An Information- Theoretical Model for Streaming Media Based Stegosystems

Steganography in streaming media differs from steganography in images or audio files because of the continuous embedding process and the necessary synchronization of sender and receiver due to packet loss in streaming media. The conventional theoretical model for image steganography is not appropriate for explaining the security scenarios for streaming media based stegosystems. In this paper, we propose a new information-theoretical model with two pseudo-random sequences imitating the continuous embedding and synchronization characteristics of streaming media based stegosystems. We also discuss the statistical properties of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) speech streams through theoretical analysis and experimental testing. The experimental results show the bit stream consisting of fixed codebook parameters in speech frames is similar in statistical characteristics to a white-noise sequence. The relative entropy between the VoIP speech stream and the embedded secret message has been found to be zero. This leads us to conclude that the proposed streaming media based stegosystem is secure against statistical detection; in other words, the statistical measures cannot detect the existence of the secret message embedded in VoIP speech streams

Low temperature fabrication of hydrangea-like NiCo2S4 as electrode materials for high performance supercapacitors

Hydrangea-like NiCo2S4 as electrode materials for high performance supercapacitors was synthesized by using a facile low temperature (90 °C) two-step hydrothermal technique without surfactant or template. The special hydrangea-like structure and large specific surface area (74.8 m2/g) provided plenty of electro active sites which were beneficial to superior pseudocapacitive performance of NiCo2S4. The supercapacitors performance of NiCo2S4 was investigated by a three-electrode system. NiCo2S4 exhibited high specific capacitance with 1475 F g−1 at a current density of 3 A g−1, and a fairly high rate capacity with 1152 F g−1 at 20 A g−1. These results indicate that low temperature hydrothermal is a very promising method to prepare electrode materials for supercapacitors

Influence of Fe-rich phases and precipitates on the mechanical behaviour of Al-Cu-Mn-Fe-Sc-Zr alloys studied by synchrotron X-ray and neutron

A multiscale methodology using scanning and transmission electron microscope, synchrotron X-ray nano-tomography and micro-tomography, small angle neutron scattering, and in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction has been used, to reveal the effect of Fe-rich phases and precipitates on the mechanical behaviour of an Al-Cu-Mn-Fe-Sc-Zr alloy. The α-Al grains size is reduced from 185.1 μm (0 MPa) and 114.3 μm (75 MPa) by applied pressure. Moreover, it has been demonstrated that suitable heat treatments modify the 3D morphology of Fe-rich phases from interconnected to a disaggregated structure that improves the mechanical properties of the alloy. The size and morphology evolution of fine precipitates under different ageing temperature and time are revealed. At ageing temperature of 160 °C, the precipitates change from GP zones to θ' (around 75 nm in length) with ageing time increasing from 1 h to 24 h; the Vickers hardness increases from 72.0 HV to 110.7HV. The high ductility of the Sc, Zr modified Al-Cu alloy is related to the complex shape and the loss of interconnectivity of the Fe-rich particles due to the heat treatment. The evolution of the crystal lattice strains in α-Al, and β-Fe calculated during tensile test using in-situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction corroborates the influence of the microstructure in the ductility of the modified alloy.This work was financially supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 52104373 and 51901042), the Basic and Applied Basic Foundation of Guangdong Province, China (Nos. 2020B1515120065 and 2021B1515140028); the Guangdong Province Office of Education, China (No. 2018KQNCX256). We also would like to thank the WL13HB beamline and WL14B1 beamline of Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility, SSRF, China; 4W1A beamline of Beijing Synchrotron Radiation Facility, BSRF, China for provision of synchrotron radiation beamtime; and Small Angle Neutron Scattering (SANS) Beamline in China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS, Dongguan, China) for providing neutron beamtime

Construction of porous hierarchical NiCo2S4 toward high rate performance supercapacitor

Developing high-performance supercapacitors is an effective way to satisfy the ever-increasing energy storage demand for emerging devices, but the inferior rate performance of battery-type supercapacitors limits their large-scale utilization. Herein, porous hierarchical nickel cobalt sulfide (NiCo2S4) was constructed by a novel strategy that the synthesized nickel cobalt oxide nanosheets as chemical template for hydrothermal method. Furthermore, the backbone of nickel cobalt oxide nanosheets can finally convert to NiCo2S4, which both plays the role of matrix to buffer the volume variation and enhances entire conductivity. Benefiting from high specific area (79.9 m2 g−1), suitable nanopores for KOH electrolyte, high conductivity, and multiple Co/Ni valence, the hierarchical NiCo2S4 electrode delivers a high specific capacity of 1035.1 F g−1 at the current density of 1 A g−1, and an ultrahigh rate performance of 80.9% capacitance retention at 20 A g−1 was obtained. The assembled asymmetric supercapacitor device could achieve the maximum capacity of 102.4 F g−1 at 5 mV s−1 and maintain at 80.5 F g−1 at 50 mV s−1, indicating its superior rate ability. In addition, the highest energy density of 35.4 Wh kg−1 can be obtained at a power density of 0.4 kW kg−1. These results indicate that the porous hierarchical NiCo2S4 could be served as high rate performance electrode materials for advanced supercapacitors

Interfacial Embedding of Laser-Manufactured Fluorinated Gold Clusters Enabling Stable Perovskite Solar Cells with Efficiency Over 24%

Abstract Tackling the interfacial loss in emerged perovskite-based solar cells (PSCs) to address synchronously the carrier dynamics and the environmental stability, has been of fundamental and viable importance, while technological hurdles remain in not only creating such interfacial mediator, but the subsequent interfacial embedding in the active layer. This article reports a strategy of interfacial embedding of hydrophobic fluorinated-gold-clusters (FGCs) for highly efficient and stable PSCs. The p-type semiconducting feature enables the FGC efficient interfacial mediator to improve the carrier dynamics by reducing the interfacial carrier transfer barrier and boosting the charge extraction at grain boundaries. The hydrophobic tails of the gold clusters and the hydrogen bonding between fluorine groups and perovskite favor the enhancement of environmental stability. Benefiting from these merits, highly efficient formamidinium lead iodide PSCs (champion efficiency up to 24.02%) with enhanced phase stability under varied relative humidity (RH) from 40% to 95%, as well as highly efficient mixed-cation PSCs with moisture stability (RH of 75%) over 10 000 h are achieved. It is thus inspiring to advance the development of highly efficient and stable PSCs via interfacial embedding laser-generated additives for improved charge transfer/extraction and environmental stability

Shear Strength and Re-Failure Characteristics of Intact Red Sandstone and Grouting-Reinforced Body of Fractured Red Sandstone under Different Shear Angles

To reveal the strengthening mechanism and re-failure mechanism of grouting on fractured rock, the variable-angle shear tests, real-time acoustic emission (AE) tests and VIC-3D (non-contact full field strain measurement system) tests were carried out on intact red sandstone (IRS) and grouting-reinforced body of fractured red sandstone (GRBFRS). The results show that the peak shear strength of IRS and GRBFRS decreases with the increase of shear angle. Grouting reinforcement mainly increases the cohesion of GRBFRS to improve its shear strength, but its reconstructability decreases with the increase of shear angle. In the whole process of shear deformation, the shear micro damage and shear fracture of GRBFRS are more than those of IRS. Although the shear re-failure before and after the peak stress stage is the most notable, its intensity or degree is reduced. When the shear angle is 45°, both IRS and GRBFRS undergo shear-splitting failure. However, when the shear angle is large, the IRS and GRBFRS only occurs shear failure. Moreover, the larger the shear angle, the more likely IRS and GRBFRS is to produce secondary shear cracks. The low strength of the rock–grout interface in GRBFRS is the main inducer of shear re-failure

Shear Strength and Re-Failure Characteristics of Intact Red Sandstone and Grouting-Reinforced Body of Fractured Red Sandstone under Different Shear Angles

To reveal the strengthening mechanism and re-failure mechanism of grouting on fractured rock, the variable-angle shear tests, real-time acoustic emission (AE) tests and VIC-3D (non-contact full field strain measurement system) tests were carried out on intact red sandstone (IRS) and grouting-reinforced body of fractured red sandstone (GRBFRS). The results show that the peak shear strength of IRS and GRBFRS decreases with the increase of shear angle. Grouting reinforcement mainly increases the cohesion of GRBFRS to improve its shear strength, but its reconstructability decreases with the increase of shear angle. In the whole process of shear deformation, the shear micro damage and shear fracture of GRBFRS are more than those of IRS. Although the shear re-failure before and after the peak stress stage is the most notable, its intensity or degree is reduced. When the shear angle is 45°, both IRS and GRBFRS undergo shear-splitting failure. However, when the shear angle is large, the IRS and GRBFRS only occurs shear failure. Moreover, the larger the shear angle, the more likely IRS and GRBFRS is to produce secondary shear cracks. The low strength of the rock–grout interface in GRBFRS is the main inducer of shear re-failure

Spatial Distribution Characteristics of Plastic Failure and Grouting Diffusion within Deep Roadway Surrounding Rock under Three-Dimensional Unequal Ground Stress and Its Application

To explore the bolt-grouting method of the deep roadway under three-dimensional unequal ground stress, a unidirectional coupling model of surrounding rock plastic failure and grouting diffusion considering the influence of excavation disturbance stress was established. Spatial evolution characteristics of plastic failure and grouting diffusion, and the impact of the spacing and row spacing of grouting bolts/cables on grout diffusion, were simulated by using the numerical method. The results revealed that the horizontal ground stress perpendicular to the axial direction of the roadway was the main factor inducing roadway damage. Moreover, the more significant the difference of the ground stress in three directions, the larger the plastic zone of the roof corner and floor corner of the roadway. Under different lateral pressure coefficients, the grout diffused can be approximate ellipsoid and cylinders. Furthermore, the larger the ratio of lateral pressure coefficients perpendicular to and parallel to the axial direction of roadway, the larger the diffusion length of grout in each spatial direction in the surrounding rock. In bolt-grouting support, the length of the grouting bolts/cables should be greater than the plastic zone of the surrounding rock, and the optimal relationship between their spacing and row spacing and diffusion length of grout is determined. The research results were applied in the bolt-grouting engineering for the three-level main roadway in the Haizi Coal Mine, and a good support effect was achieved. This can provide technical guidance and a method of reference for the design and parameter optimization of bolt-grouting support for roadways under deep high ground stress

A Preliminary Study on Sinus Fungus Ball with MicroCT and X-Ray Fluorescence Technique.

BACKGROUND:Sinus fungus ball, an accumulation of fungal dense concretions, is a common disease in practice, and might cause fatal complications or lead to death once converted into invasive type. Early preoperative diagnosis of this disease can lead to appropriate treatment for patients and prevent multiple surgical procedures. Up to now, the diagnostic criteria of sinus fungus ball have been defined and computed tomography (CT) scan was considered as a valuable preoperative diagnostic tool. However, the sensitivity of clinical CT is only about 62%. Thus, investigating the factors which influence sensitivity is necessary for clinical CT to be a more valuable preoperative diagnosis tool. Furthermore, CT scan usually presents micro-calcifications or spots with metallic density in sinus fungus ball. Previous literatures show that there are some metallic elements such as calcium and zinc in fungus ball, and they concluded that endodontic treatment has a strong correlation with the development of maxillary sinus fungus ball and zinc ion was an exogenous risk factor. But the pathogenesis of sinus fungus ball still remains unclear because fungus ball can also develop in other non-maxillary sinuses or the maxillary sinus without root canal treatment. Is zinc ion the endogenous factor? Study on this point might be also helpful for investigating the pathogenesis of sinus fungus ball. In this paper, we tried to investigate the factors which influence the sensitivity of clinical CT by imaging sinus fungus ball with microCT. The origin of zinc ion was also studied through elements test for different fungal ball samples using x-ray fluorescence technique. METHODS:Specimens including fungal ball material and sinus mucosa from patients confirmed by pathological findings were extracted after surgery. All fungal ball specimens came from sphenoid sinus, ethmoidal sinus and maxillary sinus with or without previous endodontic treatment respectively. All of them were imaged by microCT with spatial resolution up to 5μm to acquire three-dimensional structure, and then the heavy metal elements were detected with x-ray fluorescence spectrometer analysis. RESULT:High concentration of zinc and calcium were detected in all fungal ball specimens compared to sinus mucosa membrane. Particles with different size varied from disperse to density, which have similar shape to the result of clinical CT but with different size, were found in three-dimensional reconstruction results of microCT. CONCLUSIONS:Spatial resolution is an influent factor of clinical CT sensitivity for sinus fungus ball. Improving the resolution of clinical CT will help to improve its sensitivity. Besides iatrogenic endodontic materials, endogenous metal elements of zinc and calcium might associate with the growth of fungal ball and the micro-calcifications or spots with metallic density of CT imaging

Application scope of multipole method for decomposition of plasmonic spectrum

The electromagnetic multipole method has been extensively adopted for a better understanding of the physical mechanism of localized surface plasmon. In this work, we quantitatively decomposed the total extinction spectra of typical silver nanoparticles into multipole components, which are shown to be quite different from qualitative assignment of resonance peaks reported previously. Taking the quasi-normal mode method as reference standard, we examined the scope of application of the electromagnetic multipole method in assigning plasmonic resonance peaks, and pointed out the necessity of employing eigenmode-based approaches when interpreting plasmonic spectra, which can hopefully lead to more physical insights into the underlying mechanisms of plasmonics phenomena