Novel one time signatures (NOTS) : a compact post-quantum digital signature scheme

The future of the hash based digital signature schemes appears to be very bright in the upcoming quantum era because of the quantum threats to the number theory based digital signature schemes. The Shor's algorithm is available to allow a sufficiently powerful quantum computer to break the building blocks of the number theory based signature schemes in a polynomial time. The hash based signature schemes being quite efficient and provably secure can fill in the gap effectively. However, a draw back of the hash based signature schemes is the larger key and signature sizes which can prove a barrier in their adoption by the space critical applications, like the blockchain. A hash based signature scheme is constructed using a one time signature (OTS) scheme. The underlying OTS scheme plays an important role in determining key and signature sizes of a hash based signature scheme. In this article, we have proposed a novel OTS scheme with minimized key and signature sizes as compared to all of the existing OTS schemes. Our proposed OTS scheme offers an 88% reduction in both key and signature sizes as compared to the popular Winternitz OTS scheme. Furthermore, our proposed OTS scheme offers an 84% and an 86% reductions in the signature and the key sizes respectively as compared to an existing compact variant of the WOTS scheme, i.e. WOTS +

Drug overdose: a wake up call! Experience at a tertiary care centre in Karachi, Pakistan

OBJECTIVE: To study the characteristics of patients admitted with drug overdose caused either by accidental overdose of the prescribed medications or as an act of deliberate self harm (DSH) at a tertiary care hospital in Karachi, Pakistan.METHODS: A retrospective case series review was conducted at the Aga Khan University Hospital from January 2002 to October 2006. Three hundred and twenty four adult patients admitted with drug overdose were included in the study.RESULTS: Our sample group revealed mean age of 36.2 +/- 17.0 years, more females (59%), housewives (34%), and students (20%). Fifty six percent of patients committing DSH were married (p = 0.001), 81% needed in-patient psychiatric services (p = 0.016) of whom a significantly high number (38%) refused it. Domestic and social issues were rated highest among DSH group (p = 0.003), depression among females was common (p = 0.028) and Benzodiazepines (41%) was the most frequently used drug (p = 0.021). Sub-group analysis of accidental overdoses revealed mean age of 45.6 +/- 19.6 years, single (75.4%) and males (54.1%). Drugs used were mainly Benzodiazepines (18%) followed by Opioids (11%), Antiepileptics (10%) and Warfarin (10%).CONCLUSION: Our study showed that depressed housewives are at greater risk for DSH. Domestic and social issues were rated highest and Benzodiazepines were the most commonly used agents. Most of our patients refused inpatient psychiatric treatment leading us to believe that general awareness of psychiatric illnesses is imperative in our community. High number of accidental overdoses is alarming in older, single males convincing us to believe that existing pharmacy system needs further evaluation and modification

Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever outbreak in Chakwal, Pakistan

CCHF, tick, livestock, diagnostics, геморрагическая лихорадка Крым-Конго, клещи, домашний скот, диагностика, клинические симптомы, летальный исходCrimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) is the most fatal viral disease with extensive geographical distribution. In Pakistan it is being reported with sporadic outbreaks in cattle rearing areas. The authors in this study presented a clinical case of CCHF in one of cattle rearing district Chakwal of Punjab rovince. The serums and plasma samples from suspected patients along with Hyalomma ticks from reported area were collected and diagnosed for CCHF antigen and IgG antibodies by two step sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) using Vector BEST Company, Crimean-CHF-antigen kit, Novosibirsk, Russia. Crimean-Congo hemorrhagic fever (CCHF) was suspected in three patients among which two patients died. The only survived patient was diagnosed for CCHF by detecting IgG. Out of 62 Hyalomma ticks collected from livestock of endemic area, 9.67% (6/62) were positive for the CCHF virus. This confirms the emergence of CCHF virus in new areas and the potential risk of its wide spread in different areas of Punjab, Pakistan.Геморрагическая лихорадка Крым-Конго (CCHF) является наиболее смертельным вирусным заболеванием с обширным географическим распространением. В Пакистане сообщается о спорадических вспышках в районах, где интенсивно выращивается крупный рогатый скот. Авторы данного исследования представили клинический случай CCHF в одном из районов, специализирующемся на разведении крупного рогатого скота - район Чаквал провинции Пенджаб. Сыворотки и образцы плазмы у подозреваемых пациентов вместе с клещами Hyalomma из сообщаемой области были собраны и диагностированы на антиген CCHF и IgG-антител с помощью двухступенчатого сэндвич-фермент-связанного иммуносорбентного анализа (ELISA) с использованием Vector BEST Company, набора крымских-CHF-антигенов, Новосибирск, Россия. Геморрагическая лихорадка Крым-Конго (CCHF) подозревалась у трех пациентов, из которых умерли два пациента. Единственный выживший пациент был диагностирован на CCHF по обнаружению IgG. Из 62 клещей Hyalomma, обнаруженных на крупном рогатом скоте эндемического района, 9,67% (6/62) дали положительный результат на наличие вируса CCHF. Это подтверждает появление вируса CCHF в новых областях и указывает на потенциальный риск его широкого распространения в разных районах Пенджаба, Пакистан

Experimental study on impact of high voltage power transmission lines on silicon photovoltaics using artificial neural network

The recent trend of renewable energy has positioned solar cells as an excellent choice for energy production in today’s world. However, the performance of silicon photovoltaic (PV) panels can be influenced by various environmental factors such as humidity, light, rusting, temperature fluctuations and rain, etc. This study aims to investigate the potential impact of high voltage power transmission lines (HVTL) on the performance of solar cells at different distances from two high voltage levels (220 and 500 KV). In fact, HVTLs generate electromagnetic (EM) waves which may affect the power production and photocurrent density of solar cells. To analyze this impact, a real-time experimental setup of PV panel is developed (using both monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar cells), located in the vicinity of 220 and 500 KV HVTLs. In order to conduct this study systematically, the impact of HVTL on solar panel is being measured by varying the distance between the HVTL and the solar panels. However, it is important to understand that the obtained experimental values alone are insufficient for comprehensive verification under various conditions. To address this limitation, an Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is employed to generate HVTL impact curves for PV panels (particularly of voltage and current values) which are impractical to obtain experimentally. The inclusion of ANN approach enhances the understanding of the HVTL impact on solar cell performance across a wide range of conditions. Overall, this work presents the impact study of HVTL on two different types of solar cells at different distances from HVTL for two HV levels (i.e., 220 and 500 KV) and the comparison study of HVTL impact on both monocrystalline and polycrystalline solar cells

Effect of Drought on Trichome Density and Length in Cotton (Gossypium Hirsutum)

Cotton is a major cash crop and backbone of the textile industry in Pakistan which is badly affected by sucking insects. Drought is an important abiotic factor in trichome development. The objective of the study was to determine the effects of drought on trichome density and length. Trichome density was measured in two ways, one through the scaling method and the other through counting the trichome density manually. The scaling method is qualitative grading while quantitative grading includes trichomecount in a card of optimized length. Three scales were finalized to classify leaves on the basis of trichomes which were counted in a specific area (0.25cm2) on abaxial side of the leaf. In drought stress, trichomes density and length were measured and compared to that in normal conditions. Trichome density varies from 12 to 56 in 0.25cm2 under drought stress. On the basis of correlation of trichome density with stomatal conductance, photosynthetic rate, PAR and transpiration ratio under drought and normal conditions, it was concluded that trichome density increased as a result of drought stress

Impact of 10-valent pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PCV10) on nasopharyngeal carriage in children 2 years of age: Data from a four-year time series cross-sectional study from Pakistan

The dataset described in this paper was collected for a time-series cross-sectional study exploring the impact of 10-valent Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine (PCV10) on nasopharyngeal (NP) carriage in children under 2 years of age from a rural population in Sindh, Pakistan. The study was carried out in two union councils of Matiari - Khyber and Shah Alam Shah Jee Wasi (Latitude 25.680298 / Longitude 68.502711). Data was collected on socio-demographics, clinical characteristics and vaccination status using android phone-based application. NP samples were collected using standard World Health Organisation (WHO) techniques, culture and serotyping was done using sequential Multiplex PCR described by Centre for Disease Control, USA. We looked at the carriage rate of vaccine type (VT) and non-vaccine type (NVT) serotypes over time in vaccinated and unvaccinated children. We additionally looked at the predictors for pneumococcal carriage. The uploaded dataset, available on Mendeley data repository (Nisar, Muhammad Imran (2021), Impact of PCV10 on nasopharyngeal carriage in children in Pakistan , Mendeley Data, V1, doi:10.17632/t79h6g97gr.1), has 3140 observations in CSV format. Additional files uploaded include a data dictionary and the set of questionnaires. The dataset and accompanying files can be used by other interested researchers to replicate our analysis, carry similar analysis under varying set of assumptions or perform additional exploratory or metanalysis

Direct and indirect effect of 10 valent pneumococcal vaccine on nasopharyngeal carriage in children under 2 years of age in Matiari, Pakistan

Background: Pakistan introduced Ten-valent pneumococcal-conjugate-vaccine PCV10 in 2012 as a 3 + 0 schedule without catch-up.Methods: Children \u3c2 years old in Matiari, Sindh provided nasopharyngeal swabs between 2014 and 2018, which were cultured for pneumococcus and serotyped through multiplex PCR at the Aga Khan University Hospital. Carriage rates over time for Vaccine-Type (VT) and Non-VT (NVT) serotypes were used to estimate direct, indirect, total and overall effects of vaccination. Regression analysis was used to determine factors associated with VT carriage.Results: Pneumococcus was detected in 2370/3140 (75%). VT carriage decreased overall, 16.1-9.6% (p-trend \u3c0.001); vaccinated (all 3 doses of PCV10 received) 11.3-8.1% (p-trend 0.031) and unvaccinated (no PCV10 dose received) 17.4-10.3% (p-trend 0.003) with a decline in serotypes 6B, 9V/9A and 19F. Immunization increased from 41.0% to 68.4% (p-trend 0.001). Direct effect of vaccine was 32.8% (95% CI 14.7-47.0%) and indirect effect 44.6%(95% CI 40.6-48.6%). Factors associated with decreased VT colonization were education 1-5 years (aOR 0.7, 95%CI 0.6-1.0), history of difficulty breathing (aOR 0.7, 95%CI 0.5-1.0), exposure to smoke (aOR 0.8, 95% CI 0.6-1.0), child fully immunized (aOR 0.7, 95%CI 0.5-1.0) and enrolled in 3rd (aOR 0.6, 95%CI 0.4-0.8) and 4th (aOR 0.6, 95%CI 0.5-0.9) year of the study whereas history of runny nose (aOR 1.5, 95% CI 1.2-1.9) was positively associated.Conclusions: Decrease in VT pneumococcal carriage in vaccinated and unvaccinated children indicates herd immunity. Sustained increase in vaccine coverage and close long-term surveillance is warranted

Machine-based algorithm: a revolution we need for early sepsis diagnosis in hospitals

Dear Editor, Sepsis is a life-threatening medical emergency and one of the fundamental causes of early mortality within hospitals. WHO report of 2020 shows that nearly 11 million people worldwide die from sepsis yearly (1). It commonly affects neonates and children; however, pregnant women, the elderly, cancer patients, and bed-bound individuals are particularly at high risk of developing sepsis as well due to the immunosuppressant state of their condition. Sepsis is a clinical diagnosis; thus majorly depends upon a multitude of symptoms, clinical examinations, baseline investigations, and the expertise of the clinicians. Unfortunately, all these methods are highly non-specific, making the diagnosis difficult. Owing to its high mortality, the key to survival lies in the timely initiation of the therapy. Therefore, sepsis requires early diagnosis to help save the life of an affected individual. In this search, multiple systems and methods have been developed previously and used in various hospitals. It includes evaluating by SIRS criteria, detecting the levels of pro-inflammatory markers in the serum, and by newer techniques like diagnosing using electrochemical sensors like PCT (procalcitonin), optical and fluorometric sensors, and microfluidic sensors. These detect different biomarkers in the serum of the patients and thus help in rapid diagnosis. Regardless, the sensitivity and specificity of these systems remain low. ---Continu

Analyzing Canadian PM Justin Trudeau’s Speech about Terrorist Attack on a Muslim Family in Ontario’s London: A Critical Perspective

Language considers a form of social practice in Critical Discourse Analysis, and it is frequently used in political discourse written, verbal and visual including public speeches. This paper examines the Prime Minister of Canada's press conference speech, held at the House of Commerce on June 8, 2021 (https://www.rev.com/blog, 2021), in the aftermath of a Muslim family's murder in Ontario's London. The Three-Dimensional Model of Fairclough has been used to investigate the implicit/explicit power displayed in PM Justin's speech, as well as the display of power at the textual, discursive, and societal levels, in the context of the speech's two key themes: anti-Muslim hatred and Islamophobia. The study examines speech using a qualitative approach and addresses power within the discourse as well as the power behind the discourse. The findings show how language reflects political leaders' ideologies and how social behaviors can shape and be shaped by speech. The Prime Minister skillfully employed language to convey the ideological divides between Muslim communities and the western communities. After drawing the line of demarcation, he urged world leaders to take steps to resolve their differences to achieve global harmony and peace. This study enables the general public to comprehend Justin Trudeau's position on prevalent intolerance and the ideology of Islamophobia, as well as its effects

The Fabrication of Gold–Silver Bimetallic Colloids by Microplasma: A Worthwhile Strategy for Counteracting the Surface Activity of Avian Influenza Virus

In the present project, fructose-stabilized gold, silver and gold–silver bimetallic colloids have been synthesized by the electrochemical reduction of HAuCl4·3H2O (Au precursor) and AgNO3 (Ag precursor), employing the atmospheric pressure microplasma technique. X-Ray Diffraction patterns of gold–silver bimetallic particles exhibit (111), (200) and (220) planes identical to gold and silver NPs depicting FCC structures. The decrease in the peak intensities of Au–Ag (111) and Au–Ag (200) as compared to those of Au (111) and (200) is due to the formation of Au–Ag alloys. The FE-SEM image of gold–silver bimetallic NPs has revealed an adequate change in morphology as compared to the morphology of gold NPs and silver NPs. The majority of the gold–silver bimetallic NPs are spherical and are uniformly dispersed. The EDS spectra of (Au–Ag) confirm the presence of metallic gold and silver. The appearance of a single Surface Plasmon Resonance (SPR) peak in the UV–VIS absorption spectra of gold–silver colloids and its position in between the SPR peaks of the UV–VIS absorption spectra of gold and silver colloids justify the formation of gold–silver bimetallic alloy particles. In DLS measurements, the size distribution of gold–silver bimetallic colloids carries a narrow range 55 to 117 nm as compared to the size distribution of gold and silver colloids. The compatibility of the sizes of these colloids and the influenza virus belonging to the Orthomyxoviruses family (size range 80–300 nm with different morphologies) are assumed to stand responsible for an effective bio-conjunction with Influenza viruses. Au–Ag bimetallic nanostructures have synergistically improved their antiviral activity against H9N2 influenza virus as compared to monometallic AuNPs and AgNPs. Thus, the Au–Ag nanostructured alliance has been proven to be more effective and is capable of manifesting high antiviral efficacy