A Blockchain-Based Access Control Scheme for Reputation Value Attributes of the Internet of Things

The Internet of Things(IoT)access controlmechanism may encounter security issues such as single point of failure and data tampering.To address these issues,a blockchain-based IoT reputation value attribute access control scheme is proposed.Firstly,writing the reputation value as an attribute into the access control policy,and then deploying the access control policy in the smart contract of the blockchain system can enable the system to provide more fine-grained access control;Secondly,storing a large amount of resources fromthe Internet of Things in Inter Planetary File System(IPFS)to improve system throughput;Finally,map resource access operations to qualification tokens to improve the performance of the access control system.Complete simulation experiments based on the Hyperledger Fabric platform.Fromthe simulation experimental results,it can be seen that the access control system can achieve more fine-grained and dynamic access control while maintaining high throughput and low time delay,providing sufficient reliability and security for access control of IoT devices.

The impact of Internet access on household dietary quality:Evidence from rural China

Over the past few decades,the Internet has rapidly diffused across China.The spread of the Internet has had a profound economic and social impact on Chinese rural areas.Existing research shows that Internet access significantly impacts agricultural production and improves smallholder farmers’income.Beyond these,the Internet can affect other dimensions of social welfare.However,research about the impact of Internet access on dietary quality in rural China remains scarce.This study utilizes multi-period panel data from Fixed Observation Point in rural China from 2009 to 2015 to estimate the impact of Internet access on dietary quality and food consumption of rural households and conducts a causal analysis.Regression models with time and household fixed effects allow robust estimation while reducing potential issues of unobserved heterogeneity.The estimates show that Internet access has significantly increased rural household dietary quality(measured by the Chinese Diet Balance Index).Further research finds that Internet access has increased the consumption of animal products,such as aquatic and dairy products.We also examine the underlying mechanisms.Internet access improves dietary quality and food consumption mainly through increasing household income and food expenditure.These results encourage the promotion of Internet access as a valuable tool for nutritional improvements,especially in rural areas.

The Extended Hybrid Carrier-Based Multiple Access Technology for High Mobility Scenarios

The hybrid carrier(HC)system rooted in the carrier fusion concept is gradually garnering attention.In this paper,we study the extended hybrid carrier(EHC)multiple access scheme to ensure reliable wireless communication.By employing the EHC modulation,a power layered multiplexing framework is realized,which exhibits enhanced interference suppression capability owing to the more uniform energy distribution design.The implementation method and advantage mechanism are explicated respectively for the uplink and downlink,and the performance analysis under varying channel conditions is provided.In addition,considering the connectivity demand,we explore the non-orthogonal multiple access(NOMA)method of the EHC system and develop the EHC sparse code multiple access scheme.The proposed scheme melds the energy spread superiority of EHC with the access capacity of NOMA,facilitating superior support for massive connectivity in high mobility environments.Simulation results have verified the feasibility and advantages of the proposed scheme.Compared with existing HC multiple access schemes,the proposed scheme exhibits robust bit error rate performance and can better guarantee multiple access performance in complex scenarios of nextgeneration communications.

The study of lithographic variation in resistive random access memory

Reducing the process variation is a significant concern for resistive random access memory(RRAM).Due to its ultrahigh integration density,RRAM arrays are prone to lithographic variation during the lithography process,introducing electrical variation among different RRAM devices.In this work,an optical physical verification methodology for the RRAM array is developed,and the effects of different layout parameters on important electrical characteristics are systematically investigated.The results indicate that the RRAM devices can be categorized into three clusters according to their locations and lithography environments.The read resistance is more sensitive to the locations in the array(~30%)than SET/RESET voltage(<10%).The increase in the RRAM device length and the application of the optical proximity correction technique can help to reduce the variation to less than 10%,whereas it reduces RRAM read resistance by 4×,resulting in a higher power and area consumption.As such,we provide design guidelines to minimize the electrical variation of RRAM arrays due to the lithography process.

Characterization of Small-Scale Farmers and Assessment of Their Access to Crop Production Information in Selected Counties of Kenya

Small-scale farming accounts for 78% of total agricultural production in Kenya and contributes to 23.5% of the country’s GDP. Their crop production activities are mostly rainfed subsistence with any surplus being sold to bring in some income. Timely decisions on farm practices such as farm preparation and planting are critical determinants of the seasonal outcomes. In Kenya, most small-scale farmers have no reliable source of information that would help them make timely and accurate decisions. County governments have extension officers who are mandated with giving farmers advisory services to farmers but they are not able to reach most farmers due to facilitation constraints. The mode and format of sharing information is also critical since it’s important to ensure that it’s timely, well-understood and usable. This study sought to assess access to geospatial derived and other crop production information by farmers in four selected counties of Kenya. Specific objectives were to determine the profile of small-scale farmers in terms of age, education and farm size;to determine the type of information that is made available to them by County and Sub-County extension officers including the format and mode of provision;and to determine if the information provided was useful in terms of accuracy, timeliness and adequacy. The results indicated that over 80% of the farmers were over 35 years of age and over 56% were male. Majority had attained primary education (34%) or secondary education (29%) and most farmers in all the counties grew maize (71%). Notably, fellow farmers were a source of information (71%) with the frequency of sharing information being mostly seasonal (37%) and when information was available (43%). Over 66% of interviewed farmers indicating that they faced challenges while using provided information. The results from the study are insightful and helpful in determining effective ways of providing farmers with useful information to ensure maximum benefits.

Measuring urban thermal environment from accessibility-based perspective:A case study in a populous city

Understanding the spatial interaction among residents,cooling service,and heat risk area in complex urban areas is conducive to developing targeted management.However,traditional urban thermal environment assessments typically relied on simple linear integration of associated indicators,often neglecting the spatial interaction effect.To explore the spatial interaction among the three elements,this study proposes an accessibility-based urban thermal environment assessment framework.Using Zhengzhou,a rapidly urbanizing city,as an example,remotely sensed images from three periods(2010,2015 and 2020)were applied to extract urban green space(UGS)and hot island area(HIA).An improved two-step floating catchment area(2SFCA)method and bivariate local Moran’s I were employed to explore whether residents’clustering locations are more likely to access cooling service or to be exposed to heat risk.The results demonstrate that the UGS in the city has been expanding,whereas the HIA shrank within the inner city in 2015 and then increased in 2020.Even though the urban thermal environment may have improved in the last decade,the spatial interaction among the residents,cooling service and heat risk area could be exacerbated.Spatial autocorrelation shows an increase in locations that are disadvantageous for resident congregation.Even when sufficient cooling services were provided,residents in these areas could still be exposed to high heat risk.The developed urban thermal environment framework provides a novel insight into the residents’heat risk exposure and cooling service accessibility,and the findings could assist urban planners in targeting the improvement of extra heat exposure risk locations.

Accessibility and Fairness of Public Service Facilities from the Perspective of Supply and Demand Coordination: A Case Study of Old Urban Area of Guangzhou City

The accessibility and fairness of public service facilities are important manifestations of the convenience and equality of urban public service resource allocation.Optimizing the layout of urban public service facilities is an inevitable requirement for promoting the construction of people centered cities.This paper takes the old urban area of Guangzhou as the research area,measures the accessibility of multiple types of public service facilities based on an improved two-step floating catchment method,and combines Palma Ratio and location quotient methods to explore the fairness of urban public service facilities from two dimensions:social equity and spatial equity,with supply and demand relationship analysis as the main line.Research has shown that:①there is a significant spatial difference in the accessibility of public service facilities in the old urban areas of Guangzhou,and the comprehensive accessibility is generally higher in the central and southeastern regions of the old urban areas with fewer residential populations;②from the perspective of social equity,the resource allocation of public service facilities in the old urban areas of Guangzhou is in a seriously unfair state(with a fairness index of 2.99),and there are also varying degrees of unfairness within the streets;③from the perspective of spatial equity,the location quotient of public service facilities in the old urban areas of Guangzhou shows a pattern of multil center circles decreasing,indicating a significant spatial mismatch between the accessibility supply side of public service facilities and the demand side of the residential population.The research conclusion will provide scientific basis for optimizing the allocation of urban public service facilities and ensuring the equalization of public services.

Bridging the gap: Addressing disparities in hepatitis C screening, access to care, and treatment outcomes

Hepatitis C virus(HCV)is a significant public health challenge globally,with substantial morbidity and mortality due to chronic liver disease.Despite the availability of highly effective and well-tolerated direct-acting antiviral therapies,widespread disparities remain in hepatitis C screening,access to treatment,linkage to care,and therapeutic outcomes.This review article synthesizes evi-dence from various studies to highlight the multifactorial nature of these dispari-ties,which affects ethnic minorities,people with lower socioeconomic status,in-dividuals with substance use disorders,and those within correctional facilities.The review also discusses policy implications and targeted strategies needed to overcome barriers and ensure equitable care for all individuals with HCV.Recom-mendations for future research to address gaps in knowledge and evaluation of the effectiveness of interventions designed to reduce disparities are provided.

Framework to Model User Request Access Patterns in the World Wide Web

In this paper, we present a novel approach to model user request patterns in the World Wide Web. Instead of focusing on the user traffic for web pages, we capture the user interaction at the object level of the web pages. Our framework model consists of three sub-models: one for user file access, one for web pages, and one for storage servers. Web pages are assumed to consist of different types and sizes of objects, which are characterized using several categories: articles, media, and mosaics. The model is implemented with a discrete event simulation and then used to investigate the performance of our system over a variety of parameters in our model. Our performance measure of choice is mean response time and by varying the composition of web pages through our categories, we find that our framework model is able to capture a wide range of conditions that serve as a basis for generating a variety of user request patterns. In addition, we are able to establish a set of parameters that can be used as base cases. One of the goals of this research is for the framework model to be general enough that the parameters can be varied such that it can serve as input for investigating other distributed applications that require the generation of user request access patterns.

Use of Geosynthetic Access Mats in Construction

A stable surface to move manpower and equipment is a key for the construction operations. To create a stable road surface, the road construction techniques are time-consuming and expensive for a traditional construction which requires compaction of soil, aggregate base, sub-base and asphaltic layers. A Geosynthetic Access Mat (GAM) system can serve as an alternative to other traditional construction techniques to accommodate temporary construction. Due to its rigidity, the mat system can provide substantial vertical resistance to the applied load under a large deflection subject to soil conditions. This paper provides details of GAM specifications, soil conditions, applications, installation procedure, comparison with other soil stabilization methods and Aramco experience for deployments of these mats.

Analysis of Drug Medical Insurance Access Pricing Based on the Perspective of Binary Equilibrium

Objective To study the influencing factors in the process of national medical insurance negotiation and drug pricing from the dualistic equilibrium perspective,and to provide reference for the harmonious management of drug pricing in China.Methods Through the literature analysis and policy review,the pricing subject,pricing basis and price control system in the pricing process of medical-accessed medicines were analyzed from the perspective of binary equilibrium and harmonious management.Results and Conclusion It is found that four balances in the drug pricing process,two balances in pricing basis and three balances in price control system need to be considered,respectively.Drug pricing is the key content of national medical insurance access,which is also the hotspot of the policy in the pharmaceutical fields in recent years.Drug pricing not only reflects the value of drugs,but also reflects a lot of top-level designs of binary equilibriums in medical insurance policy.While the rational design of drug pricing requires the joint efforts of the government,pharmaceutical companies and relevant experts to comprehensively consider many equilibriums,so as to improve the relevant systems.

Affordability, Accessibility, and Quality of Maternal Health Care Services and Level of Satisfaction of Mothers in Rural Areas in China

Objective:This study aimed to understand the affordability,accessibility,and quality of maternal and child health services for postpartum mothers,and their impact on satisfaction.Methods:The study utilized the Anderson model and revised the Maternal Pregnancy and Perinatal Health Service Questionnaire.A survey was conducted among 289 mothers aged 20–49 in Feicheng City.Results:Regarding accessibility,most respondents(133)reported that travel time to healthcare services exceeded 60 minutes,while 99 respondents indicated a travel time of 16–30 minutes.The issue of affordability was highlighted,with 86.85%of participants perceiving maternal healthcare services as costly,indicating a significant financial burden.More than 50%of respondents were satisfied with two specific dimensions(P<0.05)regarding the quality of maternal healthcare services.Conclusion:The study found that accessibility,affordability,and quality significantly affect mothers’satisfaction with maternal health services.Future research should focus on developing more suitable service pathways for rural mothers.

Study on the Influence of Lanzhou-Urumqi High-Speed Railway on Regional Accessibility and Economic Development

The Lanzhou-Urumqi high-speed railway is an important part of the railway network connecting Gansu,Qinghai,and Xinjiang,and it is of far-reaching significance in facilitating China’s western development.An accessibility model and a double difference model were built to analyze the impact of the Lanzhou-Urumqi high-speed railway on regional accessibility and economic development of the areas along the line before(2012-2014)and after(2017-2019)its opening.The results show that the regional accessibility remains unchanged before and after the operation of this railway line.However,there is a spatial difference in improvement,that of central cities being better.The opening of the high-speed railway is conducive to driving the overall economic development of the region and promoting the comprehensive and coordinated development of regional economies.

GIS-Based Analysis to Identify the Distribution and Accessibility of Urban Green Space in Dhaka Metropolitan City, Bangladesh

Urban Green Space (UGS) plays an important role in minimizing the negative effects of urbanization on city dwellers, which is predominantly factored into the accessibility to UGS. This study elucidated the distribution and accessibility of UGS in Dhaka, Bangladesh considering the paucity of such important scientific studies in the given area. The methodological structure of this study employed a multispectral Landsat satellite image from 2020 for identifying the logically defined UGSs, as well as a minimum proxy distance being the parameter to estimate accessibility to the UGS through a primary survey scheme and literature review. Considering UGS as a public area, we adopted a hybrid (combination of supervised and unsupervised classification) method followed by post-classification for UGS distribution assessment. The unsupervised classification identified the overall distribution of green spaces, whereas the anomalies of generated classes were rectified during the post-classification. Following the study findings, UGS in Dhaka metropolitan city accounts for only 602 ha or 1.9% of the total geographical space, with Ramna thana ranked as the highest contributor of 111 ha. However, in terms of accessibility to the UGS by city residents, 19.9% of the buildings in Dhaka metropolitan city were computed to be within the determined proxy distance of 500 m around the UGS. Also, parallel to UGS distribution, green space in Ramna thana (111 ha) exhibited the highest accessibility rate (64%) to the UGS compared with other thanas in Dhaka metropolitan city. The baseline findings will contribute to the long-term sustainable urban planning and development of more accessible green spaces in the study area.

Expert consensus on the clinical application of totally implantable venous access devices in the upper arm(2022 Edition)

With the widespread adoption of ultrasound guidance,Seldinger puncture techniques,and intracardiac electrical positioning technology for the placement of peripherally inserted central catheters in recent years,an increasing number of medical staff and patients now accept peripheral placement of totally implantable venous access devices(TIVADs)in the upper arm.This approach has the advantage of completely avoiding the risks of hemothorax,pneumothorax,and neck and chest scarring.Medical specialties presently engaged in this study in China include internal medicine,surgery,anesthesiology,and interventional departments.However,command over implantation techniques,treatment of complications,and proper use and maintenance of TIVAD remain uneven among different medical units.Moreover,currently,there are no established quality control standards for implantation techniques or specifications for handling complications.Thus,this expert consensus is proposed to improve the success rate of TIVAD implantation via the upper-arm approach,reduce complication rates,and ensure patient safety.This consensus elaborates on the technical indications and contraindications,procedures and technical points,treatment of complications,and the use and maintenance of upper-arm TIVAD,thus providing a practical reference for medical staff.

Writing strategies for improving the access of medical literature

When conducting a literature review,medical authors typically search for relevant keywords in bibliographic databases or on search engines like Google.After selecting the most pertinent article based on the title’s relevance and the abstract’s content,they download or purchase the article and cite it in their manuscript.Three major elements influence whether an article will be cited in future manuscripts:the keywords,the title,and the abstract.This indicates that these elements are the“key dissemination tools”for research papers.If these three elements are not determined judiciously by authors,it may adversely affect the manuscript’s retrievability,readability,and citation index,which can negatively impact both the author and the journal.In this article,we share our informed perspective on writing strategies to enhance the searchability and citation of medical articles.These strategies are adopted from the principles of search engine optimization,but they do not aim to cheat or manipulate the search engine.Instead,they adopt a reader-centric content writing methodology that targets well-researched keywords to the readers who are searching for them.Reputable journals,such as Nature and the British Medical Journal,emphasize“online searchability”in their author guidelines.We hope that this article will encourage medical authors to approach manuscript drafting from the perspective of“looking inside-out.”In other words,they should not only draft manuscripts around what they want to convey to fellow researchers but also integrate what the readers want to discover.It is a call-to-action to better understand and engage search engine algorithms,so they yield information in a desired and self-learning manner because the“Cloud”is the new stakeholder.

Malaria Illness and Accessing Healthcare in an African Indigenous Population: A Qualitative Study of the Lived Experiences of Uganda’s Batwa in Kanungu District

Purpose: Malaria continues to be a public health threat, especially in sub-Saharan Africa, including Uganda. While Batwa Indigenous People (IPs) face a higher burden of malaria, there is limited understanding of their malaria-lived experiences. We assessed and characterized malaria illness and accessing healthcare lived experiences of the Batwa in Kanungu district to inform contextually and culturally appropriate public health interventions. Methods: An exploratory qualitative study was conducted in 5 Batwa settlements where 5 Focus Group Discussions (n = 36) and 13 Key Informant Interviews (n = 13) were held. Data were collected using printed guides and voice recorders in April 2018. Transcripts from the data that captured the lived experiences of the symptoms, prevention, treatment and barriers to accessing formal healthcare services were applied to Atlas.ti a qualitative data analysis software and condensed into codes, categories, and themes. Results: Many Batwa have experienced malaria in their households, and they know its causes and risk factors, like not sleeping under insecticide-treated mosquito nets (ITNs), living near water bodies, prevention measures like the use of ITNs, and vector management. The lived experiences demonstrate malaria management by an Indigenous population in a rural setting and comprised detecting malaria symptoms, use of herbs as first line of treatment, buying medicines from drug shops, and village health teams (VHTs) treatment. For many Batwa accessing formal healthcare is normally a second option. Barriers for malaria treatment included: long distances to health facilities, geographically difficult terrain, economic constraints, irregular health outreaches, and stockouts of malaria medicines at health facilities. Conclusion: This study characterized Batwa’s malaria illness lived experiences and access to healthcare in rural remote settings. These experiences are essential in appreciating the ways in which Indigenous populations understand and manage common illnesses and how appropriate policies and interventions can be developed.

Preemptive living donor kidney transplantation:Access,fate,and review of the status in

BACKGROUND Preemptive living donor kidney transplantation(PLDKT)is recommended as the optimal treatment for end-stage renal disease.AIM To assess the rate of PLDKT among patients who accessed KT in our center and review the status of PLDKT in Egypt.METHODS We performed a retrospective review of the patients who accessed KT in our center from November 2015 to November 2022.In addition,the PLDKT status in Egypt was reviewed relative to the literature.RESULTS Of the 304 patients who accessed KT,32 patients(10.5%)had preemptive access to KT(PAKT).The means of age and estimated glomerular filtration rate were 31.7±13 years and 12.8±3.5 mL/min/1.73 m2,respectively.Fifty-nine patients had KT,including 3 PLDKTs only(5.1%of total KTs and 9.4%of PAKT).Twenty-nine patients(90.6%)failed to receive PLDKT due to donor unavailability(25%),exclusion(28.6%),regression from donation(3.6%),and patient regression on starting dialysis(39.3%).In multivariate analysis,known primary kidney disease(P=0.002),patient age(P=0.031)and sex(P=0.001)were independent predictors of achievement of KT in our center.However,PAKT was not significantly(P=0.065)associated with the achievement of KT.Review of the literature revealed lower rates of PLDKT in Egypt than those in the literature.CONCLUSION Patient age,sex,and primary kidney disease are independent predictors of achieving living donor KT.Despite its non-significant effect,PAKT may enhance the low rates of PLDKT.The main causes of non-achievement of PLDKT were patient regression on starting regular dialysis and donor unavailability or exclusion.

Household Survey on Access to Medicines Used for the Treatment of Diarrhoea in Musoma Municipal Council, Tanzania

Background: Access to medicines is part of the human right to health. According to WHO, access to medicine is measured by how easily households obtain medicines for acute and chronic conditions including diarrhoea through household surveys. Diarrhoea is among the top ten leading causes of death. Anti-diarrhoea medicines save lives but, should be available and obtainable to do so. The objectives of this study were to determine anti-diarrhoea medicines used by households, their sources and factors affecting their accessibility in Musoma Municipal. Methods: A cross-section survey was conducted in Musoma Municipal Council, Mara, Tanzania. The lottery method of simple random sampling was used to select three wards and pick three streets from each ward. The study population was 255 household heads from households selected by systematic random sampling from each street. A structured questionnaire was used to obtain information from household heads. Results and Discussion: Males (51.8%) had more diarrhoea illnesses than females (48.2%). Distinctive household heads (52.6%) had primary education. The majority, (79.1%) of all diarrhoea patients were recommended/prescribed anti-diarrhoea medicines. Of those whom anti-diarrhoea medicines were prescribed/recommended, 63.5% adhered to the prescriber’s/dispenser’s instructions and obtained and used anti-diarrhoea medicines. The most frequent source of anti-diarrhoea medicines was ADDO (38%). Widely used anti-diarrhoea medicines were antimicrobials (77.5%) followed by ORS (17.5%). Reasons not to seek or obtain anti-diarrhoea medicines were;Patient started feeling better (56.3%), Alternative treatment (26%), Financial reasons (10%), Decided medicines weren’t needed (3.5%), Distance from source (2.2%), Reactions to medicine (1%). Utilization of primary health care services was only 21.5%. Under-fives were mostly prescribed with antimicrobials (62.5%) than ORS (31.2%) and Zinc (6.3%) in mild to moderate dehydration contrary to Standard treatment guidelines (STG) in Tanzania. Conclusion: Anti-diarrhoea medicines are moderately easily obtainable in Musoma Municipal (50% of all diarrhoea patients obtained medicines). Alternative treatment (26%) and financial reasons (10%) were vivid factors hindering access. Treatment of diarrhoea in under-five years old is not adhered to in Musoma Municipal (use of 62.5% of antimicrobials and only 31.2% of ORS in mild diarrhoea cases).

The Formation Logic of the Digital Divide and Feasible Ways to Cross It:An Access-Based Analysis

How enterprises overcome the digital divide in a digital economy is a topic related to efficiency and fairness.The formation of the digital divide has showcased a certain level of objectivity and is also influenced by the characteristics of enterprises themselves.Based on the model that expands the information and communication technology(ICT)access,concept,we explored the digital divide’s formation logic of the digital divide and feasible ways to cross it.Our findings shed light on its formation logic,which includes elements of the subjective will of enterprises to transform,the fear of transformation,the dependence on development paths,and the cost of using digital technology,all of which have contributed to disparities in enterprises’motivational access.In addition,differences in the construction of digital infrastructure,financial strengths,business models,and heterogeneity in cluster networks have led to differences in enterprises’material access.The absorptive capacity of enterprises has affected their skill access,while the management capability influences the application access of enterprises.We also found that crossing the digital divide requires the joint efforts of governments,markets,and enterprises in the four access dimensions.