Convolutional Neural Network Approach for Multispectral Facial Presentation Attack Detection in Automated Border Control Systems

Automated border control systems are the first critical infrastructure point when crossing a border country. Crossing border lines for unauthorized passengers is a high security risk to any country. This paper presents a multispectral analysis of presentation attack detection for facial biometrics using the learned features from a convolutional neural network. Three sensors are considered to design and develop a new database that is composed of visible (VIS), near-infrared (NIR), and thermal images. Most studies are based on laboratory or ideal conditions-controlled environments. However, in a real scenario, a subject’s situation is completely modified due to diverse physiological conditions, such as stress, temperature changes, sweating, and increased blood pressure. For this reason, the added value of this study is that this database was acquired in situ. The attacks considered were printed, masked, and displayed images. In addition, five classifiers were used to detect the presentation attack. Note that thermal sensors provide better performance than other solutions. The results present better outputs when all sensors are used together, regardless of whether classifier or feature-level fusion is considered. Finally, classifiers such as KNN or SVM show high performance and low computational level.     

Efficient wireless non-radiative mid-range energy transfer

We investigate whether, and to what extent, the physical phenomenon of long-lifetime resonant electromagnetic states with localized slowly-evanescent field patterns can be used to transfer energy efficiently over non-negligible distances, even in the presence of extraneous environmental objects. Via detailed theoretical and numerical analyses of typical real-world model-situations and realistic material parameters, we establish that such a non-radiative scheme can lead to “strong coupling” between two medium-range distant such states and thus could indeed be practical for efficient medium-range wireless energy transfer.     

A quantitative western blot technique using TMB: Comparison with the conventional technique

Numerous molecular biological experiments performed throughout the world require the detection or quantification of a protein of interest. Western blotting is one of the most popular techniques used for this purpose and offers quantitative information with the aid of specialized software. However, its dependence on the picture that is captured, and the background and the absence of a common protocol prevent the technique from being completely quantitative. To overcome these obstacles, we present a simple and reliable assay that is similar to the regular technique, with the exception of the last stage of band visualization and quantification. We propose that small pieces of the blot that include the protein of interest can be cut and dipped in a small volume of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine solution, giving a colorimetric signal with linear dependence on the quantity of the protein. The reaction is stopped with H₂SO₄, and the signal is measured in a plate reader. This modification shows high linearity without additional costs and can be applied for both purified proteins and proteins found in a lysate. The results obtained with our proposed technique were compared with those obtained by the conventional method and proved to be more reliable.     

Efficient weakly-radiative wireless energy transfer: An EIT-like approach

Inspired by a quantum interference phenomenon known in the atomic physics community as electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT), we propose an efficient weakly radiative wireless energy transfer scheme between two identical classical resonant objects, strongly coupled to an intermediate classical resonant object of substantially different properties, but with the same resonance frequency. The transfer mechanism essentially makes use of the adiabatic evolution of an instantaneous (so called “dark”) eigenstate of the coupled 3-object system. Our analysis is based on temporal coupled mode theory (CMT), and is general enough to be valid for various possible sorts of coupling, including the resonant inductive coupling on which witricity-type wireless energy transfer is based. We show that in certain parameter regimes of interest, this scheme can be more efficient, and/or less radiative than other, more conventional approaches. A concrete example of wireless energy transfer between capacitively-loaded metallic loops is illustrated at the beginning, as a motivation for the more general case. We also explore the performance of the currently proposed EIT-like scheme, in terms of improving efficiency and reducing radiation, as the relevant parameters of the system are varied.     

Discrete-mode cancellation mechanism for high-Q integrated optical cavities with small modal volume

A mechanism to reduce radiation loss from integrated optical cavities without a complete photonic bandgap is introduced and demonstrated. It is applicable to any device with a patterned substrate (including both low and high index-contrast systems), when it supports discrete guided or leaky modes through which power escaping the cavity can be channeled into radiation. One then achieves the associated increase in Q by designing the cavity such that the near-field pattern becomes orthogonal to these discrete modes, therefore canceling the coupling of power into them and thus reducing the total radiation loss. The method is independent of any delocalization mechanism and can be used to create high-Q cavities with small modal volume.     

Amphiphilic AxBy mikto-arm star copolymers with PLMA and POEGMA arms: Self-assembly and drug encapsulation

We report on the synthesis and self-assembly of amphiphilic mikto-arm star copolymers of the A_xB_y type with mixed arms of poly(lauryl methacrylate) and poly(oligo ethylene glycol methacrylate). Two star copolymers with different hydrophobic-to-hydrophilic ratios are prepared in order to study their self-assembly in aqueous media. Both stars organize in structures with dimensions in the nanoscale. The star with the lower hydrophobic content forms aggregates of lower size and molar mass and it has a higher critical aggregation concentration. The synthesized mikto-arm stars are able to encapsulate curcumin (CUR) and preserve its fluorescence properties while their self-organization is affected by the incorporation of the hydrophobic drug compound. Interestingly, the more hydrophilic star is more strongly affected by the presence of CUR in terms of aggregate size and mass. In phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and fetal bovine serum-PBS solutions the star with higher hydrophobic content appears to better preserve its monomodal size distribution in comparison to the star with lower hydrophobic content either with or without encapsulated CUR. This work opens possibilities for using the new star copolymers in the solubilization of hydrophobic compounds and the delivery of hydrophobic drugs for pharmaceutical and bioimaging applications.     

Thin films of PS/PS‐b‐pnipam and ps/pnipam polymer blends with tunable wettability

We developed thin films of blends of polystyrene (PS) with the thermoresponsive polymer poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) (PS/PNIPAM) and its diblock copolymer polystyrene‐b‐poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PS/PS‐b‐PNIPAM) in different blend ratios, and we study their surface morphology and thermoresponsive wetting behavior. The blends of PS/PNIPAM and PS/PS‐b‐PNIPAM are spin‐casted on flat silicon surfaces with various drying conditions. The surface morphology of the films depends on the blend ratio and the drying conditions. The PS/PS‐b‐PNIPAM films do not show an increase in their water contact angles with temperature, as it is expected by the presence of the PNIPAM block. All PS/PNIPAM films show an increase in the water contact angle above the lower critical solution temperature of PNIPAM, which depends on the ratio of PNIPAM in the blend and is insensitive to the drying conditions of the films. The difference between the wetting behavior of PS/PS‐b‐PNIPAM and PS/PNIPAM films is due to the arrangement of the PNIPAM chains in the film. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2019 , 57, 670–679     

Honey Phenolic Compound Profiling and Authenticity Assessment Using HRMS Targeted and Untargeted Metabolomics

Honey consumption is attributed to potentially advantageous effects on human health due to its antioxidant capacity as well as anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial activity, which are mainly related to phenolic compound content. Phenolic compounds are secondary metabolites of plants, and their content in honey is primarily affected by the botanical and geographical origin. In this study, a high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS) method was applied to determine the phenolic profile of various honey matrices and investigate authenticity markers. A fruitful sample set was collected, including honey from 10 different botanical sources (n = 51) originating from Greece and Poland. Generic liquid–liquid extraction using ethyl acetate as the extractant was used to apply targeted and non-targeted workflows simultaneously. The method was fully validated according to the Eurachem guidelines, and it demonstrated high accuracy, precision, and sensitivity resulting in the detection of 11 target analytes in the samples. Suspect screening identified 16 bioactive compounds in at least one sample, with abscisic acid isomers being the most abundant in arbutus honey. Importantly, 10 markers related to honey geographical origin were revealed through non-targeted screening and the application of advanced chemometric tools. In conclusion, authenticity markers and discrimination patterns were emerged using targeted and non-targeted workflows, indicating the impact of this study on food authenticity and metabolomic fields.     

Theoretical enthalpies of formation and structural characterisation of halogenated nitromethanes and isomeric halomethyl nitrites

The structural, energetic, and thermochemical properties of a number of halogenated nitromethanes, CH _n X_3?n NO₂, and the isomeric nitrites, CH _n X_3?n ONO, are investigated, using theoretical ab initio and density functional theory (DFT) electronic structure methods. Analysis of the results and comparison with the maternal species, nitromethane, CH₃NO₂, and methyl nitrite, CH₃ONO, reveal strong dependence of the molecular properties on the halogen induction effect. Opposite trends are obtained in the C??N and C??O bond dissociation energies (BDE) upon halogenation and higher stabilities are calculated for the trans-nitrite isomers, in contrast with the plain alkyl families where the nitroalkanes are the most stable species. Formation enthalpies, ??H _f ^? , at 298 K are calculated for all halogenated isomers.     

Evaluation of Cocaine Effect on Endogenous Metabolites of HepG2 Cells Using Targeted Metabolomics

Cocaine toxicity has been a subject of study because cocaine is one of the most common and potent drugs of abuse. In the current study the effect of cocaine on human liver cancer cell line (HepG2) was assessed. Cocaine toxicity (IC50) on HepG2 cells was experimentally calculated using an XTT assay at 2.428 mM. The metabolic profile of HepG2 cells was further evaluated to investigate the cytotoxic activity of cocaine at 2 mM at three different time points. Cell medium and intracellular material samples were analyzed with a validated HILIC-MS/MS method for targeted metabolomics on an ACQUITY Amide column in gradient mode with detection on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer in multiple reaction monitoring. About 106 hydrophilic metabolites from different metabolic pathways were monitored. Multivariate analysis clearly separated the studied groups (cocaine-treated and control samples) and revealed potential biomarkers in the extracellular and intracellular samples. A predominant effect of cocaine administration on alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolic pathway was observed. Moreover, taurine and hypotaurine metabolism were found to be affected in cocaine-treated cells. Targeted metabolomics managed to reveal metabolic changes upon cocaine administration, however deciphering the exact cocaine cytotoxic mechanism is still challenging.