A Service-Oriented Approach for Sensing in the Internet of Things: Intelligent Transportation Systems and Privacy Use Cases

This paper presents a Sensing-as-a-Service run-time Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), called 3SOA, for the development of Internet of Things (IoT) applications. 3SOA aims to allow interoperability among various IoT platforms and support service-oriented modelling at high levels of abstraction where fundamental SOA theories and techniques are fully integrated into a practical software engineering approach. 3SOA abstracts the dependencies of the middleware programming model from the application logic. This abstraction allows the development efforts to focus on writing the application logic independently from hardware platforms, middleware, and languages in which applications are programmed. To achieve this result, IoT objects are treated as independent entities that may interact with each other using a well-defined message exchange sequence. Each object is defined by the services it provides and the coordination protocol it supports. Objects are then able to coordinate their resources to address the global objectives of the system. To practically validate our proposals, we demonstrate an intelligent transportation system and data privacy functional prototypes as proof of concepts. The use cases show that 3SOA and the presented abstraction language allow the amalgamation of macroprogramming and node-centric programming to develop real-time and efficient applications over IoT

Network Traffic Analysis for Threats Detection in the Internet of Things

As the prevalence of the Internet of Things (IoT) continues to increase, cyber criminals are quick to exploit the security gaps that many devices are inherently designed with. Whilst users can not be expected to tackle this threat alone, many current solutions available for network monitoring are simply not accessible or can be difficult to implement for the average user and is a gap that needs to be addressed. This paper presents an effective signature-based solution to monitor, analyse and detect potentially malicious traffic for IoT ecosystems in the typical home network environment by utilising passive network sniffing techniques and a cloud-application to monitor anomalous activity. The proposed solution focuses on two attack and propagation vectors leveraged by the infamous Mirai botnet, namely DNS and Telnet. Experimental evaluation demonstrates the proposed solution can detect 98.35% of malicious DNS traffic and 99.33% of Telnet traffic respectively; for an overall detection accuracy of 98.84%

Digital twins in cyber effects modelling of IoT/CPS points of low resilience

The exponential increase of data volume and velocity have necessitated a tighter linkage of physical and cyber components in modern Cyber–physical systems (CPS) to achieve faster response times and autonomous component reconfiguration. To attain this degree of efficiency, the integration of virtual and physical components reinforced by artificial intelligence also promises to improve the resilience of these systems against organised and often skillful adversaries. The ability to visualise, validate, and illustrate the benefits of this integration, while taking into account improvements in cyber modelling and simulation tools and procedures, is critical to that adoption. Using Cyber Modelling and Simulation (M&S) this study evaluates the scale and complexity required to achieve an acceptable level of cyber resilience testing in an IoT-enabled critical national infrastructure (CNI). This research focuses on the benefits and challenges of integrating cyber modelling and simulation (M&S) with digital twins and threat source characterisation methodologies towards a cost-effective security and resilience assessment. Using our dedicated DT environment, we show how adversaries can utilise cyber–physical systems as a point of entry to a broader network in a scenario where they are trying to attack a port

BOB-RED queue management for IEEE 802.15.4 wireless sensor networks

This study is aimed at exploring why many economists propose a transfer scheme and debt mutualisation for the Eurozone. This would equip the Eurozone with better tools to deal with an economic shock, like the 2010-2012 sovereign debt crisis, thus making it more financially stable. After the theoretical presentation, the study presents a unique institutional design with an EU Treasury that manages debt mutualisation and a transfer scheme as well as other competences that address other present economic challenges. Crucial to the study are the issues of moral hazard and adverse selection that arise when thinking of European economic integration.L’objectiu del treball és explorar la raó per la qual molts economistes proposen un sistema de transferències fiscals i la mutualització del deute a l’Eurozona. Així se la dotaria amb eines més efectives per pal·liar un xoc econòmic, com la crisi del deute sobirà del 2010-2012. A continuació, es presenta un disseny institucional únic d’un Tresor de l’Euro que gestionaria les competències esmentades (i d’altres) per combatre alguns dels reptes econòmics actuals. El risc moral i de selecció adversa, qüestions que sorgeixen en pensar la drecera que ha de prendre la integració econòmica Europea, són cabdals per aquest estudi

Self-management support interventions for stroke survivors: a systematic meta-review

There is considerable policy interest in promoting self-management in patients with long-term conditions, but it remains uncertain whether these interventions are effective in stroke patients.Systematic meta-review of the evidence for self-management support interventions with stroke survivors to inform provision of healthcare services.We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychINFO, AMED, BNI, Database of Abstracts of Reviews for Effectiveness, and Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews for systematic reviews of self-management support interventions for stroke survivors. Quality was assessed using the R-AMSTAR tool, and data extracted using a customised data extraction form. We undertook a narrative synthesis of the reviews' findings.From 12,400 titles we selected 13 systematic reviews (published 2003-2012) representing 101 individual trials. Although the term 'self-management' was rarely used, key elements of self-management support such as goal setting, action planning, and problem solving were core components of therapy rehabilitation interventions. We found high quality evidence that supported self-management in the context of therapy rehabilitation delivered soon after the stroke event resulted in short-term (< 1 year) improvements in basic and extended activities of daily living, and a reduction in poor outcomes (dependence/death). There is some evidence that rehabilitation and problem solving interventions facilitated reintegration into the community.Self-management terminology is rarely used in the context of stroke. However, therapy rehabilitation currently successfully delivers elements of self-management support to stroke survivors and their caregivers with improved outcomes. Future research should focus on managing the emotional, medical and social tasks of long-term survivorship

The weight-loss experience : qualitative exploration

BACKGROUND: Long-term weight management consists of weight-loss, weight-loss maintenance, and weight-gain stages. Qualitative insights into weight management are now appearing in the literature however research appears to be biased towards explorations of weight-loss maintenance. The qualitative understanding of weight loss, which begets weight-loss maintenance and might establish the experiences and behaviours necessary for successful long-term weight management, is comparatively under-investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the weight-loss experiences of a sample of participants not aligned to clinical intervention research, in order to understand the weight-loss experiences of a naturalistic sample. METHODS: Participants (n=8) with weight-loss (n=4) and weight-maintenance experiences (n=4) were interviewed using a semi-structured interview to understand the weight-loss experience. Interview data was analysed thematically using Framework Analysis and was underpinned by realist meta-theory. RESULTS: Weight loss was experienced as an enduring challenge, where factors that assisted weight loss were developed and experienced dichotomously to factors that hindered it. Participants described barriers to (dichotomous thinking, environments, social pressures and weight centeredness) and facilitators of (mindfulness, knowledge, exercise, readiness to change, structure, self-monitoring and social support) their weight-loss goals in rich detail, highlighting that weight loss was a complex experience. CONCLUSIONS: Weight loss was a difficult task, with physical, social, behavioural and environmental that appeared to assist and inhibit weight-loss efforts concurrently. Health professionals might need to better understand the day-to-day challenges of dieters in order to provide more effective, tailored treatments. Future research should look to investigate the psycho-social consequences of weight-loss dieting, in particular self-imposed social exclusion and spousal sabotage and flexible approaches to treatment

Experiences of Self-Management Support Following a Stroke: A Meta-Review of Qualitative Systematic Reviews

Supporting self-management in stroke patients improves psychological and functional outcomes but evidence on how to achieve this is sparse. We aimed to synthesise evidence from systematic reviews of qualitative studies in an overarching meta-review to inform the delivery and development of self-management support interventions.We systematically searched eight electronic databases including MEDLINE, EMBASE and CINAHL for qualitative systematic reviews (published January 1993 to June 2012). We included studies exploring patients', carers' or health care professionals' experiences relevant to self-management support following a stroke, including studies describing the lived experience of surviving a stroke. We meta-synthesised the included review findings using a meta-ethnographic framework.Seven reviews, reporting 130 unique studies, were included. Themes emerging from the reviews were pertinent, consistent and showed data saturation; though explicit mention of self-management support was rare. Our meta-review highlighted the devastating impact of stroke on patients' self-image; the varying needs for self-management support across the trajectory of recovery; the need for psychological and emotional support throughout recovery particularly when physical recovery plateaus; the considerable information needs of patients and carers which also vary across the trajectory of recovery; the importance of good patient-professional communication; the potential benefits of goal-setting and action-planning; and the need for social support which might be met by groups for stroke survivors.The observed data saturation suggests that, currently, no further qualitative research simply describing the lived experience of stroke is needed; we propose that it would be more useful to focus on qualitative research informing self-management support interventions and their implementation. Our findings demonstrate both the on-going importance of self-management support and the evolving priorities throughout the stages of recovery following a stroke. The challenge now is to ensure these findings inform routine practice and the development of interventions to support self-management amongst stroke survivors

Systematic meta-review of supported self-management for asthma: a healthcare perspective

BACKGROUND: Supported self-management has been recommended by asthma guidelines for three decades; improving current suboptimal implementation will require commitment from professionals, patients and healthcare organisations. The Practical Systematic Review of Self-Management Support (PRISMS) meta-review and Reducing Care Utilisation through Self-management Interventions (RECURSIVE) health economic review were commissioned to provide a systematic overview of supported self-management to inform implementation. We sought to investigate if supported asthma self-management reduces use of healthcare resources and improves asthma control; for which target groups it works; and which components and contextual factors contribute to effectiveness. Finally, we investigated the costs to healthcare services of providing supported self-management. METHODS: We undertook a meta-review (systematic overview) of systematic reviews updated with randomised controlled trials (RCTs) published since the review search dates, and health economic meta-analysis of RCTs. Twelve electronic databases were searched in 2012 (updated in 2015; pre-publication update January 2017) for systematic reviews reporting RCTs (and update RCTs) evaluating supported asthma self-management. We assessed the quality of included studies and undertook a meta-analysis and narrative synthesis. RESULTS: A total of 27 systematic reviews (n = 244 RCTs) and 13 update RCTs revealed that supported self-management can reduce hospitalisations, accident and emergency attendances and unscheduled consultations, and improve markers of control and quality of life for people with asthma across a range of cultural, demographic and healthcare settings. Core components are patient education, provision of an action plan and regular professional review. Self-management is most effective when delivered in the context of proactive long-term condition management. The total cost (n = 24 RCTs) of providing self-management support is offset by a reduction in hospitalisations and accident and emergency visits (standard mean difference 0.13, 95% confidence interval -0.09 to 0.34). CONCLUSIONS: Evidence from a total of 270 RCTs confirms that supported self-management for asthma can reduce unscheduled care and improve asthma control, can be delivered effectively for diverse demographic and cultural groups, is applicable in a broad range of clinical settings, and does not significantly increase total healthcare costs. Informed by this comprehensive synthesis of the literature, clinicians, patient-interest groups, policy-makers and providers of healthcare services should prioritise provision of supported self-management for people with asthma as a core component of routine care. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: RECURSIVE: PROSPERO CRD42012002694 ; PRISMS: PROSPERO does not register meta-reviews