Search

In earlier reported chat-based steganography techniques, only direct communication between the sender and receiver was considered which can raise suspicion for further investigations by an attacker. If the adversary traces the communication between the two, he may investigate to find out the data shared during communication, can alter the content, or destroy it. In such a situation, a steganography system is required which can bypass adverse attention through indirect communication instead of direct communication. In this paper, we propose a new framework to camouflage hidden communication between the transceivers. The framework is based on online social networking and video-sharing website's communication. The secret message is communicated using comment features of these social networking and video-sharing websites in a totally new way compared with earlier approaches. Stego-comment is generated by performing synonym-substitution based on Huffman code on the auto-summarized previous comments of a chosen post. The stego-comment does not raise any suspicion to the intermediary by being technically similar to other comments which may not have any hidden message, which makes this method successful. Similarity indices of the stego-comment with respect to other comments are calculated using a String Similarity Tool which uses fuzzy comparison functions between strings for one sample dataset. The proposed method gives average bit-rate (as a measure of embedding efficiency) of 9.04 bits per sentence for a set of five different case studies which is high compared with average bit rates found in the literature. This communication cannot be traced between the communicators through traffic analysis in any easy way due to the absence of any direct communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Propose a novel method for contrast enhancement of ROI of backlit image for surveillance systems. • Gamma and Log tone maps improve the contrast and luminosity of the dark regions of the backlit image. • A transfer learning-based approach generates multi-illumination maps for the ROI of backlit images. • An average-based fusion method for multi-illumination maps amalgamation. The surveillance images under backlit conditions is a potential and challenging research problem in image processing and computer vision. Low contrast regions of interest of backlit images form an indiscernible part for the real-time surveillance and biometrics applications. However, current state-of-the-art techniques typically offer limited dark-region contrast enhancement, are susceptible to colour distortion. This research work uses region of interest segmentation and a transfer learning-based strategy to improve the contrast of the dark intensity regions in backlit image using multi-illumination mappings, motivated by its usefulness. To generate a diversified collection of illumination-maps and enhance the brightness and contrast of the backlit image, the proposed framework applies the varied set of log and gamma transforms. The experimental findings confirm the assertion that the proposed method provides better performance than state-of-the-art methods both objectively and subjectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Steganography is a way of communication between the transceivers by hiding the secret message in innocuous medium, so that no one doubts the secret communication. In this paper we put forth a novel method to embed secret data in the game, "Minesweeper", as minesweeper is a very popular game in standalone system and is also available to be played online. The proposed method generates a minesweeper grid which is visually indistinguishable by humans from other minesweeper games currently present online. The game has several properties, using which, steganography can be performed. Here, we have used position of mines present in the minesweeper grid to hide the secret message. The phenomenon of camouflage starts with the player's first click on the minesweeper grid. To place the mines on the minesweeper grid in a scattered way, different matrix traversal approaches and rules to be followed are also designed to prevent the game from raising suspicion to the intermediary. The statistical analysis of different properties also shows resemblance of the proposed game to other online and offline minesweeper games. The game simulator is given with embedded message within it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] Glycerol as a green, environmentally benign, safe, and nontoxic reaction media. [•] Variety of aryl halides gave corresponding N-aryl heterocycles using CuI catalyst. [•] The copper/glycerol catalytic system was efficiently recycled up to four runs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • Crustal thickness varies within the range ∼38–53 km in the Siang Window. • Poisson's ratios (σ) vary significantly from 0.23 to 0.308 in the window. • A high σ value is due to partially serpentinized rocks in the ophiolitic mélange. • The study portrays regional variation of Poisson's ratio in the Eastern Himalaya. We investigated the average crustal thickness and Poisson's ratio (σ) at 8 broadband seismological stations established in the Siang Window of the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis. The H- k stacking method has been adopted on receiver functions of teleseismic earthquakes recorded by the seismological stations. The study reveals the variation of crustal thickness from ∼38 km in the Brahmaputra Valley (Pashighat) to ∼53 km at the northern boundary of the window. The estimated Poisson's ratios show significant variation from 0.23 to 0.308 in the window. The average crustal Poisson's ratios (σ) estimated at each station are divided into three categories, low (σ ≤ 0.25), intermediate (0.25 ≤ σ ≤ 0.27), and high (σ ≥ 0.27). The wide variations in σ can be attributed to the local geology. The extremely low σ at Along (0.23) can be explained by the presence of SiO 2 rich quartzite in the vicinity, while the extremely high σ at Gelling (0.308) suggests the presence of partially serpentinized rocks in the ophiolitic mélange. The available data of Poisson's ratios and Moho depths in and around the study region has been plotted to portray regional variations. The Siang Window is seismically active up to ∼40 km crustal depth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tectonics of the Garwal-Kumaon Himalaya is characterized by thrusts, tectonic windows, and klippen. We investigate crustal shear wave velocity variations using ambient noise cross-correlation tomography. The studied region encompasses the Kali River valley in the east to Satluj valley in the west, with the adjoining Indo-Gangetic Plain in the south covering the northern part of the Delhi-Haridwar ridge. The fundamental mode group velocities of Rayleigh waves are extracted from cross-correlation data of 33 broadband seismological stations from a regional seismic network. A total of 374 dispersion curves with a period range of 4–29 s show a group velocity variation between ∼2.3 and ∼ 3.4 km/s. The shear wave velocity structure of the uppermost lithosphere down to ∼50 km obtained by non-linear inversion of the Rayleigh wave dispersion data provides new insight into the geometry of the crust. A large variation in Vs in the range of ∼2.8 to ∼4.7 km/s corresponds to a variety of changes in the tectonic deformation, structure, and crustal thickness of the Himalayan wedge. Thick low-velocity sedimentary formations are identified beneath the Indo-Gangetic Plain and the frontal Himalaya. Anomalous low Vs zones are also observed in the mid-crust beneath the higher Himalaya and southern Tibet, indicating partial melting or the presence of aqueous fluid zones. The high-velocity anomalies may be correlated with duplex structures beneath the Lesser Himalaya and with lithospheric flexure. [Display omitted] • Very low Vs in the uppermost crust beneath IGP indictes upto 10 km thick sediments. • Contrast of Vs in different depths in western and eastern parts of Central Himalaya. • Low Vs around MCT with high seismicity close and above Main Himalayan Thrust. • Possibility of flexure in the mantle below ramp structure. • Moho depth is between 40 and 47 km depth or deeper beneath study region of NW Himalaya. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maternal nutritional deficiency significantly perturbs the offspring's physiology predisposing them to metabolic diseases during adulthood. Vitamin B 12 and folate are two such micronutrients, whose deficiency leads to elevated homocysteine levels. We earlier generated B 12 and/or folate deficient rat models and using high-throughput proteomic approach, showed that maternal vitamin B 12 deficiency modulates carbohydrate and lipid metabolism in the liver of pups through regulation of PPAR signaling pathway. In this study, using similar approach, we identified 26 differentially expressed proteins in the kidney of pups born to mothers fed with vitamin B 12 deficient diet while only four proteins were identified in the folate deficient group. Importantly, proteins like calreticulin, cofilin 1 and nucleoside diphosphate kinase B that are involved in the functioning of the kidney were upregulated in B 12 deficient group. Our results hint towards a larger effect of vitamin B 12 deficiency compared to that of folate presumably due to greater elevation of homocysteine in vitamin B 12 deficient group. In view of widespread vitamin B 12 and folate deficiency and its association with several diseases like anemia, cardiovascular and renal diseases, our results may have large implications for kidney diseases in populations deficient in vitamin B 12 especially in vegetarians and the elderly people.This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Proteomics in India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Maternal nutritional deficiency in-utero is known to predict risk of complex disorders like cardiovascular disease, diabetes and many neurological disorders in the offspring and vitamin B12 is one such critical micronutrient. Here we performed 2D-DIGE followed by MALDI TOF/TOF analysis to identify proteins that are differentially expressed in liver of pups born to mothers fed vitamin B12 deficient diet vis-à-vis control diet. To further establish causality, we analyzed the effect of B12 rehabilitation at parturition on the protein levels and the phenotype in pups. We identified 38 differentially expressed proteins that were enriched in pathways involved in the regulation of amino acid, lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. Further, three enzymes in the β-oxidation pathway (hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase, medium-chain specific acyl-CoA dehydrogenase, 3-ketoacyl-CoA thiolase) were down-regulated in pups born to mothers fed vitamin B12 deficient diet. We observed age-dependent differential expression of peroxisome proliferator activated-receptor (PPAR) α and γ in the deficient pups. Interestingly, expression of 27 proteins that were differentially expressed was restored to the control levels after rehabilitation of female rats with vitamin B12 from parturition. Our study thus provides the first evidence that maternal vitamin B12 deficiency influences lipid and other micronutrient metabolism in pups through regulation of PPAR signaling pathway. Biological significance: Maternal vitamin B12 deficiency has been shown to predict the onset of complex disorders like atherosclerosis, type II diabetes etc. in the next generation during their adulthood. We have shown earlier that pups born to female rats fed with vitamin B12 deficient diet were obese and developed high levels of other intermediate traits such as triglycerides, cholesterol etc. that are related to the risk of diabetes and cardiovascular disorders. In this piece of work using differential proteomic approach we have identified the altered metabolic processes in the liver of vitamin B12 deficient pups. We have also documented that the proteins involved in β-oxidation pathway are down-regulated. Further, differential expression of PPARα and PPARγ was evidently documented as the master regulator for the alteration of lipid, amino acid and carbohydrate metabolism during maternal vitamin B12 deficiency. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]