290 research outputs found
Hydraulic simulations to evaluate and predict design and operation of the Chashma Right Bank Canal
No full textIrrigation systems / Irrigation canals / Flow control / Velocity / Canal regulation techniques / Hydraulics / Simulation models / Design / Operations / Crop-based irrigation / Distributary canals / Water delivery / Policy / Protective irrigation / Water allocation / Water requirements / Sedimentation / Water distribution / Equity / Water conveyance / Pakistan / Chashma Right Bank Canal
In vitro and in silico antiproliferative potential of isolated flavonoids constitutes from Pistacia integerrima
No full textCancer is one of the most demanding domains for innovative, effective, safe, and affordable therapeutically active chemicals. The main aim of this study is to research new phytochemicals with anticancer activity. The current experiment identified and analyzed six compounds for anti-cancer potential supported by molecular simulation studies. The defatted methanolic extract underwent column chromatography, resulting in the isolation of six flavonoids. These include 3,5,7,4′-tetrahydroxy-flavanone (1), naringenin (2), 3,5,4′-trihydroxy-7-methoxy-flavanone (3), sakuranetin (4), spinacetin (5), and patuletin (6). The isolated compounds (1-6) were assessed for in vitro anti-cancer activity against various cell lines such as HepG2 (hepatoma G2), A498 (kidney), NCI-H226 (lungs), and MDR2780AD (human ovarian). The maximum antiproliferative effect was against HepG2 and MDR2780AD. When compounds 6, 5, and 1 were compared to a standard anti-cancer medicine (paclitaxel) with an IC50 of 7.32, it was shown that compounds 6, 5, and 1 exhibited significant activity against HepG2 with IC50 values of 14.65, 20.87, and 27.09 μM, respectively. All tested compounds showed an IC50 of less than 1 μM and had notable effects against MDR2780 AD cell lines. Compound 6 exhibited notable potency against the HepG2, A498, and MDR2780AD cell lines, among the six compounds that were evaluated. In contrast, compound 3 demonstrated the most pronounced impact on the NCI-H226 cell line. Docking investigations were performed using tubulin as the specific target concerning PDB ID 4O2B. The six compounds under investigation interact hydrophobically and hydrophilically with tubulin-binding site amino acid residues
Specification and animation of security design models using Z
No full textL'écriture de spécifications pour des logiciels en général et en particulier pour des applications sécurisées demande de développer des techniques qui facilitent la détection et la prévention des erreurs de conception, dès les premières phases du développement. Ce besoin est motivé par les coûts et délais des phases de vérification et validation. De nombreuses méthodes de spécification, tant formelles qu'informelles ont été proposées et, comme nous le verrons dans cette thèse, les approches formelles donnent des spécifications de meilleure qualité.L'ingénierie des systèmes sécurisés propose l'utilisation de modèles de conception de la sécurité pour représenter les applications sécurisées. Dans de nombreux cas, ces modèles se basent sur les notations graphiques d'UML avec des extensions, sous forme de profils comme SecureUML, pour exprimer la sécurité. Néanmoins, les notations d'UML, même étendues avec des assertions OCL, sont insuffisantes pour garantir la correction de ces modèles. Ceci est notamment du aux limites des outils d'animation utilisés pour valider des modèles UML étendus en OCL. Nous proposons de combiner des langages formels comme Z avec UML pour valider des applications en animant leurs spécifications, indépendamment de futurs choix d'implémentation. Le but de cette thèse est de présenter une approche pour analyser par animation des modèles de conception de la sécurité. Nous utilisons un outil pré-existant, RoZ, pour traduire les aspects fonctionnels du modèle UML en Z. Cependant, RoZ ne couvre pas la modélisation des aspects sécuritaires. Dans cette thèse, nous avons complété l'outil RoZ en l'associant à un noyau de sécurité qui spécifie les concepts du modèle RBAC (Role Based Access Control). Nous utilisons l'animation pour explorer dynamiquement et ainsi valider les aspects sécuritaires de l'application.Notre approche et les outils qui la supportent intègrent UML, SecureUML (un langage de modélisation de la sécurité), RBAC, RoZ, Z et Jaza, un animateur pour le langage Z. L'animation des spécifications prend la forme de scénarios définis par l'utilisateur qui permettent de se convaincre que la spécification décrit correctement ses besoins. Notre approche permet une validation dès la phase de spécification, qui prend en considération l'interaction entre les modèles fonctionnel et sécuritaire, et qui fait abstraction des choix de l'implémentation. Les éléments du modèle fonctionnel peuvent être utilisés comme contexte dans la définition des permissions du modèle de sécurité. Notre approche ne met pas de contrainte sur ce modèle fonctionnel ce qui permet de l'utiliser pour une vaste gamme d'applications.Specifying security-critical software urges to develop techniques that allow early bugs detection and prevention. This is aggravated by the fact that massive cost and time are spent during product validation and verification (V&V). There exists a multitude of formal and informal techniques striving to confront the challenge of specifying and validating specifications. Our approach mainly concerns validating the security specifications by animating the formal models, which adds a new dimension to the state-of-the-art.Secure system engineering dedicated to tackle security features offers security-design models to sketch secure applications. Generally for these, Unified Modeling Language (UML) is considered a de facto standard along with a few extensions such as SecureUML and Object Constraint Language (OCL). OCL tends to add precision in design but yet it remains far from obtaining bugs free specifications. One reason to that is the inability of the OCL-based techniques to animate models before proceeding to an implementation.Combining formal languages such as Z with UML allows applying animation techniques enabling early validation of software design. The RoZ tool is capable of translating UML models into the Z specifications which further can be verified or validated. But RoZ is lacking to provide similar features for secure applications. In this thesis, we have upgraded this tool using an underlying security kernel backed up by Role Based Access Control (RBAC). Our approach not only allows validating the specifications but can animate the formal models. The animation also takes into account both the static and the dynamic aspects (i.e., session management) of RBAC-based security policies. Our unified approach and toolset involves a systematic usage and linkage of UML, SecureUML, RBAC, RoZ, Z, and the Just Another Z Animator (Jaza) tool. Using Jaza, the sort of validation we perform allows enumerating user defined scenarios to determine if the specification describes the intended reality. We emphasize on simultaneous consideration of functional and non-functional properties and consider functional models as contextual constraints over the security models. From a user viewpoint, our proposed approach can arbitrarily be composed with any functional model to examine an RBAC-based security policy
Surveillance centric coding
No full textPhDThe research work presented in this thesis focuses on the development of techniques
specific to surveillance videos for efficient video compression with higher processing
speed. The Scalable Video Coding (SVC) techniques are explored to achieve higher
compression efficiency. The framework of SVC is modified to support Surveillance
Centric Coding (SCC). Motion estimation techniques specific to surveillance videos
are proposed in order to speed up the compression process of the SCC.
The main contributions of the research work presented in this thesis are divided into
two groups (i) Efficient Compression and (ii) Efficient Motion Estimation. The
paradigm of Surveillance Centric Coding (SCC) is introduced, in which coding aims
to achieve bit-rate optimisation and adaptation of surveillance videos for storing and
transmission purposes. In the proposed approach the SCC encoder communicates
with the Video Content Analysis (VCA) module that detects events of interest in
video captured by the CCTV. Bit-rate optimisation and adaptation are achieved by
exploiting the scalability properties of the employed codec. Time segments
containing events relevant to surveillance application are encoded using high spatiotemporal
resolution and quality while the irrelevant portions from the surveillance
standpoint are encoded at low spatio-temporal resolution and / or quality. Thanks to
the scalability of the resulting compressed bit-stream, additional bit-rate adaptation is
possible; for instance for the transmission purposes. Experimental evaluation showed
that significant reduction in bit-rate can be achieved by the proposed approach
without loss of information relevant to surveillance applications.
In addition to more optimal compression strategy, novel approaches to performing
efficient motion estimation specific to surveillance videos are proposed and
implemented with experimental results. A real-time background subtractor is used to
detect the presence of any motion activity in the sequence. Different approaches for
selective motion estimation, GOP based, Frame based and Block based, are
implemented. In the former, motion estimation is performed for the whole group of
pictures (GOP) only when a moving object is detected for any frame of the GOP.
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While for the Frame based approach; each frame is tested for the motion activity and
consequently for selective motion estimation. The selective motion estimation
approach is further explored at a lower level as Block based selective motion
estimation. Experimental evaluation showed that significant reduction in
computational complexity can be achieved by applying the proposed strategy. In
addition to selective motion estimation, a tracker based motion estimation and fast
full search using multiple reference frames has been proposed for the surveillance
videos.
Extensive testing on different surveillance videos shows benefits of
application of proposed approaches to achieve the goals of the SCC
Crystalline phase, surface morphology and electrical properties of monovalent-doped Nd0.75Na0.25Mn1-yCoyO3 manganites
No full textPerovskite-type manganites Nd0.75Na0.25Mn1-yCoyO3 (y = 0 – 0.05) have been investigated to clarify the influence of Co-doped on crystal phase and morphological study as well as electrical transport properties. The Nd0.75Na0.25Mn1-yCoyO3 samples are prepared via solid state synthesis method. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed all the samples are essentially single phased and the peaks are indexed to an orthorhombic structure with Pnma space. The morphological study from scanning electron microscope shows the improvement of the grains boundaries and sizes as well as the compaction of particles can be seen as cobalt doping increased. On the other hand, the temperature dependence of electrical resistivity measurements using four-point-probe technique indicates all samples maintained an insulator like behaviour down to low temperature. Analysis of the resistivity change with respect to temperature, dlnρ/dT-1 versus T reveals a slope changes of resistivity has been observed and a boarder peak exist for y = 0 sample and the peaks become significantly obvious for y = 0.02 and 0.05 samples. The peaks are observed in the range of charge ordering (CO) transition indicate the existence of CO in the system
Estimating the Middle Class in Pakistan
No full textThe concept ‘middle class’ is one of the most commonly used terms in the social sciences, including economics, sociology and political science. Despite its frequent use there is, however, no consensus on what the term exactly implies and its meaning remains ambiguous depending primarily on the context in which it is used. It is viewed as the class that is between, and separates, the lower and the upper classes, that is the rich and the poor, but there is no agreement on the exact boundaries that separates them. Most of the definitions and measurements of the middle class continue to be somewhat arbitrary and vague.
5-(3,4,5-Trimethoxyphenyl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole-2(3H)-thione
No full textThe two rings in the title compound, C11H12N2O4S, are roughly coplanar [dihedral angle = 6.77 (8)°]. Whereas the two outer methyl groups of the three methoxy groups are almost coplanar with the aromatic ring to which they are attached [C—C—O—C torsion angles = 8.5 (3) and -8.3 (3)°], the methyl group of the central methoxy substituent is not [C—C—C—C = -78.4 (3)°]. The crystal packing is stabilized by N—H ... O hydrogen bonding
A reappraisal of attitudes to the 'People of the Book' in the Qur'an and hadith, with particular reference to Muslim fiscal policy and the covenant of 'Umar
No full textEThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo
Validation of Security-Design Models using Z
No full textInternational audienceThis paper is aimed at formally specifying and validating security-design models of an information system. It combines graphical languages and formal methods, integrating specification languages such as UML and an extension, SecureUML, with the Z language. The modeled system addresses both functional and security requirements of a given application. The formal functional specification is built automatically from the UML diagram, using our RoZ tool. The secure part of the model instanciates a generic security-kernel written in Z, free from applications specificity, which models the concepts of RBAC (Role-Based Access Control). The final modeling step creates a link between the functional model and the instanciated security kernel. Validation is performed by animating the model, using the Jaza tool. Our approach is demonstrated on a case-study from the health care sector where confidentiality and integrity appear as core challenges to protect medical records
Assessment of phenotypic diversity in the USDA collection of quinoa links genotypic adaptation to germplasm origin
No full textQuinoa’s germplasm evaluation is the first step towards determining its suitability under new environmental conditions. The aim of this study was to introduce suitable germplasm to the lowland areas of the Faisalabad Plain that could then be used to introduce quinoa more effectively to that region. A set of 117 quinoa genotypes belonging to the USDA quinoa collection was evaluated for 11 phenotypic quantitative traits (grain yield (Y), its biological and numerical components plus phenological variables) in a RCBD during two consecutive growing seasons at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan under mid-autumn sowings. Genotypic performance changed across the years, however most phenotypic traits showed high heritability, from 0.75 for Harvest Index (HI) to 0.97 for aerial biomass (B) and Y. Ordination and cluster analyses differentiated four Academic Editors: Cataldo Pulvento and Didier Bazile Received: 28 January 2022 Accepted: 3 March 2022 Published: 10 March 2022 Publisher’s Note: MDPI stays neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Copyright: © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (https:// creativecommons.org/licenses/by/ 4.0/). groups dominated by genotypes from: Peru and the Bolivian Highlands (G1); the Bolivian Highlands (G2); the Ballón collection (regarded as a cross between Bolivian and Sea Level (Chilean) genotypes) plus Bolivian Highlands (G3); and Ballón plus Sea Level (G4), this latter group being the most differentiated one. This genetic structure shared similarities with previous groups identified using SSR markers and G×Edata from an international quinoa test. G4 genotypes showed the highest Y associated with higher B and seed numbers (SN), while HI made a significant contribution to yield determination in G2 and seed weight (SW) in G3. G1 and G2 showed the lowest Y associated with a lower B and SN. Moreover, SW showed a strongly negative association with SN in G2. Accordingly, G4followed by G3 are better suited to the lowland areas of Faisalabad plain and the physiological traits underlying yield determination among genotypic groups should be considered in future breeding programs.Fil: Hafeez, Muhammad Bilal. University Of Agriculture; PakistánFil: Iqbal, Shahid. University Of Agriculture; PakistánFil: Li, Yuanyuan. Shandong Normal University. College of Life Science. Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Stress Research; ChinaFil: Saddiq, Muhammad Sohail. Ghazi University. Department of Agronomy; PakistánFil: Basra, Shahzad M. A.. University Of Agriculture; PakistánFil: Zhang, Hui. Shandong Normal University. College of Life Science. Shandong Provincial Key Laboratory of Plant Stress Research; ChinaFil: Zahra, Noreen. University Of Agriculture; PakistánFil: Akram, Muhammad Z.. University Of Agriculture; PakistánFil: Bertero, Hector Daniel. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas; Argentina. Universidad de Buenos Aires. Facultad de Agronomía. Departamento de Producción Vegetal. Cátedra de Producción Vegetal; ArgentinaFil: Curti, Ramiro Nestor. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Salta. Facultad de Ciencias Naturales. Escuela de Agronomía. Laboratorio de Investigaciones Botánicas; Argentin
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