An improved BioHashing for human authentication

Given the recent explosion of interest in human authentication, verification based on tokenized pseudo-random numbers and the user specific biometric feature (BioHashing) has received much attention. These methods have significant functional advantages over sole biometrics i.e. zero equal error rate. The main drawback of the base BioHashing method proposed in the literature relies in exhibiting low performance when an “impostor” B steals the pseudo-random numbers of A and he tries to authenticate as A. In this paper, we introduce some ideas to improve the base BioHashing approach in order to maintain a very low equal error rate when nobody steals the Hash key, and to reach good performance also when an “impostor” steals the Hash key.     

Automatic selection of arterial input function on dynamic contrast-enhanced MR images

Dynamic susceptibility contrast-magnetic resonance imaging (DSC-MRI) data analysis requires the knowledge of the arterial input function (AIF) to quantify the cerebral blood flow (CBF), volume (CBV) and the mean transit time (MTT). AIF can be obtained either manually or using automatic algorithms. We present a method to derive the AIF on the middle cerebral artery (MCA). The algorithm draws a region of interest (ROI) where the MCA is located. Then, it uses a recursive cluster analysis on the ROI to select the arterial voxels. The algorithm had been compared on simulated data to literature state of art automatic algorithms and on clinical data to the manual procedure. On in silico data, our method allows to reconstruct the true AIF and it is less affected by partial volume effect bias than the other methods. In clinical data, automatic AIF provides CBF and MTT maps with a greater contrast level compared to manual AIF ones. Therefore, AIF obtained with the proposed method improves the estimate reliability and provides a quantitatively reliable physiological picture.     

Treatment of petroleum refinery sourwater by advanced oxidation processes

The performance of several oxidation processes to remove organic pollutants from sourwater was investigated. Sourwater is a specific stream of petroleum refineries, which contains slowly biodegradable compounds and toxic substances that impair the industrial biological wastewater treatment system. Preliminary experiments were conducted, using the following processes: H2O2, H2O2/UV, UV, photocatalysis, ozonation, Fenton and photo-Fenton. All processes, except Fenton and photo-Fenton, did not lead to satisfactory results, reducing at most 35% of the sourwater dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Thus, further experiments were performed with these two techniques to evaluate process conditions and organic matter removal kinetics. Batch experiments revealed that the Fenton reaction is very fast and reaches, in a few minutes, an ultimate DOC removal of 13-27%, due to the formation of iron complexes. Radiation for an additional period of 60 min can increase DOC removal up to 87%. Experiments were also conducted in a continuous mode, operating one 0.4L Fenton stirred reactor and one 1.6L photo-Fenton reactor in series. DOC removals above 75% were reached, when the reaction system was operated with hydraulic retention times (HRT) higher than 85 min. An empirical mathematical model was proposed to represent the DOC removal kinetics, allowing predicting process performance quite satisfactorily.     

Two-class fingerprint matcher

We present a system for fingerprint verification that approaches the problem as a two-class pattern recognition problem. The features extracted by “FingerCode” are used to capture the ridge strength. This feature vector is then classified as genuine or impostor according to a novel approach to handle the fingerprint verification as a two-class problem. Moreover, we show that extracting the features from sub-images around the core permits to better represent the local information.     

Role of NEU3 Overexpression in the Prediction of Efficacy of EGFR-Targeted Therapies in Colon Cancer Cell Lines

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), through the MAP kinase and PI3K-Akt-mTOR axis, plays a pivotal role in colorectal cancer (CRC) pathogenesis. The membrane-associated NEU3 sialidase interacts with and desialylates EGFR by promoting its dimerization and downstream effectors’ activation. Among the targeted therapies against EGFR, the monoclonal antibody cetuximab is active only in a subgroup of patients not carrying mutations in the MAP kinase pathway. In order to better understand the EGFR-NEU3 interplay and the mechanisms of pharmacological resistance, we investigated the role of NEU3 deregulation in cetuximab-treated CRC cell lines transiently transfected with NEU3 using Western blot analysis. Our results indicate that NEU3 overexpression can enhance EGFR activation only if EGFR is overexpressed, indicating the existence of a threshold for NEU3-mediated EGFR activation. This enhancement mainly leads to the constitutive activation of the MAP kinase pathway. Consequently, we suggest that the evaluation of NEU3 expression cannot entirely substitute the evaluation of EGFR because EGFR-negative cases cannot be stimulated by NEU3. Furthermore, NEU3-mediated hyperactivation of EGFR is counterbalanced by the administration of cetuximab, hypothesizing that a combined treatment of NEU3- and EGFR-targeted therapies may represent a valid option for CRC patients, which must be investigated in the future.     

Tunable,Grating-Gated,Graphene-On-Polyimide Terahertz Modulators

An electrically switchable graphene terahertz (THz) modulator with a tunable-by-design optical bandwidth is presented and it is exploited to compensate the cavity dispersion of a quantum cascade laser (QCL). Electrostatic gating is achieved by a metal grating used as a gate electrode, with an HfO₂/AlO_x gate dielectric on top. This is patterned on a polyimide layer, which acts as a quarter wave resonance cavity, coupled with an Au reflector underneath. The authors achieve 90% modulation depth of the intensity, combined with a 20 kHz electrical bandwidth in the 1.9–2.7 THz range. The modulator is then integrated with a multimode THz QCL. By adjusting the modulator operational bandwidth, the authors demonstrate that the graphene modulator can partially compensate the QCL cavity dispersion, resulting in an integrated laser behaving as a stable frequency comb over 35% of the operational range, with 98 equidistant optical modes and a spectral coverage ~1.2 THz. This paves the way for applications in the terahertz, such as tunable transformation-optics devices, active photonic components, adaptive and quantum optics, and metrological tools for spectroscopy at THz frequencies.     

Optical and electronic properties of fluorene/thiophene/benzothiadiazole pseudorandom copolymers for photovoltaic applications

A new family of 9,9-bisalkylfluorene (F)/thiophene (T)/benzothiadiazole (B) π-conjugated copolymers for organic solar cells is reported. The structure of the reported copolymers is pseudorandom: in turn each F, T, B monomer unit is alternated to the other randomly distributed two units. Voltammetric, UV–visible, and photoluminescence measurements have been carried out to assess the optical and electronic properties of the synthesized materials. The occurring of photoinduced charge transfer towards a fullerene electron acceptor was investigated by photoluminescence quenching and light-induced electron spin resonance experiments. The copolymer having alternating thiophene monomer units and randomly distributed fluorene and benzothiadiazole units exhibits the most promising characteristics; the photophysic study shows that such polymer/fullerene blend could represent a novel and cheaper material to be used as convenient donor–acceptor system for polymer solar cells.     

Promoting the integration of technology in teaching: An analysis of the factors that increase the intention to use technologies among Italian teachers

Background: The rapid spread of COVID-19 forced many countries to adopt severe containment measures, transferring all didactic activities into virtual environments. However, the integration of technology in teaching may present difficulties, especially in some countries, such as Italy. Objectives: The present study analyzed how the two main factors of the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), namely perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, combined with online teaching self-efficacy, were associated with the intention to use technology to teach. We posited a moderated moderation model in which perceived usefulness represented the main predictor, with self-efficacy and perceived ease of use as moderators of intention to use technology to teach. Method: The model was tested through multiple regressions, using the PROCESS macro on SPSS 26 with a sample of 178 upper secondary school teachers in Italy. Results and conclusions: Regressions showed that each variable significantly predicted the intention to use technology. In addition, a moderation effect of self-efficacy on the perceived usefulness of using technology was found for medium and high-level of perceived ease of use of technology. Implications: The present study provides targeted implications for distance education policy and practice to promote its adoption (or the blended modality) in Italian upper schools.     

Molecular Pathogenesis of NASH

Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is the main cause of chronic liver disease in the Western world and a major health problem, owing to its close association with obesity, diabetes, and the metabolic syndrome. NASH progression results from numerous events originating within the liver, as well as from signals derived from the adipose tissue and the gastrointestinal tract. In a fraction of NASH patients, disease may progress, eventually leading to advanced fibrosis, cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Understanding the mechanisms leading to NASH and its evolution to cirrhosis is critical to identifying effective approaches for the treatment of this condition. In this review, we focus on some of the most recent data reported on the pathogenesis of NASH and its fibrogenic progression, highlighting potential targets for treatment or identification of biomarkers of disease progression.