Modified Dijkstra's Routing Algorithm for Security with Different Trust Degrees

A great number of efficient methods to improve the performance of the networks have been proposed in physical-layer security for wireless communications. So far, the security and privacy in wireless communications is optimized based on a fixed assumption about the trustworthiness or trust degrees (TD) of certain wireless nodes. The nodes are often classified into different types such as eavesdroppers, untrusted relays, and trusted cooperative nodes. Wireless nodes in different networks do not completely trust each other when cooperating or relaying information for each other. Optimizing the network based on trust degrees plays an important role in improving the security and privacy for the modern wireless network. We proposed a novel algorithm to find the route with the smallest total transmission time from the source to the destination and still guarantee that the accumulated TD is larger than a trust degree threshold. Simulation results are presented to analyze the affects of the transmit SNR, node density, and TD threshold on different network performance elements

Interpretation of 1H-NMR spectrum of alginate by 1H-1H TOCSY and COSY spectrum

The sodium alginate was prepared from brown seaweeds in Thua-Thien-Hue coastal area. The obtained alginate was characterized by 1H-NMR, 1H-1H TOCSY and COSY spectra. The  assignment of alginate peaks in 1H-NMR spectrum is 5.09, 4.446, 4.152, 4.318, 4.135 ppm in correspondence to H1, H2, H3, H4, H5 of D-mannuronic acid and 5.473, 4.318, 4.446, 4.571, 4.883 ppm in correspondence to H1, H2, H3, H4, H5 of L-guluronic acid, respectively. The present results are essential for the investigating guidance of alginate and its derivatives

PHÂN TÍCH KHẢ NĂNG ỨNG DỤNG CÔNG NGHỆ BLOCKCHAIN VÀO CHUỖI CUNG ỨNG DẦU TRÀM TẠI HUẾ

On the basis of referenced studies on blockchain technology and the applicability of blockchain in supply chain management of agricultural products, the study analyzes the applicability of blockchain technology in melaleuca oil supply chain in Hue. The study applies both qualitative and quantitative research methods. The results of the qualitative research step help outline a new research framework with 6 groups of aspects to be assessed. Next, the study surveys 215 units/individuals involved in the melaleuca oil supply chain, the sample is selected by simple random method. The obtained results show that the groups of aspects related to readiness (REA), compatibility (COM), cooperatability (COO) and legal environment (LEG) are trickiest obstacles to the applicability of blockchain technology. In addition, the difference test shows that each group of units/individuals in the supply chain has different levels of readiness for the application of new technology.Trên cơ sở tham khảo các nghiên cứu về công nghệ chuỗi khối (blockchain) và khả năng ứng dụng của blockchain trong quản lý chuỗi cung ứng sản phẩm nông nghiệp, nghiên cứu được thực hiện nhằm phân tích khả năng ứng dụng công nghệ blockchain vào chuỗi cung ứng dầu tràm tại Huế. Nghiên cứu áp dụng đồng thời cả hai phương pháp nghiên cứu định tính và định lượng. Kết quả bước nghiên cứu định tính giúp phác thảo nên được khung phân tích mới với 6 nhóm khía cạnh cần đánh giá. Tiếp đến, nghiên cứu khảo sát 215 các đơn vị/cá nhân tham gia vào chuỗi cung ứng dầu tràm, mẫu được chọn theo phương pháp ngẫu nhiên đơn giản. Kết quả thu được chỉ ra rằng: các nhóm khía cạnh liên quan đến điều kiện sẵn có (REA), khả năng tương thích (COM) và môi trường pháp lý (LEG) là những trở ngại lớn nhất cho việc ứng dụng công nghệ blockchain. Ngược lại, khả năng hợp tác (COO), môi trường xã hội (SOC), và môi trường cạnh tranh (CE) là những nền tảng quan trọng thúc đẩy khả năng ứng dụng blockchain. Ngoài ra, kiểm định sự khác biệt cho thấy, mỗi nhóm đơn vị/ cá nhân trong chuỗi cung ứng có mức độ sẵn sàng khác nhau cho việc ứng dụng công nghệ mới

Biocompatible chitosan-functionalized upconverting nanocomposites

Simultaneous integration of photon emission and biocompatibility into nanoparticles is an interesting strategy to develop applications of advanced optical materials. In this work, we present the synthesis of biocompatible optical nanocomposites from the combination of near-infrared luminescent lanthanide nanoparticles and water-soluble chitosan. NaYF4:Yb,Er upconverting nanocrystal guests and water-soluble chitosan hosts are prepared and integrated together into biofunctional optical composites. The control of aqueous dissolution, gelation, assembly, and drying of NaYF4:Yb,Er nanocolloids and chitosan liquids allowed us to design novel optical structures of spongelike aerogels and beadlike microspheres. Well-defined shape and near-infrared response lead upconverting nanocrystals to serve as photon converters to couple with plasmonic gold (Au) nanoparticles. Biocompatible chitosan-stabilized Au/NaYF4:Yb,Er nanocomposites are prepared to show their potential use in biomedicine as we find them exhibiting a half-maximal effective concentration (EC50) of 0.58 mg mL–1 for chitosan-stabilized Au/NaYF4:Yb,Er nanorods versus 0.24 mg mL–1 for chitosan-stabilized NaYF4:Yb,Er after 24 h. As a result of their low cytotoxicity and upconverting response, these novel materials hold promise to be interesting for biomedicine, analytical sensing, and other applications

Logging intensity drives variability in carbon stocks in lowland forests in Vietnam

Forest degradation in the tropics is generating large carbon (C) emissions. In tropical Asia, logging is the main driver of forest degradation. For effective implementation of REDD+ projects in logged forests in Southeast Asia, the impacts of logging on forest C stocks need to be assessed. Here, we assess C stocks in logged lowland forests in central Vietnam and explore correlations between logging intensity, soil, topography and living aboveground carbon (AGC) stocks. We present an approach to estimate historical logging intensities for the prevalent situation when complete records on logging history are unavailable. Landsat analysis and participatory mapping were used to quantify the density of historical disturbances, used as a proxy of logging intensities in the area. Carbon in AGC, dead wood, belowground carbon (BGC) and soil (SOC) was measured in twenty-four 0.25 ha plots that vary in logging intensity, and data on recent logging, soil properties, elevation and slope were also collected. Heavily logged forests stored only half the amount of AGC of stems ≥10 cm dbh as lightly logged forests, mainly due to a reduction in the number of large (≥60 cm dbh) trees. Carbon in AGC of small trees (5–10 cm dbh), dead wood and BGC comprised only small fractions of total C stocks, while SOC in the topsoil of 0–30 cm depth stored ~50% of total C stocks. Combining logging intensities with soil and topographic data showed that logging intensity was the main factor explaining the variability in AGC. Our research shows large reductions in AGC in medium and heavily logged forests. It highlights the critical importance of conserving big trees to maintain high forest C stocks and accounting for SOC in total C stock estimates

Infections in children with down syndrome and acute myeloid leukemia: A report from the Canadian infections in AML research group

Background: Children with Down syndrome (DS) are at high risk of infectious toxicity when treated with acute lymphoblastic leukemia chemotherapy protocols optimized in children without DS. Our objective was to determine if children with DS and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) have a different risk of infection when treated with chemotherapy protocols developed for children with DS compared to AML treatment protocols developed for children without DS. Methods. We conducted a retrospective, population-based cohort study that included DS children ≤ 18 years of age with de novo, non-M3 AML diagnosed between January 1995 and December 2004, and treated at 15 Canadian centers. Patients were monitored for infection from initiation of AML treatment until recovery from the last cycle of chemotherapy, conditioning for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, relapse, persistent disease or death (whichever occurred first). Trained research associates abstracted all information from each site. Results: There were 31 children with DS included; median age was 1.7 (range 0.1-11.1) years. Eleven were treated according to a DS-specific protocol while 20 were treated with non-DS specific protocols. A total of 157 courses of chemotherapy were delivered. Microbiologically documented sterile site infection occurred in 11.9% and 14.3% of DS-specific and non-DS specific AML treatment courses respectively. Sepsis was rare and there were no infection-related deaths. In multiple regression, treatment with a DS-specific protocol was independently associated with a reduction in microbiologically documented sterile site infection (adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.65, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.42-0.99; P = 0.044), and clinically documented infection (adjusted OR 0.36, 95% CI 0.14-0.91; P = 0.031) but not bacteremia (adjusted OR 0.73, 95% CI 0.44-1.22; P = 0.231). Conclusions: Our study suggests that children with DS do not experience excessive infectious toxicity during treatment for AML compared to children without DS. Incorporation of DS-specific AML treatment protocols is associated with a more favorable infection profile for children with DS-AML. © 2013 Tran et al.; licensee BioMed Central Ltd

Risk Factors of Streptococcus suis Infection in Vietnam. A Case-Control Study

Background: Streptococcus suis infection, an emerging zoonosis, is an increasing public health problem across South East Asia and the most common cause of acute bacterial meningitis in adults in Vietnam. Little is known of the risk factors underlying the disease. Methods and Findings: A case-control study with appropriate hospital and matched community controls for each patient was conducted between May 2006 and June 2009. Potential risk factors were assessed using a standardized questionnaire and investigation of throat and rectal S. suis carriage in cases, controls and their pigs, using real-time PCR and culture of swab samples. We recruited 101 cases of S. suis meningitis, 303 hospital controls and 300 community controls. By multivariate analysis, risk factors identified for S. suis infection as compared to either control group included eating "high risk" dishes, including such dishes as undercooked pig blood and pig intestine (OR1 = 2.22; 95% CI = [1.15-4.28] and OR2 = 4.44; 95% CI = [2.15-9.15]), occupations related to pigs (OR1 = 3.84; 95% CI = [1.32-11.11] and OR2 = 5.52; 95% CI = [1.49-20.39]), and exposures to pigs or pork in the presence of skin injuries (OR1 = 7.48; 95% CI = [1.97-28.44] and OR2 = 15.96; 95% CI = [2.97-85.72]). S. suis specific DNA was detected in rectal and throat swabs of 6 patients and was cultured from 2 rectal samples, but was not detected in such samples of 1522 healthy individuals or patients without S. suis infection. Conclusions: This case control study, the largest prospective epidemiological assessment of this disease, has identified the most important risk factors associated with S. suis bacterial meningitis to be eating 'high risk' dishes popular in parts of Asia, occupational exposure to pigs and pig products, and preparation of pork in the presence of skin lesions. These risk factors can be addressed in public health campaigns aimed at preventing S. suis infectio

Interactions between climate change, urban infrastructure and mobility are driving dengue emergence in Vietnam.

Dengue is expanding globally, but how dengue emergence is shaped locally by interactions between climatic and socio-environmental factors is not well understood. Here, we investigate the drivers of dengue incidence and emergence in Vietnam, through analysing 23 years of district-level case data spanning a period of significant socioeconomic change (1998-2020). We show that urban infrastructure factors (sanitation, water supply, long-term urban growth) predict local spatial patterns of dengue incidence, while human mobility is a more influential driver in subtropical northern regions than the endemic south. Temperature is the dominant factor shaping dengue's distribution and dynamics, and using long-term reanalysis temperature data we show that warming since 1950 has expanded transmission risk throughout Vietnam, and most strongly in current dengue emergence hotspots (e.g., southern central regions, Ha Noi). In contrast, effects of hydrometeorology are complex, multi-scalar and dependent on local context: risk increases under either short-term precipitation excess or long-term drought, but improvements in water supply mitigate drought-associated risks except under extreme conditions. Our findings challenge the assumption that dengue is an urban disease, instead suggesting that incidence peaks in transitional landscapes with intermediate infrastructure provision, and provide evidence that interactions between recent climate change and mobility are contributing to dengue's expansion throughout Vietnam