Harnessing the private sector for rural development, poverty alleviation and HIV/AIDS prevention

In resource-constrained developing countries, mobilizing resources from outside sources may assist in overcoming many development challenges. This paper examines the Thai Business Initiative in Rural Development (TBIRD), an NGO-sponsored program that brings together the comparative advantages and self-interest of rural villages, private sector firms and a facilitating NGO, to improve social and community health outcomes in rural areas. We analyze key issues in the program with data from Northeast Thailand. We find that the TBIRD program appears to improve the income earning and other prospects of the TBIRD factory workers. Further, TBIRD factory employment exhibits a pro-poor bias. A key impact is to provide jobs for people who might otherwise be at increased risk of HIV infection through poverty-induced decisions to migrate to urban centres and participate in the commercial sex industry. This program adds another important tool for development planners in the fight against HIV/AIDS

Lightweight Forensics Application: Lightweight Approach to Securing Mobile Devices

Physical objects with the addition of sensors, actuators and a connection to the internet form devices which can collect, process and communicate data to each other. Devices may not have been designed with connectivity in mind and adding it as an afterthought is problematic. This provides a significant technical challenge concerning securing the devices, as they are all of a sudden open to a wide range of attacks whilst providing more opportunities for malicious users and increases the chances of device compromise. The key aim of this research is to address limitations in current security solutions on mobile devices by defining a novel approach which will sustain future advances in mobile technology. Using combined security techniques our proposed solution will work with existing security technology to create a more effective and successful security implementation that will be suitable for a wide range of mobile devices. Keywords- Lightweight security; mobile device; smartphone; digital forensics; malware detection; in-network; Collaborative; Internet of Thing

Protecting Future Personal Computing: Challenging Traditional Network Security Models

The Internet is a notoriously two-way street. If multiple computers can communicate sensitive data across the internet, malicious entities can access the network and collect this data also. The range and number of connected devices is increasing dramatically and with this expansion so is the security risk. Collection of ever rising quantities of data, especially sensitive and personal data, raises many challenges and questions about the suitability of current security. The key problem our research investigates is how we can adapt traditional security models to enhance it both current and future deployment. The work is not aimed to replace existing security although it builds upon it to complement it and enhance existing methods. We utilise the timeliness of the Internet of Things as a focus to develop and experiment with our work. In this paper we present our novel framework and introduce our initial work to prove the concept is feasible. Our initial results are encouraging as to the impact the framework could have on future security. Keywords- Network security; mobile security; smartphone; malware detection; in-network; Collaborative; Internet of Thing

SDN-PANDA: Software-Defined Network Platform for ANomaly Detection Applications

The proliferation of cloud-enabled services has caused an exponential growth in the traffic volume of modern data centres (DCs). An important aspect for the optimal operation of DCs related to the real-time detection of anomalies within the measured traffic volume in order to identify possible threats or challenges that are caused by either malicious or legitimate intent. Therefore in this paper we present SDN-PANDA; a 'pluggable' software platform that aims to provide centralised administration and experimentation for anomaly detection techniques in Software Defined Data Centres (SDDCs). We present the overall design of the proposed scheme, and illustrate some initial results related to the performance of the current prototype with respect to scalability and basic traffic visualisation. We argue that the introduced platform may facilitate the underlying functional basis for a number of real-time anomaly detection applications and provide the necessary foundations for such algorithms to be easily deployed

The Roles Of DHA And UNDP in Linking Relief and Development

Summary In an attempt to rationalize the UN system's capacity to respond rapidly and effectively to emergencies, the Department of Humanitarian Affairs was established in 1992. At the country level, the DHA is in most cases represented and supported by UNDP, thus requiring a close working partnership. This article describes the complementary roles of DHA and UNDP in relation to capacity building for disaster preparedness and mitigation, cooperation in sudden?outset disasters and complex emergency situations, as well as in implementing the concept of linking relief to development. It concludes that in order to make this concept meaningful, fine?tuning of existing tools and practices is required, together with increased attention by donors to increasing resources for longer?term development purposes. Resumé Le rôle du DHA et de l'UNDP pour allier l'aide d'urgence au développement C'est en 1992 que le Département des affaires humanitaires (DHA) a été fondé dans l'optique de rationaliser les capacités de réponse rapide et efficace du système des Nations Unies pendant les états d'urgence. Au niveau des pays, le DHA bénéficie de l'appui et de la représentation de l'UNDP, ce qui exige des rapports de travail très étroits. Le présent article décrit la complémentarité des rôles du DHA et de l'UNDP relatif à l'évolution des capacités de réponse et d'atténuation des catastrophes, à la coopération dans les catastrophes subites, et aux états d'urgence complexes, ainsi que dans la réalisation concrète des mesures pour allier l'aide d'urgence au développement. La conclusion de l'auteur est que pour revêtir ce concept de signification dans la pratique, une syntonisation des mesures et pratiques disponibles est essentielle, de même qu'une attention plus grande des pays donateurs aux moyens d'augmenter et de valoriser les ressources aux fins du développement à plus long terme. Resumen Los roles del DHA y el PNUD en la integración asistencia?desarrollo El Departamento de Asuntos Humanitarios fue establecido en 1992, en un intento de racionalizar la capacidad de los sistemas de la UN para responder rápida y efectivamente a las emergencias. A nivel nacional, este Departamento (DHA) generalmente está representado y apoyado por el Programa de Desarrollo de la UN (PNUD), requiriendo una relación laboral muy estrecha. El artículo describe los roles complementarios de ambas organizaciones en relación a la capacidad de preparación y mitigación frente a las catástrofes, y cooperación en el caso de emergencias repentinas y situaciones complejas, asícomo en la implementación del concepto de integración asistencia?desarrollo. Para que este concepto sea significativo, se requiere un refinamiento de medios y prácticas, junto con una mayor atención de los donantes al aumento de recursos para planes de desarrollo a largo plazo

The UN at 70, and the UK. Development Cooperation, Humanitarian Action, and Peace and Security: Lessons from Experience and Policy Recommendations

2015 marked the 70th anniversary of the UN, a good moment for reflection about the strengths, weaknesses and priorities for change needed in the world’s most all-embracing international organisation which had already existed for over three times longer than the League of Nations. Such reflections are needed from each of the UN’s member countries – and in this IDS Evidence Report, they are insider reflections by UK citizens who have in different ways spent much or all of their careers working for or closely with the organisation, often in many parts of the world. The three Witness Seminars organised in May and October 2015 and January 2016 capture both personal experiences in a wide diversity of countries and situations, and informed thinking about the international organisation, both of its past and its future. Most of the pieces end with recommendations about ways to strengthen the UN – and, in particular, ways in which the United Kingdom as a major funder and permanent member of the Security Council, could use its influence and resources to help the UN better to adapt to meet future challenges. The full records of these Witness Seminars and much other background material will be added to the archive records of the UN kept in the Bodleian Library in Oxford, as part of the UN Career Records Project (UNCRP) and are thus available both historical and further research purposes. By their nature Witness Seminars ask individuals to review their experiences, with frankness and openness. By definition, their judgements on many issues will be subjective, without the footnotes or sources expected in a normal scholarly article. Their opinions are all the more interesting and important because they have emerged from real experiences. We hope articles in this IDS Evidence Report live up to this – though more than usual, we must point out that the opinions expressed here represent the views of the authors and participants in the Witness Seminars, and not necessarily those of the IDS, the UNA or BAFUNCS

Menelaus' theorem, Clifford configurations and inversive geometry of the Schwarzian KP hierarchy

It is shown that the integrable discrete Schwarzian KP (dSKP) equation which constitutes an algebraic superposition formula associated with, for instance, the Schwarzian KP hierarchy, the classical Darboux transformation and quasi-conformal mappings encapsulates nothing but a fundamental theorem of ancient Greek geometry. Thus, it is demonstrated that the connection with Menelaus' theorem and, more generally, Clifford configurations renders the dSKP equation a natural object of inversive geometry on the plane. The geometric and algebraic integrability of dSKP lattices and their reductions to lattices of Menelaus-Darboux, Schwarzian KdV, Schwarzian Boussinesq and Schramm type is discussed. The dSKP and discrete Schwarzian Boussinesq equations are shown to represent discretizations of families of quasi-conformal mappings.Comment: 26 pages, 9 figure

Taurine depletion and Schwann cell dysfunction in diabetic neuropathy

It is estimated that 2.6 million people in the UK suffer from diabetes, 50% of whom suffer from diabetic neuropathy. Patients with diabetes have low levels of platelet and plasma taurine and in animal models taurine supplementation ameliorates neuropathic symptoms. The mechanisms behind Taurine depletion and taurine supplementation are not well understood. Schwann cells are highly vulnerable to hyperglycaemia-induced stress which plays a key role in the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy, however, the mechanisms behind these effects are not well understood. In these studies I have elucidated the effect of hyperglycaemia on taurine transport in isolated human Schwann cells and the mechanisms behind the beneficial effects of taurine supplementation. I demonstrated that high glucose reduces TauT expression in a dose-dependent manner and that high glucose inhibited the pro-oxidant increase in TauT expression and taurine uptake. This high glucose response was ablated by inhibition of aldose reductase, nitric oxide synthase as well as antioxidant treatment. Taurine supplementation reduced glucose-induced increases in oxidative stress, lipid peroxidation nitrosative stress and poly(ADP-ribosyl)ation and these effects were not accompanied by changes in antioxidant defence. Taurine also restored glucose-induced increases in iNOS and nNOS expression along with phospho-p38 MAPK abundance.EThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo

Balancing the dilution and oddity effects: Decisions depend on body size

Background Grouping behaviour, common across the animal kingdom, is known to reduce an individual's risk of predation; particularly through dilution of individual risk and predator confusion (predator inability to single out an individual for attack). Theory predicts greater risk of predation to individuals more conspicuous to predators by difference in appearance from the group (the ‘oddity’ effect). Thus, animals should choose group mates close in appearance to themselves (eg. similar size), whilst also choosing a large group. Methodology and Principal Findings We used the Trinidadian guppy (Poecilia reticulata), a well known model species of group-living freshwater fish, in a series of binary choice trials investigating the outcome of conflict between preferences for large and phenotypically matched groups along a predation risk gradient. We found body-size dependent differences in the resultant social decisions. Large fish preferred shoaling with size-matched individuals, while small fish demonstrated no preference. There was a trend towards reduced preferences for the matched shoal under increased predation risk. Small fish were more active than large fish, moving between shoals more frequently. Activity levels increased as predation risk decreased. We found no effect of unmatched shoal size on preferences or activity. Conclusions and Significance Our results suggest that predation risk and individual body size act together to influence shoaling decisions. Oddity was more important for large than small fish, reducing in importance at higher predation risks. Dilution was potentially of limited importance at these shoal sizes. Activity levels may relate to how much sampling of each shoal was needed by the test fish during decision making. Predation pressure may select for better decision makers to survive to larger size, or that older, larger fish have learned to make shoaling decisions more efficiently, and this, combined with their size relative to shoal-mates, and attractiveness as prey items influences shoaling decisions