Device profiling analysis in Device-Aware Network

As more and more devices with a variety of capabilities are Internet-capable, device independence becomes a big issue when we would like the information that we request to be correctly displayed. This thesis introduces and compares how existing standards create a profile that describes the device capabilities to achieve the goal of device independence. After acknowledging the importance of device independence, this paper utilizes the idea to introduce a Device-Aware Network (DAN). DAN provides the infrastructure support for device-content compatibility matching for data transmission. We identify the major components of the DAN architecture and issues associated with providing this new network service. A Device-Aware Network will improve the network's efficiency by preventing unusable data from consuming host and network resources. The device profile is the key issue to achieve this goal.http://archive.org/details/deviceprofilingn109451301Captain, Taiwan ArmyApproved for public release; distribution is unlimited

Utilizing blockchain technology for clinical trial optimization

Clinical trials are the cornerstone of treatment discovery because they provide comprehensive scientific evidence on the safety, efficacy, and optimal use of therapeutics. However, current clinical trials are facing multiple challenges such as patient recruitment, data capture, and overall management. There are various causes of patient recruitment challenges such as inefficient advertising models, complex protocols, and distant trial sites. Data inconsistency is the main challenge of the data capture process. Source data verification, a standard method used for data monitoring, is resource-intensive that can cost up to 25 percent of the total budget. The current clinical trial management system market is fragmented and lacks thorough designs with all desired features so that nearly all respondents to management systems from the annual global survey reported dissatisfaction with the current management system. Based on these challenges, disruptive technologies such as blockchain may provide feasible solutions by utilizing its unique features. Blockchain is an open-source distributed ledger technology that was first applied in the financial sector. Its features such as public audibility, data security, immutability, anonymity, and smart contracts are a good fit for the needs of many healthcare applications. However, there are several common challenges of blockchain technology so that most blockchain designs for healthcare applications are still in the early stage of implementation. This dissertation aims at optimizing clinical trials by developing multiple applications using blockchain technology to provide feasible solutions to the current challenges. We will use real-world data to conduct large-scale simulations to evaluate the feasibility and performance of proposed blockchain models for clinical trial applications

Development of a secure multi-factor authentication algorithm for mobile money applications

A Thesis Submitted in Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Information and Communication Science and Engineering of the Nelson Mandela African Institution of Science and TechnologyWith the evolution of industry 4.0, financial technologies have become paramount and mobile money as one of the financial technologies has immensely contributed to improving financial inclusion among the unbanked population. Several mobile money schemes were developed but, they suffered severe authentication security challenges since they implemented two-factor authentication. This study focused on developing a secure multi-factor authentication (MFA) algorithm for mobile money applications. It uses personal identification numbers, one-time passwords, biometric fingerprints, and quick response codes to authenticate and authorize mobile money subscribers. Secure hash algorithm-256, Rivest-Shamir-Adleman encryption, and Fernet encryption were used to secure the authentication factors, confidential financial information and data before transmission to the remote databases. A literature review, survey, evolutionary prototyping model, and heuristic evaluation and usability testing methods were used to identify authentication issues, develop prototypes of native genuine mobile money (G-MoMo) applications, and identify usability issues with the interface designs and ascertain their usability, respectively. The results of the review grouped the threat models into attacks against privacy, authentication, confidentiality, integrity, and availability. The survey identified authentication attacks, identity theft, phishing attacks, and PIN sharing as the key mobile money systems’ security issues. The researcher designed a secure MFA algorithm for mobile money applications and developed three native G-MoMo applications to implement the designed algorithm to prove the feasibility of the algorithm and that it provided robust security. The algorithm was resilient to non-repudiation, ensured strong authentication security, data confidentiality, integrity, privacy, and user anonymity, was highly effective against several attacks but had high communication overhead and computational costs. Nevertheless, the heuristic evaluation results showed that the G-MoMo applications’ interface designs lacked forward navigation buttons, uniformity in the applications’ menu titles, search fields, actions needed for recovery, and help and documentation. Similarly, the usability testing revealed that they were easy to learn, effective, efficient, memorable, with few errors, subscriber satisfaction, easy to use, aesthetic, easy to integrate, and understandable. Implementing a secure mobile money authentication and authorisation by combining multiple factors which are securely stored helps mobile money subscribers and other stakeholders to have trust in the developed native G-MoMo applications

Efficient and secured wireless monitoring systems for detection of cardiovascular diseases

Cardiovascular Disease (CVD) is the number one killer for modern era. Majority of the deaths associated with CVD can entirely be prevented if the CVD struck person is treated with urgency. This thesis is our effort in minimizing the delay associated with existing tele-cardiology application. We harnessed the computational power of modern day mobile phones to detect abnormality in Electrocardiogram (ECG). If abnormality is detected, our innovative ECG compression algorithm running on the patient's mobile phone compresses and encrypts the ECG signal and then performs efficient transmission towards the doctors or hospital services. According to the literature, we have achieved the highest possible compression ratio of 20.06 (95% compression) on ECG signal, without any loss of information. Our 3 layer permutation cipher based ECG encoding mechanism can raise the security strength substantially higher than conventional AES or DES algorithms. If in near future, a grid of supercomputers can compare a trillion trillion trillion (1036) combinations of one ECG segment (comprising 500 ECG samples) per second for ECG morphology matching, it will take approximately 9.333 X 10970 years to enumerate all the combinations. After receiving the compressed ECG packets the doctor's mobile phone or the hospital server authenticates the patient using our proposed set of ECG biometric based authentication mechanisms. Once authenticated, the patients are diagnosed with our faster ECG diagnosis algorithms. In a nutshell, this thesis contains a set of algorithms that can save a CVD affected patient's life by harnessing the power of mobile computation and wireless communication

Abstracts 2014: Highlights of Student Research and Creative Endeavors

https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/abstracts/1006/thumbnail.jp

NBS monograph

From Introduction: "This report is the first of a series intended to provide a selective overview of research and development efforts and requirements in the somewhat overlapping fields of the computer and information sciences and technologies. The projected series of reports will attempt to outline the probable range of R & D activities in the computer and information sciences and technologies through selective reviews of the literature and to develop a reasonable consensus with respect to the opinions of workers in these and potentially related fields as to areas of continuing R & D concern for research program planning or review in these areas.

The States of Immigration

Immigration is a national issue and a federal responsibility — so why are states so actively involved? Their legal authority over immigration is questionable. Their institutional capacity to regulate it is limited. Even the legal actions that states take sometimes seem pointless from a regulatory perspective. Why do they enact legislation that essentially copies existing federal law? Why do they pursue regulations that are likely to be enjoined or struck down by courts? Why do they give so little priority to the immigration laws that do survive? This Article sheds light on this seemingly irrational behavior. It argues that state laws are being pursued less for their regulatory impact, and more for their ability to shape federal immigration policymaking. States have assumed this role because, as alternative policy venues, they offer political actors a way to reframe the public perception of an issue and shift debates to more favorable ground. Moreover, states are able to exert this kind of influence without having to legally implement or effectively enforce their laws. This theory offers an explanation for why states have so frequently been drawn into policy disputes over immigration in the past, such as those that led to the major immigration reforms of 1986 and 1996. It also casts new light on more recent state responses, such as Arizona’s controversial 2010 immigration enforcement law

TANF policy manual

This policy manual gives details of SNAP in South Carolina

Internet of Things From Hype to Reality

The Internet of Things (IoT) has gained significant mindshare, let alone attention, in academia and the industry especially over the past few years. The reasons behind this interest are the potential capabilities that IoT promises to offer. On the personal level, it paints a picture of a future world where all the things in our ambient environment are connected to the Internet and seamlessly communicate with each other to operate intelligently. The ultimate goal is to enable objects around us to efficiently sense our surroundings, inexpensively communicate, and ultimately create a better environment for us: one where everyday objects act based on what we need and like without explicit instructions

AICPA technical practice aids as of June 1, 2009, volume 1

https://egrove.olemiss.edu/aicpa_guides/1356/thumbnail.jp