Cryptanalysis of some protocols using matrices over group rings

We address a cryptanalysis of two protocols based on the supposed difficulty of discrete logarithm problem on (semi) groups of matrices over a group ring. We can find the secret key and break entirely the protocols

Quality management systems selection using FAHP and mixed integer programming

In current paper, an organized and quantitative approach is proposed for selection of quality management systems. The proposed model of this paper first uses fuzzy analytic hierarchical process to rank different quality management systems. Since there are normally various constraints associated with the selection of quality management, we propose a 0-1 programming for selecting an optimal mix of quality management systems. We also use the proposed model of this paper for a real-world case study of research center in aerial industries and the results are discussed

Flash pulmonary edema in the cardiac catheterization laboratory: a case report

Flash pulmonary edema is a potentially fatal condition that can suddenly deteriorate a patient's status in a variety of settings, including the catheterization laboratory. We describe a 51-year-old woman with a history of hypertension who was admitted for a second valve operation for degenerated aortic bioprosthesis. Before undergoing coronary angiography, she looked a little worried, she experienced respiratory distress and a significant increase in blood pressure in favor of acute flash pulmonary edema, which was immediately and successfully managed by respiratory support and administration of high-dose intravenous nitroglycerine and loop diuretic therapy. The present scenario highlights the significance of being aware of the warning signs of acute flash pulmonary edema to make a prompt diagnosis and initiate the appropriate treatment to prevent catastrophic consequences

An Adaptive Image Encryption Scheme Guided by Fuzzy Models

A new image encryption scheme using the advanced encryption standard (AES), a chaotic map, a genetic operator, and a fuzzy inference system is proposed in this paper. In this work, plain images were used as input, and the required security level was achieved. Security criteria were computed after running a proposed encryption process. Then an adaptive fuzzy system decided whether to repeat the encryption process, terminate it, or run the next stage based on the achieved results and user demand. The SHA-512 hash function was employed to increase key sensitivity. Security analysis was conducted to evaluate the security of the proposed scheme, which showed it had high security and all the criteria necessary for a good and efficient encryption algorithm were met. Simulation results and the comparison of similar works showed the proposed encryptor had a pseudo-noise output and was strongly dependent upon the changing key and plain image.Comment: Iranian Journal of Fuzzy Systems (2023

Economic and Environmental Impacts of Dietary Changes in Iran: An Input-Output Analysis

 Iran's simple and environmentally extended commodity by commodity input-output (IO) model was used to determine the impacts of dietary changes on the Iranian economy and on the environmental load. The original model is based on the status-quo diet and was modified to include the World Health Organization (WHO), the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF) and Mediterranean alternative dietary scenarios. A range of impacts occurred depending upon the relative changes in food items. The direction of changes was similar in the three alternative scenarios. The greatest and smallest impact occurred in the WHO and the Mediterranean scenarios respectively. Total changes in output in WHO, WCRF and Mediterranean dietary scenarios were calculated to be 7010.1, 4802.8 and 3330.8 billion Rials respectively. The outputs of rice, vegetables, fruit, bread and macaroni decreased, but those of live and other animal products increased. The output of non-food commodities and services increased as well. The environmental load increased for three dietary scenarios in comparison with the status-quo diet. The greatest and smallest environmental load occurred in WHO and Mediterranean dietary scenarios respectively. Thus, although dietary changes can have positive effects on economic output, in order to avoid negative environmental effects, it is necessary to consider strategies such as applying capabilities, particularly natural resources in an optimal healthy and environmentally diet, planning for improving forest covering and green space simultaneously with increasing economic activities and using indirect incentives, such as taxes and insurance, for promoting sustainable and healthy foods and reducing greenhouse gas emissions

Content of toxic and essential metals in recrystallized and washed table salt in Shiraz, Iran

BACKGROUND: Table salt is the most commonly used food additive. Since most of the salt consumed in Iran comes from mines, contamination with heavy metals is a health concern. The commonest salt purification method in Iran is washing with water. But recently, some industries have turned to recrystallization method. The present study aimed to determine the level of essential and non-essential heavy metals in the table salt refined with recrystallization and washing methods. METHODS: Thirty eight pre-packed salt samples were directly collected from retail market in Shiraz (22 samples refined with recrystallization method and 16 with washing method). The level of lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, nickel and cobalt was determined using Voltammetric method. Daily intakes of lead and cadmium as well as their weekly intakes were calculated. RESULTS: The levels of lead, cadmium, copper, zinc, nickel and cobalt in recrystallized samples were 0. 30 ± 0.26, 0.02 ± 0.02, 0.11 ± 0.06, 0.34 ± 0.22, 0.15 ± 0.19 and 0.008 ± 0.007 μg/g, respectively, and also 0.37 ± 0.27, 0.017 ± 0.021, 0.19 ± 0.18, 0.37 ± 0.20, 0.13 ± 0.23 and 0.037 ± 0.06 μg/g in washed salt samples. The calculated weekly intake of lead and cadmium was 0.216 and 0.014 μg/kg, respectively for the recrystallized and 0.2653 and 0.0119 μg/kg for the washed salts. CONCLUSION: All values for toxic metals were lower than the permitted maximum for human consumption as prescribed by Codex and Institute of Standards and Industrial Research of Iran. Only 0.8652-1.0612% of lead and 0.17-0.2% of cadmium PTWIs are received via salt consumption weekly

Development of DRASTIC Method Considering Land Use to Analyze the Potential of Aquifer Pollution in Semi-Arid Regions

Groundwater vulnerability assessment is important in order to prioritize these resources from the perspective of exploitation, management and control of pollution in different areas. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the qualitative vulnerability of Birjand plain aquifer using DRASTIC-LU model. In this research, the DRASTIC base model with the land use parameter of the developed lands was used. In this method, the basic model parameters including groundwater depth, net nutrition, aquifer environment, soil type, topography, unsaturated area constituents, and hydraulic guidance were analyzed in GIS environment along with land use variable as a model development based on standard weights and the vulnerability zoning map was prepared. Vulnerability zoning map of DRASTIC-LU model showed that 62.27, 25.07, 17.17, and 2.38% of the area have low to medium, medium to high, low and high vulnerability, respectively. In addition, the sensitivity analysis of the model used to evaluate the assigned weights was performed. To validate the model, the correlation of the model with the nitrate concentration was performed; the obtained correlation of 86% indicated the appropriate correlation of this model with the nitrate concentration as an indicator of groundwater pollution

Cell junctions and oral health

The oral cavity and its appendices are exposed to considerable environmental and mechanical stress. This frequently involves cell junctions, which are goalkeepers of tissue homeostasis. Among those, gap junctions permit the exchange of compounds between cells, thereby controlling processes such as cell growth and differentiation. Tight junctions restrict paracellular transportation and inhibit movement of integral membrane proteins between the different plasma membrane poles. Adherens junctions attach cells one to another and provide a solid backbone for resisting to mechanistical stress. The integrity of oral mucosa, normal tooth development and saliva secretion depends on the proper function of all these types of cell junctions. Furthermore, deregulation of junctional proteins and/or mutations in their genes can alter tissue functioning and may result in various human disorders, including dental and periodontal problems, salivary gland malfunction, hereditary and infectious diseases as well as tumorigenesis. The present paper reviews the role of cell junctions in the (patho)physiology of the oral cavity and its appendices