32 research outputs found
Towards Green Security for E-health Applications in The Internet of Things
No full textThe Internet of Things (IoTs) is an emerging technology that connects various de-vices and systems to the Internet, allowing them to communicate and share data.
This interconnected network of devices has the potential to revolutionize industries, improve efficiency, and enhance our daily lives. The IoT relies on physical sensors that gather data and transmit it to remote cloud computing platforms for analysis and storage. One of the most promising fields for IoT applications is healthcare, where significant advancements are anticipated. For instance, devices can be implanted in patients’ bodies to monitor vital signs, transmitting the data to the cloud for storage, processing, and informed decision-
making. The data should then be accessed by healthcare professionals in real-time, al- lowing for immediate intervention when necessary. With the potential to revolutionize the healthcare industry, the integration of IoT technology in healthcare applications is
becoming increasingly prevalent and essential. This research focuses on security aspects, specifically addressing the confidentiality and access control of data (e.g., EMR) during transmission and storage in the cloud. In addition, we examine the energy consumption
of IoT devices in healthcare applications, ensuring their optimization for better efficiency. To ensure the confidentiality and security of these sensitive data, encryption techniques and access control protocols must be carefully implemented. Energy efficiency is another
crucial aspect to consider, as IoT devices in healthcare applications must be able to op-
erate continuously and autonomously without draining excessive power. By addressing these challenges, we can fully harness the potential of IoT technology to improve patient outcomes and streamline healthcare delivery. Ciphertext-Policy Attribute-Based Encryp-
tion (CP-ABE) is widely regarded as an ideal method for implementing fine-grained access control. However, existing CP-ABE solutions are not efficient or well-suited for the IoT environment, as data producers are typically highly resource-constrained and unable to
perform the public-key cryptographic functions required by CP-ABE. In this thesis, we suggest enhancing the standard CP-ABE to make it more suitable for resource-constrained sensors by offloading the intensive encryption tasks to multiple cooperative nodes. This
approach ensures a balanced workload distribution between the sensors and the assistant nodes, taking into account the capacity of the assistant nodes for optimal distribution.
We evaluated our proposal through a series of experiments, and the results demonstrate that, compared to existing outsourcing ABE solutions, our approach significantly improves
both computation time and energy efficiency, guarantees data confidentiality, prolongs the sensor’s battery life, and ensures fine-grained access control
Valorisation d'un rejet laitier par technique membranaire (Ultrafiltration)
No full text64 p. : ill. ; 30 cm.Notre objectif à travers cette étude est de récupérer les fractions protéiques à partir d’un rejet
laitier par une technique membranaire qui est l’ultrafiltration. Dans un premier temps, nous avons
optimisé les paramètres hydrodynamiques du procédé.
Dans la deuxième partie nous avons étudié l’influence du pH sur le procédé de l’ultrafiltration
Is the level of financial sector development a key determinant of private investment in the power sector?
No full textTThis paper seeks to assess the extent to which a country’s overall level of development and that of its financial sector, in particular, are factors that attract private capital into infrastructure projects. The authors investigate these effects in a 1990–2007 dataset on the power sector in 37 developing countries. The results suggest that economic growth is a key determinant of private investors’ investment in infrastructure projects, and that investors tend to take countries’ governance quality into account in their decisions to invest. The empirical results highlight that the development of the financial sector also plays a significant role in private investors’ decisions to enter infrastructure sectors. In particular, the degree of country risk and exchange rate volatility is found to be negatively This paper—a product of the Sustainable Development Department, Middle East and North Africa Region—is part of a larger effort in the department to promote infrastructure development in client countries through applied research targeting cutting-edge policy, regulatory and infrastructure finance issues. Policy Research Working Papers are also posted on the Web at http://econ.worldbank.org. The author may be contacted at [email protected]. related to the volume of private sector investment in power projects. Furthermore, when the banking sector and the capital market are separately treated in the analysis, the existence of a well functioning capital market is the main attracting factor. In addition, the existence of an independent energy regulatory authority significantly improves the level of private investors’ implication in energy projects. When accounting for the interactions between the overall economic development and the financial sector development variables, the effects of these variables are still significant and the results also confirm the importance of an independent energy sector regulator.Infrastructure sectors, Public-private partnership, Power sector, Financial development, Economic growth
Machine learning-based prediction of toxic metals concentration in an acid mine drainage environment, northern Tunisia
No full textIn northern Tunisia, Sidi Driss sulfide ore valorization had produced a large waste amount. The long tailings exposure period and in situ minerals interactions produced an acid mine drainage (AMD) which contributed to a strong increase in the mobility and migration of huge heavy metal (HM) quantities to the surrounding soils. In this work, the soil mineral proportions, grain sizes, physicochemical properties, SO42− and S contents, and Machine Learning (ML) algorithms such as the Random Forest (RF), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models were used to predict the soil HM quantities transferred from Sidi-Driss mine drainage to surrounding soils. The results showed that the HM concentrations had significantly increased with the increase of decomposition and oxidation of galena, marcasite, pyrite, and sphalerite-marcasite and Fe-oxide-hydroxides quantities and the sulfate dissolution (marked with SO42− ions increase) that produced the decreased soil pH. Compared to SVM, and ANN models outputs, the RF model that revealed higher R2val, RPD, RPIQ, and lower error indices had satisfactorily predicted the soil HM accumulation coming from the AMD environment. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.] © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature
Global significance of European standards of women human rights’ protection in domain of gender based and domestic violence
No full textOne of the most important domain of women human rights’ protection is combating
gender based and domestic violence. Every woman has the right to live freely of any form of
violence, but reality shows dark picture, since one in three women has experienced physical or
sexual violence – 22% at the hands of their partner.
The UN estimates that 70% of domestic violence fatalities are women. Gender-based
violence against women is a human rights violation and must be combated vigorously.
European standards of combating and preventing gender based and domestic violence are
defined in the Council of Europe Conventionon preventing and combating violence against
women and domestic violence (“Istanbul Convention“, which entered into force in 2014).
The Istanbul Convention is the most comprehensive, legally binding and far-reaching
international treaty to address violence against women laying out state obligations to prevent
violence, protect victims and prosecute the perpetrators. It is noteworthy that 33 countries out
of 47-member states of the Council of Europe have already ratified it (at the moment of
writing this study).
However, global reach of this regional human rights instrument is far more significant,
bearing in mind that it promotes zero tolerance to all forms of violence globally and through
requiring states to criminalize a broad range of violence against women, including physical,
sexual and psychological violence, stalking, sexual harassment, female genital mutilation and
forced marriage.
The independent expert body (GREVIO) is tasked to assess the implementation of the
Istanbul Convention and to set relevant recommendations based on evaluation reports.
Although of regional character, this Convention seeks to achieve universal application, since
it is open to accession to non-member countries of the Council of Europe, and accordingly,
the author emphasizes the global importance of its provisions
STRATEŠKO-PRAVNI OKVIRI EU O RAVNOPRAVNOSTI POLOVA – ZNAČAJ ZA SRBIJU
No full textThe paper analyses legal and strategic frameworks of the European Union (EU) in the fled of gender equality and their importance for Serbia, especially seen from the standpoint of economic empowerment of women, being the cornerstone of the policy of equal opportunities. The purpose of the analysis of the relevant primary and secondary EU legislation on gender equality, together with the strategic acts and other soft law examples is focused on pointing out to the necessity of adequate legislation. Real situation in the EU Member States indicates, however, that the Acquis communautaire in the field of gender equality is needed, but not enough for achieving factogender equality. Serbia, as well as other countries in the region, which are in the process of economic transition to fully operational market economy, are even in a more delicate situation concerning gender equality in the economic domain. Therefore, in the concluding remarks, the author points out to the determinant factors for implementation of gender equality in practice. Although Serbia is not yet legally binded to implement complete Acquis communautaire, harmonization of national legislation with the EU legal standards and achieving real gender equality is also important for the EU accession process of Serbia, since those issues are classified into the Copenhagen criteria on respect for human rights. Furthermore, the experience of the so-called new Member States shows that the economic changes in relation to the women share at the labor market are recent, but definitely a result of accession to the EU and the result of application of modern EU legal framework in this area. These are positive lessons for Serbia in the process of its Euro-integration.U radu se analiziraju pravni i strateški okviri Evropske unije (EU) u oblasti rodne ravnopravnosti i njihov značaj za Srbiju, posebno sa stanovišta ekonomskog osnaživanja žena, što čini kamen temeljac politike jednakih mogućnosti. Svrha analize relevantnog primarnog i sekundarnog zakonodavstva EU o rodnoj ravnopravnosti, zajedno sa strateškim aktima i drugim primerima tzv. soft law je u ukazivanju na neophodnost adekvatnog zakonodavstva. Realna situacija u zemljama članicama EU pokazuje, međutim, da Acquis communautaire u oblasti rodne ravnopravnosti jeste preko potrebno, ali ne i dovoljno za postizanje de facto rodne ravnopravnosti. Srbija, kao i druge zemlje u regionu, koje su u procesu tranzicije ka potpuno operativnoj tržišnoj ekonomiji, nalaze se vrlo delikatnoj situaciji u vezi rodne ravnopravnosti u ekonomskom domenu. Stoga, u zaključnim razmatranjima autorka ukazuje koji su to odlučujući faktori za sprovođenje rodne ravnopravnosti u praksi. Iako Srbija još nije pravno obavezna da primeni kompletan Acquis communautaire, usklađivanje nacionalnih propisa sa EU pravnim standardima i postizanje rodne ravnopravnosti u realnosti je veoma važno za proces pristupanja Srbije Evropskoj uniji, jer ta pitanja EU svrstava u pristupne kriterijume iz Kopenhagena o poštovanju ljudskih prava. Iskustvo tzv. novih članica pokazuje da su ekonomske promene u odnosu na učešće žena na tržištu rada novijeg datuma, ali defnitivno predstavljaju rezultat pristupanja EU, kao i posledicu primene savremenih pravnih okvira EU na ovom području. Sve to predstavlja pozitivne lekcije za Srbiju u procesu njenih Evro-integracija
ПРАВНО - ИНСТИТУЦИОНАЛНЕ ПЕРСПЕКТИВЕ ЕВРОПСКЕ УНИЈЕ
No full textThis study focuses on the institutional perspectives of the European Union (EU) through the analysis of the relevant parts of the new Lisbon Treaty on the EU (2009). Special emphasis is put on the specific status of the EU in the international law, bearing in mind that the EU has obtained the legal personality recently, by entering into force of the Lisbon Treaty. This means its capacity to conclude various international agreements on behalf of the whole entity of the Union and to achieve the membership status in international organizations. Furthermore, clear division of the competences between the Member States and the European institutions has been made, together with listing of shared competences. The aim is to secure effective and smooth functioning of the EU. However, the final objective of the institutional improvements is to enable efficient enlargement of the EU. In concluding remarks, the author estimates that the process of the institutional reforms of the EU is not finished, but will depend on achievement of political unity through permanent negotiations within the Union. The current monetary crisis that has shaken the Union over the past few years indicates that the further reforms of the EU law, i.e., its constituent agreements, as well as reforms in the direction of the EU transformation into an important political factor, and not just an economic giant. To the extent that the EU is able to reconcile these contradictions and to fulfil the gap between its own economic success and attractiveness to non-member countries, on the one hand and its political inferiority and a lack of coherence at the EU level, on the other hand, to that extent future economic and legal prosperity of the Union will develop.Рад се фокусира на институционалне перспективе Европске уније (ЕУ) кроз анализу релевантних делова конститутивног Лисабонског Уговора о реформи ЕУ (2009). Посебан акценат је стављен на специфичност статуса ЕУ у међународном праву, имајући у виду да је ЕУ добила правни субјективитет тек недавно, ступањем на снагу Лисабонског споразума. То подразумева способност Уније да закључује међународне споразуме у име целине ентитета Уније и да постигне статус чланства у међународним организацијама. Осим тога, јасна подела компетенција између држава чланица и европских институција је у великој мери постигнута, заједно са навођењем заједничких надлежности. Циљ је да се обезбеди ефикасно и несметано функционисање ЕУ. Међутим, крајњи циљ институционалних побољшања је да омогуће ефикасно проширење Уније. У закључку, ауторка процењује да процес институционалних реформи ЕУ није завршен, већ ће зависити од постизања политичког јединства путем процеса сталних преговора држава чланица у оквиру Уније.
Актуелна монетарна криза која потреса Унију у последњих неколико година указује да су неопходни даљи правци реформе права ЕУ, тј. њених конститутивних уговора, али и реформе у смеру трансформације ЕУ као важног политичког фактора, а не само економског гиганта. У мери у којој ЕУ буде успела да помири ове супротности и сопствени јаз између економских успеха и атрактивности за земље нечланице, с једне стране и политичке минорности и одсуства кохерентности у ЕУ, с друге, зависиће даљи економски просперитет и будућа правна доградња Уније
The impact of women's entrepreneurship in the social and economic development, including gender equality
No full textThe author of this article focused on individual characteristics, motivations
and attitudes of women entrepreneurs and came to the conclusion that the
primary motive for women to become entrepreneurs is the desire to achieve
job satisfaction and economic independence, which are the main motivators
for men entrepreneurs also. Her article began the era of research on female
entrepreneurship, its specific characteristics and factors. In recent years of
the twenty-first century, in light of the struggle for gender equality and for
improving the women’s position in countries around the world, women
entrepreneurs’ issues receive a special significance
Chitinolytic actinobacteria isolated from an Algerian semi-arid soil: development of an antifungal chitinase-dependent assay and GH18 chitinase gene identification
No full textThe purpose of this study was to explore the microbial potential of a semi-arid sandy soil from south-central Algeria in order to isolate new chitinolytic actinobacteria. This soil is subjected to high temperatures (up to 43 degrees C) and has low nutrient content. Strains were isolated by plating soil suspensions on Bennett and Colloidal Chitin (CCM) medium. An initial clustering of isolates was made through BOX-PCR genetic profiling. Next, a 16S rRNA gene sequencing of representative isolates was realized. We also identified optimum physicochemical conditions for chitinolytic activity. A rapid in vitro assay based on glucose catabolic repression was developed to select isolates having a chitinase-dependent antifungal activity against two phytopathogenic fungi. Gene identification of glycosyl hydrolase family 18 (GH18) permitted us to assess the divergence of chitinase genes. Forty isolates were obtained from the semi-arid sandy soil. The molecular identification permitted us to assign them to Streptomyces or Micromonospora genera with seven possibly new bacterial species. For chitinolytic activity, 100% of isolates were able to grow and degrade colloidal chitin at pH 7 and at a temperature ranging from 30 to 40 degrees C. We also observed that Micromonospora strains had atypical activity patterns, with a strong chitinase activity maintained at high temperature. Finally, three strains presented an interesting chitinolytic potential to reduce fungal growth with new GH18 sequences. This study presents a new rapid method to detect antifungal chitinase-dependent activity that allowed to identify potentially new species of actinobacteria and new GH18 gene sequences
Is the level of financial sector development a key determinant of private investment in the power sector?
No full textTThis paper seeks to assess the extent to which a country’s overall level of development and that of its financial sector, in particular, are factors that attract private capital into infrastructure projects. The authors investigate these effects in a 1990–2007 dataset on the power sector in 37 developing countries. The results suggest that economic growth is a key determinant of private investors’ investment in infrastructure projects, and that investors\ud
tend to take countries’ governance quality into account in their decisions to invest. The empirical results highlight that the development of the financial sector also plays\ud
a significant role in private investors’ decisions to enter infrastructure sectors. In particular, the degree of country risk and exchange rate volatility is found to be negatively This paper—a product of the Sustainable Development Department, Middle East and North Africa Region—is part of a larger effort in the department to promote infrastructure development in client countries through applied research targeting cutting-edge policy, regulatory and infrastructure finance issues. Policy Research Working Papers are also posted on the Web at http://econ.worldbank.org. The author may be contacted at [email protected]. related to the volume of private sector investment in power projects. Furthermore, when the banking sector and the capital market are separately treated in the analysis, the existence of a well functioning capital market is the main attracting factor. In addition, the existence of an independent energy regulatory authority significantly improves the level of private investors’\ud
implication in energy projects. When accounting for the interactions between the overall economic development and the financial sector development variables, the effects of these variables are still significant and the results also confirm the importance of an independent energy sector regulator
