promotes users’ confidence in such platforms.