0E2FA: Zero Effort Two-Factor Authentication

Smart devices (mobile devices, laptops, tablets, etc.) can receive signals from different radio frequency devices that are within range. As these devices move between networks (e.g., Wi-Fi hotspots, cellphone towers, etc.), they receive broadcast messages from access points, some of which can be used to collect useful information. This information can be utilized in a variety of ways, such as to establish a connection, to share information, to locate devices, and to identify users, which is central to this dissertation. The principal benefit of a broadcast message is that smart devices can read and process the embedded information without first being connected to the corresponding network. Moreover, broadcast messages can be received only within the range of the wireless access point that sends the broadcast, thus inherently limiting access to only those devices in close physical proximity, which may facilitate many applications that are dependent on proximity. In our research, we utilize data contained in these broadcast messages to implement a two-factor authentication (2FA) system that, unlike existing methods, does not require any extra effort on the part of the users of the system. By determining if two devices are in the same physical location and sufficiently close to each other, we can ensure that they belong to the same user. This system depends on something that a user knows, something that a user owns, and—a significant contribution of this work—something that is in the user’s environment

RADAR-BASED STOCHASTIC PRECIPITATION NOWCASTING USING THE SHORT-TERM ENSEMBLE PREDICTION SYSTEM (STEPS) (CASE STUDY: PANGKALAN BUN WEATHER RADAR)

Nowcasting, or the short-term forecasting of precipitation, is urgently needed to support the mitigation circle in hydrometeorological disasters. Pangkalan Bun weather radar is single-polarization radar with a 200 km maximum range and which runs 10 elevation angles in 10 minutes with a 250 meters spatial resolution. There is no terrain blocking around the covered area. The Short-Term Ensemble Prediction System (STEPS) is one of many algorithms that is used to generate precipitation nowcasting, and is already in operational use. STEPS has the advantage of producing ensemble nowcasts, by which nowcast uncertainties can be statistically quantified. This research aims to apply STEPS to generate stochastic nowcasting in Pangkalan Bun weather radar and to analyze its advantages and weaknesses. Accuracy is measured by counting the possibility of detection and false alarms under the 5 dBZ threshold and plotting them in a relative operating characteristic (ROC) curve. The observed frequency and forecast probability is represented by a reliability diagram to evaluate nowcast reliability and sharpness. Qualitative analysis of the results showed that the STEPS ensemble produces smoothed reflectivity fields that cannot capture extreme values in an observed quasi-linear convective system (QLCS), but that the algorithm achieves good accuracy under the threshold used, up to 40 minutes lead time. The ROC shows a curved upper left-hand corner, and the reliability diagram is an almost perfect nowcast diagonal line

The link among board characteristics, corporate social responsibility performance, and financial performance: Evidence from the hospitality and tourism industry

The aim of this study is twofold: to explore whether board characteristics (i.e. a sustainability committee, board independence, board diversity, and board diligence) lead to greater corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance, and to test whether CSR performance enhances firms\u27 financial performance in the hospitality and tourism (H&T) industry. Data were collected from the Thomson Reuters Eikon database for the H&T firms listed there between 2011 and 2018. We employed panel data analysis, after which we ran robustness tests. The results indicated that having a CSR committee and female directors on the board are robust factors driving firms to show superior CSR performance in all dimensions, including environmental, social, and governance (ESG). Independent directors and directors\u27 diligence selectively enhance the overall CSR score and individual pillars of CSR. Investigating the relationship between CSR performance and firms\u27 financial performance did not produce a significant outcome. The findings propose a straightforward roadmap for H&T firms and policymakers to identify characteristics of CSR-friendly boards

Visible light communication using new Flip-FBMC modulation system technique

Filter bank multi-carrier (FBMC) modulation in the visible light communication (VLC) system is one of the most promising modulation systems in optical wireless communications (OWC), especially in 5G and 6G future applications. FBMC has a wide bandwidth compared to other modulation systems. One of the highest degree essential conditions for utilising the signal in VLC is that the signal is real positive, the signal is agreeable with intensity modulation/direct detection (IM/DD), where Hermitian symmetry (H.S) is utilised to get a real signal (RE) and to be unipolar direct current (DC)-bias is used. Here the challenge arises as this method increases complicating, due to the modulation of the N number of frequency symbols, these symbols need 2N inverse fast fourier transform (IFFT) and fast fourier transform (FFT), in addition to energy consumption. This research focused on the time domain and not the frequency domain by using the traditional complex FBMC generation signal, and to obtain the RE signal by placing the RE signal side by side with the imaginary signal (IMs) in a row, and then using new Flip-FBMC technology, which saves more energy. The proposed technologies provide approximately 57% of the number of IFFT/FFT. The use of Flip-FBMC technology consumes less energy than traditional technologies with better bit error rate (BER) performance

Challenges for Malaria Elimination in Zanzibar: Pyrethroid Resistance in Malaria Vectors and Poor Performance of Long-Lasting Insecticide Nets.

Long-lasting insecticide treated nets (LLINs) and indoor residual house spraying (IRS) are the main interventions for the control of malaria vectors in Zanzibar. The aim of the present study was to assess the susceptibility status of malaria vectors against the insecticides used for LLINs and IRS and to determine the durability and efficacy of LLINs on the island. Mosquitoes were sampled from Pemba and Unguja islands in 2010--2011 for use in WHO susceptibility tests. One hundred and fifty LLINs were collected from households on Unguja, their physical state was recorded and then tested for efficacy as well as total insecticide content. Species identification revealed that over 90% of the Anopheles gambiae complex was An. arabiensis with a small number of An. gambiae s.s. and An. merus being present. Susceptibility tests showed that An. arabiensis on Pemba was resistant to the pyrethroids used for LLINs and IRS. Mosquitoes from Unguja Island, however, were fully susceptible to all pyrethroids tested. A physical examination of 150 LLINs showed that two thirds were damaged after only three years in use. All used nets had a significantly lower (p < 0.001) mean permethrin concentration of 791.6 mg/m2 compared with 944.2 mg/m2 for new ones. Their efficacy decreased significantly against both susceptible An. gambiae s.s. colony mosquitoes and wild-type mosquitoes from Pemba after just six washes (p < 0.001). The sustainability of the gains achieved in malaria control in Zanzibar is seriously threatened by the resistance of malaria vectors to pyrethroids and the short-lived efficacy of LLINs. This study has revealed that even in relatively well-resourced and logistically manageable places like Zanzibar, malaria elimination is going to be difficult to achieve with the current control measures

Secure Mobile Payment Architecture Enabling Multi-factor Authentication

The rise of smartphones has led to a significant increase in the usage of mobile payments. Mobile payments allow individuals to access financial resources and make transactions through their mobile devices while on the go. However, the current mobile payment systems were designed to align with traditional payment structures, which limits the full potential of smartphones, including their security features. This has become a major concern in the rapidly growing mobile payment market. To address these security concerns,in this paper we propose new mobile payment architecture. This architecture leverages the advanced capabilities of modern smartphones to verify various aspects of a payment, such as funds, biometrics, location, and others. The proposed system aims to guarantee the legitimacy of transactions and protect against identity theft by verifying multiple elements of a payment. The security of mobile payment systems is crucial, given the rapid growth of the market. Evaluating mobile payment systems based on their authentication, encryption, and fraud detection capabilities is of utmost importance. The proposed architecture provides a secure mobile payment solution that enhances the overall payment experience by taking advantage of the advanced capabilities of modern smartphones. This will not only improve the security of mobile payments but also offer a more user-friendly payment experience for consumers

The effect of water deprivation on the pharmacokinetics of antipyrine and sulphadimidine following intravenous administration in Nubian goats

The effect of water deprivation on the pharmacokinetic parameters of antipyrine and sulphadimidine in the Nubian goat was studied. Water deprivation, to a level of dehydration at which the animals lost an average of 7.5% body weight, resulted in a significant reduction in antipyrine clearance (p < 0.05), and a consequently increased AUC value (p < 0.05). No effect was observed on the distribution parameters of the drug. In dehydrated animals which had lost an average of 10% or 12.5% of their body weight owing to water deprivation, significant changes were found in the distribution and elimination pharmacokinetic parameters of antipyrine and sulphadimidine. The volume of distribution was significantly decreased, resulting n elevated plasma levels for the two drags compared to normally watered animals. Significant decreases in clearance and subsequent prolongation of the elimination half-lives were observed during these periods of water deprivation. These changes in the disposition kinetics of the two drugs may be attributed to the loss of total body water and extracellular fluids and changes in the liver and kidney functions taking place during dehydration

Habitat Characteristics of Small-clawed Otter (Aonyx cinereus) in Ujong Nga, Samatiga,West Aceh

Small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) is the smallest among the sub-family Lutrinae, today occurs population decrease of small-clawed otter caused by human activity, depletion of prey species, and exploitation. This research is done to learn physically and biologically of the habitat characteristic of small-clawed otter. Retrieval of data was held on 1-14 in April 2014. The parameters which used are the amount of tracks found in habitat that is used by the small-clawed otter in Ujong Nga village. The data is collected on small-clawed otter habitat in Ujong Nga and sample used are plot with measure of 30x30m and then  divided into 8 plots. The result showed that the small-clawed otter selecting habitat unit with criteria (a) the type of habitat are field, swamp, thatch forest, and riverside; (b) the availabilty of many feed (1,33 tracks per plot), rare (0,33 tracks per plot), less (0,17 tracks per plot); (c) the tracks distance to the nest 0-25 m (1,66 tracks per plot), 25-50 m (1 tracks per plot), 50 m (0,5 tracks per plot); (d) the tracks distance to water source 0-25 m (2,16 tracks per plot), 25-50 m (0,5 tracks per plot), and for distance to 50 m track is not found; and(e) the tracks distance to toilet site0-25 m (1,16 tracks per plot), 25-50 m (0,5 tracks per plot), and 50 m (0,17 tracks per plot). The conclusion of this research habitat characteristic ofAonyx cinereusare fieldwithavailability of many feed, close to water source, clost to nest, and close to toilet site

Habitat Characteristics of Small-clawed Otter (Aonyx cinereus) in Ujong Nga, Samatiga,West Aceh

Small-clawed otter (Aonyx cinereus) is the smallest among the sub-family Lutrinae, today occurs population decrease of small-clawed otter caused by human activity, depletion of prey species, and exploitation. This research is done to learn physically and biologically of the habitat characteristic of small-clawed otter. Retrieval of data was held on 1-14 in April 2014. The parameters which used are the amount of tracks found in habitat that is used by the small-clawed otter in Ujong Nga village. The data is collected on small-clawed otter habitat in Ujong Nga and sample used are plot with measure of 30x30m and then  divided into 8 plots. The result showed that the small-clawed otter selecting habitat unit with criteria (a) the type of habitat are field, swamp, thatch forest, and riverside; (b) the availabilty of many feed (1,33 tracks per plot), rare (0,33 tracks per plot), less (0,17 tracks per plot); (c) the tracks distance to the nest 0-25 m (1,66 tracks per plot), 25-50 m (1 tracks per plot), > 50 m (0,5 tracks per plot); (d) the tracks distance to water source 0-25 m (2,16 tracks per plot), 25-50 m (0,5 tracks per plot), and for distance to > 50 m track is not found; and(e) the tracks distance to toilet site0-25 m (1,16 tracks per plot), 25-50 m (0,5 tracks per plot), and> 50 m (0,17 tracks per plot). The conclusion of this research habitat characteristic ofAonyx cinereusare fieldwithavailability of many feed, close to water source, clost to nest, and close to toilet site