The integrity challenge of the Internet-of-Things (IoT):on understanding its dark side

Despite the overall positive feeling about Internet of Things’ (IoT) development, a main risk involves the integrity of the system itself. This paper considers the influence of the IoT on marketing practices and addresses the overlooked area of the dark side of the IoT. Dysfunctional forms of IoT have been neglected as an area of research, so identifying the different types of IoT providers’ dark-side behaviours will assist in the development of an integrated approach to the IoT that will help to overcome or mitigate these dark-side behaviours. Based on an extensive literature review, supplemented by expert insights drawn from the authors’ study of the IoT, a framework is developed that classifies the varying IoT dark-side behaviour types. The framework reveals eight forms of dark-side behaviour that are grouped into four broad categories. This classification illustrates how different types of dark-side behaviours are linked to key strategic IoT processes and also outlines how these dark-side practices may be addressed by adopting a more strategic and integrity-oriented approach. We conclude that with the adoption of a more holistic approach to the IoT, dark-side behaviours can be addressed and move in the direction of more effective marketing practices. This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in Journal of Marketing Management on 4 Nov 2016, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/ 10.1080/0267257X.2016.124751

In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of Novel Ciprofloxacin-Releasing Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lenses

Hui, A., Willcox, M., & Jones, L. (2014). In Vitro and In Vivo Evaluation of Novel Ciprofloxacin-Releasing Silicone Hydrogel Contact Lenses. Investigative Opthalmology & Visual Science, 55(8), 4896. https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.14-14855Purpose.: The purpose of this study was to evaluate ciprofloxacin-releasing silicone hydrogel contact lens materials in vitro and in vivo for the treatment of microbial keratitis. Methods.: Model silicone hydrogel contact lens materials were manufactured using a molecular imprinting technique to modify ciprofloxacin release kinetics. Various contact lens properties, including light transmission and surface wettability, were determined, and the in vitro ciprofloxacin release kinetics elucidated using fluorescence spectrophotometry. The materials then were evaluated for their ability to inhibit Pseudomonas aeruginosa growth in vitro and in an in vivo rabbit model of microbial keratitis. Results.: Synthesized lenses had similar material properties to commercial contact lens materials. There was a decrease in light transmission in the shorter wavelengths due to incorporation of the antibiotic, but over 80% light transmission between 400 and 700 nm. Modified materials released for more than 8 hours, significantly longer than unmodified controls (P 0.05), which is significantly less than corneas treated with unmodified control lenses or those that received no treatment at all (P < 0.05). Conclusions.: These novel contact lenses designed for the extended release of ciprofloxacin may be beneficial to supplement or augment future treatments of sight-threatening microbial keratitis.Supported by the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC)20/20 Network for the Development of Advanced Ophthalmic Materialsand by an NSERC Alexander Graham Bell Doctoral Scholarshipthe Ezell Fellowship from the American Optometric Foundationand the Endeavour Research Grant from the Australian Government (AH)

Peak reduction technique in commutative algebra

The "peak reduction" method is a powerful combinatorial technique with applications in many different areas of mathematics as well as theoretical computer science. It was introduced by Whitehead, a famous topologist and group theorist, who used it to solve an important algorithmic problem concerning automorphisms of a free group. Since then, this method was used to solve numerous problems in group theory, topology, combinatorics, and probably in some other areas as well. In this paper, we give a survey of what seems to be the first applications of the peak reduction technique in commutative algebra and affine algebraic geometry.Comment: survey; 10 page

Free subgroups of one-relator relative presentations

Suppose that G is a nontrivial torsion-free group and w is a word over the alphabet G\cup\{x_1^{\pm1},...,x_n^{\pm1}\}. It is proved that for n\ge2 the group \~G= always contains a nonabelian free subgroup. For n=1 the question about the existence of nonabelian free subgroups in \~G is answered completely in the unimodular case (i.e., when the exponent sum of x_1 in w is one). Some generalisations of these results are discussed.Comment: V3: A small correction in the last phrase of the proof of Theorem 1. 4 page

The TFOS International Workshop on Contact Lens Discomfort: Introduction

Nichols, J. J., Jones, L., Nelson, J. D., Stapleton, F., Sullivan, D. A., & Willcox, M. D. P. (2013). The TFOS International Workshop on Contact Lens Discomfort: Introduction. Investigative Opthalmology & Visual Science, 54(11), TFOS1. https://doi.org/10.1167/iovs.13-13195For many years, the contact lens field had focused on safety associated with contact lens wear—and for good reason, given the lack of understanding of the risk factors and etiology of serious complications such as microbial keratitis. However, as knowledge came to light on these complications through the 1980s and 1990s, it allowed for practitioners to become more comfortable managing these complications, along with the introduction of products that helped reduce or prevent some of these problems. It was during this time, beginning in the mid-1980s, that the field itself became cognizant of the issues associated with comfort, or discomfort, during contact lens wear. Since that time, we have witnessed the field (and industry) shift its attention toward understanding the issue of contact lens discomfort (CLD). Contact lens discomfort is a substantial and burdensome problem experienced frequently by contact lens wearers. It is well established that most contact lens wearers experience CLD, at least occasionally, although many experience CLD to such a severity that they feel compelled to alter their wearing habits. Common, although palliative at best, treatments include the periodic use of rewetting drops, contact lens removal, contact lens refitting (using different lens designs or materials or replacement schedules), and changes in the contact lens care solutions or regimens, in addition to other less commonly used approaches including topical or systemic medications, alterations in diet, and punctal plugs. Ultimately, CLD is the primary factor associated with permanent discontinuation from contact lens wear. Given the importance of the issue of CLD to both patients and practitioners alike, the time was right to move the field forward by taking steps to bring global consensus to our current understanding of this condition.Supported by unrestricted financial support from Alcon (title sponsor), Allergan, Bausch & Lomb, Santen, Menicon, Vistakon, Laboratoires Théa, Optima, Oculus, CooperVision, and Contact Lens Spectrum

A method to measure lactate recycling in cultured cells by edited 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/B6W9V-4PF6B5M-1/1/385b6c0836057ee00a92ea234317f1e

Global axisymmetric stability analysis for a composite system of two gravitationally coupled scale-free discs

In a composite system of gravitationally coupled stellar and gaseous discs, we perform linear stability analysis for axisymmetric coplanar perturbations using the two-fluid formalism. The background stellar and gaseous discs are taken to be scale-free with all physical variables varying as powers of cylindrical radius $r$ with compatible exponents. The unstable modes set in as neutral modes or stationary perturbation configurations with angular frequency $\omega=0$.Comment: 7 pages using AAS styl

Regular Incidence Complexes, Polytopes, and C-Groups

Regular incidence complexes are combinatorial incidence structures generalizing regular convex polytopes, regular complex polytopes, various types of incidence geometries, and many other highly symmetric objects. The special case of abstract regular polytopes has been well-studied. The paper describes the combinatorial structure of a regular incidence complex in terms of a system of distinguished generating subgroups of its automorphism group or a flag-transitive subgroup. Then the groups admitting a flag-transitive action on an incidence complex are characterized as generalized string C-groups. Further, extensions of regular incidence complexes are studied, and certain incidence complexes particularly close to abstract polytopes, called abstract polytope complexes, are investigated.Comment: 24 pages; to appear in "Discrete Geometry and Symmetry", M. Conder, A. Deza, and A. Ivic Weiss (eds), Springe

Primitive Words, Free Factors and Measure Preservation

Let F_k be the free group on k generators. A word w \in F_k is called primitive if it belongs to some basis of F_k. We investigate two criteria for primitivity, and consider more generally, subgroups of F_k which are free factors. The first criterion is graph-theoretic and uses Stallings core graphs: given subgroups of finite rank H \le J \le F_k we present a simple procedure to determine whether H is a free factor of J. This yields, in particular, a procedure to determine whether a given element in F_k is primitive. Again let w \in F_k and consider the word map w:G x G x ... x G \to G (from the direct product of k copies of G to G), where G is an arbitrary finite group. We call w measure preserving if given uniform measure on G x G x ... x G, w induces uniform measure on G (for every finite G). This is the second criterion we investigate: it is not hard to see that primitivity implies measure preservation and it was conjectured that the two properties are equivalent. Our combinatorial approach to primitivity allows us to make progress on this problem and in particular prove the conjecture for k=2. It was asked whether the primitive elements of F_k form a closed set in the profinite topology of free groups. Our results provide a positive answer for F_2.Comment: This is a unified version of two manuscripts: "On Primitive words I: A New Algorithm", and "On Primitive Words II: Measure Preservation". 42 pages, 14 figures. Some parts of the paper reorganized towards publication in the Israel J. of Mat