Online Child Sex Solicitation: Exploring the Feasibility of a Research 'Sting'

A small scale test of the integrity of Internet Web 2.0 social network sites was undertaken over several weeks in 2007. The fictional identities of four female underage children where posted on three network sites and later introduced to relay chat forums in order to explore the impact of apparent vulnerability on potential selection of Internet victims. Only one of the three social network sites in the study recognised that the postings violated child protection policies and subsequently closed down the underage postings. Two basic identities were created: one that engendered a needy and vulnerable characterisation of a child while the other identity was created to represent a happy and attached child character. The number of contacts and suspicious contacts were monitored to test assumptions about child ‘vulnerability’ and risks of unwanted sexual solicitations. The characters created also included either an avatar and/or contact details. These variants of the experiment showed that the inclusion of an image or access details increased the likelihood of contacts, including suspicious contact regardless of ‘vulnerability’. This small experiment noted that although vulnerable children with additional cues maybe at more risk all children who posted details about themselves on social network sites faced the risk of contact by predators. The need for further research and better means of regulating such sites was suggested

3D Model Assisted Image Segmentation

The problem of segmenting a given image into coherent regions is important in Computer Vision and many industrial applications require segmenting a known object into its components. Examples include identifying individual parts of a component for proces

Will Formula-Based Funding and Decentralized Management Improve School Level Resources in Sri Lanka?

Using the experience of the Educational Quality Inputs (EQI) Scheme in Sri Lanka, the paper examines the distributional aspects of formula-based funding and efficiency of decentralized management of education funds in a developing country setting. The study finds that the EQI fund distribution is largely pro-poor, with the exception of expenditure at the collegial level. The study finds that allocating more funds to more disadvantaged schools alone is insufficient to reduce disparities as the inability of schools to fullly utilize the funds holds back progress. The study findings support the hypothesis that qualified principals, adequate levels of human and physical resources, and state-level monitoring and support is needed for the success of education management at the school level. The study highlights the need to better use information collected from the schools on the EQI scheme to simplify and improve its implementation and effectiveness.Education finance, Sri Lanka, formula-based funding, decentralized management of schools

The Emerging Internet of Things Marketplace From an Industrial Perspective: A Survey

The Internet of Things (IoT) is a dynamic global information network consisting of internet-connected objects, such as Radio-frequency identification (RFIDs), sensors, actuators, as well as other instruments and smart appliances that are becoming an integral component of the future internet. Over the last decade, we have seen a large number of the IoT solutions developed by start-ups, small and medium enterprises, large corporations, academic research institutes (such as universities), and private and public research organisations making their way into the market. In this paper, we survey over one hundred IoT smart solutions in the marketplace and examine them closely in order to identify the technologies used, functionalities, and applications. More importantly, we identify the trends, opportunities and open challenges in the industry-based the IoT solutions. Based on the application domain, we classify and discuss these solutions under five different categories: smart wearable, smart home, smart, city, smart environment, and smart enterprise. This survey is intended to serve as a guideline and conceptual framework for future research in the IoT and to motivate and inspire further developments. It also provides a systematic exploration of existing research and suggests a number of potentially significant research directions.Comment: IEEE Transactions on Emerging Topics in Computing 201

Effect Of Copper On The Non-Specific Immune Response Of Puntius Gonionotus Challenged With Aeromonas Hydrophila

This study is focused on toxicity of copper and its effects on the immune response of P. gonionotus. The median lethal concentration of copper (LC50) on P. gonionotus (56.9±4.5 g) at 12, 24, 48, 72 and 120 hours was estimated as 2.17, 0.91, 0.57, 0. 53, 0.42 mg/L respectively. Fish were intraperitonealy injected with three different doses (4.5 x 105, 4.5 X 107 and 4.5 x 109 CFU/mL) of formalin killed A. hydrophila (0.1 mL) and the immune responses were monitored using haematological and serological assays over a period of 30 days post-injection. The assays used were total WBC counts, lysozyme, NBT, total protein, total immunoglobulin and haematocrit levels. The immune responses with the highest magnitude were observed among fish injected with 4.5 x 109 and the lowest among 4.5 x 105 CFU/mL. The responses were observed to be both time and dose dependent.To find the effect of copper on the immune response, fish were exposed to different sublethal concentrations of copper, determined at 10%, 20%, and 30% of 96 hour LC50 for 71 days. After 56 days of initial exposure, fish were challenged with 0.1 mL of 4.5 x 105 CFU/mL formalin killed A. hydrophila. The immune responses were monitored using the same immunological assays mentioned above withdrawing non-lethal blood samples at 14, 28, 56, 61, 66 and 71 days of exposure to copper. Though a depletion of protein and immunoglobulin titres in plasma were observed at the initial exposure to copper, it did not influence the increased titres demonstrated against the bacterial challenge in any of the treatments. In contrast, the WBC counts increased during the initial exposure to copper. WBC counts, lysozyme and NBT assays showed suppressed immune responses after challenging with bacteria compared to the control group. But the responses observed at the lowest concentration (0.05 mg/L) of exposure to copper, were similar to that of the control in most of the cases. This suggests the absence of immunosuppressive effects at 0.05 mg/L of copper

Improved chemical methods for extraction of fin rays from shark fins

A survey was undertaken of methods available for the extraction of fin rays from shark fins. The development of new, quicker and easier methods of processing is presented

Comparison dietary assessment methods in Sri Lankan adults: use of 24-hour dietary recall and 7-day weighed intake

BACKGROUND: Misreporting, recalling and overestimation are common problems with dietary assessment methods currently available. The 7-day weighed food record (7DWR) method involves an individual weighing of each and every food item prior to consumption, and is considered as a reference method in many situations. The present study aims to compare the energy and nutrient intakes, estimated from 7DWR and 24-hour dietary recall (24DR), among a group of adults. METHODS: One hundred adults were randomly selected from a representative sample from Sri Lanka. The 24DRs were performed on a random day and the subjects were instructed to complete 7DWR from the next day onwards. The nutrients were analyzed using Nutrisurvey Software. In addition, qualitative data were collected from 30 participants, chosen randomly, on the feasibility of the 7DWR as a dietary assessment method. RESULTS: A total of 76 participants completed both 24DR and 7DWR. Mean (SD) values for energy and major macronutrients were significantly lower for 24DR as compared to 7DWR. However, there was no statistically significant difference in energy percentages for macronutrients, between the two methods. Several participants reported difficulties in using the 7DWR method and some reported an alteration in their diet pattern when this method was used. CONCLUSION: Results obtained from 24DR method under-estimated the nutrient intakes as compared to the 7DWFR method

HRM as a “Web of Texts”: (Re)Articulating the Identity of HRM in Sri Lanka’s Localized Global Apparel Industry

This article examines human resource management (HRM) in Sri Lanka’s apparel industry vis-à-vis its role in the management of women shop-floor workers in the Global South. Informed by poststructuralist notions of language, it analyzes the rupture of HRM that appeared at the moment HRM emerged in the industry in the 1990s. The article suggests that this rupture led to the formation of two (apparently) antagonistic sets of labor management practices: “doing” and “undoing” HRM. Along with the language of HRM, the article examines these two practices, and shows that HRM in the apparel industry appears or unfolds a “web of texts.” It further shows that HRM in this context problematizes a rhetoric/reality distinction. This work concludes that the “antagonism” between “doing” and “undoing” HRM is the means by which HRM maintains its continued existence in Sri Lanka’s apparel industry

Brain Inflammatory Injury In S. Pneumoniae Pneumonia-Induced Sepsis

The gram-positive pathogen Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) is a lethal bacterial pathogen to humans, accounting for the majority of cases of pneumonia and many cases of septic shock with multiple organ dysfunction leading to death. A mouse model of S. pneumoniae pneumonia-induced sepsis was used for this project. Lung pneumonia was assessed by histology, myeloperoxidase and bacterial load. Brain leukocyte recruitment was assessed by intravital microscopy. Brain function was assessed by different behavioral tests that evaluate general activity, exploratory behavior, novelty recognition, anxiety, spatial learning and memory. Brain MRI imaging and myelin content assessments were conducted. Cytokines levels in blood and brain were assessed by Luminex. S. pneumoniae infection induces an increased bacterial load in the lungs of infected mice. In the blood bacterial load is very low. In the brain of infected mice, an increased neutrophil rolling flux and adhesion is observed by intravital microscopy. Behavioral studies show that in recovered mice from infection there is long-term cognitive impairment expressed as a deficit in spatial memory compared to control mice. Brain MRI imaging shows decreased myelin content in the corpus callosum. In the blood, the levels of cytokines/chemokines including KC (IL-8 in humans) and IL-6 are highly increased. In the cerebrospinal fluid KC is the only chemokine increased. S. pneumoniae infection causes pneumonia and sepsis associated with brain inflammation and long-term cognitive impairment. More studies are underway to further characterize the role of the neutrophils as well as the cytokines and chemokines in the brain inflammatory injury.