Secure authentication scheme for passive C1G2 RFID tags

Privacy and security concerns inhibit the fast adaption of RFID technology for many applications. A number of authentication protocols that address these concerns have been proposed but real-world solutions that are secure, maintain low communication cost and can be integrated into the ubiquitous EPCglobal Class 1 Generation 2 tag protocol (C1G2) are still needed and being investigated. We present a novel authentication protocol, which offers a high level of security through the combination of a random key scheme with a strong cryptography. The protocol is applicable to resource, power and computationally constraint platforms such as RFID tags. Our investigation shows that it can provide mutual authentication, untraceability, forward and backward security as well as resistance to replay, denial-ofth-service and man-in-the-middle attacks, while retaining a competitive communication cost. The protocol has been integrated into the EPCglobal C1G2 tag protocol, which assures low implementation cost. We also present a successful implementation of our protocol on real-world components such as the INTEL WISP UHF RFID tag and a C1G2 compliant reader.     

An efficient IP address lookup algorithm based on a small balanced tree using entry reduction

Due to a tremendous increase in internet traffic, backbone routers must have the capability to forward massive incoming packets at several gigabits per second. IP address lookup is one of the most challenging tasks for high-speed packet forwarding. Some high-end routers have been implemented with hardware parallelism using ternary content addressable memory (TCAM). However, TCAM is much more expensive in terms of circuit complexity as well as power consumption. Therefore, efficient algorithmic solutions are essentially required to be implemented using network processors as low cost solutions.Among the state-of-the-art algorithms for IP address lookup, a binary search based on a balanced tree is effective in providing a low-cost solution. In order to construct a balanced search tree, the prefixes with the nesting relationship should be converted into completely disjointed prefixes. A leaf-pushing technique is very useful to eliminate the nesting relationship among prefixes [V. Srinivasan, G. Varghese, Fast address lookups using controlled prefix expansion, ACM Transactions on Computer Systems 17 (1) (1999) 1-40]. However, it creates duplicate prefixes, thus expanding the search tree.This paper proposes an efficient IP address lookup algorithm based on a small balanced tree using entry reduction. The leaf-pushing technique is used for creating the completely disjointed entries. In the leaf-pushed prefixes, there are numerous pairs of adjacent prefixes with similarities in prefix strings and output ports. The number of entries can be significantly reduced by the use of a new entry reduction method which merges pairs with these similar prefixes. After sorting the reduced disjointed entries, a small balanced tree is constructed with a very small node size. Based on this small balanced tree, a native binary search can be effectively used in address lookup issue. In addition, we propose a new multi-way search algorithm to improve a binary search for IPv4 address lookup. As a result, the proposed algorithms offer excellent lookup performance along with reduced memory requirements. Besides, these provide good scalability for large amounts of routing data and for the address migration toward IPv6. Using both various IPv4 and IPv6 routing data, the performance evaluation results demonstrate that the proposed algorithms have better performance in terms of lookup speed, memory requirement and scalability for the growth of entries and IPv6, as compared with other algorithms based on a binary search.     

An on-line learning neural controller for helicopters performing highly nonlinear maneuvers

This paper presents an on-line learning adaptive neural control scheme for helicopters performing highly nonlinear maneuvers. The online learning adaptive neural controller compensates the nonlinearities in the system and uncertainties in the modeling of the dynamics to provide the desired performance. The control strategy uses a neural controller aiding an existing conventional controller. The neural controller is based on a online learning dynamic radial basis function network, which uses a Lyapunov based on-line parameter update rule integrated with a neuron growth and pruning criteria. The online learning dynamic radial basis function network does not require a priori training and also it develops a compact network for implementation. The proposed adaptive law provides necessary global stability and better tracking performance. Simulation studies have been carried-out using a nonlinear (desktop) simulation model similar to that of a BO105 helicopter. The performances of the proposed adaptive controller clearly shows that it is very effective when the helicopter is performing highly nonlinear maneuvers. Finally, the robustness of the controller has been evaluated using the attitude quickness parameters (handling quality index) at different speed and flight conditions. The results indicate that the proposed online learning neural controller adapts faster and provides the necessary tracking performance for the helicopter executing highly nonlinear maneuvers.     

Nodal ant colony optimization for solving profit based unit commitment problem for GENCOs

This paper proposes a nodal ant colony optimization (NACO) technique to solve profit based unit commitment problem (PBUCP). Generation companies (GENCOs) in a competitive restructured power market, schedule their generators with an objective to maximize their own profit without any regard for system social benefit. Power and reserve prices become important factors in decision process. Ant colony optimization that mimics the behavior of ants foraging activities is suitably implemented to search the UCP search space. Here a search space consisting of optimal combination of binary nodes for unit ON/OFF status is represented for the movement of the ants to maintain good exploration and exploitation search capabilities. The proposed model help GENCOs to make decisions on the quantity of power and reserve that must be put up for sale in the markets and also to schedule generators in order to receive the maximum profit. The effectiveness of the proposed technique for PBUCP is validated on 10 and 36 generating unit systems available in the literature. NACO yields an increase of profit, greater than 1.5%, in comparison with the basic ACO, Muller method and hybrid LR-GA.     

Quantitative aspects of two methods to dissolve collagen-free muscle proteins from acetone dry powders of Guelders ring sausage

Summary The purpose of this study was to find experimental conditions for the complete solubility of collagen-free muscle proteins (CFMP) using acetone powder of Guelders ring sausage. Preliminary experiments were carried out to choose the best procedure for preparing the acetone dry powder. Two different methods of acetone extraction of minced sausage were compared. The acetone dry mass (ADM) method using continuous extraction in a Soxhlet [2] apparatus gave better results than the acetone powder (ACP) method, which used a blender [1]. The ADM method was used for further investigations. ADM was extracted with two types of sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS), containing solvents A and B. Solvent A contains a Tris-boric acid buffer (pH 8.2) with 1.5% (m/v) SDS and 0.05% (m/v) dithioerythreitol [3]. Solvent B is a borate-chloric acid buffer (pH 9.0) with 2.0% (m/v) SDS and 1.0% (m/v) mercapto-ethanol [2]. Both solvents showed a linear relationship between the quantities of CFMP in ADM and the dissolved CFMP. The linear relationships were found between quantities of 10.0 and 30.0 mg (solution A) and of 5.0 and 30.0 mg ADM (solution B) per ml solvent. The solubility of CFMP was better in solvent B than in solution A. Completely dissolved CFMP from ADM was only obtained in the case of 5.0 mg ADM in 1.0 ml solution B. These conditions will be used in liquid chromatography experiments, the results of which will be reported later.

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Quantitative Aspekte zweier Verfahren für das Auflösen kollagenfreier Muskelproteine aus acetontrockenen Pulvern der Gelderschen Rauchwurst

Zusammenfassung Der Zweck dieser Untersuchungen ist, die experimentellen Bedingungen für die vollstän-dige Löslichkeit des kollagenfreien Muskelproteins (CFMP) aus dem Acetonpulver der Gelderschen Rauchwurst zu finden. Durch Vorversuche wurde die beste Arbeitsweise für das Zubereiten des Acetonpulvers gewählt. Zwei verschiedene Extraktionsverfahren mit zerkleinertem Wurstmaterial wurden miteinander verglichen. Die Methode mit der Acetontrockenmasse (ADM) mittels kontinuierlicher Extraktion [2] führte zu besseren Ergebnissen als die Methode mit Acetonpulver (ACP), wozu ein Mischgerät [1] verwendet wurde. Die ADM-Methode wurde für weitere Untersuchungen angewendet. ADM wurde mit zwei verschiedenen Extraktionslösungen von Natrium-Dodecylsulfat (SDS) (A und B) extrahiert. Lösung A enthalt einen Tris-Borsäure Puffer (pH 8,2) mit SDS (1,5%) und Dithioerithritol (0,05%) [3]. Die Lösung B enthält einen Borat-Salzsäure Puffer (pH 9,0) mit SDS (2,0%) und Mercapto-Ethanol (1,0%) [2]. Beide Extraktionslösungen zeigen ein lineares Verhalten zwischen den Mengen vom CFMP in ADM und in aufgelöstem CFMP. Diese Linearität wurde von 10,030,0 mg ADM (Lösungsmittel A) und von 5,030,0 mg ADM (Lösungsmittel B) gefunden. Die Lös-lichkeit in Lösung B ist gegeniiber Lösung A besser. Ein vollständig gelöstes CFMP aus ADM wurde nur bei der Extraktion von 5,0 mg ADM in 1,0 ml der Losung B erhalten. Diese Bedingung soll in unseren künftigen flüssigchromatographischen Experimenten verwendet werden.

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Supported by a grant from the Hoofdinspectie Levensmiddelen of the Ministry of Welzijn, Volksgezondheid en Cultuur     

GCase and LIMP2 Abnormalities in the Liver of Niemann Pick Type C Mice

The lysosomal storage disease Niemann–Pick type C (NPC) is caused by impaired cholesterol efflux from lysosomes, which is accompanied by secondary lysosomal accumulation of sphingomyelin and glucosylceramide (GlcCer). Similar to Gaucher disease (GD), patients deficient in glucocerebrosidase (GCase) degrading GlcCer, NPC patients show an elevated glucosylsphingosine and glucosylated cholesterol. In livers of mice lacking the lysosomal cholesterol efflux transporter NPC1, we investigated the expression of established biomarkers of lipid-laden macrophages of GD patients, their GCase status, and content on the cytosol facing glucosylceramidase GBA2 and lysosomal integral membrane protein type B (LIMP2), a transporter of newly formed GCase to lysosomes. Livers of 80-week-old Npc1^−/− mice showed a partially reduced GCase protein and enzymatic activity. In contrast, GBA2 levels tended to be reciprocally increased with the GCase deficiency. In Npc1^−/− liver, increased expression of lysosomal enzymes (cathepsin D, acid ceramidase) was observed as well as increased markers of lipid-stressed macrophages (GPNMB and galectin-3). Immunohistochemistry showed that the latter markers are expressed by lipid laden Kupffer cells. Earlier reported increase of LIMP2 in Npc1^−/− liver was confirmed. Unexpectedly, immunohistochemistry showed that LIMP2 is particularly overexpressed in the hepatocytes of the Npc1^−/− liver. LIMP2 in these hepatocytes seems not to only localize to (endo)lysosomes. The recent recognition that LIMP2 harbors a cholesterol channel prompts the speculation that LIMP2 in Npc1^−/− hepatocytes might mediate export of cholesterol into the bile and thus protects the hepatocytes.     

Visceral Adipose Tissue Displays Unique Metabolomic Fingerprints in Obesity,Pre-Diabetes and Type 2 Diabetes

Visceral adipose tissue (VAT) metabolic profiling harbors the potential to disentangle molecular changes underlying obesity-related dysglycemia. In this study, the VAT exometabolome of subjects with obesity and different glycemic statuses are analyzed. The subjects (n = 19) are divided into groups according to body mass index and glycemic status: subjects with obesity and euglycemia (Ob+NGT, n = 5), subjects with obesity and pre-diabetes (Ob+Pre-T2D, n = 5), subjects with obesity and type 2 diabetes under metformin treatment (Ob+T2D, n = 5) and subjects without obesity and with euglycemia (Non-Ob, n = 4), used as controls. VATs are incubated in culture media and extracellular metabolite content is determined by proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR). Glucose consumption is not different between the groups. Pyruvate and pyroglutamate consumption are significantly lower in all groups of subjects with obesity compared to Non-Ob, and significantly lower in Ob+Pre-T2D as compared to Ob+NGT. In contrast, isoleucine consumption is significantly higher in all groups of subjects with obesity, particularly in Ob+Pre-T2D, compared to Non-Ob. Acetate production is also significantly lower in Ob+Pre-T2D compared to Non-Ob. In sum, the VAT metabolic fingerprint is associated with pre-diabetes and characterized by higher isoleucine consumption, accompanied by lower acetate production and pyruvate and pyroglutamate consumption. We propose that glucose metabolism follows different fates within the VAT, depending on the individuals’ health status.     

Characterisation of mortar morphology in thin sections by digital image processing

A digital imaging approach was applied to investigate mortar morphology in thin sections; in particular, the binder/aggregate ratio and the grading curve of five mortar bars were attained by digital image processing (DIP), using the Image Pro Plus 4.1 software package. The imaging procedure employed image segmentation, to extract mortar aggregate, and image filtering, to fix grain boundaries. The results show that digital image processing may be considered as an alternative method to mechanical sieving for the characterisation of mortar morphology, as it appears to be quicker and more accurate than the traditional method. However, digital image processing exhibits limits, which are discussed in the text.