Secure Integrated Routing and Localization in Wireless Optical Sensor Networks

Wireless ad hoc and sensor networks are envisioned to be self-organizing and autonomous networks, that may be randomly deployed where no fixed infrastructure is either feasible or cost-effective. The successful commercialization of such networks depends on the feasible implementation of network services to support security-aware applications. Recently, free space optical (FSO) communication has emerged as a viable technology for broadband distributed wireless optical sensor network (WOSN) applications. The challenge of employing FSO include its susceptibility to adverse weather conditions and the line of sight requirement between two communicating nodes. In addition, it is necessary to consider security at the initial design phase of any network and routing protocol. This dissertation addresses the feasibility of randomly deployed WOSNs employing broad beam FSO with regard to the network layer, in which two important problems are specifically investigated. First, we address the parameter assignment problem which considers the relationship amongst the physical layer parameters of node density, transmission radius and beam divergence of the FSO signal in order to yield probabilistic guarantees on network connectivity. We analyze the node isolation property of WOSNs, and its relation to the connectivity of the network. Theoretical analysis and experimental investigation were conducted to assess the effects of hierarchical clustering as well as fading due to atmospheric turbulence on connectivity, thereby demonstrating the design choices necessary to make the random deployment of the WOSN feasible. Second, we propose a novel light-weight circuit-based, secure and integrated routing and localization paradigm within the WOSN, that leverages the resources of the base station. Our scheme exploits the hierarchical cluster-based organization of the network, and the directionality of links to deliver enhanced security performance including per hop and broadcast authentication, confidentiality, integrity and freshness of routing signals. We perform security and attack analysis and synthesis to characterize the protocol’s performance, compared to existing schemes, and demonstrate its superior performance for WOSNs. Through the investigation of this dissertation, we demonstrate the fundamental tradeoff between security and connectivity in WOSNs, and illustrate how the transmission radius may be used as a high sensitivity tuning parameter to balance there two metrics of network performance. We also present WOSNs as a field of study that opens up several directions for novel research, and encompasses problems such as connectivity analysis, secure routing and localization, intrusion detection, topology control, secure data aggregation and novel attack scenarios

A Survey on Mobile Charging Techniques in Wireless Rechargeable Sensor Networks

The recent breakthrough in wireless power transfer (WPT) technology has empowered wireless rechargeable sensor networks (WRSNs) by facilitating stable and continuous energy supply to sensors through mobile chargers (MCs). A plethora of studies have been carried out over the last decade in this regard. However, no comprehensive survey exists to compile the state-of-the-art literature and provide insight into future research directions. To fill this gap, we put forward a detailed survey on mobile charging techniques (MCTs) in WRSNs. In particular, we first describe the network model, various WPT techniques with empirical models, system design issues and performance metrics concerning the MCTs. Next, we introduce an exhaustive taxonomy of the MCTs based on various design attributes and then review the literature by categorizing it into periodic and on-demand charging techniques. In addition, we compare the state-of-the-art MCTs in terms of objectives, constraints, solution approaches, charging options, design issues, performance metrics, evaluation methods, and limitations. Finally, we highlight some potential directions for future research

RESOURCE AND ENVIRONMENT AWARE SENSOR COMMUNICATIONS: FRAMEWORK, OPTIMIZATION, AND APPLICATIONS

Recent advances in low power integrated circuit devices, micro-electro-mechanical system (MEMS) technologies, and communications technologies have made possible the deployment of low-cost, low power sensors that can be integrated to form wireless sensor networks (WSN). These wireless sensor networks have vast important applications, i.e.: from battlefield surveillance system to modern highway and industry monitoring system; from the emergency rescue system to early forest fire detection and the very sophisticated earthquake early detection system. Having the broad range of applications, the sensor network is becoming an integral part of human lives. However, the success of sensor networks deployment depends on the reliability of the network itself. There are many challenging problems to make the deployed network more reliable. These problems include but not limited to extending network lifetime, increasing each sensor node throughput, efficient collection of information, enforcing nodes to collaboratively accomplish certain network tasks, etc. One important aspect in designing the algorithm is that the algorithm should be completely distributed and scalable. This aspect has posed a tremendous challenge in designing optimal algorithm in sensor networks. This thesis addresses various challenging issues encountered in wireless sensor networks. The most important characteristic in sensor networks is to prolong the network lifetime. However, due to the stringent energy requirement, the network requires highly energy efficient resource allocation. This highly energy-efficient resource allocation requires the application of an energy awareness system. In fact, we envision a broader resource and environment aware optimization in the sensor networks. This framework reconfigures the parameters from different communication layers according to its environment and resource. We first investigate the application of online reinforcement learning in solving the modulation and transmit power selection. We analyze the effectiveness of the learning algorithm by comparing the effective good throughput that is successfully delivered per unit energy as a metric. This metric shows how efficient the energy usage in sensor communication is. In many practical sensor scenarios, maximizing the energy efficient in a single sensor node may not be sufficient. Therefore, we continue to work on the routing problem to maximize the number of delivered packet before the network becomes useless. The useless network is characterized by the disintegrated remaining network. We design a class of energy efficient routing algorithms that explicitly takes the connectivity condition of the remaining network in to account. We also present the distributed asynchronous routing implementation based on reinforcement learning algorithm. This work can be viewed as distributed connectivity-aware energy efficient routing. We then explore the advantages obtained by doing cooperative routing for network lifetime maximization. We propose a power allocation in the cooperative routing called the maximum lifetime power allocation. The proposed allocation takes into account the residual energy in the nodes when doing the cooperation. In fact, our criterion lets the nodes with more energy to help more compared to the nodes with less energy. We continue to look at the problem of cooperation enforcement in ad-hoc network. We show that by combining the repeated game and self learning algorithm, a better cooperation point can be obtained. Finally, we demonstrate an example of channel-aware application for multimedia communication. In all case studies, we employ optimization scheme that is equipped with the resource and environment awareness. We hope that the proposed resource and environment aware optimization framework will serve as the first step towards the realization of intelligent sensor communications

1999 Miracle Yearbook

https://digitalcommons.cedarville.edu/yearbooks/1027/thumbnail.jp

Non-Communicable Disease Prevention : final prospectus report

This report describes the Non-Communicable Disease Prevention (NCDP) program for the purpose of the External Program Review (prospectus period 2011-2016). It provides an overview of the program strategies and implementation, presents examples of progress toward each of the three program outcome areas, and highlights some lessons learned and opportunities for future directions

Micro-costing study of rituximab subcutaneous injection versus intravenous infusion in dutch setting

Background: Rituximab for subcutaneous (SC) administration has recently been approved for use in common forms of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). This form of rituximab is supplied in ready-to-use vials that do not require individual dose adjustment. It is expected that SC-injection will shorten the treatment time per administration of rituximab in comparison with currently available intravenous (IV) infusion. Aims: The goal of this study is to identify and compare all direct costs of IV and SC rituximab given to the DLBCL patients in the Netherlands. Methods: Using a prospective, observational, bottom up, micro-costing study we collected primary data on the direct medical costs of the preparation, administration and acquisition of rituximab. Drug costs and spillage, labor costs, material costs and remaining daycare costs were identified using standardized forms, structured using guideline prices and compared for the IV and SC forms of rituximab. Results: Measurements were done on 53 administrations (33 IV and 20 SC). The mean total costs of the IV infusion were €2174, and €1907 for the SC injection. The estimated difference of €267 per administration was mainly due to spillage costs and differences in chair time, related daycare costs and drug costs. Summary and Conclusions: Rituximab administered in the form of SC injection is less costly than its IV form. Taking into account their equal effectiveness, favorable pharmacoeconomic profile of SC rituximab can result in significant savings when transferred to the total DLBCL population in the Netherlands

Trial efficacy vs real world effectiveness in first line treatment of multiple myeloma

Background: Large randomized clinical trials (RCT) are the foundation of the registration of newly developed drugs. A potential problem with RCTs is that the inclusion/exclusion criteria will make the population different from the actual population treated in real life. Hence, it is important to understand how the results from the RCT can be generalized to a general population. Aims: The primary aim of the present study was to assess the generalizability of the large 1st line RCTs in Multiple Myeloma (MM) to the Nordic setting and to understand potential difference and magnitude in outcomes between RCTs and patients treated in standard care in the Nordics. Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on an incident cohort of 2960 MM-patients from 24 hospitals in Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden. The database contained information on patient baseline characteristics, treatments and outcomes. Data from relevant 1st line MM RCTs was selected from the treatment MP (Waage, A., et al., Blood. 2010], MPT (Waage, A., et al., Blood. 2010) and VMP (San Miguel, J.F., et al., N Engl J Med, 2008) and baseline characteristics were compared to newly diagnosed Nordic MM treated patients. Potential difference in response and overall survival (OS) was estimated by adjusting the RWE population to the RCT population using matching adjusted indirect comparisons. Patients were matched on age (median approximated to mean), gender, calcium, beta2-microglobulin and ISS score 3. These variables were selected because they were reported in all trials and have previously been identified as having prognostic value. Results: Patients in the Nordic database treated with MP (n=880) had a response rate of (PD, NR, PR, VGPR, ≥nCR) of (13%, 39%, 38%, 6%, 4%). After matching (n=347), the response rate was slightly worse (12%, 43%, 36%, 6%, 3%). This can be compared to the response rate from the RCT of (7%, 53%, 33%, 3%, 4%). OS for Nordic MP treated patients was 2.67 years (2.25-3.17). After matching the OS was 3.37 years (2.86-3.96) and this can be compared to the trial with OS 2.40 years (2.23-2.66). Patients treated with MPT (n=283) in the Nordic countries had a response rate of (5%, 14%, 52%, 20%, 9%). After matching (n=179) the response rate was slightly changed to (6%, 20%, 50%, 13% 11%). The corresponding RCT response results were 14%, 29%, 34%, 10%, and 13% respectively. OS for Nordic MPT treated patients was 4.15 years (3.73- 4.74). After matching the OS was 4.28 years (3.98-NA) years and compared to 2.42 years (2.08-3.17) OS observed in the corresponding trial. Patients treated with VMP (n=59) in the Nordic countries had a response rate of (4%, 5%, 40%, 18%, 33%). After matching (n=31) the response rate was improved to (8%, 11%, 28%, 8%, 45%). This corresponding response rates shown in the trial are 1%, 23%, 33%, 8%, and 33% respectively. OS for Nordic MP treated patients was 4.86 years (3.79-NA). After matching the OS was 4.86 years (4.86-NA) and this can be compared to the trial with OS 4.70 years. Summary and Conclusions: Surprisingly Nordic treated MM patients do very well compared to, and even better than, patients treated in RCTs. Since the OS for all tested treatments improves after matching to the RCT baseline characteristics, patients recruited to the RCTs seems to be a bit better than ordinary Nordic patents. The database used in the present study, and the used method, can be valuable for generalizing the results to the Nordic setting and estimating potential difference for future RCTs and Nordic MM treated patients. Future research should include different data cuts to see whether the analyses are biased by differences subsequent treatments applied in RCTs and clinical practice

Negoitation in Modernity : The BAZNAS (National Zakat Collection Agency) and the Philosophy of Zakat (Alms) Socialization in Indonesia

To pay Zakat (alms) is an obligation for a Muslim. However, this religious obligation cannot encourage Muslims in Indonesia to pay Zakat. In fact, in several cities, some Zakat organizations are established to collect the zakat. Some of them is the BAZNAS which is spread in most cities in Indonesia. In fact, this organization is a semi-government because there are some collaborations between the BAZNAS and local government in most regions. This collaboration indicates also that it tries to get benefit from the modern and established government structure. This article aims to know the BAZNAS negoitation with modernity, specifically it wants to deal with the BAZNAS zakat socialization. Using a case study, this article finds that the zakat organization like the BAZNAS Kepulauan Meranti Indonesia deals with a complicated negoitation with modernity through its zakat socialization. In fact, there is a religious understanding among Muslims there that to pay zakat is an obligation but it cannot deal with their religious awareness to pay zakat. This article identifies that disseminating the zakat payment obligation is a never ending project. The BAZNAS improves Muslim understanding about Zakat through socialization. Some socialization activities done are using modern instruments but some are not. Keywords : Zakat, BAZNAS (National Zakat Collection Agency), Socialization