Verification Protocol Research Articles

The importance of accounting method and sampling depth to estimate changes in soil carbon stocks

BackgroundAs interest in the voluntary soil carbon market surges, carbon registries have been developing new soil carbon measurement, reporting, and verification (MRV) protocols. These protocols are inconsistent in their approaches to measuring soil organic carbon (SOC). Two areas of concern include the type of SOC stock accounting method (fixed-depth (FD) vs. equivalent soil mass (ESM)) and sampling depth requirement. Despite evidence that fixed-depth measurements can result in error because of changes in soil bulk density and that sampling to 30 cm neglects a significant portion of the soil profile’s SOC stock, most MRV protocols do not specify which sampling method to use and only require sampling to 30 cm. Using data from UC Davis’s Century Experiment (“Century”) and UW Madison’s Wisconsin Integrated Cropping Systems Trial (WICST), we quantify differences in SOC stock changes estimated by FD and ESM over 20 years, investigate how sampling at-depth (> 30 cm) affects SOC stock change estimates, and estimate how crediting outcomes taking an empirical sampling-only crediting approach differ when stocks are calculated using ESM or FD at different depths.ResultsWe find that FD and ESM estimates of stock change can differ by over 100 percent and that, as expected, much of this difference is associated with changes in bulk density in surface soils (e.g., r = 0.90 for Century maize treatments). This led to substantial differences in crediting outcomes between ESM and FD-based stocks, although many treatments did not receive credits due to declines in SOC stocks over time. While increased variability of soils at depth makes it challenging to accurately quantify stocks across the profile, sampling to 60 cm can capture changes in bulk density, potential SOC redistribution, and a larger proportion of the overall SOC stock.ConclusionsESM accounting and sampling to 60 cm (using multiple depth increments) should be considered best practice when quantifying change in SOC stocks in annual, row crop agroecosystems. For carbon markets, the cost of achieving an accurate estimate of SOC stocks that reflect management impacts on soils at-depth should be reflected in the price of carbon credits.

A Multicentric Verification of Hereditary and Acquired Thrombophilia Coagulation Assays

Aims: With an ever-growing number of patients being admitted to our University Hospital Sveti Duh (Zagreb, Croatia), there was a need to positively respond to clinicians' demands about hereditary and acquired thrombophilia testing.
 Study Design: An extensive and multicentric verification of coagulation assays included in thrombophilia testing was performed on the BCS XP coagulation analyzer (Siemens Healthineers, Marburg, Germany): antithrombin activity (AT) (Innovance Antithrombin), protein C activity (PC) (Berichrom Protein C), protein S activity (PS) (Protein S Ac), free protein S antigen (free PS:Ag) (Innovance Free PS Ag), activated protein C resistance (APCR) (ProC Ac R and ProC Global + Coagulation Factor V Deficient Plasma), lupus anticoagulant (LA) screening (LA1 and activated partial thromboplastin time by using Dade Actin FSL as reagent) and confirmation test (LA2), factor VIII activity (FVIII) (Dade Actin FS and coagulation FVIII Deficient Plasma).
 Place and Duration of Study: Department of Medical Laboratory Diagnostics, University Hospital Sveti Duh, Zagreb, Croatia, between January 2020 and December 2021.
 Methodology: Verification protocol included: the precision study (CLSI EP15-A3 protocol), trueness estimation by comparison of seventy remnant plasma samples with two large Croatian hospital laboratories with established thrombophilia testing, and verification of reference intervals and cut-off values (CLSI EP28-A3C and CLSI HA-60 guidelines).
 Results: All of the obtained imprecision CVs were within the manufacturer's claims (<5/10/15%). While the observed bias for PC (+1.9%) was within the EFLM performance specifications (6.7%), the average bias for AT was higher than acceptance criteria (+10.8% vs 3.2% allowed). P&B regression revealed a significant positive proportional difference (slope=1.14). Comparison of PS activity yielded a high negative bias (-33.4%) that exceeded the acceptance criteria of 8.1%. Regarding LA testing, the diagnostic accuracy was 99% when compared to Sestre milosrdnice UHC (N=70) and 95% when compared to University Hospital Centre Zagreb (N=19). All manufacturer's reference intervals and cut-offs were verified.
 Conclusion: The verification study confirmed all manufacturer's claims, except for PS which has been replaced with free PS:Ag determinations.

Data verification protocol for a confidential computing scheme with homomorphic encryption

Data verification protocol for a confidential computing scheme with homomorphic encryption

Proofing Field and Laboratory Species Identification Procedures Developed for the Non-Native Osmerid Species Wakasagi (Hypomesus nipponensis) Using SHERLOCK-Based Genetic Verification

Accurate species identification is critical to monitoring programs because mis-identifications can lead to incorrect assessments of population status and trends. In the San Francisco Estuary, efforts to monitor the imperiled osmerid Delta Smelt (Hypomesus transpacificus) using morphology can be challenging because of the presence of the similar-looking non-native osmerid Wakasagi (Hypomesus nipponensis). In 2017, the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s field office in Lodi implemented a two-stage verification process for Wakasagi to help prevent Delta Smelt from being mis-identified as Wakasagi. Under this process, Wakasagi are initially identified in the field, independently identified a second time by an experienced staff member in the laboratory, then stored on-site where they can be made available for future studies. Using the recently developed Specific High-sensitivity Enzymatic Reporter un-LOCKing (SHERLOCK) assay for Wakasagi, we evaluated how well verification protocols performed by genetically identifying a subset of Wakasagi collected during routine sampling between 2017 and 2021. Through this study, we found that the protocols have served as an effective quality control measure for over 4 years and across multiple surveys. With the development of field-deployable genetics tools such as SHERLOCK, genetic identification will likely play an increasingly important role in ecological monitoring. We expect that hybrid approaches that combine morphological identifications by trained field crew with application of field-based genetic tools may offer an effective and efficient approach to ensuring data accuracy in the future.

Detecting Lucid Dreams by Electroencephalography and Eyebrow Movements.

Objective When metacognition arises during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, people experience lucid dreaming (LD). Studies on this phenomenon face different obstacles. For example, its standard verification protocol requires at least three types of sensors. We hypothesized that preagreed frontalis movements (PAFMs), as a sign of lucidity, could be seen on electroencephalography (EEG) during REM sleep. In this case, only one EEG sensor would be needed to verify LD. Method Under laboratory observation, five volunteers were instructed to induce LD, during which they needed to use the standard verification protocol with pre-agreed eye movements (PAEMs) and then immediately raise their eyebrows three times as a PAFM. Results All participants were able to send signals from a total of eight LDs using one or both methods. Preagreed frontalis movements and PAEMs were equally distinctive on most EEGs, but PAFM quality was strongly dependent on the accuracy of the method. Preagreed frontalis movements exhibited two types of EEG patterns and led to immediate awakening when LD was not stable. Discussion Though the outcomes show that PAFMs can be used to verify LD, this method was less consistent and apparent than PAEMs. Furthermore, accurate instructions are needed before using PAFMs. When polysomnography is unavailable, PAFMs can be applied, as it requires only one EEG sensor to detect REM sleep and consciousness simultaneously.

The step-wise dissolution method: An efficient DSC-based protocol for verification of predicted API–polymer compatibility

The development of an amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) is a promising strategy for improving the low bioavailability of many poorly water-soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). The construction of a temperature–composition (T–C) phase diagram for an API–polymer combination is imperative as it can provide critical information that is essential for formulating stable ASDs. However, the currently followed differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)-based strategies for API solubility determination in a polymer at elevated temperatures are inefficient and, on occasions, unreliable, which may lead to an inaccurate prediction at lower temperatures of interest (i.e., T = 25 °C). Recently, we proposed a novel DSC-based protocol called the “step-wise dissolution” (S-WD) method, which is both cost- and time-effective. The objective of this study was to test the applicability of the S-WD method regarding expeditious verification of the purely-predicted API–polymer compatibility via the perturbed chain-statistical associating fluid theory (PC-SAFT) equation of state (EOS). Fifteen API–polymer T–C phase diagrams were reliably constructed, with three distinct API–polymer case types being identified regarding the approach used for the S-WD method. Overall, the PC-SAFT EOS provided satisfactory qualitative descriptions of the API–polymer compatibility, but not necessarily accurate quantitative predictions of the API solubility in the polymer at T = 25 °C. The S-WD method was subsequently modified and an optimal protocol was proposed, which can significantly reduce the required experimental effort.

Robust and efficient verification of graph states in blind measurement-based quantum computation

Blind quantum computation (BQC) is a secure quantum computation method that protects the privacy of clients. Measurement-based quantum computation (MBQC) is a promising approach for realizing BQC. To obtain reliable results in blind MBQC, it is crucial to verify whether the resource graph states are accurately prepared in the adversarial scenario. However, previous verification protocols for this task are too resource-consuming or noise-susceptible to be applied in practice. Here, we propose a robust and efficient protocol for verifying arbitrary graph states with any prime local dimension in the adversarial scenario, which leads to a robust and efficient protocol for verifying the resource state in blind MBQC. Our protocol requires only local Pauli measurements and is thus easy to realize with current technologies. Nevertheless, it can achieve optimal scaling behaviors with respect to the system size and the target precision as quantified by the infidelity and significance level, which has never been achieved before. Notably, our protocol can exponentially enhance the scaling behavior with the significance level.

CVFL: A Chain-like and Verifiable Federated Learning Scheme with Computational Efficiency Based on Lagrange Interpolation Functions

Data privacy and security concerns have attracted significant attention, leading to the frequent occurrence of data silos in deep learning. To address this issue, federated learning (FL) has emerged. However, simple federated learning frameworks still face two security risks during the training process. Firstly, sharing local gradients instead of private datasets among users does not completely eliminate the possibility of data leakage. Secondly, malicious servers could obtain inaccurate aggregation parameters by forging or simplifying the aggregation process, ultimately leading to model training failures. To address these issues and achieve high-performance training models, we have designed a verifiable federated learning scheme called CVFL, where users exist in a serial manner to resist inference attacks and further protect the privacy of user dataset information through serial encryption. We ensure the secure aggregation of models through a verification protocol based on Lagrange interpolation functions. The serial transmission of local gradients effectively reduces the communication burden on cloud servers, and our verification protocol avoids the computational overhead caused by a large number of encryption and decryption operations without sacrificing model accuracy. Experimental results on the MNIST dataset demonstrate that, after 10 epochs of training with 100 users, our solution achieves a model accuracy of 90.63% for MLP architecture under IID data distribution and 87.47% under non-IID data distribution. For CNN architecture, our solution achieves a model accuracy of 96.72% under IID data distribution and 93.53% under non-IID data distribution. Experimental evaluations corroborate the practical performance of the presented scheme with high accuracy and efficiency.

Enhancing Network Security Through Blockchain Technology: Challenges And Opportunities

The rapid proliferation of digital technologies has ushered in an era where network security is of paramount importance. Traditional security mechanisms have proven insufficient in protecting sensitive data and critical infrastructure from an ever-evolving landscape of cyber threats. Blockchain technology, originally designed to underpin cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin, has emerged as a promising solution for enhancing network security. Blockchain's core principles of decentralization, immutability, and transparency offer a unique approach to addressing vulnerabilities and mitigating risks in the digital realm. This paper examines how blockchain can enhance data integrity, authentication, and authorization processes, thereby fortifying the security posture of networks and systems.
 The paper discusses real-world applications and case studies where blockchain has been successfully implemented to bolster network security, such as supply chain management, identity verification, and secure communication protocols. These examples highlight the tangible benefits and opportunities that blockchain presents for organizations seeking to safeguard their digital assets and operations. In conclusion, this abstract underscore the pivotal role that blockchain technology can play in enhancing network security. By addressing challenges head-on and capitalizing on the opportunities it offers, organizations can build resilient, transparent, and secure digital ecosystems that protect against an ever-increasing array of cyber threats. The exploration of blockchain's potential in this context is critical for shaping the future of network security in our interconnected world.

A new location verification protocol and blockchain-based drone rental mechanism in smart farming

In smart farming, information and communication technologies such as IoT are driving the agricultural industry towards improved efficiency and productivity while reducing human intervention. As agricultural systems become increasingly connected to the Internet, they provide many new opportunities but also introduce new challenges. Connecting such systems to a network exposes them to cyberattacks and vulnerabilities; therefore, security and privacy are important challenges that should be addressed. Specifically, because of the distinct characteristics of smart farming such as environmental and farm conditions, security solutions suitable for smart farming are indispensable. In this paper, we propose a location verification (LV) protocol as a security solution for autonomous and intelligent moving devices such as drones and robots deployed in smart farming. Moreover, as an application of the proposed LV protocol, we propose a blockchain-based secure drone rental mechanism for smart farming. We present a security analysis in which the proposed LV protocol and rental mechanism are secure against man-in-the-middle, impersonation, modification, replay, and relay attacks, with the rental mechanism providing mutual authentication. Through a performance evaluation of the LV protocol in terms of the communication overhead, computation cost, and storage cost and a performance evaluation of the blockchain for drone rental with regard to throughput and latency, we confirm the feasibility and efficiency of the LV protocol and drone rental mechanism in the smart farming.

Single-Qubit Loss-Tolerant Quantum Position Verification Protocol Secure against Entangled Attackers.

We give a tight characterization of the relation between loss tolerance and error rate of the most popular protocol for quantum position verification, which is based on BB84 states. Combining it with classical information, we show, using semidefinite programming, for the first time a fault-tolerant protocol that is secure against attackers who preshare a linear amount of entanglement (in the classical information), arbitrarily slow quantum information and that tolerates a certain amount of photon loss. We also extend this analysis to the case of more than two bases, showing even stronger loss tolerance for that case. Finally, we show that our techniques can be applied to improve the analysis of one-sided device-independent quantum key distribution protocols.

Can We Detect Bias in Political Fact-Checking? Evidence from a Spanish Case Study

ABSTRACT Political fact-checkers evaluate the truthfulness of politicians’ claims. This paper contributes to an emerging scholarly debate on whether fact-checkers treat political parties differently in a systematic manner depending on their ideology (bias). We first examine the available approaches to analyze bias and then present a new approach in two steps. First, we propose a logistic regression model to analyze the outcomes of fact-checks and calculate how likely each political party will obtain a truth score. We test our model with a sample of fact-checks from Newtral, a prominent Spanish fact-checker. Our model would signal bias under two assumptions: (a) all political parties are on average equally accurate in their statements; (b) the verification method gives precise instructions and is implemented systematically. We investigate this second assumption with a series of interviews with Newtral fact-checkers. We show that standard verification protocols are loosely implemented and therefore fact-checks reflect a set of journalistic decisions, rather than a bias in the statistical sense. We call for a more rigorous definition of verification methods as a pre-requisite for an unbiased assessment of politician’s claims.

Acoustical verification of binaural features in hearing aids

Hearing aid verification systems are designed to verify sound pressure levels in a patient’s ear canal, as well as ensure hearing aid features are performing to company specifications. In addition to verifying sound output, verification systems can analyze frequency specific compression, prescription targets, directional microphones, noise reduction performance, etc. However, current verification systems are unable to verify several advanced digital signal processing (DSP) features that companies have included in their hearing aids over the recent years. Particularly, binaural features which require both hearing aids to be analyzed simultaneously to measure interaural cues. Here, interaural cues were analyzed from recordings made on an acoustic manikin in an anechoic chamber across various noise reduction and directional microphone features using open-fit and occluding coupling compared to an unaided condition. During data collection, settings in the fitting software did not always align to hearing aid coupling (i.e., open versus occluding dome conditions), an error likely to occur clinically. For some noise reduction hearing aid conditions, a large interaural level difference (ILD) was introduced to one hearing aid, distorting the sound source location. ILD cues measured here, across different DSP and coupling conditions, suggest verification protocols should include additional features, such as binaural measurements.

Verification of analytical performance of the aspartate aminotransferase assay on the Abbott Alinity ci®: Experience of the central laboratory Mohammed VI Oujda

The standard NF EN ISO 15 189 mandates the verification of analytical methods. It involves evaluating an analytical method's effectiveness in accordance with a precisely laid out protocol before comparing it to previously established analytical objectives. Any biologist must be concerned with mastering this approach. In this work, we compare two automats: Alinity ci ® and Architect ci-8200® Abbott, to show the results of the protocol of verification of the method of determination of aspartate aminotransferase (AST). Aspartate aminotransferase is an enzyme found in many tissues, particularly liver and muscle, including heart muscle. Its measurement is particularly useful for diagnosing and monitoring liver disease.

B-032 Total lab Automation Validation/Verification Protocol: First Step of Process Excellence Journey in Smart Core Lab in Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital & Medical Research Institute, Mumbai, India

Abstract Background The total laboratory automation (TLA) involves the integration, automation, consolidation and digitalization of pre-examination, examination, and post-examination processes. It is far simpler to introduce TLA in a lean, highly standardized smart core lab setting than it is to replicate complex procedures based on manual workflows, therefore harmonization/standardization is a requirement. In this era of modern clinical laboratory, a very important step with respect to the quality of the entire process is method validation/ verification. Hence, it is fundamental to verify/validate TLA process flow, new techniques, new methods and new test parameters.During laboratory accreditation process, the most frequently cited deficiency involves inappropriate PQ (Performance Qualification) and verification protocol. The main principles to the PQ laboratory test validation or verification protocol are Accuracy, Precision, Reference Interval, Detection Limit (LOD), Analytical Measurement Range (AMR) and Clinically Reportable Range (CRR), etc. Hence a clinically appropriate turnaround time is guaranteed via validation, which also provides accurate and precise readings. Methods Around 250 parameters, of biochemical and immunoassay for samples like serum/plasma/cerebrospinal fluid/urine have been validated/verified on this automated system. Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) and best practise checklist as per international and national accreditation bodies served as the foundation for verification. Following are the steps for verification. Analytical Accuracy: Run samples by both methods to evaluate bias. Verify Precision: Run 5 replicates per run for 5 days, at all levels of control sera. Check Reference Intervals: Representative 20 healthy individuals are selected. Verify LOB and LOD Values: Run 20 blank (zero calibrator) or low patient samples. Pneumatic System Verification Protocol: 20 samples carried manually by health care assistants and 20 samples transported via the pneumatic system. We have done sigma metrics of 250 parameters in the lab. Results With particular reference to Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH), we have obtained the following results: For the Reference interval study, out of 353 volunteers recruited, 8 volunteer data were excluded (7 outliers, 1 abnormal TPO values). We obtained the reference interval of 0.53–4.489 μIU/mL, which is within the range specified by the manufacturer's reference range. A good level of analytical accuracy is demonstrated between the two instruments with r2 = 0.9938 having a coefficient of variation of 4.32%. The coefficient of variation values of precision for inter laboratory method comparison for lower and high-level values is 1.39% and 1.76% respectively, which is comparable with the manufacturers claims values. The coefficient of repeatability is 1.3442 is higher than 0.7 and hence considered as the two instruments having a good retest reliability. We observed more than six sigma performance of TSH. Based on Operational Specification (OPSpecs) Chart and Method Decision Chart sigma values of all the parameters are evaluated and quality control strategies have been defined. Conclusion Thus, validation of all biochemistry & immunoassay parameters in TLA set up of the smart core laboratory promotes an environment, emphasizing patient safety and quality patient care.

GUI-Based Data Visualisation Tool for Option C IPMVP using Jupyter Notebook

IPMVP is an acronym for International Performance Measurement and Verification Protocol, used for calculating energy savings by taking some external factors into account to give an equal base for a linear comparison between two periods. However, determining the significant independent variable for routine adjustment causes inconvenient repeated action of regression analysis modeling, which leads to the exhaustive calculation and human error risk. These exasperating actions led to the creation of this project, which aims to provide a user-friendly, insightful, and accurate energy-saving calculation program tool. Thus, the main objective of this project is to develop an energy-saving computational tool for option C IPMVP using web-based data analytic tools to improve efficiency and accuracy in each project. This paper used a web-based mathematical computation, Jupyter Notebook, to determine the significant independent variable for routine adjustment of the adjusted baseline. The program tool was validated using V-model software verification and validation methodology based on IEEE 1012 standards. The study can be concluded that the exhaustive calculation to determine the energy saving based on IPMVP standards can be significantly reduced with precision values at 50%, 80%, 90%, and 95% confidence levels using the proposed program which is equipped with insightful graphs and a user-friendly interface.

Fortifying Data Availability and Security in Cloud Servers Via Verification Protocols

Distributed computing networks play a significant role in contemporary computer architecture, facilitating the processing, analysis, and storage of sensitive data. This issue has garnered significant interest in the realm of investigating various encryption techniques. There is a pressing need to establish a dependable and validated security approach that enhances the data-processing efficacy of Cloud servers, as current cryptographic investigations suggest the vulnerability of server-side data security to potential breaches. This paper elucidates the process of implementing a cloud-centric cloud storage architecture and presents a unique security schema that validates the evidence of encrypted secret data storage. The researchers in this paper propose a novel computational security technique to tackle the issue of internal nodes by using efficient security strategies, hence minimizing computational overhead. The experimental results reported in this paper provide evidence of the greater effectiveness of the suggested mechanism in comparison to other commonly used security strategies.

SpeakerNet for Cross-lingual Text-Independent Speaker Verification

Biometrics provide an alternative to passwords and pins for authentication. The emergence of machine learning algorithms provides an easy and economical solution to authentication problems. The phases of speaker verification protocol are training, enrollment of speakers and evaluation of unknown voice. In this paper, we addressed text independent speaker verification using Siamese convolutional network. Siamese networks are twin networks with shared weights. Feature space can be learnt easily by training these networks even if similar observations are placed in proximity. Extracted features from Siamese then can be classified using difference or correlation measures. We have implemented a customized scoring scheme that utilizes Siamese’ capability of applying distance measures with the convolutional learning. Experiments made on cross language audios of multi-lingual speakers confirm the capability of our architecture to handle gender, age and language independent speaker verification. Moreover, our designed Siamese network, SpeakerNet, provided better results than the existing speaker verification approaches by decreasing the equal error rate to 0.02.

Sourcing Dis/Information: How Swedish and Ukrainian Journalists Source, Verify, and Mediate Journalistic Truth During the Russian-Ukrainian Conflict

ABSTRACT Journalists form the middle links of global information chains, playing a decisive role in detecting and dismantling or amplifying problematic information. Information sourcing, verification, and transparency are important tools for journalists when they transmit their sense-making of events, i.e., the journalistic truth, to the audiences. This mixed-methods study of the disinformation-prone conflict between Russia and Ukraine investigates how journalists at different positions on the information chain—i.e., on the ground (Ukraine) and at a distance (Sweden)—source, verify, and narrate their journalistic truth to audiences. We found that, even in high-pressure situations created by hot conflicts, sourcing and verification remain mostly individualized practices that are shaped by internalized unwritten, professional rules of an oral newsroom culture. Verification protocols or specialized tools are largely absent. Sources were sometimes hard to detect in the journalistic content; claims about their verification status even harder. There was a fear that being overtly transparent about sources would jeopardize journalists’ authority. Especially problematic are the precarious working and living conditions for journalists on the ground. These conditions make them vulnerable sources for journalists abroad.

Efficient Verification of Arbitrary Entangled States with Homogeneous Local Measurements

AbstractQuantum state verification (QSV) is the task of relying on local measurements only to verify that a given quantum device does produce the desired target state. Up to now, certain types of entangled states can be verified efficiently or even optimally by QSV. However, given an arbitrary entangled state, how to design its verification protocol remains an open problem. This study presents a systematic strategy to tackle this problem by considering the locality of what it initiates as the choice‐independent measurement protocols, whose operators can be directly achieved when they are homogeneous. Taking several typical entangled states as examples, this study shows the explicit procedures of the protocol design using standard Pauli projections, demonstrating the superiority of the method for attaining better QSV strategies. Moreover, the framework can be naturally extended to other tasks such as the construction of entanglement witnesses, and even parameter estimation.