A security architecture for personal networks

Abstract Personal Network (PN) is a new concept utilizing pervasive computing to meet the needs of the user. As PNs edge closer towards reality, security becomes an important concern since any vulnerability in the system will limit its practical use. In this paper we introduce a security architecture designed for PNs. Our aim is to use secure but lightweight mechanisms suitable for resource constrained devices and wireless communication. We support pair-wise keys for secure cluster formation and use group keys for securing intra-cluster communication. In order to analyze the performance of our proposed mechanisms, we carry out simulations using ns-2. The results show that our mechanisms have a low overhead in terms of delay and energy consumption

Participatory Irrigation Management and its Financial Viability: A Case Study

Water is a key input of agriculture. In the past, the area under cultivation was small and there was less stress on farmers to grow more and more of each crop. Water was considered a free good. The situation has changed since. The increase in cropping intensity has led to a rise in the demand for irrigation water. Water is not a free good any more. The provision of irrigation water to the farmer’s fields is going to be costlier. The Government of Pakistan is spending heavily on the operation and maintenance of the irrigation system yet shortage of funds is a major reason for deferred maintenance, which threatens the operational integrity of the irrigation system [World Bank (1988) and Haq (1995)]. The shortfall in O&M funding was estimated to be more than 24 percent in 1993 [World Bank (1994)]. As poor O&M has direct effect on the productivity of agriculture, indirectly it affects the whole economy [Carruthers (1981)]. The allocation of funds for the increasing O&M costs is becoming a problem for the Government of Pakistan with every successive year. One logical answer to this problem is to increase abiana1 fees from the users of irrigation water supplies. The revenue collected through abiana may be used for O&M purposes, but it has been reported that the revenue collection is far less than the expenditures incurred. Resultantly the gap has been increasing every year [Chaudhry (1989)]. This situation demands investigation of abiana recovery and increasing O&M costs to know the real situation which in turn will help in deciding whether it is feasible to divert the financing of O&M activities towards farmer organisations (completely or partially). This paper aims at estimating the present level of operation and maintenance expenditures of the H-4-R Distributary and the present situation of the abiana collection and the extent of its leakage through different means.

Participatory Irrigation Management and its Financial Viability: A Case Study

Water is a key input of agriculture. In the past, the area under cultivation was small and there was less stress on farmers to grow more and more of each crop. Water was considered a free good. The situation has changed since. The increase in cropping intensity has led to a rise in the demand for irrigation water. Water is not a free good any more. The provision of irrigation water to the farmer’s fields is going to be costlier. The Government of Pakistan is spending heavily on the operation and maintenance of the irrigation system yet shortage of funds is a major reason for deferred maintenance, which threatens the operational integrity of the irrigation system [World Bank (1988) and Haq (1995)]. The shortfall in O&M funding was estimated to be more than 24 percent in 1993 [World Bank (1994)]. As poor O&M has direct effect on the productivity of agriculture, indirectly it affects the whole economy [Carruthers (1981)]. The allocation of funds for the increasing O&M costs is becoming a problem for the Government of Pakistan with every successive year. One logical answer to this problem is to increase abiana1 fees from the users of irrigation water supplies. The revenue collected through abiana may be used for O&M purposes, but it has been reported that the revenue collection is far less than the expenditures incurred. Resultantly the gap has been increasing every year [Chaudhry (1989)]

Fodder Yield, Nutrient Uptake and Quality of Oats (\u3cem\u3eAvena sativa\u3c/em\u3e L.) as Influenced by Different Agronomic Practices

The green fodder requirement and availability in India does not match and leaves a shortfall of about 63%. There is a little possibility of any tangible increase in fodder area due to competition from other economically competitive agricultural crops (Aulakh et al., 2012). Therefore, there is urgent need to maximize the tonnage and quality of fodder within the existing farming systems. Multicut nature of the crop ensures continuous supply of fodder. Kashmir valley possesses temperate type of climate, with snowfall and harsh conditions in the winter. Behaviour of crop under these conditions is entirely different from rest of country, which can be modified through different agronomic manipulations to derive maximum benefits. Sowing time has great impact on fodder yield. In agronomic techniques fertilizer management is the most important aspect. To improve supply of fodder over a period best cutting management needs to be evaluated. In view of these an experiment was undertaken to study the response of fodder oat to different sowing dates, fertility levels and cutting managements

Sustainable Quality Fodder Production under Temperate Mountain Agriculture in Kashmir

Inadequate supply of quality feed and fodder is the primary cause of lower productivity of milch animals in India. Oats (Avena sativa L.) is an important fodder crop in J&K. Jammu and Kashmir state the fodder requirement is about 4.31 million tonnes against the available 3.26 million tonnes (Anonymous, 2008). Kashmir valley experiences a long lean period of winter, resulting in scarcity of green and quality fodder which results in drastic decrease in milk production. Therefore, to meet the need of animal products, there is a great importance of fodder cultivation to compensate fodder scarcity during lean period (Rabi crops remain dormant due to snow/ freezing temperatures). The best measure related to forage quality is animal productivity, which can be affected by nutrient intake, digestibility and utilization efficiency. Quality forage must have high intake, digestibility and efficient utilization. Physiological characteristics have significant impacts on growth and development of plants grown in production systems. Keeping the above facts in view, the present investigation was undertaken to identify the parents and their crosses for physiological and forage quality traits which are economically sustainable for forage yield and quality for sustainable consumption in hill agriculture

Toward A Mentoring Model For Promotion And Tenure: Progress And Pitfalls

This article provides a qualitative analysis of a pretenure mentoring model that was designed to enhance the likelihood of retaining diverse faculty recruited for a multidisciplinary undergraduate department.The data capture the experiences of pretenure and tenured faculty after the first 4 years of the implementation of this mentoring system.The mentoring system and data collection process are described, followed by the research findings and implications for practice

Choroba Mikulicza-Radeckiego z zapaleniem przysadki — nowe zaburzenie związane z IgG4

  Introduction: We present a case of Mikulicz’s Disease with hypophysitis. This is a rare clinical association as part of the group of IgG4- related diseases, a group of disorders which can have multiorgan involvement. Methods: A 55-year-old male patient was diagnosed with Mikulicz’s disease. He was treated with oral steroids for six months with complete resolution. After two years the patient presented with fatigue, generalised weakness, and weight loss of 11 kg over six months. On evaluation he was found to have panhypopituitarism. MRI pituitary revealed homogeneously enlarged, well enhancing pituitary with thickening of the stalk. Serum IgG4 levels were significantly elevated. The patient was treated with methyl prednisolone pulse therapy followed by oral steroids for three months. He developed diabetes insipidus after starting steroid therapy. There was a significant resolution in the enlargement of the pituitary and stalk thickening at three months. Results: The clinical, biochemical, and radiological findings of hypophysitis associated with Mikulicz’s disease are presented with a brief review of literature. Conclusions: IgG4-related diseases are rare and have recently been recognised as a cause of hypophysitis. They can have multiorgan involvement. A high index of suspicion is required for clinching this rare diagnosis, which can be confirmed by measurement of serum levels of IgG4. Steroid therapy can reverse the inflammatory changes in IgG4 hypophysitis. (Endokrynol Pol 2016; 67 (6): 622–626)    Wstęp: W pracy przedstawiono przypadek choroby Mikulicza-Radeckiego z zapaleniem przysadki. Jest to rzadko występujące połączenie zaburzeń należących do grupy chorób związanych z IgG4, które mogą obejmować wiele narządów. Metody: U mężczyzny w wieku 55 lat rozpoznano chorobę Mikulicza-Radeckiego. Stosowano doustne steroidy przez 6 miesięcy, uzyskując całkowite ustąpienie choroby. Po 2 latach chory zaczął odczuwać zmęczenie i ogólne osłabienie, a ponadto w ciągu 6 miesięcy schudł 11 kg. Badanie wykazało wielohormonalną niedoczynność przysadki. Badanie rezonansu magnetycznego przysadki uwidoczniło równomiernie powiększoną, ulegającą wzmocnieniu po podaniu kontrastu, z pogrubioną szypułą. Stężenie IgG4 w surowicy było istotnie podwyższone. U pacjenta zastosowano najpierw terapię pulsacyjną metylprednizolonem, a następnie 3-miesięczne leczenie steroidami podawanymi doustnie. Po rozpoczęciu leczenia steroidami u chorego rozwinęła się moczówka prosta. Po 3 miesiącach nastąpiło istotne zmniejszenie powiększonej przysadki i pogrubionej szypuły. Wyniki: Przedstawiono kliniczne, biochemiczne i radiologiczne objawy niedoczynności przysadki związanej z chorobą Mikulicza-Radeckiego oraz krótki przegląd literatury. Wnioski: Choroby związane z IgG4 występują rzadko. W ostatnim czasie wykazano, że mogą powodują one niedoczynność przysadki. Mogą one obejmować wiele narządów. Rozpoznanie tej rzadkiej choroby można potwierdzić, oznaczając stężenie IgG4 w surowicy. Można potwierdzić diagnozę, mierząc stężenie IgG4 w surowicy. Leczenie steroidami może spowodować ustąpienie zmian zapalnych z niedoczynności przysadki związanej z IgG4. (Endokrynol Pol 2016; 67 (6): 622–626)

Association between perioperative hypothermia and surgical site infection after elective abdominal surgery: A prospective cohort study

Introduction: Surgical site infections (SSIs) account for 14-16% of nosocomial infections and are one of the major causes of increased morbidity, hospital stay, cost of care, and even mortality. Hypothermia as a risk factor for SSI is debated but there is lack of conclusive evidence. The present study explores the association of hypothermia with SSI.Methodology: This is a prospective cohort study conducted on adult patients who underwent elective laparotomy. Patients were divided into two cohorts, the Hypothermia Cohort and the Normothermia Cohort, based upon episodes of hypothermia of \u3c360C in the perioperative period. SSI was diagnosed based upon criteria defined by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Postoperative follow-up to detect SSI was done until 30 days after the operation.Results: A total of 183 patients met the selection criteria and were included in the study. Ninety patients (49%) had perioperative hypothermia and were followed in the Hypothermia Cohort, while 93 patients (51%) who remained normothermic in the perioperative period were followed in the Normothermia Cohort. Mean age of the patients was 49.77 +/- 14.82 years. Almost two-thirds of the participants were females (63.9%). Patients who developed hypothermia were significantly older and had lower BMI. Also the proportion of female patients was significantly higher in the Normothermic Cohort.Rate of SSI was similar in both groups (10% versus 10.8%) with p-value of 0.867. Multivariable regression analysis also failed to show any significant association between hypothermia and SSI.Conclusion: Our study failed to show any statistically significant association between hypothermia and surgical site infection