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Pakistani Intelligence and India
No full textIn this chapter, I explore the development of Pakistan’s intelligence structure and capability and the manner in which it has focused on the question of India. The story begins very much as a military one, in that the first confrontation over Kashmir, occurring just months after independence, exposed the weaknesses of military intelligence and the need for a new coordinating body. This was achieved in the shape of the Inter Services Intelligence Directorate (ISI), established in 1948 under the stewardship of the Deputy Chief of Staff in the Pakistan army at the time of the Partition, Major General R Cawthorne. The first Kashmir conflict also exposed fears over Pakistan’s elongated north-south border with India, and the perceived strategic vulnerability of Indian incursions into Pakistani territory which could easily sever strategic routes in the country. The manner in which such fears loomed so large in Pakistan’s security outlook are partly a factor of national construction and myth-making in Pakistan, and the particular circumstances in which the country was formed – with some degree of acrimony – out of what many had assumed would be a unified India. In 1966, the former Foreign Minister and later Prime Minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, had struck a chord with many in the country by asserting that “India cannot tolerate the existence of Pakistan”, and that the destruction of Pakistan was a “sublime dream” for its larger neighbour
Analysis of TRIPS Agreement and the justification of international IP rights protection in the WTO's multilateral trading system, with particular reference to pharmaceutical patents
Get PDFThe entry of the Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (TRIPS) Agreement has seen the developing countries and the least developed countries (LDCs) suffer from the excessive burden of obligations imposed under the Agreement to embrace and implement a higher standard of intellectual property (IP) protection. One of the areas where the impact of the measures is most felt is on accessibility to affordable medicines for frontline treatment of diseases in developing countries and LDCs, where the majority of the HIV/AIDS sufferers come from. This inevitable plight, although well known, and posited by the developing countries and LDCs during the Uruguay round of negotiations, was overlooked. This also necessitated the Doha Deceleration, which does not seem to have addressed the problem. The developed countries have also successfully utilised the TRIPS Agreement's IP rights protection criteria as a benchmark, to develop a much higher IP rights protection agenda through the introduction of TRIPS-plus provisions in bilateral and other multilateral agreements entered into with developing countries. The winners in the game are the patent-holding pharmaceutical corporations, software corporations, media corporations, and the developed countries where they are incorporated. The ones at the receiving end are the developing countries and the LDCs who were promised technology transfer to build a modern economy by the developed countries, but are faced with multiple problems of non-availability of affordable medicines for health care, besides others. This article seeks to study the justification for an extended IP rights protection under the TRIPS Agreement through an analysis of the philosophical underpinnings of the IP rights and the patent regime. It will be argued that the TRIPS Agreement is a major obstacle that the developing countries and the LDCs have been made to face as Members of the WTO (World Trade Organisation), with no end in sight for their miseries, and that the only possible solution is a review or an amendment of the TRIPS Agreement
'Reading Browning Intertextually: "A Toccata of Galuppi's" and "Ode on a Grecian Urn"
No full textThis essay is a close reading of Browning's crucial mid-career poem "A Toccata of Galuppi's". It identifies and explores the intertextual relationship between “A Toccata of Galuppi’s” and Keats’s “Ode on a Grecian Urn,” affirming the latter as the crucial inter-text for the former. “A Toccata of Galuppi’s” is revealed as a metatextual commentary, providing an interesting midnineteenth-century perspective on Keats’s ode, where we can see aspects of the tension in Browning’s sensibility between “Hebrew” and “Hellene” being played out
Efficient simultaneous encryption and compression of digital videos in computationally constrained applications
Get PDFThis thesis is concerned with the secure video transmission over open and wireless network channels. This would facilitate adequate interaction in computationally constrained applications among trusted entities such as in disaster/conflict zones, secure airborne transmission of videos for intelligence/security or surveillance purposes, and secure video communication for law enforcing agencies in crime fighting or in proactive forensics. Video content is generally too large and vulnerable to eavesdropping when transmitted over open network channels so that compression and encryption become very essential for storage and/or transmission. In terms of security, wireless channels, are more vulnerable than other kinds of mediums to a variety of attacks and eavesdropping. Since wireless communication is the main mode in the above applications, protecting video transmissions from unauthorized access through such network channels is a must. The main and multi-faceted challenges that one faces in implementing such a task are related to competing, and to some extent conflicting, requirements of a number of standard control factors relating to the constrained bandwidth, reasonably high image quality at the receiving end, the execution time, and robustness against security attacks. Applying both compression and encryption techniques simultaneously is a very tough challenge due to the fact that we need to optimize the compression ratio, time complexity, security and the quality simultaneously.
There are different available image/video compression schemes that provide reasonable compression while attempting to maintain image quality, such as JPEG, MPEG and JPEG2000. The main approach to video compression is based on detecting and removing spatial correlation within the video frames as well as temporal correlations across the video frames. Temporal correlations are expected to be more evident across sequences of frames captured within a short period of time (often a fraction of a second). Correlation can be measured in terms of similarity between blocks of pixels. Frequency domain transforms such as the Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) and the Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) have both been used restructure the frequency content (coefficients) to become amenable for efficient detection. JPEG and MPEG use DCT while JPEG2000 uses DWT. Removing spatial/temporal correlation encodes only one block from each class of equivalent (i.e. similar) blocks and remembering the position of all other block within the equivalence class. JPEG2000 compressed images achieve higher image quality than JPEG for the same compression ratios, while DCT based coding suffer from noticeable distortion at high compression ratio but when applied to any block it is easy to isolate the significant coefficients from the non-significant ones.
Efficient video encryption in computationally constrained applications is another challenge on its own. It has long been recognised that selective encryption is the only viable approach to deal with the overwhelming file size. Selection can be made in the spatial or frequency domain. Efficiency of simultaneous compression and encryption is a good reason for us to apply selective encryption in the frequency domain.
In this thesis we develop a hybrid of DWT and DCT for improved image/video compression in terms of image quality, compression ratio, bandwidth, and efficiency. We shall also investigate other techniques that have similar properties to the DCT in terms of representation of significant wavelet coefficients. The statistical properties of wavelet transform high frequency sub-bands provide one such approach, and we also propose phase sensing as another alternative but very efficient scheme.
Simultaneous compression and encryption, in our investigations, were aimed at finding the best way of applying these two tasks in parallel by selecting some wavelet sub-bands for encryptions and applying compression on the other sub-bands. Since most spatial/temporal correlation appear in the high frequency wavelet sub-bands and the LL sub-bands of wavelet transformed images approximate the original images then we select the LL-sub-band data for encryption and the non-LL high frequency sub-band coefficients for compression. We also follow the common practice of using stream ciphers to meet efficiency requirements of real-time transmission. For key stream generation we investigated a number of schemes and the ultimate choice will depend on robustness to attacks.
The still image (i.e. RF’s) are compressed with a modified EZW wavelet scheme by applying the DCT on the blocks of the wavelet sub-bands, selecting appropriate thresholds for determining significance of coefficients, and encrypting the EZW thresholds only with a simple 10-bit LFSR cipher This scheme is reasonably efficient in terms of processing time, compression ratio, image quality, as well was security robustness against statistical and frequency attack. However, many areas for improvements were identified as necessary to achieve the objectives of the thesis. Through a process of refinement we developed and tested 3 different secure efficient video compression schemes, whereby at each step we improve the performance of the scheme in the previous step. Extensive experiments are conducted to test performance of the new scheme, at each refined stage, in terms of efficiency, compression ratio, image quality, and security robustness.
Depending on the aspects of compression that needs improvement at each refinement step, we replaced the previous block coding scheme with a more appropriate one from among the 3 above mentioned schemes (i.e. DCT, Edge sensing and phase sensing) for the reference frames or the non-reference ones. In subsequent refinement steps we apply encryption to a slightly expanded LL-sub-band using successively more secure stream ciphers, but with different approaches to key stream generation. In the first refinement step, encryption utilized two LFSRs seeded with three secret keys to scramble the significant wavelet LL-coefficients multiple times. In the second approach, the encryption algorithm utilises LFSR to scramble the wavelet coefficients of the edges extracted from the low frequency sub-band. These edges are mapped from the high frequency sub-bands using different threshold. Finally, use a version of the A5 cipher combined with chaotic logistic map to encrypt the significant parameters of the LL sub-band.
Our empirical results show that the refinement process achieves the ultimate objectives of the thesis, i.e. efficient secure video compression scheme that is scalable in terms of the frame size at about 100 fps and satisfying the following features; high compression, reasonable quality, and resistance to the statistical, frequency and the brute force attack with low computational processing. Although image quality fluctuates depending on video complexity, in the conclusion we recommend an adaptive implementation of our scheme.
Although this thesis does not deal with transmission tasks but the efficiency achieved in terms of video encryption and compression time as well as in compression ratios will be sufficient for real-time secure transmission of video using commercially available mobile computing devices
Automatic Identification of Miscarriage Cases Supported by Decision Strength Using Ultrasound Images of the Gestational Sac
Get PDFUltrasound imaging is one of the most widely used multipurpose imaging
modalities for monitoring and diagnosing early pregnancy events. The first
sign and measurable element of an early pregnancy is the appearance of the
Gestational Sac (GS). Currently, the size of the GS is manually estimated from
ultrasound images. The manual measurements tend to result in inter- and intraobserver variations, which may lead to difficulties in diagnosis. This paper
proposes a new method for automatic identification of miscarriage cases in the
first trimester of pregnancy. The proposed method automatically segments the
GS and calculates the Mean Sac Diameter (MSD) and other geometric features
of the segmented sac. After classifying the image based on the extracted
features into either a pregnancy of unknown viability (PUV) or a possible
miscarriage case, we assign the decision with a strength level to reflect its
reliability. The paper argues that the level of decision strength gives more
insight into decision making than other classical alternatives and makes the
automated decision process closer to the diagnosis practice by exper
Galileo Signals Acquisition Using Enhanced Subcarrier Elimination Conversion and Faster Processing
No full textTo solve multipath and to enhance the localisation accuracy in a harsh environment, BOC modulation has been adopted in modern GNSS transmission, such as GPS-M-code and Galileo-OS-code signals. The designers of the BOC technique have pointed out that the correlation function becomes ambiguous when the received signal is correlated with the reference BOC signal at code phase resolutions of 0.5 Chip. This has motivated many contributions to resolving this ambiguity, for example, by processing each side of the BOC lobes as a BPSK signal. Our literature survey concluded that solutions claiming to have mitigated this ambiguity actually have resulted in a more complex receiver implementation. The Enhanced Subcarrier Elimination (ESCE) method detailed in this paper proposes combining the two side lobes into a single lobe centered at the main frequency, thus gaining 2dB more signal power as well as reducing the correlation requirements (signal’s mixing and transforming operations) to the half; i.e. accelerating the acquisition process. HaLo-430 platform generated signals used for testing the MATLAB model of ESCE proves that we outperform three of the most used unambiguous methods
International development law: declaratory, aspirational and positive
Get PDFThis thesis considers the different understandings of what 'law' is and applies this to the specific area of international development law. Two central questions are addressed. Firstly, what is the basis of international development law? Put another way, in what sense can international development law be spoken of as 'real' or 'true' law? Secondly, and a precursor to the first question is the question of what is 'real' law. The following preliminary questions are also addressed: what is 'international development law'? What are the sources of international development law? Who formulates international development law? What characteristics or criteria can one use to identify law and thus identify international development law as true law? Paralleling growth of new areas of international law, and aspiring to a 'hard law', is a growing body of international development law. After World War II a distinct body of international development law emerged fostered by the newly independent countries of Africa and Asia. Despite the continued relevance of the legal aspects of the new international economic order (NIEO) debate of the 1970s, and the growing body of instruments, there is a dearth of current literature on the notion of international development law and its legal validity. This thesis addressed this gap. The questions are approached through a multiple grid of legal understandings. The thesis considers what stands as law in the positivist tradition, in the natural law or aspirational law tradition, and in the more recent tradition of legal process. Each of the types of law considered shows the different bases and varying status of international development law. Taken together, these also show the emergence of a legal structure consisting of norms, principles and rules. All this also points to increasing legalization of international development with a discernible movement towards hard law
PCR array and protein array studies demonstrate that IL-1β (interleukin-1β) stimulates the expression and secretion of multiple cytokines and chemokines in human adipocytes
No full textThe role of IL-1β in regulating the expression and secretion of cytokines and chemokines by human adipocytes was examined. Adipocytes were incubated with human IL-1β for 4 or 24 h.
The expression of a panel of 84 cytokine/chemokine genes was probed using PCR arrays. IL-1β stimulated the expression of >30 cytokine/chemokine genes on the arrays; 15 showed >100-fold increases in mRNA at 4 or 24 h including CSF3, CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL12 and IL8. CSF3 exhibited a 10,000-fold increase in mRNA at 4 h. ADIPOQ was among the genes whose expression was inhibited. Protein arrays were used to examine the secretion of cytokines/chemokines from adipocytes. IL-1β stimulated the secretion of multiple cytokines/chemokines including MCP-1, IL-8, IP-10, MIP-1α and MCP-4. The most responsive was IP-10, which exhibited a 5,000-fold increase in secretion with IL-1β. IL-1β is likely to play a substantial role in stimulating the inflammatory response in human adipocytes in obesity
Maximising self-care through familiarity: The role of practice effects in enhancing music listening and progressive muscle relaxation for pain management
Get PDFDistraction and relaxation are regularly recommended as part of Pain Management Programmes, with increasing research highlighting the inclusion of music as part of pain management toolkit. However minimal research has assessed the role of practice effects or familiarity with these techniques when used consistently over time. Passive distraction(participant-selected preferred music) and active distraction (Progressive Muscle Relaxation; PMR) were compared against a no distraction control on the cold-pressor test (CPT). Seventy healthy participants completed the CPT with and without distraction at baseline and one week later. Experimental participants practised their distraction strategies daily between trials (7 days), with control participants keeping an activity log. Familiarity with and preference for distractors increased significantly over time, enhancing pain threshold. PMR and music reduced anxiety, enhanced pain tolerance, minimised pain perception and pain ratings. The active distraction of PMR enhanced self-efficacy to a greater extent than music and also regulated heart rate. Repeated exposure to distraction and
relaxation approaches enhanced optimal arousal and complexity, maximising pain management. It is suggested that both PMR, and music, are used together as part of a multidimensional toolkit for pain management
'Dickens, Charles, Fiction' (reference essay)
No full textPeer-reviewed 5,000 word reference essay in the 4-volume Wiley Blackwell Enycyclopedia of Victorian Fiction, a work spanning the full sweep of literary genres and figures that define this influential period, combining accessibility with breadth of coverage and authoritative scholarship. Covers Dickens's childhood influences; development of his early, mature and late fiction; his parallel careers in journalism and public reading; his contmporary reception, legacy, and the critical history of his fiction in the twentieth century