Search Results (40,633)

Sepsis early warning is hindered by data silos, temporal leakage, and threshold choices that obscure operational performance. We present a leakage-aware federated-learning evaluation pipeline that enforces group/temporal separation and compares models at a fixed alert workload. Stage-1 benchmarks local, FedAvg, and FedProx LSTM/Transformer models on PhysioNet/CinC 2019 using the official A/B partitions in bidirectional cross-hospital evaluation (A→B/B→A) after removing ICULOS. Stage-2 constructs a Sepsis-3-aligned MIMIC-IV task using full SOFA-component features and simulated clients to emulate institutional heterogeneity. Federated training improves out-of-hospital generalization for LSTM models on PhysioNet, whereas Transformer models remain robust across 3–12 h horizons. On MIMIC-IV, fixed alert-rate evaluation (α = 5%) clarifies workload–timeliness trade-offs, and centralized XGBoost achieves the strongest stay-level detection with clinically meaningful lead times. Supplementary privacy and security stress tests further contextualize residual deployment risks. Overall, leakage control and workload-matched evaluation are essential for trustworthy, operationally actionable sepsis early warning. Full article

Metasurface is a kind of artificial structure which can efficiently control the amplitude, phase, frequency, and polarization of the light field. Metasurface polarization holographic encryption is a holographic encryption technology with the polarization state as a key, which has been widely concerned in recent years with advantages such as sub-wavelength pixels, precision adjustment, and high security factor. In this paper, the design and optimization of the unit structure of metasurface have been carried out, and the clear double-channel holographic image reproduction and good encryption effects have been realized afterwards. The results show that the relatively good polarization holographic encryption can be achieved by employing the designed Si nanorods with the length of 148 nm and width of 55 nm, respectively, which have been beforehand grown on SiO₂ substrates. Note that the periodic angle deflection around the Z axis was adopted by using the dual-channel optical rotation incidence with the wavelength of 632.8 nm. It has been theoretically demonstrated that information transmittance loss should be less and the image restoration effect should be satisfactory. A novel encryption method has also been proposed for the optical information processing and optical encryption, and the huge application potential of our theme has been revealed as the next-generation optical control platform in the near future. Full article

Rapid access to building intelligence is critical for emergency response, yet paper fire safety instructions (FSi) often provide limited utility under stress. This structured narrative review addresses the “information gap” between unit arrival and decision-making by analyzing the legal admissibility, technological requirements, and security risks of digital FSi across Poland, Germany, France, Belgium, and Hungary. While no explicit prohibition of digital forms was identified, enforcement practices prioritize paper as the evidentiary master. Consequently, we propose a hybrid model: a paper master for compliance and redundancy, supplemented by a digital operational overlay accessed via “zero-install” offline-first progressive web apps (PWA). The review defines a minimum operational dataset (MOD)—prioritizing critical data like utility shut-offs and hazards over full documentation—and addresses cybersecurity threats, specifically QR-phishing (“quishing”). We conclude that the hybrid model minimizes legal and operational risks while significantly reducing time-to-information, provided that strict content identity and change management protocols are maintained. Full article

Digital Twins (DTs) are increasingly recognized as a strategic technology for enhancing cybersecurity in industrial environments, particularly in the face of rising threats targeting Operational Technology (OT). After comparatively examining closely related DT–cybersecurity frameworks to position the contribution within the existing research landscape, this paper presents a systematic literature review and comparative analysis of 19 recent DT-based cybersecurity studies, focusing on their relevance to incident detection and response in sectors such as Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), manufacturing, and energy. The analysis evaluates each study across multiple dimensions, including attack types, detection and response mechanisms, DT integration, and technology stacks. From this review, we derive a consolidated set of requirements, categorized as functional, non-functional, security-specific, and domain-specific. These requirements serve as the foundation for a novel, cybersecurity-focused, ISO 23247-based framework. The proposed architecture formalizes a DT-enabled incident detection and response lifecycle aligned with ISO 23247. It is explicitly mapped to the derived requirements and detailed with practical implementation considerations. This work contributes a structured, evidence-based approach to DT-based security engineering and offers a reference design for researchers and practitioners aiming to build resilient, adaptive cybersecurity solutions in industrial settings. Full article

The IEC 62443 standard defines that, based on risk assessment, different parts of an Industrial Automation and Control System (IACS) may have different security levels, and that parts with the same security level can be designated as separate zones. Furthermore, communication between different zones, both intra-IACS and inter-IACS, can be done via conduits. In this article, we argue that zones and particularly conduits can benefit from more detailed discussions of their architecture and implementation. Consequently, as novel contributions we (1) describe detailed principles for implementing conduits; (2) outline a process for connecting zones with potentially different Security Levels (SLs), expressed in the form of a flow chart; and (3) discuss challenges related to the application of zones and conduits in practice. Full article

Rural revitalization has emerged as a core agenda in the global pursuit of sustainable development, with its success fundamentally hinging on enhancing the resilience of rural households to withstand shocks and restore their livelihoods. In contrast to mainstream research that primarily examines whether Medical Financial Assistance (MFA) reduces medical burden, this paper focuses on MFA as ex-post cash compensation and investigates whether and how it affects the sustainable livelihood recovery of low-income rural households following health shocks, thereby providing empirical evidence for understanding the foundational role of health security in rural revitalization. A quasi-natural experiment is constructed by leveraging the institutional feature that MFA eligibility is activated by exogenous health shocks. Using two-wave balanced panel data (2021–2022) from a nationally designated deep poverty-stricken county in Hebei Province, China, the Propensity Score Matching–Difference-in-Differences (PSM-DID) method and mediation models are employed for causal identification and mechanism testing. The findings indicate that (1) MFA significantly promotes household income recovery. It enables recipient households to recover per capita net income by an average of approximately 13.2% (p < 0.01), demonstrating a protective recovery effect, and simultaneously recovers per capita non-farm labor income by an average of approximately 13.8% (p < 0.05), revealing a developmental recovery effect. The latter is partially mediated by the non-farm labor participation rate (mediation ratio 51.7%, Sobel Z = 2.10). This finding validates the “time release effect,” demonstrating that MFA stimulates endogenous dynamics by restoring health capital and releasing labor previously constrained by family care responsibilities. It thereby extends the application of health capital theory from the individual to the household level. (2) Mechanism analysis shows that the protective recovery effect is fully mediated by the amount of MFA received (mediation ratio 326.7%, Sobel Z = 12.85), providing empirical evidence for precautionary saving theory in the context of targeted social assistance and revealing the potential productive attributes of the social safety net. (3) Heterogeneity analysis reveals clear group targeting and shock thresholds. The protective effect is concentrated among elderly households, while the developmental effect is primarily evident in middle-aged households. Both recovery effects manifest significantly only for households experiencing major disease shocks, confirming the theoretical expectation of “conditional effectiveness,” namely that policy effects are systematically moderated by household life-cycle characteristics and the severity of health shocks. This study demonstrates that MFA serves both as a safety net and an empowerment tool, but its effectiveness is highly contingent upon household characteristics and shock severity. By uncovering the foundational mechanisms through which health security contributes to rural household resilience, this study provides empirical evidence from China for building sustainable poverty prevention systems in the global process of rural revitalization. Full article

Groundwater is a critical component of the terrestrial water system, and understanding the spatiotemporal evolution of national groundwater storage is essential for ensuring water security and ecological sustainability in China. Based on GRACE and GRACE-FO satellite gravity data from January 2005 to December 2024, combined with land surface water components derived from GLDAS, this study investigates the spatiotemporal variations and driving mechanisms of groundwater storage anomalies (GWSAs) across China using parametric additive decomposition, Theil–Sen trend estimation, and the Mann–Kendall significance test. The results indicate that: (1) groundwater storage in China has experienced a persistent decline at an average rate of −1.97 mm yr⁻¹, with a cumulative depletion of 38.55 mm. This decline exhibits distinct phases, characterized by a rapid decrease during 2005–2011, a moderated decline during 2012–2017, and a renewed acceleration with increased variability during 2018–2024; (2) spatially, GWSA shows a pronounced “increase in the south and decrease in the north” pattern, with extremely significant declines concentrated in the North China Plain and arid northwestern inland regions, while significant increases are mainly observed in southwestern China and southeastern coastal areas; (3) GWSA exhibits a stable seasonal cycle of “summer surplus and spring deficit,” with groundwater replenishment driven by summer precipitation and substantial depletion caused by agricultural water demand in spring; and (4) groundwater variations in northern China are primarily controlled by intensive agricultural irrigation, resulting in sustained depletion, whereas southern China is mainly influenced by natural precipitation, maintaining a relatively dynamic equilibrium. These findings provide valuable insights for region-specific groundwater management and the sustainable utilization of water resources in China. Full article

Mobile ad hoc networks (MANETs) are highly vulnerable to denial-of-service (DoS) attacks because their decentralized operation, rapidly changing topology, and constrained node resources limit the use of heavyweight security mechanisms. This paper presents an Adaptive Clustering and Random-Forest-based Intrusion Detection System (ACRF-IDS), a lightweight intrusion detection framework that combines mobility-aware adaptive clustering with supervised learning to detect network-layer DoS behaviors. Cluster heads are elected using a multi-metric utility (residual energy, link stability, and mobility) to stabilize observations under node movement. Within fixed monitoring windows, cluster heads aggregate routing-, forwarding-, and energy-related features and classify nodes using a Random Forest model; a temporal voting scheme further suppresses transient mobility-induced alarms. Using ns-2.35 simulations with Ad hoc On-Demand Distance Vector (AODV) and both flooding and blackhole DoS scenarios, ACRF-IDS is compared with (i) a static clustering-based threshold IDS, (ii) a non-clustered Support Vector Machine (SVM)-based IDS, and (iii) AIFAODV, which specializes in flooding. Across the evaluated network sizes (4–50 nodes), the proposed method achieves a higher detection rate and F1-score while maintaining a lower false positive rate than the baseline techniques. We additionally quantify network-level impact using PDR, throughput, and routing overhead, showing that ACRF-IDS improves availability under DoS while adding bounded overhead. Future work will extend the evaluation to more diverse attack behaviors and validate the approach in real-world MANET testbeds. Full article

This study explores Nigeria’s bioenergy industry’s potential in reducing unemployment. It focuses on two objectives: first, to determine how the development of the bioenergy sector can reduce Nigeria’s unemployment rate, and second, to identify effective policy instruments to harness the potential of the bioenergy industry in Nigeria. Using a Forest and Agricultural Sector Optimization Model for Nigeria, this study modeled three scenarios with varying labor wage rates. The second scenario used an hourly wage of US$0.38/h for US$3.00 purchasing power parity (PPP), reflecting the International Labor Organization’s global minimum PPP. The first and third scenarios applied prices slightly below and well above the PPP at the rate of US$0.32/h for US$2.56 PPP and US$1.04/h for US$8.30 PPP, respectively. This was modeled against the baseline labor rate (Nigeria’s minimum wage of 45 USD/month, approximately US$0.28/h, equivalent to 70,000 NGN). Nigeria’s current energy and food security targets and policies are also implicitly implemented. The product-demand driver is the Nigerian population data projection, which aligns with the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs) for Scenario 2. Results reveal that while increases in the labor wage rate improve labor welfare above the global poverty threshold, they also impact the bioenergy sector and the aggregated total economic welfare. Results highlight an optimal wage balance where employment growth in the bioenergy sector can be sustained without compromising production capacity or aggregated total welfare. Based on these insights, actionable policy implications from this study include implementing moderate wage growth, subsidies, and productivity investments to maximize bioenergy’s potential as a sustainable employment generator in Nigeria. Full article

Sustainable agricultural techniques can ensure food security around the world. Hydrogel based soilless culture is an ecological and efficient alternative compared to conventional agriculture. Here, a multi-component hydrogel (pectin, Kelcogel, and chitosan/Se hydrogel, PKCH) was prepared by synthesizing natural biomolecules to cultivate dandelion for stimulate dandelion growth and improve nutritional value. The germination percentage of dandelion on PKCH (88.89%), was significantly higher than that in traditional hydroponics and pure Kelcogel (p < 0.05). Compared with hydroponics, the long-term dandelion cultivation experiments demonstrated that the PKCH cultivation mode enhanced root vitality, further increasing the growth and yield of dandelions (shoot length: 18.36 ± 0.30 cm, root length: 9.28 ± 0.21 cm, main root diameter: 0.94 ± 0.02 cm). The hydrogel substrate was associated with improved nutrient solubilization and sustained release, which may be linked to the accumulation of low-molecular-weight organic acids in the rhizosphere. Exogenous Se was effectively assimilated and transported to the above-ground parts of dandelion, which stimulated the photosynthetic efficiency and nutritional accumulation of dandelion. The polysaccharide content of dandelion reached 69.40 ± 0.13% (expressed as glucose-equivalent total sugars), which demonstrated the potential antioxidant properties and medicinal value. Technical economic analysis revealed the cost-effectiveness of PKCH synthesis and application. This study enriches the application of hydrogels in dandelion cultivation and provides an alternative approach for cultivating dandelion in soilless environments and medicinal crop production techniques. Full article

Cemented carbides are essential in applications requiring exceptional hardness and wear resistance. However, the reliance on cobalt as a binder raises concerns related to cost, supply security, and health. High-entropy alloys (HEAs) are promising cobalt-free binders offering favorable mechanical properties and potential grain-growth control. This work presents a new approach for the development of Co-free WC-based cemented carbide employing an HEA binder designed through CALPHAD-guided simulations. An optimized composition corresponding to Al5Cr5Cu10Fe35Mn10Ni35 (at%) alloy is predicted to be FCC-dominant with minimal σ-phase formation and good compatibility with WC. A preliminary batch of powder of the proposed binder was produced by blending elemental powders, arc remelting, and ultrasonic atomization, yielding predominantly spherical particles with a dendritic microstructure. WC–HEA composites (WC–12 wt% HEA) were then prepared by ball milling, pressing, vacuum sintering, and sinter-HIP for a first evaluation of the microstructure and achievable hardness. The microstructure exhibited residual porosity without significant WC grain coarsening. XRD analyses showed the dominant presence of WC, along with FCC and M₃W₃C phases (M mainly Fe and Mn), indicating thermal interaction between the binder and WC. Despite these effects, the composite achieved a hardness of 1913 HV and retained a fine WC grain size (0.86 μm). The proposed design approach allowed the definition of a promising Co-free binder composition based on HEA with the expected microstructure, which will need further evaluation, especially aimed at investigating toughness properties as a function of the WC content. Full article

This study assesses the role of institutional quality, macroeconomic performance, and environmental pressures in shaping food security in East Asia. Using a PMG-ARDL panel model with data from China, Singapore, and Japan—three economies characterized by high institutional standards—the analysis covers the period 1996–2023. The findings highlight a strong and statistically significant long-term effect of institutional quality on food production, underlining the essential role of governance in reducing regulatory uncertainty, attracting agricultural investment, and enabling coherent policy frameworks. The CO₂ emissions growth also exhibits a significant negative impact, underscoring that climate change poses a structural threat to food security. Control variables show that population growth and macroeconomic stability enhance food security, reflecting an ability to adapt to demand. In contrast, the effect of inflation is insignificant in the long term. In the short term, the analysis reveals heterogeneity in adjustment. The ECT is negative and significant for Singapore, indicating an effective return to long-term equilibrium. In contrast, it is insignificant for Japan and China, suggesting a lack of automatic convergence due to structural specificities in the short term. Overall, the study demonstrates that sustainable food security in advanced East Asian economies relies not only on productive capacity, but also on effective governance, macroeconomic stability, and the integration of climate considerations into long-term policy strategies. Full article

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) enhances industrial efficiency but also introduces substantial security challenges. Authentication is a key building block for securing IIoT networks. However, many recent IoT authentication schemes rely on offline registration and transmit temporary identity credentials in plaintext during registration, which exposes them to privileged-user attacks and limits their practicality in complex deployment scenarios. To address these issues, this paper presents an efficient three-factor authentication scheme with secure online registration for IIoT. The proposed scheme leverages Intel Software Guard Extensions (SGX) to protect the registration master key and support online registration. In addition, a dynamic credential update mechanism is introduced to mitigate privileged-user attacks. The security of the scheme is validated through ProVerif-based formal verification and informal security analysis, while its performance is evaluated through comparative analysis and NS-3 simulations. The results demonstrate that the proposed scheme provides enhanced security with low overhead, making it suitable for IIoT environments. Full article

Background and Objectives: While associations between attachment styles and certain dermatologic conditions have been documented, their role in chronic pruritus remains unexplored. Given the significant psychosomatic component in the etiology of chronic pruritus, this study aimed to assess attachment styles in patients with chronic pruritus in the absence of organic or psychiatric disorders and to examine their potential contribution to its development. Methods: Sixty patients with chronic pruritus were compared with a healthy control group (n = 60). Socio-demographic data, the duration of the disease, and the itch severity were noted. Additionally, assessments performed via the Questionnaire of Relation Scale, Questionnaire of Relation, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, General Health Questionnaire, and Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Results: Statistically higher scores of fearful, dismissive, and preoccupied attachment styles were observed in the patient group compared to the control group. Among patients, those with moderate to high itch severity had higher mean scores of anxiety and preoccupied attachment than those with low itch severity. In contrast, secure attachment scores were significantly higher in the control group than in the patient group. Limitations: Attachment styles were examined with a self-report instrument without stimulated recall procedures. Conclusions: Our findings clearly demonstrate that patients with chronic pruritus exhibit significantly higher levels of insecure attachment styles alongside elevated anxiety, depression, and psychosocial burden. Notably, the association between preoccupied attachment and greater itch severity highlights how emotional dysregulation may intensify pruritus symptoms. Due to limited research directly examining attachment in chronic pruritus, our study provides novel insight and supports a biopsychosocial approach to care. Full article

In blockchain–IPFS-based systems, full nodes maintain complete ledger replicas, whereas light nodes retain only essential information such as block headers to reduce storage and computation overhead. Due to the absence of full data replicas, light nodes are unable to support full-data queries, which limits their applicability in practical financial data sharing scenarios. Moreover, conventional blockchain storage mechanisms rely on synchronous confirmation across multiple nodes, resulting in limited throughput and poor responsiveness under high-concurrency and burst-traffic conditions. To address these issues, this paper proposes a blockchain–IPFS-based storage and query scheme for banking credit data that integrates multi-level caching, non-blocking asynchronous processing, and a Cuckoo filter–based lightweight query mechanism. The proposed scheme enables light nodes to efficiently verify the existence of credit files and retrieve associated metadata without maintaining complete ledger replicas, while a coordinated caching–asynchronous architecture decouples user requests from on-chain and off-chain persistence operations to improve system throughput and robustness. A prototype system is implemented and evaluated under varying file sizes and concurrency levels. Experimental results show that, for files smaller than 100 MB, the proposed scheme reduces storage latency by approximately 35–99% and improves query response time by more than 95%, compared with conventional blockchain–IPFS-based solutions. In addition, download latency is reduced by 20–31% for small and medium-sized files. The results further confirm that the proposed approach effectively supports full-data queries for light nodes and demonstrates strong resilience under burst traffic conditions, indicating its practical feasibility for secure financial credit data sharing. Full article