Performance and efficiency optimization of multi-layer IoT edge architecture

Abstract. Internet of Things (IoT) has become a backbone technology that connects together various devices with diverse capabilities. It is a technology, which enables ubiquitously available digital services for end-users. IoT applications for mission-critical scenarios need strict performance indicators such as of latency, scalability, security and privacy. To fulfil these requirements, IoT also requires support from relevant enabling technologies, such as cloud, edge, virtualization and fifth generation mobile communication (5G) technologies. For Latency-critical applications and services, long routes between the traditional cloud server and end-devices (sensors /actuators) is not a feasible approach for computing at these data centres, although these traditional clouds provide very high computational and storage for current IoT system. MEC model can be used to overcome this challenge, which brings the CC computational capacity within or next on the access network base stations. However, the capacity to perform the most critical processes at the local network layer is often necessary to cope with the access network issues. Therefore, this thesis compares the two existing IoT models such as traditional cloud-IoT model, a MEC-based edge-cloud-IoT model, with proposed local edge-cloud-IoT model with respect to their performance and efficiency, using iFogSim simulator. The results consolidate our research team’s previous findings that utilizing the three-tier edge-IoT architecture, capable of optimally utilizing the computational capacity of each of the three tiers, is an effective measure to reduce energy consumption, improve end-to-end latency and minimize operational costs in latency-critical It applications

The Development of India’s Financial Inclusion Agenda—Some Lessons for Pakistan

Financial Inclusion has assumed a vital position in the Public Policy discourse of developing economies. Provision of financial services to the otherwise excluded strata of the society enhances their potential to climb the economic ladder of opportunity and prosperity. Access to financial services to the otherwise excluded impacts their quality of life and enables the less privileged to increase and diversify their incomes, improve their social and economic conditions. Due to lack of access to financial services, most poor households have to rely on their meagre savings or money lenders which limit their ability to actively participate and benefit from the development process. The main theoretical arguments that economic theory postulates regarding the failure of financial markets in percolating poor and rural areas are of informational asymmetries, difficulties in contract designing and enforcement, greater transaction costs. The demand side aspects may be low demand for such services, arising from illiteracy, less investment opportunities in rural areas and difficult loan contracts [Basu (2006)]. When households are access constrained with respect to financial services, it becomes one of the important reasons for persisting inequalities. Economic theory suggests that unrelenting inequalities has a negative impact on the long term growth prospects of an economy [World Bank (2007)]. While establishing causality between financial development and economic growth has been quite tedious, with no simple answers, the evidence of a strong link between financial development and economic growth has continued to rise [Gattoo and Akhtar (2014)]. The interest in the financial inclusion discourse across developing and developing world stems from the recognition that a strong and vibrant financial system does not necessarily imply increasing financial to all across the societal divide [Honohan (2003)]

Genetic diversity of Najdi sheep based on microsatellite analysis

The prime objective of this research was to measure the genetic polymorphism of main sheep breed of Saudi Arabia, Najdi. Randomly selected 49 blood samples were used to extract the DNA followed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), using 19 microsatellite markers, which were used to investigate the genetic differentiation. Altogether, 173 alleles were identified ranging from 2 to 14, with the mean observed number alleles per locus of 9.11 ± 3.54. Apart from that, eight loci showed breed specific alleles which is critical in terms of conservation. The observed heterozygosity, expected heterozygosity, polymorphic information content and Shannon index, were 0.67 ± 0.19, 0.75 ± 0.14, 0.71 ± 0.16 and 1.69 ± 0.51, respectively. Therefore, considerable amount of genetic polymorphism has been shown by Najdi. Inbreeding coefficient of 0.13 exhibited moderate level of inbreeding prevailing, which may be partly due to the Wahlund effect (sub-population structure) at level of sampling. Nine out of the 19 loci encountered significant departure from Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium (p < 0.05). Based on the bottleneck analysis, there was no bottleneck effect in Najdi. This paper reports a comprehensive study on genetic diversity of Najdi, hence, it would be used for further advancement of this breed towards utilizing them sustainably.Keywords: Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), diversity, microsatellites, sheep, inbreedin

Diversity and abundance of beetle at Kuala Kelapor, National Park, Malaysia

National Park is one of the oldest rainforests found in South-east Asia andit hasa very complex ecosystem. The objective of this study was to preparean inventory on beetle abundance and diversity at Kuala Kelapor National Park, Malaysia. Beetles were sample during pitfall traps, Malaise traps and light traps at five different trails in April 2015. This study successfully recorded709 individuals of beetles from 93 different species belonging to 26 different families. The most abundant species was Coccotrypes sp. 1, followed by Coccotrypes sp. 2 and Aetheomorpha sp. 1. The abundant beetle families were Curculionidae, Chrysomelidae and Scarabaeidae. Light traps and pitfall traps showed almost identical number of beetles collected, while Malaise traps recorded of107 individuals. Higher number of beetles were collected from Trail 3, followed by Trail 1 and base camp. The Shannon diversity index, Simpson diversity index and Fisher alpha diversity showed higher diversity values, which suggests that National Park accommodates a high diversity of beetles. Abundance is measured using Margalef index and Menhinick indices, showed values of 13.88 and 3.47, respectively. This information could be used as an initial step to analyze the potential use of beetles as a bioindicator group in Malaysia and climate change studies

Interpretation of creep crack growth data for ½ CMV steel weldments

Abstract½Cr½ Mo¼ V (½ CMV) steel has been used in high temperature power plant piping due to its enhanced weld properties. Creep crack growth testing has been performed on compact tension C(T) specimens of ½CMV (low alloy ferritic) steel at 540◦C on both parent metal specimens as well as fine and coarse grained heat affected zone (HAZ) specimens, where the initial crack is located within the HAZ. The data has been interpreted using the fracture mechanics parameter C* against the crack growth rate. The creep toughness parameter, Kcmat, is also evaluated for the material. It was seen that, for a given C* value, the fine grained HAZ material generally exhibits higher crack growth rates than the post weld heat treated coarse grained HAZ

Demonstration of silicon-on-insulator mid-infrared spectrometers operating at 3.8µm

The design and characterization of silicon-on-insulator mid- infrared spectrometers operating at 3.8µm is reported. The devices are fabricated on 200mm SOI wafers in a CMOS pilot line. Both arrayed waveguide grating structures and planar concave grating structures were designed and tested. Low insertion loss (1.5-2.5dB) and good crosstalk characteristics (15-20dB) are demonstrated, together with waveguide propagation losses in the range of 3 to 6dB/cm

Impacts of streamflow alteration on benthic macroinvertebrates by mini‑hydro diversion in Sri Lanka

Our study focused on quantifying the alterations of streamflow at a weir site due to the construction of a mini-hydropower plant in the Gurugoda Oya (Sri Lanka), and evaluating the spatial responses of benthic macroinvertebrates to altered flow regime. The HEC-HMS 3.5 model was applied to the Gurugoda Oya sub-catchment to generate streamflows for the time period 1991-2013. Pre-weir flows were compared to post-weir flows with 32 Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration using the range of variability approach (RVA). Concurrently, six study sites were established upstream and downstream of the weir, and benthic macroinvertebrates were sampled monthly from May to November 2013 (during the wet season). The key water physico-chemical parameters were also determined. RVA analysis showed that environmental flow was not maintained below the weir. The mean rate of non-attainment was similar to 45% suggesting a moderate level of hydrologic alteration. Benthic macroinvertebrate communities significantly differed between the study sites located above and below the weir, with a richness reduction due to water diversion. The spatial distribution of zoobenthic fauna was governed by water depth, dissolved oxygen content and volume flow rate. Our work provides first evidence on the effects of small hydropower on river ecosystem in a largely understudied region. Studies like this are important to setting-up adequate e-flows

A Comparison of Dissection-method and Diathermy Tonsillectomies

Objective: To compare the dissection and diathermy methds of tonsillectomy and evaluate their advantages and disadvantages during surgery and convalescence.Methods and Setting: Patients who had tonsillectomy at Aga Khan University Hospital, between January 1994-December 1997.Results: Four year retrospective analysis was done of 200 patients who underwent tonsillectomy by either electrocautery or dissection method. One hundred and eleven underwent tonsillectomy by electrocautery and the other 79 had their tonsils removed by dissection-method and 2 had a combination of both. The average intra­operative blood loss was 10 ml with cautery and 65 ml with dissection method. The average operative time was 15.7 minutes with cautery and 26.9 minutes for dissection. We found higher amounts of blood loss and intra­operative time with dissection method than electrocautery. In comparing diathermy dissection method tonsillectomies, there was marked difference between two, in pen-operative blood loss and operative time.Conclusion: Although post-operative bleeding, pain and infection are complications of both techniques and in our study their incidence in similar in both, but intra-operative blood loss and time are two important factors,technique is a more effective technique in our set up based on which we can conclude that electrocauter

Beetles species richness along environmental gradients at montane ecosystem in Fraser’s Hill, Peninsular Malaysia

This study measures beetle diversity and distribution pattern along elevations at Fraser’s Hill, a pristine tropical forest in Malaysia. Sites were sampled at 500 m, 1000 m, 1500 m and 1800 m a.s.l. using two light traps, two Malaise traps and 25 pitfall traps at each elevation. Sampling was carried out at three months’ intervals in 2015. Altogether, 1981 beetles representing 32 families and 116 species were collected, with proportion of obtained species above 70% at all elevations. Species richness was not significant among elevations, thus forming no discernible pattern of species distribution. Higher Shannon diversity increased steadily with elevation and dominance was lowest at the two highest elevations, while beetle abundance decreases significantly with elevation. There was no significant difference between the diversity values at 500 m and 1000 m, and 1500 m and 1800 m, whereas there was significant difference between 500 m and 1500 m, and 1000 m and 1800 m. The results highlight the importance of different microhabitats for different beetle species and their own responses to environmental parameters that differ with altitudinal clines. These findings also highlight the importance of Fraser’s Hill as a key location for biological conservation and as protected area

Demonstration of Silicon-on-insulator mid-infrared spectrometers operating at 3.8 mu m

The design and characterization of silicon-on-insulator mid-infrared spectrometers operating at 3.8µm is reported. The devices are fabricated on 200mm SOI wafers in a CMOS pilot line. Both arrayed waveguide grating structures and planar concave grating structures were designed and tested. Low insertion loss (1.5-2.5dB) and good crosstalk characteristics (15-20dB) are demonstrated, together with waveguide propagation losses in the range of 3 to 6dB/cm