Auditable data structures: theory and applications

Every digital process needs to consume some data in order to work properly. It is very common for applications to use some external data in their processes, getting them by sources such as external APIs. Therefore, trusting the received data becomes crucial in such scenarios, considering that if the data are not self-produced by the consumer, the trust in the external data source, or in the data that the source produces, can not always be taken for granted. The most used approach to generate trust in the external source is based on authenticated data structures, that are able to authenticate the source when queried through the generation of proofs. Such proofs are useful to assess authenticity or integrity, however, an external user could also be interested in verifying the data history and its consistency. This problem seems to be unaddressed by current literature, which proposes some approaches aimed at executing audits by internal actors with prior knowledge about the data structures. In this paper, we address the scenario of an external auditor with no data knowledge that wants to verify the data history consistency. We analyze the terminology and the current state of the art of the auditable data structures, then we will propose a general framework to support external audits from both internal and external users

An Overview on the Current Status and Future Perspectives of Smart Cars

In recent years, the smart car sector has been increasing enormously in the Internet of Things (IoT) market. Furthermore, the number of smart cars seems set to increase over the next few years. This goal will be achieved because the application of recent IoT technologies to the automotive sector opens up innovative opportunities for the mobility of the future, in which connected cars will be more and more prominent in smart cities. This paper aims to provide an overview of the current status and future perspectives of smart cars, taking into account technological, transport, and social features. An analysis concerning the approaches to making smart a generic car, the possible evolutions that could occur in the coming decades, the characteristics of 5G, ADAS (advanced driver assistance systems), and the power sources is carried out in this paper. Document type: Articl

JUDITH TEIXEIRA E O SEU LEGADO

Judith Teixeira (1880-1959) é uma especial figura no panorama literário português dado o caráter suis generis da sua obra, que chegou a abalar o status quo instituído, mercê da sua diferencial força criativa: a capacidade de ousar, de plasmar o corpo e elevar o desejo feminino a um grau até então sequer insinuado. Para precisar sua proeminência dentro desta literatura, é preciso frisar que a autora de Decadência despertou a ira e o mal-estar do público mais conservador, devido ao conteúdo queer de seus poemas. Ao lado das obras de António Botto (Canções) e de Raul Leal (Sodoma divinizada), o seu citado livro integrou a polêmica “Literatura de Sodoma” (1923), que expôs claramente a animosidade social e política face a esse discurso desviante do cânone.Judith Teixeira (1880-1959) é uma especial figura no panorama literário português dado o caráter suis generis da sua obra, que chegou a abalar o status quo instituído, mercê da sua diferencial força criativa: a capacidade de ousar, de plasmar o corpo e elevar o desejo feminino a um grau até então sequer insinuado. Para precisar sua proeminência dentro desta literatura, é preciso frisar que a autora de Decadência despertou a ira e o mal-estar do público mais conservador, devido ao conteúdo queer de seus poemas. Ao lado das obras de António Botto (Canções) e de Raul Leal (Sodoma divinizada), o seu citado livro integrou a polêmica “Literatura de Sodoma” (1923), que expôs claramente a animosidade social e política face a esse discurso desviante do cânone

Further genotype-phenotype correlation emerging from two families with PLP1 exon 4 skipping

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Assessing Seagrass Restoration Actions through a Micro-Bathymetry Survey Approach (Italy, Mediterranean Sea)

Underwater photogrammetry provides a means of generating high-resolution products such as dense point clouds, 3D models, and orthomosaics with centimetric scale resolutions. Underwater photogrammetric models can be used to monitor the growth and expansion of benthic communities, including the assessment of the conservation status of seagrass beds and their change over time (time lapse micro-bathymetry) with OBIA classifications (Object-Based Image Analysis). However, one of the most complex aspects of underwater photogrammetry is the accuracy of the 3D models for both the horizontal and vertical components used to estimate the surfaces and volumes of biomass. In this study, a photogrammetry-based micro-bathymetry approach was applied to monitor Posidonia oceanica restoration actions. A procedure for rectifying both the horizontal and vertical elevation data was developed using soundings from high-resolution multibeam bathymetry. Furthermore, a 3D trilateration technique was also tested to collect Ground Control Points (GCPs) together with reference scale bars, both used to estimate the accuracy of the models and orthomosaics. The root mean square error (RMSE) value obtained for the horizontal planimetric measurements was 0.05 m, while the RMSE value for the depth was 0.11 m. Underwater photogrammetry, if properly applied, can provide very high-resolution and accurate models for monitoring seagrass restoration actions for ecological recovery and can be useful for other research purposes in geological and environmental monitoring

Mitochondrial DNA Variation Reveals a Sharp Genetic Break within the Distribution of the Blue Land Crab Cardisoma guanhumi in the Western Central Atlantic

The blue land crab Cardisoma guanhumi is widely distributed throughout tropical and subtropical estuarine regions in the Western Central Atlantic (WCA). Patterns of population genetic structure and historical demographics of the species were assessed by mtDNA control region sequence analysis to examine the connectivity among five populations (n = 97) within the region for future conservation strategies and decision-making of fishery management. A total of 234 polymorphic nucleotides were revealed within the sequence region, which have defined 93 distinct haplotypes. No dominant mtDNA haplotypes were found but instead a distribution of a few low-frequency recurrent haplotypes with a large number of singletons. A NJ-tree and a median-joining haplotype network revealed two distinct clusters, corresponding to individuals from estuaries located along the Caribbean Sea and Brazilian waters, respectively. AMOVA and FST statistics supported the hypothesis that two main geographic regions exists. Phylogeographical discontinuity was further demonstrated by the Bayesian assignment analysis and a significant pattern of isolation-by-distance. Additionally, tests of neutral evolution and analysis of mismatch distribution indicate a complex demographic history in the WCA, which corresponds to bottleneck and subsequent population growth. Overall, a sharp genetic break between Caribbean and Brazilian populations raised concerns over the conservation status of the blue land crab

VIV CONTROL AND DRAG REDUCTION USING THE GUIDED POROSITY CONCEPT

ABSTRACT This paper aims to discuss the effectiveness of a new passive kind of VIV (Vortex Induced Vibrations) suppression

Potential Harm of IQOS Smoke to Rat Liver

The Food and Drug Administration has recently classified the IQOS electronic cigarette as a modified-risk tobacco product. However, IQOS cigarettes still release various harmful constituents typical of conventional cigarettes (CCs), although the concentrations are markedly lower. Here, we investigated the damaging effects of IQOS smoking on the liver. Male Sprague Dawley rats were exposed, whole body, 5 days/week for 4 weeks to IQOS smoke (4 sticks/day), and hepatic xenobiotic metabolism, redox homeostasis and lipidomic profile were investigated. IQOS boosted reactive radicals and generated oxidative stress. Exposure decreased cellular reserves of total glutathione (GSH) but not GSH-dependent antioxidant enzymes. Catalase and xanthine oxidase were greater in the exposed group, as were various hepatic CYP-dependent monooxygenases (CYP2B1/2, CYP1A1, CYP2A1, CYP2E1-linked). Respiratory chain activity was unaltered, while the number of liver mitochondria was increased. IQOS exposure had an impact on the hepatic lipid profile. With regard to the expression of some MAP kinases commonly activated by CC smoking, IQOS increased the p-p38/p38 ratio, while erythroid nuclear transcription factor 2 (Nrf2) was negatively affected. Our data suggest that IQOS significantly impairs liver function, supporting the precautionary stance taken by the WHO toward the use of these devices, especially by young people and pregnant women

A proposed strategy for anticoagulation therapy in noncompaction cardiomyopathy

Noncompaction cardiomyopathy (NCCM) is a rare condition characterized by prominent trabeculae, deep intertrabecular recesses, and a left ventricular myocardium with a two-layered structure, characterized by a spongy endocardial layer and a thinner and compacted epicardial one. NCCM can be isolated or associated with other congenital heart diseases and complex syndromes involving neuromuscular disorders and facial dysmorphisms. To date, more than 40 genes coding for sarcomeric, cytoskeletal, ion channels, and desmosomal proteins have been identified. Clinical presentation is also highly variable, ranging from no symptoms to end-stage heart failure (HF), lethal arrhythmias, sudden cardiac death, or thromboembolic events. In particular, the prevalence of thromboembolism in NCCM patients appears to be higher than that of a similar, age-matched population without NCCM. Thromboembolism has a multifactorial aetiology, which is linked to genetic, as well as traditional cardiovascular risk factors. In previous studies, atrial fibrillation (AF) was observed in approximately 25-30% of adult NCCM patients and embolism had a cardiac source in ~63-69% of cases; therefore, AF represents a strong predictor of adverse events, especially if associated to HF and neuromuscular disorders. Left ventricular dysfunction is another risk factor for thromboembolism, as a result of blood stagnation and local myocardial injury. Moreover, it is not completely clarified if the presence of deep intertrabecular recesses causing stagnant blood flow can constitute per se a thrombogenic substrate even in absence of ventricular dysfunction. For the clinical management of NCCM patients, an appropriate stratification of the thromboembolic risk is of utmost importance for a timely initiation of anticoagulant therapy. The aim of the present study is to review the available literature on NCCM with particular attention on thromboembolic risk stratification and prevention and the current evidence for oral anticoagulation therapy. The use of direct oral anticoagulants vs. vitamin K antagonists is also discussed with important implications for patient treatment and prognosis