XML Schema-based Minification for Communication of Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) Systems in Cloud Environments

XML-based communication governs most of today's systems communication, due to its capability of representing complex structural and hierarchical data. However, XML document structure is considered a huge and bulky data that can be reduced to minimize bandwidth usage, transmission time, and maximize performance. This contributes to a more efficient and utilized resource usage. In cloud environments, this affects the amount of money the consumer pays. Several techniques are used to achieve this goal. This paper discusses these techniques and proposes a new XML Schema-based Minification technique. The proposed technique works on XML Structure reduction using minification. The proposed technique provides a separation between the meaningful names and the underlying minified names, which enhances software/code readability. This technique is applied to Intrusion Detection Message Exchange Format (IDMEF) messages, as part of Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system communication hosted on Microsoft Azure Cloud. Test results show message size reduction ranging from 8.15% to 50.34% in the raw message, without using time-consuming compression techniques. Adding GZip compression to the proposed technique produces 66.1% shorter message size compared to original XML messages.Comment: XML, JSON, Minification, XML Schema, Cloud, Log, Communication, Compression, XMill, GZip, Code Generation, Code Readability, 9 pages, 12 figures, 5 tables, Journal Articl

Challenges for the Internationalization of a Higher Education Institution in the AEC (ASEAN Economic Community): An Intrinsic Qualitative Case Study at RMUTL in Northern Thailand

The objectives of this study were to develop healthier practices in higher education institutions in the Association of Southeast/Asian Nations (ASEAN) region, to develop protocols and procedures, and particularly to promote the international image and reputation of Rajamangala University of Technology Lanna (RMUTL) in the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). Hence, the researchers proposed particular notions that should maximize the university’s opportunities to play a part in international education for the AEC, and various trends were investigated that might lead to internationalize RMUTL. The findings were presented in seven broad issues, as follows: strategies; demanding policies; RMUTL strengths; Office of the International Relations; curricula; technological factors; and accelerate the internationalization of RMUTL in the AEC. Finally, the researchers drew some recommendations for decision makers, and scholars in ASEAN universities

A Literature Survey of Educational, Political, and Economic Challenges in the ASEAN Countries: A Critical Analysis

It is now obvious that numerous issues need to be considered to make the ASEAN Community (AC) a reality rather than an illusion.  The current state of education, economy, and politics in ASEAN remains far from satisfactory in achieving the desired vision in the ASEAN Charter and goals in its three blueprints: the ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) Blueprint, the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) Blueprint, and the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) Blueprint.  Thus, ignoring challenges and opportunities presented in the scholarly literature, reports, the media, and other outlets would result in substantial dilemmas in terms of growth and development in different sectors in the region.  The purpose of this article is to articulate and emphasize challenges that ASEAN governments should confront and add it to their agendas to achieve the APSC, the AEC, and the ASCC goals.  This paper consists of four sections.  Section I describes educational challenges in the ASCC.  Section II illustrates economic challenges in the AEC.  Section III presents political challenges in the APSC.  Section IV explores critical thinking questions about all areas covered in the paper.  Finally, the authors drew a succinct conclusion

Novel Insight into Morphological Features and Vascular Profile of Selected Macular Dystrophies Using Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography and Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography

Our perception of macular dystrophies has evolved overtime from collective grouping into hereditary disorders of unclear etiology and no effective treatment to avid search for the underlying pathogenic mechanism that would provide base for future therapy. A causal conjunction between abnormalities in the photoreceptors layer and the RPE—Bruch’s membrane complex and abnormal profile of the retinal vascular plexuses and the choriocapillaris—stands out as a plausible theory of pathogenesis. The recently introduced swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) technology incorporates long-wavelength (1050-nm) scanning light, less susceptibility to sensitivity roll-off, and ultrahigh-speed image acquisition. These features enabled in vivo noninvasive visualization of different strata of the outer retina and the choriocapillaris with unprecedented finesse. Furthermore, the SS-OCT technology incorporated a blood flow detection algorithm; OCTARA that in tandem with the deeper penetration and superior axial resolution of SS-OCT enabled detailed assessment of the retinal capillary plexuses and the choriocapillaris in terms of structure and density. This novel technology could help explore yet undiscovered frontiers in the pathophysiology of macular dystrophies and guide future therapeutic approaches. This chapter includes a review of literature along with the authors’ experience in imaging selected macular dystrophies using SS-OCT and SS-OCT angiography (SS-OCTA)

Swept-Source Optical Coherence Tomography and Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography in Selected Posterior Uveitides

The pathogenesis of uveitis entails changes in the structural morphology of the macula, choroid, and choroidal perfusion. Documentation of these pathologic alterations is pivotal in making a proper diagnosis and in follow-up of outcomes of therapy. The newly-introduced swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT) and optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) were harbingers of a whole new era of noninvasive in vivo layer-to-layer dissection of macular and choroidal structural changes in uveitis and of disease-related vascular profile patterns. This new information unraveled new aspects of the underlying pathogenetic mechanisms in different uveitides and added to our understanding of the disease process. Monitoring choroidal thickness was introduced as a novel sensitive index for evaluation and titration of treatment response. Moreover, the ensuing complications of uveitis as poor pupillary dilatation due to posterior synechiae and mild to moderate opacities due to cataract or vitritis that frequently posed pertinacious impediments for reproducible imaging were overcome by SS-OCT features notably long-wavelength scanning laser and reduced sensitivity roll-off features. In the current manuscript we present our experience in diagnosis and management of selected posterior uveitides using SS-OCT and SS-OCTA

Global modern slavery and sustainable development goals : does institutional environment quality matter?

Modern slavery is a persistent human tragedy and a growing organisational risk. The United Nations' sustainable development goals highlight the significance of governments in shaping firms' sustainability agenda and combating modern slavery. However, little is known about the effects of the institutional environment on modern slavery risk. This study, therefore, investigates the crucial policy question of whether the quality of the institutional environment has any effect on modern slavery and whether sustainable human development reinforces this relationship. Using data from 167 countries, we find that institutional environment quality is negatively associated with the prevalence of and vulnerability to modern slavery and positively associated with its modern slavery risk mitigation. Our results suggest that democratically elected governments operating in politically stable societies with higher quality of voice and accountability, higher levels of control of corruption, and stricter rule of law are more accountable and responsive to modern slavery risks. We also find that sustainable human development (HDI) has a moderating effect on the relationship between institutional environment quality and modern slavery, and this effect is mainly noticeable in low HDI countries. These results imply that governance reforms alone might not yield the desired effects for all countries and, hence, have significant implications for policymakers, companies, and societal stakeholders.Peer reviewe

Fonctionnement hydrodynamique et écologique du Lac Nord de Tunis par modélisation numérique

Le Lac Nord de Tunis, dont la superficie est d’environ 24 km2 et la profondeur moyenne de 1,5 m, est lié à la mer par des écluses à marée appelées « Écluses de Khéréddine ». Nous avons étudié le fonctionnement hydrodynamique actuel de ce lac en utilisant un modèle bidimensionnel, intégré sur la hauteur d’eau. Le logiciel utilisé («Surfacewater Modeling System» ou SMS) ne simule pas le fonctionnement des écluses qui s’ouvrent et se ferment automatiquement en fonction du niveau de la marée en mer, comme c’est le cas dans le lac de Tunis. Pour cela, nous avons modifié son code source pour tenir compte du fonctionnement réel des écluses.Les paramètres du modèle sont calibrés en utilisant des mesures hydrauliques récentes, réalisées en décembre 2005. Le modèle a ensuite été utilisé pour simuler le fonctionnement hydrodynamique moyen actuel du lac. Les résultats de ces simulations montrent un bon fonctionnement hydraulique du lac : absence de zones de stagnation et renouvellement fréquent des eaux ne dépassant pas 21 jours.L’étape suivante a consisté en la mise au point d’un modèle écologique par zone (en divisant le lac en cinq zones supposées homogènes) couplé avec le modèle hydrodynamique. Il est basé sur les équations utilisées par HALCROW (en 1990) et calibré sur des mesures de l’année 2002. Ce modèle traite l’évolution des variables suivantes : la salinité, l’oxygène dissous, la chlorophylle a, les biomasses des macroalgues, du phytoplancton et du zooplancton, ainsi que les nutriments dans le compartiment détritique, dans la colonne d’eau et dans les sédiments.Les premiers résultats du modèle écologique sont encourageants. Cependant, des mesures complémentaires (des macroalgues, du phytoplancton et du zooplancton dans le lac, de l’azote et du phosphore dans les sédiments de surface) permettraient d’améliorer le calage et les résultats du modèle écologique.This work deals with the modelling of the hydrodynamic and ecological functioning of the Tunis North Lake. The Tunis North Lake is situated north-east of Tunisia, its surface is about 24 km2 and the average depth is 1.5 m. The lake is connected to the Gulf of Tunis by the Khereddine channel through ten sluices functioning under tide’s effect. In fact, five of these sluices are opened on flood tide and the others on ebb tide. These sluices were built with a separation dam, in the centre of the lake, during the period between 1985 and 1988, in order to improve the water circulation and the quality of the lake.We then studied the actual hydrodynamic functioning of the lake by using a 2D vertical-integrated model. The numerical software used is the «Surfacewater Modeling System» (SMS). The initial code, SMS, does not simulate the change of the boundary conditions through the time of simulation, as it really occurs on the Khereddine sluices, which open in an automatic way according to the tide: high tide (opened northern sluices and closed southern sluices) and low tide (closed northern sluices and opened southern sluices). Therefore, first of all, we modified the source code of software «SMS» to take into account this specification of the Tunis North Lake.After these modifications, we carried out the calibration of the model by basing outselves on recent hydraulic measurements performed in December 2005. The model’s calibration enabled us to simulate the average hydrodynamic functioning of the lake, by imposing average boundary conditions: An average tide of marling 20 cm at the Khereddine sluices and a constant flow on the power electric station of La Goulette. The results of these simulations showed «a correct» functioning of the Tunis North Lake through an exchanged flow with the sea of 66 m3/s, an exchanged daily volume of 1.65 Mm3/day, a velocity field that scanned all the surface of the lake and an average residence time of water in the lake of approximately 21 days which can reach 16 days with maximal tide and western wind of intensity 6 m/s.The following stage consisted in the development of a zonal ecological model taking into account specificities of the lake and the data which are available. This model was coupled with the hydrodynamic model that is presented in the preceding stage, in particular with regard to the exchanges between the zones (or sea) defined in the ecological model. The ecological model computes the evolution of the biomasses of the macroalgae, phytoplankton and zooplankton as well as nutrients in detritus, water column and sediments, the salinity, the dissolved oxygen and the chlorophyll-a concentrations. In this model, the growth of phytoplankton and macroalgae depends on the water temperature, light intensity and nutrient. Competition between phytoplankton and macroalgae for nutriments is simulated. The computation was carried out in two steps. The first step consists in the preliminary calibration of the model on the basis of measurements of water quality performed during the year 2002 and the parameter update used by HALCROW (Sir William Halcrow & Partners Ltd) (in 1990) which enabled us to bring closer the results of the model to the actual characteristics of the lake. The cyclical nature of the population density of macroalgae was reproduced, with a bloom throughout the spring especially in the southern part of the lake. In the second step, we carried out a five-year predictive simulation of the ecological functioning of the lake from the year 2002. The results of this simulation showed us that the lake presents good ecological conditions.The results of the present ecological model are the best results that we can obtain using the available data, but further measurements of phytoplankton, zooplankton, macroalgae and nutrients in the sediments can improve considerably the results of this model