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Data security is still a major issue regarding the need for data confidentiality. The encryption process using the RSA algorithm is still the most popular method used in securing data because the complexity of the mathematical equations used in this algorithm makes it difficult to hack. However, the complexity of the RSA algorithm is still a major problem that hinders its application in a more complex application. Optimization is needed in the processing of this RSA algorithm, one of which is by running it on a distributed system. In this paper, we propose an approach with a FIFO process scheduling algorithm that runs on a single board computer cluster. The test results show that the allocation of resources in a system that uses a FIFO process scheduling algorithm is more efficient and shows a decrease in the overall processing time of RSA encryption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cyber-physical system (CPS) is a combination of physical components with computational elements to interact with the physical world. The integration of these two systems has led to an increase in security concerns. Traditional encryption algorithms designed for general-purpose computing environments may not adequately address the distinct challenges of CPS, such as limited processing power, delay, and resource-constrained hardware. Therefore, there is a pressing need to develop an encryption algorithm that is optimized for CPS security without compromising the critical real-time aspects of these systems. This research has designed a modified encryption technique named the advanced encryption standard in galois counter mode with nonce and rivest-shamir-adleman algorithm (AESGNRSA). A smart medical system is designed to monitor the health of remotely located patients. The AESGNRSA algorithm is applied to the three servers of this system. The data of 1.5 lakh patients is fed to this system to verify the effectiveness of the AESGNRSA algorithm. The performance parameters like encryption and decryption time, encryption and decryption throughput, and encrypted file size are calculated for the AESGNRSA algorithm. The comparative analysis proved that AESGNRSA has the highest performance as compared to other algorithms and it can protect CPS against many cyber-attacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to compare the effects of an 8-week short-term training program, comprising repeated sprints or running-based high-intensity intermittent training (HIIT), on the aerobic fitness and repeated sprint ability (RSA) performance of sub-elite basketball referees. Twenty male referees participated in supervised training sessions twice a week. They were randomly assigned to either the RSA-based group (RSAG) or the running-based HIIT group (HIITG). The RSAG conducted 3–4 sets of 8 × 20-m all-out sprints, while the HIITG performed 2–3 sets of 6 × 20-s runs at 90% of their maximal velocity achieved in the 30–15 intermittent fitness test (30–15IFT). Referees underwent a graded exercise test on a treadmill, the 30–15IFT, and an RSA test before and after the training program. Both groups showed significant improvement (~3%) in the fastest (22.6 ± 1.4 vs. 23.4 ± 1.7 and 22.0 ±1.9 vs. 22.4 ± 1.7 km·h−1 in RSAG and HIITG, respectively) and mean (21.5 ± 1.2 vs. 22.4 ± 1.4 and 21.3 ± 1.8 vs. 21.7 ± 1.6 km·h−1 in RSAG and HIITG, respectively) sprint velocity of the RSA test (p < 0.05). Moreover, positive changes (p < 0.05) were observed in the 30–15IFT maximal velocity (18.6 ± 1.1 vs. 19.3 ± 1.0 and 19.4 ± 0.9 vs. 20.5 ± 0.9 km·h−1 in RSAG and HIITG, respectively). In conclusion, an 8-week training intervention using either RSA or running-based HIIT led to similar improvements in referees' RSA performance and specific aerobic fitness measures. These findings could assist in devising tailored training programs for basketball referees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the prevalence of mobile device use, especially among parents of young children, the current study examines the impact of mobile device distraction (technoference) on toddlers' physiological and emotional functioning. We suspected that toddlers' would demonstrate difficultly maintaining physiological and emotional homeostasis when parents became distracted by a mobile device. In this study, we examined toddlers' (N = 129, M age = 29.05 months) physiological and behavioral responses across three conditions in an induced technoference task that mimicked elements of a traditional still face paradigm (i.e., social engagement, phone distraction, and social recovery). Similar to previous studies employing still face with younger infants, a majority of toddlers demonstrated a loss of positive affective tone mirrored by heart rate increase and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) decrease (vagal withdrawal) during the phone distraction condition relative to the initial and final social engagement conditions. However, some toddlers demonstrated vagal activation (RSA increase) to parents' phone distraction. Greater RSA withdrawal was linked to decreased positive affect and increased negative affect for children during parents' phone distraction. Parents who reported higher levels of technoference were more likely to have children who demonstrated lower vagal reactivity (greater vagal withdrawal) to parents' phone distraction while parents attitudes about technoference (e.g., "it is okay to use a mobile device in front of my child") was found to be linked to higher RSA reactivity (greater vagal activation). Findings are discussed in relation to Porges' polyvagal theory and the possible role that interactive dynamics play in children's emerging regulatory systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maize is the most in-demand staple crop globally. Its production relies strongly on the use of fertilizers for the supply of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, which the plant absorbs through its roots, together with water. The architecture of maize roots is determinant in modulating how the plant interacts with the microbiome and extracts nutrients and water from the soil. As such, attempts to use synthetic biology and modulate that architecture to make the plant more resilient to drought and parasitic plants are underway. These attempts often try to modulate the biosynthesis of hormones that determine root architecture and growth. Experiments are laborious and time-consuming, creating the need for simulation platforms that can integrate metabolic models and 3D root growth models and predict the effects of synthetic biology interventions on both, hormone levels and root system architectures. Here, we present an example of such a platform that is built using Mathematica. First, we develop a root model, and use it to simulate the growth of many unique 3D maize root system architectures (RSAs). Then, we couple this model to a metabolic model that simulates the biosynthesis of strigolactones, hormones that modulate root growth and development. The coupling allows us to simulate the effect of changing strigolactone levels on the architecture of the roots. We then integrate the two models in a simulation platform, where we also add the functionality to analyze the effect of strigolactone levels on root phenotype. Finally, using in silico experiments, we show that our models can reproduce both the phenotype of wild type maize, and the effect that varying strigolactone levels have on changing the architecture of maize roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secure transmission of images over wireless communications systems can be done using RSA, the most known and efficient cryptographic algorithm, and OFDMA, the most preferred signal processing choice in wireless communications. This paper aims to investigate the performance of OFDMA system for wireless transmission of RSA-based encrypted images. In fact, the performance of OFDMA systems; based on different signal processing techniques, such as, discrete sine transforms (DST) and discrete cosine transforms (DCT), as well as the conventional discrete Fourier transforms (DFT) are tested for wireless transmission of gray-scale images with/without RSA encryption. The progress of transmitting the image is carried by firstly, encrypting the image with RSA algorithm. Then, the encrypted image is modulated with DFT-based, DCT-based, and DST-based OFDMA systems. After that, the modulated images are transmitted over a wireless multipath fading channel. The reverse operations will be carried at the receiver, in addition to the frequency domain equalization to overcome the channel effect. Exhaustive numbers of scenarios are performed for study and investigation of the performance of the different OFDMA systems in terms of PSNR and MSE, with different subcarriers mapping and modulation techniques, is done. Results indicate that the ability of different OFDMA systems for wireless secure transmission of images. However, the DCT-OFDMA system showed superiority over the DST-OFDMA and the conventional DFT-OFDMA systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Immune checkpoints (ICPs) serve as regulatory switches on immune-competent cells. Soluble ICPs consist of fragments derived from ICP molecules typically located on cell membranes. Research has demonstrated that they perform similar functions to their membrane-bound counterparts but are directly present in the bloodstream. Effective control of the maternal immune system is vital for a successful pregnancy due to genetic differences between the mother and fetus. Abnormalities in the immune response are widely acknowledged as the primary cause of spontaneous abortions. In our research, we introduce a novel approach to understanding the immune-mediated mechanisms underlying recurrent miscarriages and explore new possibilities for diagnosing and preventing pregnancy loss. The female participants in the study were divided into three groups: RSA (recurrent spontaneous abortion), pregnant, and non-pregnant women. The analysis of soluble forms of immune checkpoints and their ligands in the serum of the study groups was conducted using the Luminex method Statistically significant differences in the concentrations of (ICPs) were observed between physiological pregnancies and the RSA group. Among patients with RSA, we noted reduced concentrations of sGalectin-9, sTIM-3, and sCD155, along with elevated concentrations of LAG-3, sCD80, and sCD86 ICPs, in comparison to physiological pregnancies. Our study indicates that sGalectin-9, TIM-3, sLAG-3, sCD80, sCD86, sVISTA, sNectin-2, and sCD155 could potentially serve as biological markers of a healthy, physiological pregnancy. These findings suggest that changes in the concentrations of soluble immune checkpoints may have the potential to act as markers for early pregnancy loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Miller–Rabin test is a useful probabilistic method for finding large primes. In this paper, we explain the method in detail and give three variations on this test. These variations were originally developed as student projects to supplement a course in error correcting codes and cryptography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a need for increased security measures because of wide variety of android Internet of Thing (IoT) mobile devices that can communicate with each other via networks for controlling the management of enterprise. Elliptic Curve Deffie Hellman (ECDH) and Rivest Shamir Adleman (RSA) are used to secure data in android IoT phones in efficient manner. Android mobile can store a lot of data, including sensitive data. Protecting data saved on mobile has become a critical problem. In android IoT, Collaborative Machine Learning describes a method for collaboratively mining data, which makes it easier to manage and lowers cost of maintenance. To increase security in IoT phones, suggested system uses ECDH, RSA, and CML algorithms, which have been considered novelty of this method. RSA and ECDH are computed using time of decryption, encryption, and key generation. Conclusions show ECDH beats other alternatives like RSA. Finally, all users of the network have been tested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE Soft tissue defects of the distal lower extremity and foot present major challenges in reconstruction. In elderly patients with co morbidities, the reverse sural artery flap is a versatile tool in reconstruction of lower extremity and foot defect as they are poor candidates of free microsurgical flap. This study was conducted to assess the versatility of the flap to cover defects in varying sites of the distal leg and foot and also its efficacy to serve as an alternative option for free microsurgical flap in the elderly patients (>60yrs). MATERIALS AND METHODS All patients above 50 years of age who presented with lower extremity and foot defects underwent Reversal Sural Artery flap from January 2021 to January 2022 were included in this study. 19 patients were included in this study. The etiology of the defects were trauma, electrical burns injury and infection. The flaps were raised as pedicled, islanded and adipofascial flaps. Donor site was covered using split skin grafting in all cases. The patients were followed up for a minimum of 6 months. RESULTS The mean age of the patients were 62.5 years. 15 male and 4 female patients were included. Size of the defects were minimum of 4x3 cm and maximum of 10x5 cm. 10 patients had diabetes mellitus and 5 patients had hypertension and 3 patients had both diabetes and hypertension and 1 patient had associated head injury. 4 patients had pre-operative flap delay followed by flap inset 7 days later. Pedicled RSA flap was done in 15 patients, adipofascial flap cover was done in 2 patients and islanded flap cover was done in 2 patients. Venous congestion present in most of the cases in early postoperative period. Flap settled uneventfully in 17 patients. 2 patients had distal flap necrosis for about 2 cm which was managed by debridement and advancement after which flaps settled well. All donor sites graft settled well. CONCLUSION The reverse sural artery flap is a reliable alternative for free microsurgical flap cover for reconstruction of lower extremity and foot defects in elderly patients who are poor candidates for free microsurgical flap cover, with less operative time, easy learning curve, fewer complications and high success rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The component design and fixation method of joint arthroplasty may affect component migration and survival. The aim of this study was to compare fixation of cementless twin-peg (CLTP), cemented twin-peg (CTP) and cemented single-peg (CSP) femoral components of medial unicompartmental knee replacement (UKR). Methods: Eighty patients (mean age = 63 years, 48 males) with medial knee osteoarthritis were randomized in three ways to CLTP (n = 25), CTP (n = 26) or CSP (n = 29) femoral UKR components. The patients were followed 5 years postoperatively with RSA, bone mineral density (BMD), PROMs and radiological evaluation of radiolucent lines (RLL), femoral component flexion angle and complications. Results: At the 5-year follow-up, femoral component total translation was comparable between the three groups (p = 0.60). Femoral component internal rotation was 0.50° (95% CI 0.3; 0.69) for the CLTP group, 0.58° (95% CI 0.38; 0.77) for the CTP group and 0.25° (95% CI 0.07; 0.43) for the CSP group (p = 0.01). BMD decreased peri-prosthetically (range − 11.5%; − 14.0%) until 6-month follow-up and increased toward the 5-year follow-up (range − 3.6%; − 5.8%). BMD change did not correlate with component migration. Lower flexion angle was correlated with higher 5-year subsidence, total translation, varus rotation and maximum total point motion (p = 0.01). Two patients (1 CLTP, 1 CTP) had RLL in the posterior zone. There were two revisions. Conclusion: At 5-year follow-up, fixation of UKA femoral components with twin-peg was not superior to the single-peg design. Cementless and cemented twin-peg femoral components had similar fixation. A lower flexion angle was correlated with higher component migration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Refractory status asthmaticus (Rsa) is a severe, life-threatening form of asthma exacerbation that persists despite aggressive treatment with systemic corticosteroids, bronchodilators, and other supportive measures. omalizumab, a monoclonal antibody that targets Ige, has been approved for treating severe allergic asthma and is effective in reducing the frequency of exacerbations and improving asthma control. Limited evidence exists regarding the use of omalizumab in Rsa, but some studies have suggested that it may have a role in its management. Case: a 39-year-old male with a decade-long history of asthma presented to the emergency department intubated and unresponsive to pharmacological therapy. the patient's Ige levels were elevated, and omalizumab was administered after a comprehensive evaluation. the patient made a dramatic recovery and was successfully weaned off the ventilator within 24 h of receiving omalizumab. He made an uneventful recovery and was discharged home on omalizumab once every two weeks with regular follow-ups. Discussion and conclusion: per our literature search, only 3 cases have been reported where omalizumab was administered to patients with Rsa to wean them off ventilatory support successfully. this case study adds to the existing data on the potential benefits of omalizumab in managing Rsa. It suggests it may be a valuable treatment option for patients who do not respond to standard therapy. However, further research is needed to determine the efficacy and safety of omalizumab in this population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The design of tibial trays for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) has been a topic of research for several decades. Although all-polyethylene trays were developed to address issues such as osteolysis and to enhance the longevity of the prosthesis, as well as knee range of motion, metal-backed designs have remained the most commonly used type of prosthesis. This meta-analysis aimed to compare the clinical, radiological, and survival outcomes of both designs. Methods: Five databases were searched from inception until October 1, 2020, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the outcomes of all-polyethylene and metal-backed tibial components in TKA. The outcomes of interest included range of motion, knee society score, stairs climbing scores, radiostereographic analysis, survivorship and complication. This review was conducted in line with PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines. Risk of bias was assessed using the Newcastle–Ottawa tool. Results: A total of 14 RCTs with 1367 TKA were included with a mean age of – years and – years for all-polyethylene and metal-backed tibial components groups, respectively. All-polyethylene group demonstrated statistically significant differences in five-year survivorship (OR 0.27; 95% CI 0.10–0.75; p value 0.01) and stairs climbing score (OR − 2.07; 95% CI − 3.27–0.87; p value 0.0007) when compared to the metal-backed group. The metal-backed design was significantly more radiographically stable in anterior–posterior, varus–valgus, and internal–external rotations at the 2-year follow-up compared to all-polyethylene tibias (OR − 0.09; 95% CI − 0.16 to − 0.02; p value 0.02) as per the pooled radiostereographic analysis. However, ten-year survivorship (OR 0.92; 95% CI 0.53–1.60; p value 0.78), range of motion (OR − 0.57; 95% CI − 2.00–0.85, p value 0.43), knee society scores (OR 1.38; 95% CI − 0.47–3.23, p value 0.14), and complications (OR 0.83; 95% CI 0.5–1.39, p value 0.48) were comparable between both groups. Conclusions: While this meta-analysis suggests that all-polyethylene tibial components in total knee arthroplasty may offer advantages over metal-backed components in terms of five-year survivorship, and stairs climbing score, this finding should be considered in the context of potential confounding factors. Nonetheless, based on the results, the all-polyethylene implant should be considered a viable choice for primary knee replacement. Level of evidence: I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) symptoms are unspecific and make it difficult for clinicians to make a diagnosis. Several types of questionnaires have been developed to diagnose LPR such as the reflux symptoms score (RSS) and reflux sign assessment (RSA) questionnaires. However, the use of these questionnaires in Indonesia is still experiencing obstacles because there is no Indonesian version that has been tested for validity and reliability. This study aims to evaluate the validity and reliability of the Indonesian versions of RSS and RSA. Methods: This study was an observational analytic study with a cross-sectional design involving 40 patients with LPR during January-March 2023. Questionnaire validity was assessed using external and internal validity methods, while reliability was assessed using internal consistency and test-retest reliability. Results: The Indonesian versions of the RSS and RSA had good internal consistency with Cronbach's α values of 0.734-0.831 and 0.743-0.809 respectively. Test-retest reliability for RSS and RSA was also good with rs of 0.930 and 0.842 respectively with p<0.001 for both questionnaires. The Indonesian versions of RSS and RSA also proved to have good validity with high correlations between RSS with reflux symptoms index (RSI) and RSA with reflux finding score (RFS) with p<0.001 for both questionnaires). Conclusion: The Indonesian versions of the RSS and RSA questionnaires were found to be valid and reliable for the assessment of symptoms and diagnosis of LPR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a growing interest in the ability of machine learning to predict outcomes in shoulder arthroplasty. Machine learning is the use of computer systems that can adapt and learn by using algorithms to draw statistical significance and predictions from data. Multiple studies have shown that machine learning algorithms can help predict postoperative outcomes, including patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), range of motion, complications, and unplanned readmissions. Ultimately, the promise of machine learning in shoulder arthroplasty is to improve patient risk stratification, procedure selection, and long-term outcomes. Modern algorithms rely on numerous input variables, although recent efforts seek to reduce the required number of variables to improve efficiency and decrease the clinical burden. A review of recent machine learning studies allows for a deeper understanding of the potential use of predictive analytics in improving outcomes of shoulder arthroplasty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to perform a systematic review of the literature evaluating the importance of subscapularis repair in patients who underwent reverse shoulder arthroplasty (RSA). A systematic search of articles in PubMed, EMBASE, and the Cochrane Library databases was carried out according to the PRISMA guidelines. Cohort studies comparing RSA with subscapularis repair vs. RSA without subscapularis repair were included. All statistical analysis was performed using Review Manager. A P value of <.05 was considered to be statistically significant. Seventeen studies with 2620 patients were included. Subscapularis repair resulted in less instability compared to without subscapularis repair (0.8% vs. 4.2%, P =.04), and there were no significant differences in rate of instability with lateralization (0.6% vs. 1.6%, P =.40), revision rates (2.6% vs. 3.9%, P =.62), and complication rates (7.7% vs. 4.9%, P =.21). Subscapularis repair had improved American Shoulder and Elbow Surgeons Standardized Shoulder Assessment Form (ASES) scores (83.6 vs. 80.2, P =.02) and Constant scores (72.6 vs. 68.9, P <.01) but there was not a significant difference in visual analog scale pain scores (1.2 vs. 1.6, P =.11). Subscapularis repair had a significant difference in forward flexion (140° vs. 137°, P =.04) and internal rotation score (5.5 vs. 4.6, P =.001); however, there was no significant difference in external rotation (35° vs. 35°, P =.80) and abduction (117° vs. 123°, P =.13). This study found that RSA with subscapularis repair demonstrated a reduction in the occurrence of implant instability with medialized implants. However, subscapularis repair did not yield improvements in revision rates, complications, or instability with lateralized implants. Additionally, other outcome measures such as ASES, Constant score, and range of motion exhibited statistically significant improvements with subscapularis repair but did not surpass clinically significant thresholds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this era of information security and communication, a major priority is the achievement of a robust and secure steganography system when thinking about information concealment. The development of such an information-hiding scheme demands that the scheme be able to hide a secret message within the cover media. The most vexing issues in existing steganography protocols are imperceptibility, security, and capacity, and researchers have frequently emphasized a trade-off between these issues. Scholars have consistently ignored the balance between security and payload because resolving one problem has been shown to have an impact on the other, and vice versa. To overcome these problems, an effective method known as the Conventional Neural Network based Edge Detection Method (CNN-EDM) has been presented for image steganography in this study. The CNN-EDM is used to improve the contributions of the proposed scheme. Four main stages were used to achieve the objectives in this research, beginning with the cover image and secret image preparation, followed by embedding, and culminating in extraction. The last stage is the evaluation stage, which employs several evaluations to benchmark the obtained results. A standard database from the Signal and Image Processing Institute (SIPI) containing color and grayscale images with 512 × 512 pixels was utilized in this study. Different parameters were used to test the performance of the suggested scheme based on security and imperceptibility (image quality). The image quality was evaluated using three important metrics: histogram analysis, peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), and structural similarity index (SSIM). Furthermore, two metrics were used to evaluate the security properties of the proposed system: the Human Visual System (HVS) and Chi-square (X2) attacks. The evaluations showed that the proposed scheme can enhance the capacity, invisibility, and security features and address the already existing problems in this domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most flamboyant technological novelties of today's world is cloud computing, which has been fuelled by the increase in the number of smart devices across the internet. With the continuous advancement in the technical field, cloud computing has played a significant role in enabling the user to share, store and retrieve data from anywhere at any time. The involvement of many users in cloud computing, questions the security of the data present on the cloud. Existing features in cloud security are vulnerable to potential risks including lack of confidentiality, integrity, and authentication. In this paper, we propose a new data security mechanism using newly proposed hybrid encryption system (HES) and quantum key distribution (QKD) for secured data communication in cloud networks. The newly proposed HES uses the standard cryptographic algorithms namely AES and RSA for performing effective encryption and decryption processes. The newly proposed QKD is ensured the secured data communications by generating and distributing the reliable keys to the authorized users. Moreover, the novelty is introduced in the suggested model ensures reliable distribution of keys among the users and in turn preserves the data through secure hybrid encryption. At the end, the scrutiny of the proposed system proves that it is preferable that the existing models in terms of secure communication, reliability and performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This investigation delineates an innovative approach to fortify the secure key exchange process by integrating the robustness of the RSA algorithm with the unpredictability of a chaotic system, thereby advancing the security framework for color image encryption. Within this scheme, encryption keys are derived from a chaotic system, the initial conditions of which are dynamically modulated by the delta feature extracted from the source image. Such a design ensures that the system's behavior inherently adapts to the input image. The initial values and parameters governing the five-dimensional chaotic system are securely transmitted from sender to recipient via the RSA algorithm. Subsequently, diffusion and confusion processes are orchestrated through the application of two uniquely computed key matrices, which operate on the image at the column and row levels, respectively. This mechanism is instrumental in altering pixel values throughout the image. Performance evaluation of the proposed algorithm is quantified by several metrics: a high Number of Pixels Change Rate (NPCR) value of 99.621% illustrates its efficacy in pixel value modification, while a Peak Signal-to-Noise Ratio (PSNR) value of 8.898 implies the retention of image quality post-encryption. Furthermore, an Unified Average Changing Intensity (UACI) value of 33.823% signifies the algorithm's proficiency in introducing substantial variations in pixel intensities. The results corroborate the algorithm's competency in encrypting color images, underpinning its utility in diverse applications that necessitate stringent data and image protection measures against unauthorized access. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, I examine previous claims by Menéndez-Benito (2005; 2010) and Dayal (2013) that You may read any book entails Every book may be read on its own. In light of several key counterexamples, including those raised by Chierchia (2013) and Szabolcsi (2019), I argue that this is not an entailment at all, but a particularly robust implicature that arises in the pragmatics. In order to derive this implicature, I combine Szabolcsi’s semantics for universal free choice items (FCIs) with a formal pragmatic model in the Rational Speech Act (RSA) framework. I update Champollion et al.’s (2019) RSA model of free choice with technical innovations from Franke & Bergen (2020) to model how a listener interprets an utterance containing the universal FCI any given a range of possible exhaustified parses. This pragmatic model predicts the robustness of the implicature observed by Menéndez-Benito and Dayal, and further predicts that it is more stable across varied contexts than other implicatures arising from the same utterance.

Face perception is a complex process that involves highly specialized procedures and mechanisms. Investigating into face perception can help us better understand how the brain processes fine-grained, multidimensional information. This research aimed to delve deeply into how different dimensions of facial information are represented in specific brain regions or through inter-regional connections via an implicit face recognition task. To capture the representation of various facial information in the brain, we employed support vector machine decoding, functional connectivity, and model-based representational similarity analysis on fMRI data, resulting in the identification of three crucial findings. Firstly, despite the implicit nature of the task, emotions were still represented in the brain, contrasting with all other facial information. Secondly, the connection between the medial amygdala and the parahippocampal gyrus was found to be essential for the representation of facial emotion in implicit tasks. Thirdly, in implicit tasks, arousal representation occurred in the parahippocampal gyrus, while valence depended on the connection between the primary visual cortex and the parahippocampal gyrus. In conclusion, these findings dissociate the neural mechanisms of emotional valence and arousal, revealing the precise spatial patterns of multidimensional information processing in faces.

تعتبر عملية حماية البيانات بزمن تنفيذ قياسي هي الهدف الاساسي للباحثين في مجال حماية البيانات باستخدام آليات أو خوارزميات التشفير، انطلاقاً من هذا المفهوم تم اقتراح أربع نماذج لحماية البيانات النصية تعتمد هذه النماذج على خوارزميتي RSA وAES مع اضافة عمليات XOR إما مع كتلة نصية ثابته وهي الكتلة الأولى m1 أو كتلة نصية ديناميكية متغيرة mi-1 وأعطت هذه النماذج درجة حماية أعلى من خوارزميتي RSA وAES من خلال حساب معدل الأنتروبي لكلٍ منها حيث بينت النتائج زيادة وتحسن قيمة الانتروبي للنماذج الأربعة عن قيمتها لخوارزميتي RSA وAES مما يثبت زيادة درجة حماية البيانات عند استخدام هذه النماذج وقد تم حساب متوسط زمن التنفيذ لإجراء التشفير وفك التشفير لهذه النماذج فتبين أن النماذج الأربعة ذات زمني تشفير وفك تشفير أقل من أزمنة خوارزمية RSA وتقارب أزمنة خوارزمية AES مما أثبت سرعة تنفيذ هذه النماذج المقترحة وقد بينت النتائج أن النموذج الأول هو الاسرع في حين أن النموذج الرابع هو الأعلى درجة حماية.

The Trusted Platform Module (TPM) is a widely deployed computer component that provides increased protection of key material during cryptographic operations, secure storage, and support for a secure boot with a remotely attestable state of the target machine. A systematic study of the TPM ecosystem, its cryptographic properties, and the orderliness of vulnerability mitigation is missing despite its pervasive deployment – likely due to the black-box nature of the implementations. We collected metadata, RSA and ECC cryptographic keys, and performance characteristics from 78 different TPM versions manufactured by 6 vendors, including recent Pluton-based iTPMs, to systematically analyze TPM implementations. Surprisingly, a high rate of changes with a detectable impact on generated secrets, the timing of cryptographic operations, and frequent off-chip generation of Endorsement Keys were observed. Our analysis of public artifacts for TPM-related products certified under Common Criteria (CC) and FIPS 140 showed relatively high popularity of TPMs but without explanation for these changes in cryptographic implementations. Despite TPMs being commonly certified to CC EAL4+, serious vulnerabilities like ROCA or TPM-Fail were discovered in the past. We found a range of additional unreported nonce leakages in ECDSA, ECSCHNORR, and ECDAA algorithms in dTPMs and fTPMs of three vendors. The most serious discovered leakage allows extraction of the private key of certain Intel’s fTPM versions using only nine signatures with no need for any side-channel information, making the vulnerability retrospectively exploitable despite a subsequent firmware update. Unreported timing leakages were discovered in the implementations of ECC algorithms on multiple Nuvoton TPMs, and other previously reported leakages were confirmed. The analysis also unveiled incompleteness of vulnerability reporting and subsequent mitigation with missing clear information about the affected versions and inconsistent fixes.

Natural language processing models based on machine learning (ML-NLP models) have been developed to solve practical problems, such as interpreting an Internet search query. These models are not intended to reflect human language comprehension mechanisms, and the word representations used by ML-NLP models and human brains might therefore be quite different. However, because ML-NLP models are trained with the same kinds of inputs that humans must process, and they must solve many of the same computational problems as the human brain, ML-NLP models and human brains may end up with similar word representations. To distinguish between these hypotheses, we used representational similarity analysis to compare the representational geometry of word representations in two ML-NLP models with the representational geometry of the human brain, as indexed with event-related potentials (ERPs). Participants listened to stories while the electroencephalogram was recorded. We extracted averaged ERPs for each of the 100 words that occurred most frequently in the stories, and we calculated the similarity of the neural response for each pair of words. We compared this 100 × 100 similarity matrix to the 100 × 100 similarity matrix for the word pairs according to two ML-NLP models. We found significant representational similarity between the neural data and each ML-NLP model, beginning within 250 ms of word onset. These results indicate that ML-NLP systems that are designed to solve practical technology problems have a representational geometry that is correlated with that of the human brain, presumably because both are influenced by the structural properties and statistics of language.

Due to the genetic diversity between the mother and the fetus, heightened control over the immune system during pregnancy is crucial. Immunological parameters determined by clinicians in women with idiopathic recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) include the quantity and activity of Natural Killer (NK) and Natural Killer T (NKT) cells, the quantity of regulatory T lymphocytes, and the ratio of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which indicate imbalances in Th1 and Th2 cell response. The processes are controlled by immune checkpoint proteins (ICPs) expressed on the surface of immune cells. We aim to investigate differences in the expression of ICPs on T cells, T regulatory lymphocytes, NK cells, and NKT cells in peripheral blood samples collected from RSA women, pregnant women, and healthy multiparous women. We aim to discover new insights into the role of ICPs involved in recurrent pregnancy loss. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were isolated by gradient centrifugation from blood samples obtained from 10 multiparous women, 20 pregnant women (11–14th week of pregnancy), and 20 RSA women, at maximum of 72 h after miscarriage. The PBMCs were stained for flow cytometry analysis. Standard flow cytometry immunophenotyping of PBMCs was performed using antibodies against classical lymphocyte markers, including CD3, CD4, CD8, CD56, CD25, and CD127. Additionally, ICPs were investigated using antibodies against Programmed Death Protein-1 (PD-1, CD279), T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-containing protein 3 (TIM-3, CD366), V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation (VISTA), T cell immunoglobulin and ITIM domain (TIGIT), and Lymphocyte activation gene 3 (LAG-3). We observed differences in the surface expression of ICPs in the analyzed subpopulations of lymphocytes between early pregnancy and RSA, after miscarriage, and in women. We noted diminished expression of PD-1 on T lymphocytes (p = 0.0046), T helper cells (CD3CD4 positive cells, p = 0.0165), T cytotoxic cells (CD3CD8 positive cells, p = 0.0046), T regulatory lymphocytes (CD3CD4CD25CD127 low positive cells, p = 0.0106), and NKT cells (CD3CD56/CD16 positive cells, p = 0.0438), as well as LAG-3 on lymphocytes T (p = 0.0225) T helper, p = 0.0426), T cytotoxic cells (p = 0.0458) and Treg (p = 0.0293), and cells from RSA women. Impaired expression of TIM-3 (p = 0.0226) and VISTA (p = 0.0039) on CD8 cytotoxic T and NK (TIM3 p = 0.0482; VISTA p = 0.0118) cells was shown, with an accompanying increased expression of TIGIT (p = 0.0211) on NKT cells. The changes in the expression of surface immune checkpoints indicate their involvement in the regulation of pregnancy. The data might be utilized to develop specific therapies for RSA women based on the modulation of ICP expression.