Interest Rate Smoothing and Macroeconomic Instability under Post-Capital Account Liberalization Turkey

Cataloged from PDF version of article.This paper considers the interest rate policy of the Central Bank of the Republic of Turkey (CBRT) in the post-financial liberalization and deregulation era. We find that (1) the Bank's interest rate smoothing tendency is the main determinant of its monetary policy in this period, (2) the CBRT does not seem to be responsive to the developments in real economy (output), and (3) although inflation targeting central banks are not supposed to pay attention to exchange rates, the CBRT appears to be slightly responsive to changes in real exchange rate. In answer to the question of whether there is a deeper underlying Structural constraint binding the CBRT's "independence," it seems clear that the global financial system is restricting the ability of the central banks to pursue "independent" policy objectives

Analysis of Security Overhead in Broadcast V2V Communications

This paper concerns security issues for broadcast vehicle to vehicle (V2V) messages carrying vehicle status information ((location, heading, speed, etc.). These are often consumed by safety-related applications that e.g. augment situational awareness, issue alerts, recommend courses of action, and even trigger autonomous action. Consequently, the messages need to be both trustworthy and timely. We explore the impact of authenticity and integrity protection mechanisms on message latency using a model based on queuing theory. In conditions of high traffic density such as found in busy city centres, even the latency requirement of 100ms for first generation V2V applications was found to be challenging. Our main objective was to compare the performance overhead of the standard, PKC-based, message authenticity and integrity protection mechanism with that of an alternative scheme, TESLA, which uses symmetric-key cryptography combine with hash chains. This type of scheme has been dismissed in the past due to sup-posed high latency, but we found that in high traffic density conditions it outperformed the PKC-based scheme. without invoking congestion management measures. Perhaps the most significant observation from a security perspective is that denial of service attacks appear very easy to carry out and hard to defend against. This merits attention from the research and practitioner communities and is a topic we intend to address in the future

A hardware-in-the-loop framework for remote monitoring of safety critical systems

This paper presents a hardware-in-the-loop (HiL) testbed for remote monitoring of safety-critical systems. The testbed creates a secure environment for remote operations by establishing a communication link using open platform communication unified architecture (OPC-UA) industrial protocol resilient to cyber-attacks. The testbed uses a hypothetical Asherah nuclear power plant (Asherah NPP) by incorporating its physics, control systems, instrumentation, and communication networks to be controlled by a remote controller device, a Siemens S7 1500 programmable logic controller (PLC). The HIL capabilities of the testbed allow real-time assessment of industrial communication networks by integrating hardware, simulating data flow with malicious scripts, and identifying vulnerabilities. The testbed is particularly useful for predictive maintenance procedures and efficient operation of nuclear power plants, ultimately improving the cybersecurity of instrumentation and control systems in safety-critical applications. An internet of things (IoT)-based framework of the proposed HiL testbed for remote monitoring of safety critical systems has also been proposed at the end of the paper

Identifying security challenges in the transition from traditional to smart manufacturing through IIoT retrofitting

The integration of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) sensors and devices into traditional manufacturing environments offers significant benefits in terms of efficiency, adaptability, and data-driven decision-making. However, the transition from traditional manufacturing systems to smart manufacturing systems, often achieved through retrofitting legacy systems, introduces new security risks that must be carefully addressed to ensure operational resilience. This paper explores the vulnerabilities and threats associated with retrofitting legacy systems with modern Industrial IoT technologies. By examining recent case studies and industry incidents, critical security gaps that emerge from the coexistence of legacy systems and contemporary IoT solutions are identified. These gaps include unauthorized access, data breaches, system manipulation. The research emphasizes the necessity of adopting a proactive cybersecurity approach that is well-suited to the specific vulnerabilities and risks associated with retrofitting traditional manufacturing systems. These measures include updated security protocols, enhanced device management practices, secure software updates, and ongoing system monitoring. By implementing these strategies, manufacturers can mitigate risks, protect their intellectual property, and maintain operational continuity. Outcome of the paper provide manufacturers with strategic insights and practical recommendations to safeguard the integrity and reliability of their smart manufacturing environments against evolving cyber threats. By addressing these security challenges proactively, organizations can realize the full potential of IIoT technologies while minimizing risks to their operations

Structural Assessment of the 13th Century Great Mosque and Hospital of Divrigi: A World Heritage Listed Structure

The Great Mosque and Hospital of Divrigi is located in the central eastern part of Turkey, in Divrigi, Sivas. The historical facility consists of a monumental mosque and a two-story hospital, which are adjacent to each other. The structure dates back to 13th century Mengujekids period and has been listed by the UNESCO as a World Heritage since 1985. Great Mosque and Hospital of Divrigi is particularly notable for its monumental stone portals that are decorated with three-dimensional ornaments carved from stone. The structural system of the monument consists of multi-leaf stone masonry walls and stone piers that support the roof structure which consists of stone and brick arches and vaults. The structure is located about 90 km away from the North Anatolian Fault Line, that has been causing several destructive earthquakes. Consequently, the structure is prone to destructive seismic activities. In this study, after a brief introduction on the structural system and current condition of the structure, the structural performance of the Great Mosque and Hospital of Divrigi is investigated through site observations and structural analyses. For this purpose, linear and nonlinear 3D finite element models of the structure are developed and the structure is examined under the effects of vertical loads and seismic actions. In the light of the analyses results, recommendations for potential interventions are outlined for further preservation of the structure

A novel investigation method for axonal damage in neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder: In vivo corneal confocal microscopy

BACKGROUND: Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) is an inflammatory autoimmune disorder that damages optic nerves, brainstem, and spinal cord. In vivo corneal confocal microscopy (IVCM) is a noninvasive technique that provides corneal images with dendritic cells (DCs) and corneal subbasal nerve plexus (SBP), which arises from the trigeminal nerve. OBJECTIVE: We investigated corneal SBP changes in NMOSD and proposed IVCM as a potential new disease severity biomarker for NMOSD. METHODS: Seventeen age-sex matched NMOSD patients and 19 healthy participants underwent complete neurologic and ophthalmologic examinations. The duration of disease, first symptom, presence of optic neuritis attack, antibody status, Expanded Disability Status Scale(EDSS) score and disease severity score(DSS) were recorded. Retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) thickness was measured with optical coherence tomography, and corneal SBP images were taken with IVCM. RESULTS: NMOSD patients had significantly reduced corneal nerve fibre lenght-density and corneal nerve branch lenght-density compared with controls, while DC density was increased. NMOSD patients also showed significantly reduced RNFL thickness compared with controls. EDSS,DSS levels were inversely correlated with IVCM parameters. CONCLUSION: We observed significant corneal nerve fibre loss in NMOSD patients in relation to disease severity. IVCM can be a candidate noninvasive imaging method for axonal damage assessment in NMOSD that warrants further investigation

Effect of curing time on selected properties of soil stabilized with fly ash, marble dust and waste sand for road sub-base materials

The properties of sub-base filling materials in highway construction are essential, as they can determine the performance of the road in service. Normally, the existing materials are removed and replaced with new materials that have adequate load-bearing capacity. Rising environmental concern and new environmental legislations have made construction professionals consider other methods. These methods include stabilizing the existing materials with other additives to improve their performance. Additives can be waste materials generated by different industries. In this work, the existing excavated soil is stabilized with waste materials. The wastes consisted of fly ash, marble dust and waste sand. The percentage addition of waste materials was 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% (by mass) of the existing soil. The soil/waste specimens were cured for 1, 7, 28, 56, 90 and 112 days before testing. Testing included the dry unit weight and unconfined compressive strength ( qu) as well as X-ray diffraction analysis and scanning electron microscopy observation. Also, the California Bearing Ratio values were obtained and are reported in this investigation. The results showed that the qu values increased with the increase in waste materials content. Also, there is tendency for the dry unit weight to increase with the increase in waste materials