Comparison of Routable Control System Security Approaches

This document is an supplement to the 'Secure and Efficient Routable Control Systems.' It addressed security in routable control system communication. The control system environment that monitors and manages the power grid historically has utilized serial communication mechanisms. Leased-line serial communication environments operating at 1200 to 9600 baud rates are common. However, recent trends show that communication media such as fiber, optical carrier 3 (OC-3) speeds, mesh-based high-speed wireless, and the Internet are becoming the media of choice. In addition, a dichotomy has developed between the electrical transmission and distribution environments, with more modern communication infrastructures deployed by transmission utilities. The preceding diagram represents a typical control system. The Communication Links cloud supports all of the communication mechanisms a utility might deploy between the control center and devices in the field. Current methodologies used for security implementations are primarily led by single vendors or standards bodies. However, these entities tend to focus on individual protocols. The result is an environment that contains a mixture of security solutions that may only address some communication protocols at an increasing operational burden for the utility. A single approach is needed that meets operational requirements, is simple to operate, and provides the necessary level of security for all control system communication. The solution should be application independent (e.g., Distributed Network Protocol/Internet Protocol [DNP/IP], International Electrotechnical Commission [IEC] C37.118, Object Linking and Embedding for Process Control [OPC], etc.) and focus on the transport layer. In an ideal setting, a well-designed suite of standards for control system communication will be used for vendor implementation and compliance testing. An expected outcome of this effort is an international standard

Protecting the peri-domestic environment: the challenge for eliminating residual malaria

Malaria transmission after universal access and use of malaria preventive services is known as residual malaria transmission. The concurrent spatial-temporal distributions of people and biting mosquitoes in malaria endemic villages determines where and when residual malaria transmission occurs. Understanding human and vector population behaviors and movements is a critical first step to prevent mosquito bites to eliminate residual malaria transmission. This study identified where people in the Solomon Islands are over 24-hour periods. Participants (59%) were predominantly around the house but not in their house when most biting by Anopheles farauti, the dominant malaria vector, occurs. While 84% of people slept under a long-lasting insecticide-treated bed net (LLIN), on average only 7% were under an LLIN during the 18:00 to 21:00 h peak mosquito biting period. On average, 34% of participants spend at least one night away from their homes each fortnight. Despite high LLIN use while sleeping, most human biting by An. farauti occurs early in the evening before people go to sleep when people are in peri-domestic areas (predominantly on verandas or in kitchen areas). Novel vector control tools that protect individuals from mosquito bites between sundown and when people sleep are needed for peri-domestic areas

Urbanization and Urban design in sustainable development. Case study of the ToLich River regions in Hanoi

In Vietnam, as elsewhere in the world, villages, towns and small cities of noticeable interest (in relation to culture, heritage, history or ecology) on the outskirts of larger cities are suffering serious damage from large-scale rapid urbanization. Development principles that merge historical and cultural heritage with dynamic trade and economy, while preserving an urban identity, with affirmative internal resources and ecological initiatives, guarantee a stable environment towards sustainable urban development. This research refers to urban design and renovation and landscape design orientated towards sustainable development of small towns along the To Lich River, Hanoi, Vietnam. Focusing on residential concentrations rich in culture, history and traditional trades and crafts, this paper determines and develops the tools to identify characteristic landscapes of urban residential clusters situated along rivers. The proposal is of an open dynamic sustainable urban trinodal concept that maintains and promotes existing values and strengths for the river landscape. The model consists of Society (Culture-Heritage-History), Economy (Trade-Craft-Agriculture) and Ecology (Environment-Habitation). These shape the identity of the regional landscape (those on each side of the ToLich River) and are also applicable for sustainable developments a long other rivers or territories

Combinatorial control of temporal gene expression in the Drosophila wing by enhancers and core promoters

Abstract Background The transformation of a developing epithelium into an adult structure is a complex process, which often involves coordinated changes in cell proliferation, metabolism, adhesion, and shape. To identify genetic mechanisms that control epithelial differentiation, we analyzed the temporal patterns of gene expression during metamorphosis of the Drosophila wing. Results We found that a striking number of genes, approximately 50% of the Drosophila transcriptome, exhibited changes in expression during a time course of wing development. While cis-acting enhancer sequences clearly correlated with these changes, a stronger correlation was discovered between core-promoter types and the dynamic patterns of gene expression within this differentiating tissue. In support of the hypothesis that core-promoter type influences the dynamics of expression, expression levels of several TATA-box binding protein associated factors (TAFs) and other core promoter-associated components changed during this developmental time course, and a testes-specific TAF (tTAF) played a critical role in timing cellular differentiation within the wing. Conclusions Our results suggest that the combinatorial control of gene expression via cis-acting enhancer sequences and core-promoter types, determine the complex changes in gene expression that drive morphogenesis and terminal differentiation of the Drosophila wing epithelium.http://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/112935/1/12864_2012_Article_4965.pd

Urbanization and Urban design in sustainable development. Case study of the ToLich River regions in Hanoi

In Vietnam, as elsewhere in the world, villages, towns and small cities of noticeable interest (in relation to culture, heritage, history or ecology) on the outskirts of larger cities are suffering serious damage from large-scale rapid urbanization. Development principles that merge historical and cultural heritage with dynamic trade and economy, while preserving an urban identity, with affirmative internal resources and ecological initiatives, guarantee a stable environment towards sustainable urban development.This research refers to urban design and renovation and landscape design orientated towards sustainable development of small towns along the To Lich River, Hanoi, Vietnam. Focusing on residential concentrations rich in culture, history and traditional trades and crafts, this paper determines and develops the tools to identify characteristic landscapes of urban residential clusters situated along rivers.The proposal is of an open dynamic sustainable urban trinodal concept that maintains and promotes existing values and strengths for the river landscape. The model consists of Society (Culture-Heritage-History), Economy (Trade-Craft-Agriculture) and Ecology (Environment-Habitation). These shape the identity of the regional landscape (those on each side of the ToLich River) and are also applicable for sustainable developments a long other rivers or territories

Polarimetric Imaging using Two Photoelastic Modulators

A method of polarimetric imaging, now undergoing development, involves the use of two photoelastic modulators in series, driven at equal amplitude but at different frequencies. The net effect on a beam of light is to cause (1) the direction of its polarization to rotate at the average of two excitation frequencies and (2) the amplitude of its polarization to be modulated at the beat frequency (the difference between the two excitation frequencies). The resulting modulated optical light beam is made to pass through a polarizing filter and is detected at the beat frequency, which can be chosen to equal the frame rate of an electronic camera or the rate of sampling the outputs of photodetectors in an array. The method was conceived to satisfy a need to perform highly accurate polarimetric imaging, without cross-talk between polarization channels, at frame rates of the order of tens of hertz. The use of electro-optical modulators is necessitated by a need to obtain accuracy greater than that attainable by use of static polarizing filters over separate fixed detectors. For imaging, photoelastic modulators are preferable to such other electrio-optical modulators as Kerr cells and Pockels cells in that photoelastic modulators operate at lower voltages, have greater angular acceptances, and are easier to use. Prior to the conception of the present method, polarimetric imaging at frame rates of tens of hertz using photoelastic modulators was not possible because the resonance frequencies of photoelastic modulators usually lie in the range from about 20 to about 100 kHz

Secure and Efficient Routable Control Systems

This document provides the methods to secure routable control system communication in the electric sector. The approach of this document yields a long-term vision for a future of secure communication, while also providing near term steps and a roadmap. The requirements for the future secure control system environment were spelled out to provide a final target. Additionally a survey and evaluation of current protocols was used to determine if any existing technology could achieve this goal. In the end a four-step path was described that brought about increasing requirement completion and culminates in the realization of the long term vision

Impaired platelet-dependent thrombin generation associated with thrombocytopenia is improved by prothrombin complex concentrates in vitro.

BACKGROUND: Impaired thrombin generation (TG) in patients with acquired coagulopathy, is due to low coagulation factors and thrombocytopenia. The latter is typically treated with platelet transfusions and the former with plasma and occasionally with prothrombin complex concentrates (PCCs). We hypothesized that manipulating the concentrations of coagulation factors might result in restoration of platelet-dependent TG over and above that of simple replacement therapy. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the influence of PCCs on impaired TG secondary to thrombocytopenia. METHODS: TG was evaluated by thrombin generation assay using a thrombocytopenia model in which normal plasma samples with varying platelet counts (20-300 × 109/L) were spiked with PCCs (25%-150% increase in plasma PCC levels). RESULTS: PCCs and platelets significantly increased TG in a dose-dependent manner in vitro. Two-way repeated measures of analysis of variance showed variance in peak height, area under the curve, time to peak, and velocity. This variance explained, respectively, by levels of PCC was 47, 59, 25 and 53%; by platelet count was 45, 28, 44, and 14%; by the combination was 80, 67, 70, and 62% variance; and a combination with additional interaction was 91, 84, 76, and 68%. TG at a platelet count 40 × 109/L with an approximate 25% increase in PCC concentration was similar to TG at 150 × 109/L. Similarly, patient samples spiked ex vivo with PCCs also showed highly significant improvements in TG. CONCLUSIONS: Impaired TG of thrombocytopenia is improved by PCCs, supporting the need for additional studies in complex coagulopathies characterized by mild to moderate thrombocytopenia and abnormal coagulation

A New High Contrast Imaging Program at Palomar Observatory

We describe a new instrument that forms the core of a long-term high contrast imaging program at the 200-inch Hale Telescope at Palomar Observatory. The primary scientific thrust is to obtain images and low-resolution spectroscopy of brown dwarfs and young Jovian mass exoplanets in the vicinity of stars within 50 parsecs of the Sun. The instrument is a microlens-based integral field spectrograph integrated with a diffraction limited, apodized-pupil Lyot coronagraph, mounted behind the Palomar adaptive optics system. The spectrograph obtains imaging in 23 channels across the J and H bands (1.06 - 1.78 microns). In addition to obtaining spectra, this wavelength resolution allows suppression of the chromatically dependent speckle noise, which we describe. We have recently installed a novel internal wave front calibration system that will provide continuous updates to the AO system every 0.5 - 1.0 minutes by sensing the wave front within the coronagraph. The Palomar AO system is undergoing an upgrade to a much higher-order AO system ("PALM-3000"): a 3388-actuator tweeter deformable mirror working together with the existing 241-actuator mirror. This system will allow correction with subapertures as small as 8cm at the telescope pupil using natural guide stars. The coronagraph alone has achieved an initial dynamic range in the H-band of 2 X 10^-4 at 1 arcsecond, without speckle noise suppression. We demonstrate that spectral speckle suppression is providing a factor of 10-20 improvement over this bringing our current contrast at an arcsecond to ~2 X 10^-5. This system is the first of a new generation of apodized pupil coronagraphs combined with high-order adaptive optics and integral field spectrographs (e.g. GPI, SPHERE, HiCIAO), and we anticipate this instrument will make a lasting contribution to high contrast imaging in the Northern Hemisphere for years.Comment: Accepted to PASP: 12 pages, 12 figure