Contrastive Learning for Blind Super-Resolution via A Distortion-Specific Network

Previous deep learning-based super-resolution(SR)methods rely on the assumption that the degradation process is predefined(e.g.,bicubic downsampling).Thus,their performance would suffer from deterioration if the real degradation is not consistent with the assumption.To deal with real-world scenarios,existing blind SR methods are committed to estimating both the degradation and the super-resolved image with an extra loss or iterative scheme.However,degradation estimation that requires more computation would result in limited SR performance due to the accumulated estimation errors.In this paper,we propose a contrastive regularization built upon contrastive learning to exploit both the information of blurry images and clear images as negative and positive samples,respectively.Contrastive regularization ensures that the restored image is pulled closer to the clear image and pushed far away from the blurry image in the representation space.Furthermore,instead of estimating the degradation,we extract global statistical prior information to capture the character of the distortion.Considering the coupling between the degradation and the low-resolution image,we embed the global prior into the distortion-specific SR network to make our method adaptive to the changes of distortions.We term our distortion-specific network with contrastive regularization as CRDNet.The extensive experiments on synthetic and realworld scenes demonstrate that our lightweight CRDNet surpasses state-of-the-art blind super-resolution approaches.

Countermeasure against blinding attack for single-photon detectors in quantum key distribution

Quantum key distribution(QKD),rooted in quantum mechanics,offers information-theoretic security.However,practi-cal systems open security threats due to imperfections,notably bright-light blinding attacks targeting single-photon detectors.Here,we propose a concise,robust defense strategy for protecting single-photon detectors in QKD systems against blinding attacks.Our strategy uses a dual approach:detecting the bias current of the avalanche photodiode(APD)to defend against con-tinuous-wave blinding attacks,and monitoring the avalanche amplitude to protect against pulsed blinding attacks.By integrat-ing these two branches,the proposed solution effectively identifies and mitigates a wide range of bright light injection attempts,significantly enhancing the resilience of QKD systems against various bright-light blinding attacks.This method forti-fies the safeguards of quantum communications and offers a crucial contribution to the field of quantum information security.

A quantum blind signature scheme based on dense coding for non-entangled states

In some schemes, quantum blind signatures require the use of difficult-to-prepare multiparticle entangled states. By considering the communication overhead, quantum operation complexity, verification efficiency and other relevant factors in practical situations, this article proposes a non-entangled quantum blind signature scheme based on dense encoding. The information owner utilizes dense encoding and hash functions to blind the information while reducing the use of quantum resources. After receiving particles, the signer encrypts the message using a one-way function and performs a Hadamard gate operation on the selected single photon to generate the signature. Then the verifier performs a Hadamard gate inverse operation on the signature and combines it with the encoding rules to restore the message and complete the verification.Compared with some typical quantum blind signature protocols, this protocol has strong blindness in privacy protection,and higher flexibility in scalability and application. The signer can adjust the signature operation according to the actual situation, which greatly simplifies the complexity of the signature. By simultaneously utilizing the secondary distribution and rearrangement of non-entangled quantum states, a non-entangled quantum state representation of three bits of classical information is achieved, reducing the use of a large amount of quantum resources and lowering implementation costs. This improves both signature verification efficiency and communication efficiency while, at the same time, this scheme meets the requirements of unforgeability, non-repudiation, and prevention of information leakage.

Quantum circuit-based proxy blind signatures:A novel approach and experimental evaluation on the IBM quantum cloud platform

This paper presents a novel approach to proxy blind signatures in the realm of quantum circuits,aiming to enhance security while safeguarding sensitive information.The main objective of this research is to introduce a quantum proxy blind signature(QPBS)protocol that utilizes quantum logical gates and quantum measurement techniques.The QPBS protocol is constructed by the initial phase,proximal blinding message phase,remote authorization and signature phase,remote validation,and de-blinding phase.This innovative design ensures a secure mechanism for signing documents without revealing the content to the proxy signer,providing practical security authentication in a quantum environment under the assumption that the CNOT gates are securely implemented.Unlike existing approaches,our proposed QPBS protocol eliminates the need for quantum entanglement preparation,thus simplifying the implementation process.To assess the effectiveness and robustness of the QPBS protocol,we conduct comprehensive simulation studies in both ideal and noisy quantum environments on the IBM quantum cloud platform.The results demonstrate the superior performance of the QPBS algorithm,highlighting its resilience against repudiation and forgeability,which are key security concerns in the realm of proxy blind signatures.Furthermore,we have established authentic security thresholds(82.102%)in the presence of real noise,thereby emphasizing the practicality of our proposed solution.

A Blind Batch Encryption and Public Ledger-Based Protocol for Sharing Sensitive Data

For the goals of security and privacy preservation,we propose a blind batch encryption-and public ledger-based data sharing protocol that allows the integrity of sensitive data to be audited by a public ledger and allows privacy information to be preserved.Data owners can tightly manage their data with efficient revocation and only grant one-time adaptive access for the fulfillment of the requester.We prove that our protocol is semanticallly secure,blind,and secure against oblivious requesters and malicious file keepers.We also provide security analysis in the context of four typical attacks.

For LEO Satellite Networks: Intelligent Interference Sensing and Signal Reconstruction Based on Blind Separation Technology

In LEO satellite communication networks,the number of satellites has increased sharply, the relative velocity of satellites is very fast, then electronic signal aliasing occurs from time to time. Those aliasing signals make the receiving ability of the signal receiver worse, the signal processing ability weaker,and the anti-interference ability of the communication system lower. Aiming at the above problems, to save communication resources and improve communication efficiency, and considering the irregularity of interference signals, the underdetermined blind separation technology can effectively deal with the problem of interference sensing and signal reconstruction in this scenario. In order to improve the stability of source signal separation and the security of information transmission, a greedy optimization algorithm can be executed. At the same time, to improve network information transmission efficiency and prevent algorithms from getting trapped in local optima, delete low-energy points during each iteration process. Ultimately, simulation experiments validate that the algorithm presented in this paper enhances both the transmission efficiency of the network transmission system and the security of the communication system, achieving the process of interference sensing and signal reconstruction in the LEO satellite communication system.

Smart Shoes Safety System for the Blind People Based on (IoT) Technology

People’s lives have become easier and simpler as technology has proliferated.This is especially true with the Internet of Things(IoT).The biggest problem for blind people is figuring out how to get where they want to go.People with good eyesight need to help these people.Smart shoes are a technique that helps blind people find their way when they walk.So,a special shoe has been made to help blind people walk safely without worrying about running into other people or solid objects.In this research,we are making a new safety system and a smart shoe for blind people.The system is based on Internet of Things(IoT)technology and uses three ultrasonic sensors to allow users to hear and react to barriers.It has ultrasonic sensors and a microprocessor that can tell how far away something is and if there are any obstacles.Water and flame sensors were used,and a sound was used to let the person know if an obstacle was near him.The sensors use Global Positioning System(GPS)technology to detect motion from almost every side to keep an eye on them and ensure they are safe.To test our proposal,we gave a questionnaire to 100 people.The questionnaire has eleven questions,and 99.1%of the people who filled it out said that the product meets their needs.

Blind quantum computation with a client performing different single-qubit gates

In the field of single-server blind quantum computation(BQC), a major focus is to make the client as classical as possible. To achieve this goal, we propose two single-server BQC protocols to achieve verifiable universal quantum computation. In these two protocols, the client only needs to perform either the gate T(in the first protocol) or the gates H and X(in the second protocol). With assistance from a single server, the client can utilize his quantum capabilities to generate some single-qubit states while keeping the actual state of these qubits confidential from others. By using these single-qubit states, the verifiable universal quantum computation can be achieved.

Thickness effect on solar-blind photoelectric properties of ultrathinβ-Ga_(2)O_(3)films prepared by atomic layer deposition

Theβ-Ga_(2)O_(3)films with different thicknesses are prepared by an atomic layer deposition system.The influence of film thickness on the crystal quality is obvious,indicating that the thicker films perform better crystal quality,which is verified from x-ray diffraction(XRD)and scanning electron microscope(SEM)results.The Ga_(2)O_(3)-based solar blind photodetectors with different thicknesses are fabricated and studied.The experimental results show that the responsivity of the photodetectors increases exponentially with the increase of the film thickness.The photodetectors with inter-fingered structure based on 900 growth cyclesβ-Ga_(2)O_(3)active layers(corresponding film thickness of 58 nm)exhibit the best performances including a low dark current of 134 fA,photo-to-dark current ratio of 1.5×10^(7),photoresponsivity of 1.56 A/W,detectivity of 2.77×10^(14)Jones,and external quantum efficiency of 764.49%at a bias voltage of 10 V under 254-nm DUV illumination.The photoresponse rejection ratio(R_(254)/R_(365))is up to 1.86×10^(5).In addition,we find that the photoelectric characteristics also depend on the finger spacing of the MSM structure.As the finger spacing decreases from 50μm to10μW,the photoresponsivity,detectivity,and external quantum efficiency increase significantly.

Evaluation of the etiologies and rehabilitation status of patients with blindness: A prospective observational study

Objective:Preventive measures and appropriate rehabilitation are important in reducing the social burden of blindness.This study was to evaluate the etiologies,proportions,and level of rehabilitation for patients with blindness.Materials and Methods:A prospective observational study with 1000 visually impaired patients was conducted.The data regarding age,gender,socioeconomic status(SES),etiologies,curable or incurable blindness(IB),treatments,awareness,and state of rehabilitation were collected and reviewed.Results:The ratio of curable to IB was 0.82:1.The proportion of blindness rises after 40,even while the proportion of curable blindness(CB)increases after 60.The male–female ratios were 1.25:1 and 1:1.66 in the cases of CB and IB,respectively.On the other hand,the male–female ratio for childhood blindness was 1.66:1.Cataracts(78.22%)were the most common cause of CB,whereas diabetic retinopathy(24%),corneal opacity(17.5%),and trauma(12.4%)were causes of IB.Patients with illiteracy,low SES,and female gender were more likely to develop IB.There were low enrollment rates at the blind school and poor rehabilitation,mainly because of a lack of knowledge.Conclusion:Diabetic retinopathy,corneal opacity,and trauma are the major causes of IB.IB and poor rehabilitation were more profound in women and were associated with illiteracy,low SES,and a lack of awareness.

The Cultural Paradigm of Visuality in Times of Blindness

Visuality can be generically described as the quality of the visual,that is,as the given visual field in which a subject’s attention is concentrated.In fact,the visual is intrinsically linked to human vision,and this presupposes the existence of a visible horizon from which(visual)images are given.However,this formulation presents something uncanny paradoxical because it forgets,on one hand,the broader status of the image(such as auditory and olfactory images)-seeing is not just a visual process(at least since Diderot we know it)and there are mental mechanisms in the visual constitution process that help to fabricate reality and that gestalt theory has explained-and on the other hand,the possibility of seeing beyond what is visible,after all,everything(or almost everything)that presents itself in a digital and virtual environment it can be quite ontologically suspect.Based on some of these premises,we will trace a path of analysis that leads us to the current blindness:unconditional faith in digital technology and the fragile hope of happiness in a way that rejects the reality of the visible.

The Blind and the Thief

He carefully pulled open the unlocked,light grey security door and saw an outdated,pale yellow plywood door.He was thrilled.His previous experience in lockpicking helped him effortlessly enter this shabby apartment.Rumour had it that such kind of apartments might contain secret treasure of corrupt officials.He inserted his tools into the keyhole,and the door clicked open.This simple lock was too easy for him to open with his professional skills.He could not help thinking the host was a fool.

一种基于Blind Kriging模型和差分进化的电磁结构优化算法

各类电磁结构日趋复杂,设计自由度不断提升.传统优化算法需要对大量的参数组合进行全波仿真试探,设计效率普遍较低。针对这一问题,提出BK(blind Kriging)模型和差分进化相结合的电磁结构优化算法.相比普通Kriging模型,BK模型通过贝叶斯参数选择算法将影响性能的主要因子加入回归模型,提高对响应的预测精度;依据BK模型的预测结果从每代差分进化种群中选择最优个体执行电磁仿真。由于优化过程中大量的电磁计算转移到快速的BK模型,优化效率得到显著提升。通过一个圆波导多螺钉极化转换器的优化设计,表明该方法的求解质量和收敛速度优于现有算法。

矮牵牛花器官突变体blind-like的表型和解剖结构

从矮牵牛自交系中获得一个花器官变异突变体,将其命名为blind-like。该突变体的性状能够稳定遗传,主要表现为花数增多,花瓣顶端出现花药状结构,具有类似正常花药的四分室结构,并产生少量花粉。该突变体与矮牵牛花器官blind突变体相似,通过自花授粉与异花授粉产生种子。

Treatment of uveitis and scleritis patients in Malaysia

●AIM:To determine the common causes and visual outcome after treatment among uveitis and scleritis patients.●METHODS:This is a retrospective cohort observational study.All consecutive clinical records of patients with newly diagnosed uveitis and scleritis over a 4-year period,from Jan.1,2017 to Dec.31,2020,were analysed.Data was collected at the presentation and included a follow-up period of one year.●RESULTS:A total of 288 patients were recruited during the study period.Anterior uveitis was the most common anatomical diagnosis(50.0%)followed by panuveitis(25.0%),scleritis(13.5%),posterior uveitis(6.9%),and intermediate uveitis(4.5%).Viral Herpes was the most common cause of infectious cases,while Vogt-Koyanagi-Harada(VKH)disease and human leucocyte antigen(HLA)B27 spondyloarthropathy were the leading causes of identifiable non-infectious cases.Majority of patients presented with unilateral,non-granulomatous uveitis with an absence of hypopyon.Anatomical locations like posterior uveitis and panuveitis,and visual acuity worse than 3/60 at presentation were the factors associated with poor visual outcomes(P<0.05).About 60%of patients had an identifiable cause for the uveitis and scleritis,with nearly equal distribution of infectious(n=85,29.5%)and noninfectious causes(n=84,29.2%).About 14.5%of patients were clinically blind at 1y of follow-up.The most common complication in our uveitis patients was glaucoma(47.5%),followed by cystoid macula oedema(18.9%)and cataract(13.9%).●CONCLUSION:Uveitis and scleritis are important causes of ocular morbidity.They are potentially blinding diseases which can have a good outcome if diagnosed and treated early.

印制电路板盲孔填充电镀铜添加剂的研究进展

[目的]电子产品日益追求轻量化和微型化,这促使印制电路板(PCB)制造向更高精度、更高密度及更小孔径的方向发展。盲孔电镀填充是PCB制造的关键工艺之一。在酸性电镀铜溶液中添加抑制剂、光亮剂、整平剂等添加剂,可借助它们之间的协同效应来实现盲孔的超等角填充。[方法]综述了电镀铜抑制剂、光亮剂和整平剂的研究现状,探讨了它们的作用机制与协同效应,展望了未来的研究方向。[结果]使用适当的添加剂可实现盲孔“自下而上”的超等角填充。[结论]加强电镀铜添加剂的研究和开发可为PCB产业的持续发展提供有力的技术支撑。

Cost of Medical Treatment for Primary Open-Angle Glaucoma in Relation to Patients’ Income and Its Impact on the Prognosis of the Disease, in Bouaké University Hospital

Introduction: Medical treatment for POAG is continuous and lifelong treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the cost of this treatment and patients’ income and the impact of this relationship on treatment compliance. Materials and Methods: Prospective cross-sectional study with a descriptive aim covering sociodemographic data, average incomes, and direct and indirect costs of treatment of 57 patients followed for POAG during the period from January 1, 2012, to December 31, 2016 (5 years). Results: The patients were aged 25 to 77 years (mean = 54.4 years) with a male predominance (sex ratio = 1.5). Retirees were the most represented (26.32%), followed by workers in the informal sector (14.04%) and housewives (12.28%). Patients who had an annual income less than or equal to 900,000 CFA francs (€1370.83) per year represented 56.14% and those who did not have health coverage represented 57.89%. The treatment was monotherapy (64.91%), dual therapy (31.58%) or triple therapy (3.05%) and the average ratio of “annual cost of treatment to annual income” was 0.56 with for maximum 2.23 and 0.02 as minimum. Patients who considered the cost of treatment unbearable for their income represented 78.95%. Conclusion: Prevention of blindness due to glaucoma requires early detection but also the establishment of health coverage mechanisms to improve compliance with medical treatment. In addition, consideration should be given to the development of glaucoma surgery in our country, the indication of which could be the first intention in certain patients, considering for those patients, the geographical and financial accessibility of medical treatment. .

Discussion on the application prospect of the transient electromagnetic method based on the dual launcher and mine advanced detection

The dual transmitter implements the equivalent anti-magnetic flux transient electromagnetic method, which can effectively reduce the scope of the transient electromagnetic detection blind area. However, this method is rarely reported in the detection of pipelines in urban geophysical exploration and the application of coal mines. Based on this, this paper realizes the equivalent anti-magnetic flux transient electromagnetic method based on the dual launcher. The suppression effect of this method on the blind area is analyzed by physical simulation. And the detection experiment of underground pipelines is carried out outdoors. The results show that the dual launcher can significantly reduce the turn-off time, thereby effectively reducing the impact of the blind area on the detection results, and the pipeline detection results verify the device’s effectiveness. Finally, based on the ground experimental results, the application prospect of mine advanced detection is discussed. Compared with other detection fields, the formation of blind areas is mainly caused by the equipment. If the dual launcher can be used to reduce the blind area, the accuracy of advanced detection can be improved more effectively. The above research results are of great significance for improving the detection accuracy of the underground transient electromagnetic method.

Image Processing for Denoising Using Composite Adaptive Filtering Methods Based on RMSE

As one of the carriers for human communication and interaction, images are prone to contamination by noise during transmission and reception, which is often uncontrollable and unknown. Therefore, how to denoise images contaminated by unknown noise has gradually become one of the research focuses. In order to achieve blind denoising and separation to restore images, this paper proposes a method for image processing based on Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) by integrating multiple filtering methods for denoising. This method includes Wavelet Filtering, Gaussian Filtering, Median Filtering, Mean Filtering, Bilateral Filtering, Adaptive Bandpass Filtering, Non-local Means Filtering and Regularization Denoising suitable for different types of noise. We can apply this method to denoise images contaminated by blind noise sources and evaluate the denoising effects using RMSE. The smaller the RMSE, the better the denoising effect. The optimal denoising result is selected through comprehensively comparing the RMSE values of all methods. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method effectively denoises and restores images contaminated by blind noise sources.

陆地棉两个同源基因GhBlind的克隆与表达分析

Blind同源基因对植物株型调控起着重要作用。本研究用同源克隆策略,在陆地棉(GossypiumhirsutumL.)腋芽部位cDNA中克隆出2个Blind同源基因GhBlind1(GenBank登录号为HQ115643)和GhBlind2(登录号为HQ115644)。GhBlind1和GhBlind2均由3个外显子和2个内含子组成,分别编码359个和262个氨基酸残基。组织特异性表达分析表明,GhBlind1在腋芽部位和茎尖分生组织部位优势表达,在根、叶、茎尖、幼嫩纤维表达,而在茎部不表达;GhBlind2在腋芽部位以及根、茎、叶片、茎尖表达,而在幼嫩纤维不表达。通过重组PCR技术,构建表达载体pSuper-gus-b1和pSuper-gus-b2;应用根癌农杆菌EHA105介导转化棉花胚性愈伤组织进行瞬时表达分析。将棉花胚性愈伤组织共培养4d后,2个表达载体转化的胚性愈伤组织中均能检测到GUS活性,但pSuper-gus-b2表达活性强于pSuper-gus-b1。对Blind同源蛋白的保守结构域比对发现,GhBlind1和GhBlind2与Blind同源蛋白的一致性分别达94%和91%。以Blind同源蛋白作为外参,结合NCBI已公开的23个棉花MYB蛋白构建系统发生树,发现GhBlind1和GhBlind2与棉花大多数MYB蛋白遗传距离较远,和Blind同源蛋白组成一个较小的分支。