Security and imperceptibility improving of image steganography using pixel allocation and random function techniques

Information security is one of the main aspects of processes and methodologies in the technical age of information and communication. The security of information should be a key priority in the secret exchange of information between two parties. In order to ensure the security of information, there are some strategies that are used, and they include steganography and cryptography. An effective digital image-steganographic method based on odd/even pixel allocation and random function to increase the security and imperceptibility has been improved. This lately developed outline has been verified for increasing the security and imperceptibility to determine the existent problems. Huffman coding has been used to modify secret data prior embedding stage; this modified equivalent secret data that prevent the secret data from attackers to increase the secret data capacities. The main objective of our scheme is to boost the peak-signal-to-noise-ratio (PSNR) of the stego cover and stop against any attack. The size of the secret data also increases. The results confirm good PSNR values in addition of these findings confirmed the proposed method eligibility.

Trade-based money laundering: development of the «red flags» system

The OECD and the FATF highlight the problem of money laundering via international trade with a view to disguising illicit gains and moving value through the use of trade transactions. For example, inaccurate invoices may be used, which, according to the Global Financial Integrity estimates, resulted in $0,9 trillion to $1,7 trillion losses in 148 countries in 2006–2015. In Russia, the authorities attempt to reduce the risks of money laundering within the framework of international trade through the use of currency regulation, while foreign countries are using a risk-based approach by developing the “red flags” systems that allow financial intelligence agencies, customs and other state bodies as well as subjects of financial market (through which the payments for export-import transactions are made) and the companies participating in international trade themselves to determine whether a transaction entails risks of money laundering. In addition, internal and international inter-agency exchange of information related to money laundering in international trade, including trade and financial data, is being developed.

Massive Speech Recognition Resource Scheduling System based on Grid Computing

Nowadays, there are too many large-scale speech recognition resources, which makes it difficult to ensure the scheduling speed and accuracy. In order to improve the effect of large-scale speech recognition resource scheduling, a large-scale speech recognition resource scheduling system based on grid computing is designed in this paper. In the hardware part, microprocessor, Ethernet control chip, controller and acquisition card are designed. In the software part of the system, it mainly carries out the retrieval and exchange of information resources, so as to realize the information scheduling of the same type of large-scale speech recognition resources. The experimental results show that the information scheduling time of the designed system is short, up to 2.4min, and the scheduling accuracy is high, up to 90%, in order to provide some help to effectively improve the speed and accuracy of information scheduling.

Peer Support Experienced by Mothers of Children With Congenital Heart Defects in Sweden

The aim of this study was to describe experiences of peer support among mothers of children with congenital heart defects. Ten mothers were interviewed through a semi-structured approach and interviews were analyzed with systematic text condensation. The respondents established various channels used for peer support and navigated between the channels depending on what type of information or support they needed. Through the channels, they found peers they developed strong friendships with and who they relied on for emotional support. Communicating with peers involved the reciprocal exchange of unique emotional support between peers who understand each other as well as the exchange of information derived from their collective knowledge, and thus, difficult to find without the help of peers. The findings illustrate the potential strengths of establishing reliable collaboration and liaisons between clinical units and peer support networks.

Cyborg Anthropology

In this chapter, the body is re-envisioned as a cybernetic organism, and new types of exchange of information, matter, and energy are anaylsed. Through the cybernetic understanding of a human being as a machine system, it is possible for man to modify and replace lost organs or functions and create a partially artificial being. When the body becomes a scientific and technological creation and real relationships become a cyborg prosthesis of the non-human, the body and the social relations become a problem of cybernetic functioning.

A Novel Computer-Supported Collaborative Coaching System with Novel Algorithm for Forming Groups

Several researchers studied the impact of collaboration between the learners, but few studies have been carried out on the impact of collaboration between teachers. In the previous work, the authors have studied the impact of the collaboration among the learners with a specific collaborative CEHL(K. Boussaha et al.,2015). In this work, the authors focused on the impact of collaboration on both teachers and learners. This paper aims to present a Computer-Supported Collaborative Coaching System called C.S. C.C.S. This system aims to create a virtual space based on the exchange of information and experiences between pre-experienced teachers to help new recruits or those who have difficulties and try to encourage, motivate, and provide them with needed experiences to help them escape isolation and use their solid information to guide their learners. To achieve the main task of our theme which is collaboration, we adopted the concept of groups. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the developed system an experiment was conducted. The results were highly satisfying and very encouraging.

Integrated Information Circle: The Challenge of Integrating the Civil and Military Police

ABSTRACT Context: the case narrates the creation of the Integrated Information Circle, a pilot project that took place in an area limited to the Rocinha community, led by managers of the civil and military police, which was carried out through a partnership between the 11th DP - Rocinha and the 28th UPP - Rocinha. This action sought to develop protocols for the exchange of information in a continuous, effective, and, above all, institutionalized manner between local police agencies. However, despite the good results achieved, the initiative has not been consolidated. Methodology: the information was collected from secondary data and interviews from the managers who participated in the process - Dr. Gabriel Ferrando, chief of the 11th DP, and Major Felipe Carvalho Barreto, then intelligence superintendent of the Pacifying Police Coordination (CPP). Objectives: To discuss how the civil and military police organize and act. Results: development of analyzes on aspects related to the organization and culture of police institutions about the theme of integration. Conclusion: the case allows us to understand the limits and potential of integration between the police, based on the discussion about the possible reasons why the Integrated Information Circle has been discontinued.

Círculo Integrado de Informação: O Desafio de Integração das Polícias Civil e Militar

ABSTRACT Context: the case narrates the creation of the Integrated Information Circle, a pilot project that took place in an area limited to the Rocinha community, led by managers of the civil and military police, which was carried out through a partnership between the 11th DP - Rocinha and the 28th UPP - Rocinha. This action sought to develop protocols for the exchange of information in a continuous, effective, and, above all, institutionalized manner between local police agencies. However, despite the good results achieved, the initiative has not been consolidated. Methodology: the information was collected from secondary data and interviews from the managers who participated in the process - Dr. Gabriel Ferrando, chief of the 11th DP, and Major Felipe Carvalho Barreto, then intelligence superintendent of the Pacifying Police Coordination (CPP). Objectives: To discuss how the civil and military police organize and act. Results: development of analyzes on aspects related to the organization and culture of police institutions about the theme of integration. Conclusion: the case allows us to understand the limits and potential of integration between the police, based on the discussion about the possible reasons why the Integrated Information Circle has been discontinued.

Communications in insurance management

Communications are a connecting element of the management process. Management activities are inextricably linked with the need for constant exchange of information (communicative activities) to coordinate the work of units of the organization and individuals, aimed at achieving common goals. The article is devoted to the consideration of communication issues in modern insurance organizations with an emphasis on their essence, key elements and main stages of the communication process. The essence of communications in the categorical section is clarified and scientific approaches to the formation of the definition of this category are generalized. Thus, it is determined that communication is a process of exchanging ideas and information, which ultimately leads to mutual understanding. This interpretation of the concept of communication is shared by most domestic researchers who have studied the outlined issues. The types, kinds and classes of communications of the insurance company are investigated. The range of communication tasks is outlined and the set of functions of the latter in the management process is determined. The study allowed to form four key tasks of communications in the management process: a combination of all elements of the management process; assistance in making management decisions; providing information on the entire management process; ensuring interpersonal relationships in the team. According to the results of the study, the key functions of communications in the management process include: managerial, informative, emotional, control and factual. The key stages of the communication process are considered, of which according to the results of the research four are singled out: the first – formulation of the idea and selection of information; the second – coding and channel selection; the third is transmission and the fourth is decoding. It is established that communication as an exchange of information between people (or groups of people) has three aspects that are most important for assessing the content of management activities, each of which is considered from the normative-organizational and individual-psychological positions. In the first case, communication is determined by its objective organizational forms, the requirements for the effective implementation of a rational communicative process. The second aspect of communication is based on the psychological characteristics of communication partners and explains a number of important features of interaction, including those that hinder the effective development of communication. According to the results of the study, it is determined that communication is a semantic aspect of social interaction, one of the most common characteristics of any activity, including management. It is a modern form of political, scientific, organizational and technical force in society, through which the organization is included in the external environment, the exchange of views or information to ensure mutual understanding.