IoT-Flock: An Open-source Framework for IoT Traffic Generation

Network traffic generation is one of the primary techniques that is used to design and analyze the performance of network security systems. However, due to the diversity of IoT networks in terms of devices, applications and protocols, the traditional network traffic generator tools are unable to generate the IoT specific protocols traffic. Hence, the traditional traffic generator tools cannot be used for designing and testing the performance of IoT-specific security solutions. In order to design an IoT-based traffic generation framework, two main challenges include IoT device modelling and generating the IoT normal and attack traffic simultaneously. Therefore, in this work, we propose an open-source framework for IoT traffic generation which supports the two widely used IoT application layer protocols, i.e., MQTT and CoAP. The proposed framework allows a user to create an IoT use case, add customized IoT devices into it and generate normal and malicious IoT traffic over a real-time network. Furthermore, we set up a real-time IoT smart home use case to manifest the applicability of the proposed framework for developing the security solutions for IoT smart home by emulating the real world IoT devices. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed framework can be effectively used to develop better security solutions for IoT networks without physically deploying the real-time use case.Comment: 6 Pages, 2 Figures, 4 Tables. Accepted in IEEE International Conference on Emerging Trends in Smart Technologies(ICETST) 202

Comparative Performance Study of Dissolved Gas Analysis (DGA) Methods for Identification of Faults in Power Transformer

© 2023 Abdul Wajid et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY), https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/The power transformer is an essential component of the electrical network that can be used to step up and step down voltage. Dissolved gas analysis (DGA) is the most reliable method for the identification of incipient faults in power transformers. Various DGA methods are used to observe the generated key gases after oil decomposition. The main gases included are hydrogen (H2), ethylene (C2H4), acetylene (C2H2), methane (CH4), and ethane (C2H6). There is a lack of research that can compare the performance of various DGA methods in identification of faults in power transformer. In addition, it is also not clear which DGA method is optimal for identification of faults in power transformer. In this paper, the comparative performance study of seven DGA methods such as Roger’s ratio, key gas, IEC ratio, the Doernenburg ratio, the Duval triangle, three-ratio method, and the relative percentage of four gases is carried out in order to identify the optimal technique for fault identification in transformer. The data of various power transformers installed in “RAWAT” NTDC grid station, Islamabad, and “UCH-II” power station, Balochistan, are considered for the comparative analysis. This analysis shows that the three-ratio method provides better performance than other DGA methods in accurately identifying the faults in power transformers. The three-ratio method has 90% accuracy in identifying the faults in power transformer.Peer reviewe

Estimation of multi-infeed HVDC inter converter direct current interaction in close electric proximity

This paper aims at investigating the direct current interaction between various converters of High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) system, which lie in close electric proximity within the multi-infeed configuration. The interaction between converters in multi-infeed DC system are highly possible events which need to be evaluated in order to avoid the adverse operational results. The various indices such as multi-infeed interaction factor (MIIF) considering AC busbar voltages, local and concurrent commutation failures (CF) in converter stations under different AC disturbances, influence of AC system’s strength on fault recovery time (FRT), transient over-voltage (TOV) under permanent DC faults, voltage and power stability of multi-infeed DC system are comprehensively illustrated in literatures. However, there is lack of literature regarding the investigation of current interaction in multi-infeed DC system. Therefore, in this paper, a power flow approach is adopted to estimate the inter converter direct current interaction. An index, multi-infeed current interaction factor (MICIF) is proposed that can effectively depicts the interaction between converters. The MICIF index is verified through electromagnetic transient simulations of dual infeed HVDC system developed in PSCAD/EMTDC. The results show that MICIF index can accurately assess the interaction between different converter stations of HVDC system under steady and transient states

Influence of economic growth, energy production, and subcomponents on the environment: a regional level analytical modeling

This study examines the long-term impact of energy production and economic growth on the environment using data on real GDP, energy production (and its subcomponents), carbon dioxide emissions, and real foreign trade. The datasets contain 99 countries that are classified into seven regions and analyzed by using MG, AMG, and CCEMG estimators. Estimates reflect that economic growth increases environmental pollution while foreign trade decreases it in all selected regions. In analyzing the conservation and neutrality hypotheses, we found that the conservation hypothesis was successfully verified for the global panel, Europe, and Africa, whereas the former was verified in North America, the Middle East, and the Asia Pacific regions. The study suggests focusing on renewable energy production policies to sustain the current growth pace

Cadmium toxicity alleviation through exogenous application of gibberellic acid (GA3) in mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) czern.) and rapeseed (Brassica rapa L.)

An experiment was carried out by considering adverse impact of heavy metals on human health through consumption of crops. To alleviate the adverse effects of cadmium (Cd) toxicity through foliar application of gibberellic acid (GA3), two varieties of Brassica including Indian mustard (Brassica juncea (L.) Czern.) commonly known as ‘Raya’ and rapeseed (Brassica rapa L.) as ‘Toria’ were studied. The Completely Randomized Design (CRD) was used with eight treatments including control in four replicates. Treatments were as following, T0 (control), T1 (150 μM CdCl2), T2 (50 mg/L GA3), T3 (75 mg/L GA3), T4 (100 mg/L GA3), T5 (150 μM CdCl2 + 50 mg/L GA3), T6 (150 μM CdCl2 + 75 mg/L GA3), and T7 (150 μM CdCl2 + 100 mg/L GA3). Gibberellic acid (GA3), a plant growth regulator applied exogenously. The concentration of cadmium (150 μM CdCl2) resulted in Cd toxicity affected adversely the morphological and biochemical parameters. Foliar application of GA3 (50 mg, 75 mg and 100 mg) positively influenced the various growth parameters as root length (30 cm), shoot length (129.75 cm), number of leaves (14.5), pods per plant (88) and biochemical parameters like total chlorophyll (0.19 mg/g), protein content (0.70 mg/mL), carbohydrates (0.37 mg/mL) and CAT (0.56 units/mg). Outcome indicated that GA3 reduces the harmful effects of Cd stress in both varieties. It was concluded that all growth and yield parameters of variety ‘Raya’ were better as compared to variety ‘Toria’, hence Raya recommended for large scale cultivation with GA3 under Cd stress

Impact of opioid-free analgesia on pain severity and patient satisfaction after discharge from surgery: multispecialty, prospective cohort study in 25 countries

Background: Balancing opioid stewardship and the need for adequate analgesia following discharge after surgery is challenging. This study aimed to compare the outcomes for patients discharged with opioid versus opioid-free analgesia after common surgical procedures.Methods: This international, multicentre, prospective cohort study collected data from patients undergoing common acute and elective general surgical, urological, gynaecological, and orthopaedic procedures. The primary outcomes were patient-reported time in severe pain measured on a numerical analogue scale from 0 to 100% and patient-reported satisfaction with pain relief during the first week following discharge. Data were collected by in-hospital chart review and patient telephone interview 1 week after discharge.Results: The study recruited 4273 patients from 144 centres in 25 countries; 1311 patients (30.7%) were prescribed opioid analgesia at discharge. Patients reported being in severe pain for 10 (i.q.r. 1-30)% of the first week after discharge and rated satisfaction with analgesia as 90 (i.q.r. 80-100) of 100. After adjustment for confounders, opioid analgesia on discharge was independently associated with increased pain severity (risk ratio 1.52, 95% c.i. 1.31 to 1.76; P < 0.001) and re-presentation to healthcare providers owing to side-effects of medication (OR 2.38, 95% c.i. 1.36 to 4.17; P = 0.004), but not with satisfaction with analgesia (beta coefficient 0.92, 95% c.i. -1.52 to 3.36; P = 0.468) compared with opioid-free analgesia. Although opioid prescribing varied greatly between high-income and low- and middle-income countries, patient-reported outcomes did not.Conclusion: Opioid analgesia prescription on surgical discharge is associated with a higher risk of re-presentation owing to side-effects of medication and increased patient-reported pain, but not with changes in patient-reported satisfaction. Opioid-free discharge analgesia should be adopted routinely

Elimination of the Inrush Current Phenomenon Associated with Single-Phase Offline UPS Systems

Critical load applications always rely on UPS systems to uphold continuous power during abnormal grid conditions. In case of any power disruption, an offline UPS system starts powering the load to avoid blackout. However, this process can root the momentous inrush current for the transformer installed before the load. The consequences of inrush current can be the reduction of output voltage and tripping of protective devices of the UPS system. Furthermore, it can also damage the sensitive load and decrease the transformer’s lifetime. To prevent the inrush current, and to avoid its disruptive effects, this research suggests an offline UPS system based on a current regulated inverter that eliminates the inrush current while powering the transformer coupled loads. A detailed comparative analysis of the conventional and proposed topologies is presented and the experiment was performed by using a small prototype to validate the performance, and operation of the proposed topology

Seed Priming with the Selenium Nanoparticles Maintains the Redox Status in the Water Stressed Tomato Plants by Modulating the Antioxidant Defense Enzymes

In the present research, selenium nanoparticles (SeNPs) were tested for their use as seed priming agents under field trials on tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) for their efficacy in conferring drought tolerance. Four different seed priming regimes of SeNPs were created, comprising 25, 50, 75, and 100 ppm, along with a control treatment of 0 ppm. Seeds were planted in split plots under two irrigation regimes comprising water and water stress. The results suggest that seed priming with SeNPs can improve tomato crop performance under drought stress. Plants grown with 75 ppm SeNPs-primed seeds had lower hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels by 39.3% and 28.9%, respectively. Seed priming with 75 ppm SeNPs further increased the superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) functions by 34.9 and 25.4%, respectively. The same treatment increased the total carotenoids content by 13.5%, α-tocopherols content by 22.8%, total flavonoids content by 25.2%, total anthocyanins content by 19.6%, ascorbic acid content by 26.4%, reduced glutathione (GSH) content by 14.8%, and oxidized glutathione (GSSG) content by 13.12%. Furthermore, seed priming with SeNPs upregulated the functions of enzymes of ascorbate glutathione cycle. Seed priming with SeNPs is a smart application to sustain tomato production in arid lands

PERCIVED STRESS AMONG PHYSICAL THERAPY STUDENTS OF ISRA UNIVERSITY

Background: Recently increasing concern among stress is seen during health care undergraduate students but there is lack of such studies in physical therapy students in Pakistan. Higher stress levels the students in their education the effect of stress in physical therapy students throughout is well documented in western countries. This study aims at assessing the level of perceived stress among physical therapy students of Isra University. Method: It’s a Cross-sectional type of descriptive study that was conducted on hundred physical therapy students of Isra institute of rehabilitation sciences, ISRA University, Hyderabad. A Convenient, non-probability technique of sampling is used. All the Physical therapy students were included. Results: Overall response rate was 100%. Moderate level of stress was found in 73% students (scored between 51-75%), severe level of stress was found in 8% students (scored >75%) whereas low level of stress was found in 19% of students (scored between 25-50%). Conclusion: The current study presents the level of stress perceived by physical therapy students of Isra University, Hyderabad. The findings of the study revealed higher levels of stress in the physical therapy students. Majority of student perceived moderate stress and about 8% of students reported severe stress. Further detailed and generalized studies are needed to evaluate the causes, effects and coping approaches adapted by the students. Furthermore level of stress should also be correlated with academic performance of the students. Findings of such studies may help to initiate certain strategies that may help students overcome their stress and cope efficiently with the upcoming problems