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Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) are deployed on a large scale and require protection from malicious energy drainage attacks, particularly those directed at the routing layer. The complexity increases during critical operations like cluster head selection where detection of such attacks is challenging. The dependency of WSN on batteries elevates the concern posed by these threats, making detection and isolation crucial, especially within the framework of energy-efficient clustering protocols such as Low Energy Adaptive Clustering Hierarchy (LEACH). Various approaches have been proposed in prior research to deal with such attacks. However, the use of memory-efficient data structures has yet to be effectively addressed. In this article, considering the limitations of WSN, we utilize memory-efficient data structures named Bloom filters, count-min (CM) sketch, and cellular automata (CA) to address abnormal energy drainage. A CA-based trust model is used to choose the legitimate node as the cluster head. CM sketch is used to control the frequency of a node selected as a cluster head, achieving fairness in the cluster head selection process, and Bloom filters maintain the record of malicious nodes blocked from participating in the communication or cluster head selection process. CA and trust functions collectively keep a record of neighbors’ energy and their trust in the network. Grayhole, blackhole, and scheduling attacks are three well-known threats that lead to abnormal energy drainage in legitimate nodes. The proposed solution effectively detects and addresses abnormal energy drainage in WSN. Its impact is simulated and observed using ns2 IEEE 802.15.4 medium access control (MAC) and LEACH clustering protocols, specifically in the context of the mentioned attacks. The effectiveness of the proposed model was rigorously analysed, and it was observed that it reduces the energy consumption of WSN by approximately 16.66%, 48.33%, and 43.33% in the cases of grayhole, blackhole, and scheduling attacks, respectively. In terms of space/time complexity, its growth is linear O(n). The proposed solution also consumes 0.08-0.10 J more energy compared to the original LEACH as a cost of the solution, which is not more than 2% of the total initial energy. The trade-off of implementing heightened security is worthwhile, as the proposed approach outperforms the original LEACH and related methods, effectively mitigating abnormal energy drainage in WSN and extending network lifetime, especially in challenging environments with persistent battery recharging challenges.

We report considerations related with surgery through 2 cases of acute apendicitis with COVID-19 infection. In November and December 2020, two patients infected with COVID-19 developed acute apendicitis and underwent emergency surgery. In case 1, an 84-year-old woman was asymptomatic and diagnosed with acute apendicitis on the 20th day of infection. She was discharged after surgery without complication. In contrast, case 2 was a 69-year-old male patient with pneumonia treated with antibiotics, steroids and remdesivir. After surgery, he was hospitalized for a long duration due to persistent pneumonia and wound complications. We should perform appendectomy in well-established negative pressure operating rooms, personal protective equipment, and protocols. Since the physical examination and blood tests were limited, image examination like computed tomography scan should be considered if acute apendicitis is suspected. If the patient has pneumonia before surgery, it can get worse after surgery, and complications such as wound infections can occur.

This paper investigates the application of Schlieren flow visualization for detecting leaks in pipelines carrying high-temperature fluids. Two experimental setups were constructed: one with a 25 mm PTFE tube featuring a 2 mm diameter perforation, and another with a 100 mm diameter pipe insulated with an aluminum jacket and featuring a 12 mm leak gap. A single-mirror-off-axis Schlieren system, employing a 150 mm diameter parabolic mirror, was used to visualize the leaks. The temperature of the leaking air varied between 20 and 100 °C, while the ambient temperature was maintained at 14 °C. To quantify the leaks, the coefficient of variation for pixel intensity within the leak region was calculated. Results showed that for the PTFE tube, leaks became detectable when the temperature difference exceeded 34 °C, with the coefficient of variation surpassing 0.1. However, in the insulated pipe, detecting clear leak patterns was challenging. This research demonstrates the potential of Schlieren visualization as a valuable tool in enhancing pipeline leak detection.

Creating an effective deep learning technique for accurately diagnosing leak signals across diverse environments is crucial for integrating artificial intelligence (AI) into the power plant industry. We propose an automatic weight redistribution ensemble model based on transfer learning (TL) for detecting leaks in diverse power plant environments, overcoming the challenges of site-specific AI methods. This innovative model processes time series acoustic data collected from multiple homogeneous sensors located at different positions into three-dimensional root-mean-square (RMS) and frequency volume features, enabling accurate leak detection. Utilizing a TL-driven, two-stage learning process, we first train residual-network-based models for each domain using these preprocessed features. Subsequently, these models are retrained in an ensemble for comprehensive leak detection across domains, with control weight ratios finely adjusted through a softmax score-based approach. The experiment results demonstrate that the proposed method effectively distinguishes low-level leaks and noise compared to existing techniques, even when the data available for model training are very limited.

With the widespread adoption of smart farms and continuous advancements in IoT (Internet of Things) technology, acquiring diverse additional data has become increasingly convenient. Consequently, studies relevant to deep learning models that leverage multimodal data for crop disease diagnosis and associated data augmentation methods are significantly growing. We propose a comprehensive deep learning model that predicts crop type, detects disease presence, and assesses disease severity at the same time. We utilize multimodal data comprising crop images and environmental variables such as temperature, humidity, and dew points. We confirmed that the results of diagnosing crop diseases using multimodal data improved 2.58%p performance compared to using crop images only. We also propose a multimodal-based mixup augmentation method capable of utilizing both image and environmental data. In this study, multimodal data refer to data from multiple sources, and multimodal mixup is a data augmentation technique that combines multimodal data for training. This expands the conventional mixup technique that was originally applied solely to image data. Our multimodal mixup augmentation method showcases a performance improvement of 1.33%p compared to the original mixup method.

This study enhances infrared communication security in nuclear power plants’ secondary systems, addressing the risk of mechanical and cyber failures. A novel random address generator, employing an innovative S-box, was developed to secure IoT sensor data transmissions to gateway nodes, mitigating eavesdropping, interference, and replay attacks. We introduced a structured IR communication protocol, generating unique, encrypted addresses to prevent unauthorized access. Key-dependent S-boxes, based on a compound chaotic map system, significantly improved encryption, increasing data transmission randomness and uniqueness. Entropy analysis and reduced duplicated addresses confirmed the effectiveness of our method, with the Hash-CCM algorithm showing the highest entropy and fewest duplicates. Integrating advanced cryptographic techniques into IR systems significantly enhances nuclear power plants’ security, contributing to the protection of critical infrastructure from cyber threats and ensuring operational integrity.

Cloud computing technology is rapidly becoming ubiquitous and indispensable. However, its widespread adoption also exposes organizations and individuals to a broad spectrum of potential threats. Despite the multiple advantages the cloud offers, organizations remain cautious about migrating their data and applications to the cloud due to fears of data breaches and security compromises. In light of these concerns, this study has conducted an in-depth examination of a variety of articles to enhance the comprehension of the challenges related to safeguarding and fortifying data within the cloud environment. Furthermore, the research has scrutinized several well-documented data breaches, analyzing the financial consequences they inflicted. Additionally, it scrutinizes the distinctions between conventional digital forensics and the forensic procedures specific to cloud computing. As a result of this investigation, the study has concluded by proposing potential opportunities for further research in this critical domain. By doing so, it contributes to our collective understanding of the complex panorama of cloud data protection and security, while acknowledging the evolving nature of technology and the need for ongoing exploration and innovation in this field. This study also helps in understanding the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of cloud digital forensics, which is found to be quite high at ≈16.53% from 2023 to 2031. Moreover, its market is expected to reach ≈USD 36.9 billion by the year 2031; presently, it is ≈USD 11.21 billion, which shows that there are great opportunities for investment in this area. This study also strategically addresses emerging challenges in cloud digital forensics, providing a comprehensive approach to navigating and overcoming the complexities associated with the evolving landscape of cloud computing.

The Korean Society of Nephrology (KSN) has published a clinical practice guideline (CPG) document for maintenance hemodialysis (HD). The document, 2021 Clinical Practice Guideline on Optimal HD Treatment, is based on an extensive evidence-oriented review of the benefits of preparation, initiation, and maintenance therapy for HD, with the participation of representative experts from the KSN under the methodologists’ support for guideline development. It was intended to help clinicians participating in HD treatment make safer and more effective clinical decisions by providing user-friendly guidelines. We hope that this CPG will be meaningful as a recommendation in practice, but not on a regulatory rule basis, as different approaches and treatments may be used by health care providers depending on the individual patient’s condition. This CPG consists of eight sections and 15 key questions. Each begins with statements that are graded by the strength of recommendations and quality of the evidence. Each statement is followed by a summary of the evidence supporting the recommendations. There are also a link to full-text documents and lists of the most important reports so that the readers can read further (most of this is available online).

The Korean Society of Nephrology (KSN) has published a clinical practice guideline (CPG) document for maintenance hemodialysis (HD). The document, 2021 Clinical Practice Guideline on Optimal HD Treatment, is based on an extensive evidence-oriented review of the benefits of preparation, initiation, and maintenance therapy for HD, with the participation of representative experts from the KSN under the methodologists’ support for guideline development. It was intended to help clinicians participating in HD treatment make safer and more effective clinical decisions by providing user-friendly guidelines. We hope that this CPG will be meaningful as a recommendation in practice, but not on a regulatory rule basis, as different approaches and treatments may be used by health care providers depending on the individual patient’s condition. This CPG consists of eight sections and 15 key questions. Each begins with statements that are graded by the strength of recommendations and quality of the evidence. Each statement is followed by a summary of the evidence supporting the recommendations. There is also a link to full-text documents and lists of the most important reports so that the readers can read further (most of this is available online).

ABSTRACT The prevalence and propagation of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) are serious global public health concerns. The large and the ever-increasing use of antibiotics in livestock is also considered a great concern. The extent of the similarity of acquired antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) between humans and food animals and the driving factors underlying AMR transfer between them are not clear, although a link between ARGs in both hosts was proposed. To address this question, with swine and chicken as examples of food animals, we analyzed over 1,000 gut metagenomes of humans and food animals from over the world. A relatively high abundance and diversity of ARGs were observed in swine compared with those in humans as a whole. Commensal bacteria, particularly species from Clostridiales, contribute the most ARGs associated with mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and were found in both humans and food animals. Further studies demonstrate that overrepresented MGEs, namely, Tn4451/Tn4453 and TnAs3, are attributed mainly to the sharing between humans and food animals. A member of large resolvase family site-specific recombinases, TnpX, is found in Tn4451/Tn4453 which facilitates the insertions of the transient circular molecule. Although the variance in the transferability of ARGs in humans is higher than that in swine, a higher average transferability was observed in swine than that in humans. In conclusion, the potential antibiotic resistance hot spots with higher transferability in food animals observed in the present study emphasize the importance of surveillance for emerging resistance threats before they spread. IMPORTANCE Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has proven to be a global public health concern. To conquer this increasingly worrying trend, an overarching, One Health approach has been used that brings together different sectors, but the fundamental knowledge of the relationship between humans, food animals, and their environments is not mature yet or is lacking in some aspect. With swine and chicken as examples of food animals, a large global data set of over 1,000 human and food animal gut metagenomes was analyzed with a focus on acquired antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) associated with mobile genetic elements (MGEs) to answer this question. Outputs from this work open a new avenue to further our understanding of ARG transferability in food animals. It is a necessary milestone to better equip governmental agencies to monitor and pre-empt antibiotic resistance hot spots. This work will assist and give guidance on how to decipher other links within any One Health initiatives with expected positive feedback to human health.

In most countries, the thermal criteria for the engineered barrier system (EBS) is set to below 100 °C due to the possible illitization in the buffer, which will likely be detrimental to the performance and safety of the repository. On the other hand, if the thermal criteria for the EBS increases, the disposal density and the cost-effectiveness for the high-level radioactive wastes will dramatically increase. Thus, fundamentals on the thermal behavior of the buffer under the elevated temperatures is of crucial importance. Yet, the behaviors at the elevated temperatures of the bentonite under groundwater-saturated conditions have not been reported to-date. Here, we have developed an in-situ synchrotron-based method for the thermal behavior study of the buffer under the elevated temperatures (25–250 °C), investigated d-spacings of the montmorillonite in the Korean bentonite (i.e., Ca-type) at dry and KURT (KAERI Underground Research Tunnel) groundwater-saturated conditions (KJ-ii-dry and KJ-ii-wet), and compared the behaviors with that of MX-80 (i.e., Na-type, MX-80-wet). The hydration states analyzed show tri-, bi-, and mono-hydrated at 25, 120, and 250 °C, respectively for KJ-ii-wet, whereas tri-, mono-, and de-hydrated at 25, 150, and 250 °C, respectively for MX-80-wet. The Korean bentonite starts losing the interlayered water at lower temperatures; however, holds them better at higher temperatures as compared with MX-80.

In most countries, the upper limit of the buffer temperature in a geological repository for nuclear waste is set below 100 °C because of possible illitization. This smectite-to-illite transformation likely causes the swelling function of the buffer to deteriorate. However, stipulation of a higher temperature for the buffer would significantly increase the disposal density and cost effectiveness of the repository. Hence, understanding the characteristics and providing a database of information pertaining to the buffer at elevated temperatures is crucial. This study involved an evaluation of the thermal conductivity of bentonite buffer materials, as this property is the most important parameter for determining the design temperature. An experimental system suitable for operation at high temperatures was established, and was used to measure the thermal conductivity of bentonite buffer materials at different saturation values in the range 0–0.22 from room temperature to 150 °C. The dry density of the bentonite buffer materials is approximately 1.75 g/cm³, and the higher the initial saturation, the higher the measured thermal conductivity. The specimen and probe were placed in an oven and completely sealed with heat resistance tape to prevent water from evaporating from the pores of the specimen. The thermal conductivity of the bentonite buffer materials, which initially increased with temperature, decreased slightly between 100 and 150 °C. In general, the thermal conductivity values were similar between room temperature and 150 °C.

In terms of long-term safety for radioactive waste disposal, the anionic iodide (I-129) with a long half-life (1.6 × 106 yr) is of a critical importance because this radionuclide migrates in geological media with limited interactions. Various studies have been performed to retard the iodide migration. Recently, some minerals that are likely generated from waste container corrosion, have been suggested to have a considerable chemical interaction with iodide. In this study, chalcocite and mackinawite were selected as candidate minerals for underground corrosion materials, and an iodide sorption experiment were carried out. The experiment was performed under anoxic and alkaline conditions and the pH effects on the iodide sorption were investigated in the range of pH 8 to 12. The results showed that both minerals demonstrated a noticeable sorption capacity on iodide, and the distribution coefficient (Kd) decreased as the pH increased in the experimental condition. In addition, when the alkalinity increased higher than a pH of 12, the sorption capacity of both minerals decreased dramatically, likely due to the competition of hydroxy ions with the iodide. This result confirmed that chalcocite was an especially good sorbing media for iodide under alkaline conditions with a pH value of less than 12. Keywords: Iodide, Sorption, Chalcocite, Mackinawite, pH dependancy. extraction

We investigated the clinical characteristics, neuroimaging findings, and final diagnosis of patients with acute isolated or prominent dysarthria who visited the emergency department (ED) between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2021. Of 2028 patients aged ≥ 18 years with neurologic symptoms treated by a neuro-emergency expert, 75 with acute isolated or predominant dysarthria within 1 week were enrolled. Patients were categorized as having isolated dysarthria (n = 28, 37.3%) and prominent dysarthria (n = 47, 62.7%). The causes of stroke were acute ischemic stroke (AIS) (n = 37, 49.3%), transient ischemic attack (TIA) (n = 14, 18.7%), intracerebral hemorrhage (n = 1, 1.3%), and non-stroke causes (n = 23, 30.7%). The most common additional symptoms were gait disturbance or imbalance (n = 8, 15.4%) and dizziness (n = 3, 13.0%) in the stroke and non-stroke groups, respectively. The isolated dysarthria group had a higher rate of TIA (n = 7, 38.9%), single and small lesions (n = 10, 83.3%), and small-vessel occlusion in Trial of Org 101072 in acute stroke treatment (n = 8, 66.7%). Acute isolated or prominent dysarthria in the ED mostly presented as clinical symptoms of AIS, but other non-stroke and medical causes were not uncommon. In acute dysarthria with ischemic stroke, multiple territorial and small and single lesions are considered a cause.

Luteolin (LT), present in most plants, has potent anti-inflammatory properties both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, some of its derivatives, such as luteolin-7-O-glucoside, also exhibit anti-inflammatory activity. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying luteolin-3′-O-phosphate (LTP)-mediated immune regulation are not fully understood. In this paper, we compared the anti-inflammatory properties of LT and LTP and analyzed their molecular mechanisms of action; we obtained LTP via the biorenovation of LT. We investigated the anti-inflammatory activities of LT and LTP in macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. We confirmed from previously reported literature that LT inhibits the production of nitric oxide and prostaglandin E2, as well as the expression of inducible NO synthetase and cyclooxygenase-2. In addition, expressions of inflammatory genes and mediators, such as tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-1β, were suppressed. LTP showed anti-inflammatory activity similar to LT, but better anti-inflammatory activity in all the experiments, while also inhibiting mitogen-activated protein kinase and nuclear factor-kappa B more effectively than LT. At a concentration of 10 μM, LTP showed differences of 2.1 to 44.5% in the activity compared to LT; it also showed higher anti-inflammatory activity. Our findings suggest that LTP has stronger anti-inflammatory activity than LT.

Biorenovation, a microbial enzyme-assisted degradation process of precursor compounds, is an effective approach to unraveling the potential bioactive properties of the derived compounds. In this study, we obtained a new compound, prunetin 4′-O-phosphate (P4P), through the biorenovation of prunetin (PRN), and investigated its anti-inflammatory effects in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated RAW 264.7 macrophage cells. The anti-inflammatory effect of P4P was evaluated by measuring the production of prostaglandin-E2 (PGE2), nitric oxide (NO), which is an inflammation-inducing factor, and related cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNFα), interleukin-1β (IL1β), and interleukin-6 (IL6). The findings demonstrated that P4P was non-toxic to cells, and its inhibition of the secretion of NO—as well as pro-inflammatory cytokines—was concentration-dependent. A simultaneous reduction in the protein expression level of pro-inflammatory proteins such as cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was observed. Moreover, the phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein kinases (MAPKs) such as extracellular signal-regulated kinases (ERKs), c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), p38 MAPK (p38), and nuclear factor kappa B (NFκB) was downregulated. To conclude, we report that biorenovation-based phosphorylation of PRN improved its anti-inflammatory activity. Cell-based in vitro assays further confirmed that P4P could be applied in the development of anti-inflammatory therapeutics.

The increased interest in anti-whitening dyes has enhanced the research interest to identify efficient melanogenic activators. Melanogenesis is the process of melanin production by melanocytes in the hair follicles and skin, which is mediated by several enzymes, such as microphthalmia-associated transcription factor (MITF), tyrosinase (TYR), tyrosinase-related protein (TRP)-1, and TRP-2. This study investigated the melanogenesis-stimulating effect of 4-Methylumbelliferone (4MUMB) and its synthetic derivatives, 7-acetoxy-4-methylcoumarin (7A4MC) and 4-methylheriniarin (4MH) in B16F10 melanoma cells. The cytotoxicity of these compounds was investigated by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay, followed by the assessment of the melanin content and the intracellular TYR activity. Finally, the expression levels of the key enzymes involved in melanogenesis were investigated. 7A4MC increased melanin production in B16F10 cells relative to that by 4MUMB and 4MH treated cells in a dose-dependent manner without significant cytotoxicity. Concomitantly, 7A4MC significantly increased TYR activity and enhanced the expression of MITF, which significantly induced the expression of TRP-1, TRP-2, and TYR. Furthermore, 7A4MC stimulated melanogenesis via increased phosphorylation of c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) and reduced phosphorylation of protein kinase B (AKT). These results confirmed the melanogenesis-inducing effects of 7A4MC and indicated its potential use as an anti-hair bleaching agent in cosmetics industries.