Achieving network resiliency in terms of availability, reliability and fault tolerance is a central concern for network designers and operators to achieve business continuity and increase ...productivity. It is particularly challenging in increasingly virtualized network environments where network services are exposed to both hardware (e.g., bare-metal servers, switches, links, etc.) and software (VNF instances) failures. This increased risk of failures can severely deteriorate the quality of the deployed services and even lead to complete service outages. In this context, deploying services in operational networks often exacerbates the availability problem and requires considering availability of hardware and software components both individually and collectively. A key challenge in this perspective is the additional resources needed to achieve partial or full recovery after failures. In this paper, we propose a joint selective diversity and tailored redundancy mechanism to provision resilient services in an NFV framework. Diversity splits a single VNF into a pool of "N" active instances called replicas while redundancy provides "P" standby ready-to-use instances called backups. Based on an enhanced N+P model, we propose a placement solution of Service Function Chains (SFC) modeled as a Mixed Integer Linear Program (MILP). The proposed solution is designed to meet a target SFC availability level and, at the same time, to reduce the inherent cost due to diversity (overhead) and redundancy (backup resources). We evaluate the efficiency of the proposed solution through numerically and experimentally. Results demonstrate that our solution, not only, improves service resiliency by avoiding complete service outages but can also overcome network resource fragmentation.
We study here, the effect of high content of sodium doping on structural and electrical properties of Bi(Pb)2212 superconductors. The X-ray analysis results showed that all the prepared samples ...mainly belong to the superconducting tetragonal phase Bi–(Pb)2212. SEM micrographs show that the grains are closely related and have a characteristic flat shape for the superconductor Bi (Pb) 2212. For the undoped sample, the grains are randomly distributed with an average size of 5 μm. For doped samples, the morphology changes with sodium concentration. Resistivity measurements show that all samples have a superconducting character.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Defect detection on rail lines is essential for ensuring safe and efficient transportation. Current image analysis methods with deep neural networks (DNNs) for defect detection often focus on the ...defects themselves while ignoring the related context. In this work, we propose a fusion model that combines both a targeted defect search and a context analysis, which is seen as a multimodal fusion task. Our model performs rule-based decision-level fusion, merging the confidence scores of multiple individual models to classify rail-line defects. We call the model "hybrid" in the sense that it is composed of supervised learning components and rule-based fusion. We first propose an improvement to existing vision-based defect detection methods by incorporating a convolutional block attention module (CBAM) in the you only look once (YOLO) versions 5 (YOLOv5) and 8 (YOLOv8) architectures for the detection of defects and contextual image elements. This attention module is applied at different detection scales. The domain-knowledge rules are applied to fuse the detection results. Our method demonstrates improvements over baseline models in vision-based defect detection. The model is open for the integration of modalities other than an image, e.g., sound and accelerometer data.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
The effect of magnesium on the microstructural and superconducting characteristics of bulk Bi2Sr2CaCu2MgxOy superconductors with x=0 to 0.05 by solid reaction has been examined in this study. ...Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+d is formed as the primary phase, and Bi2Sr2CuO6+d (Bi-2201) is present as the parasitic phase, according to XRD data. In doped samples, the c lattice parameter decreases, indicating that Mg has entered the Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+d crystallographic unit cell. The grain morphology of the samples containing magnesium has changed significantly, and the lamellar structure typical of high temperature superconductors can be seen in the SEM micrographs. The critical temperatures, Tcoff and Tconset, are raised by the addition of Mg, delimiting the superconductive transition. Tconset's maximum value corresponds to x = 0.05.
This paper presents a systematic literature review of platooning systems with a special focus on the strategies which have been adopted to validate platooning algorithms. We collect the existing ...studies in the platooning field. The proposed algorithms are compared based on some criteria including platooning operations, communication modes, and validation strategies. Our paper allows researchers to identify the contributions that deal with some issues related to platooning systems. Also, it shows several challenges which need to be tackled.
The rapid rise in industrial and human energy consumption has caused a significant increase in global energy demand. In order to meet simultaneously the increasing energy demand and protect the ...environment, researchers have put more effort into the development of new more sustainable energy sources.
One of the promising alternatives for energy production in Pneumatic industrial sector is the integration of a hybrid power system, and making value to their produced waste and collected (tire waste) to use as an alternative energy sources. Considering the above‐mentioned facts, this study shows a techno‐economic and environmental assessment of a novel hybrid waste‐solar system configuration composed of an external depolymerization plant fueled by tires waste producing fuel for a co‐generator and a photovoltaic solar power plant ensuring the complement of the electrical need of our industrial.
The novelty of this work is the development of the research methodology and innovative Solar/Waste hybrid power system from the existing system. The simulation is carried out in the HOMER software, the integrated system results in a Cost of Energy evaluated as 0.062 $/kWh, and 25.89% of avoided Greenhouse gasses emissions with an annual carbon credit of 32,422 $.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
The increase in popularity of wireless networks in industrial, embedded, medical and public sectors has made them an appealing attack surface for attackers who exploit the vulnerabilities in network ...protocols to launch attacks such as Evil Twin, Man-in-the-middle, sniffing, etc., which may result in economic and non-economic losses. To protect wireless networks against such attacks, IEEE 802.11 keep updating the protocol standards with new and more secure versions. There has always been a direct correlation between attacks and the improvement of protocol standards. As the sophistication of attacks increases, protocol standards tend to move towards higher security, resulting in a significant rise in both latency and computational overhead, and severe degradation in the performance of low-latency applications such as Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), automotive, robotics, etc. In this paper, we make an attempt to highlight the importance of both latency and security in wireless networks from implementation and performance perspective. We make a review of existing IEEE 802.11 protocols in terms of security offered and overhead incurred to substantiate the fact that there is a need of a protocol which in addition to providing optimum security against attacks also maintains the latency and overhead. We also propose a secure and low-latency protocol known as Secure Authentication Protocol (SAP) which operates in two phases - registration and authentication, where the first phase is a one time process implemented using asymmetric cryptography and the second phase is implemented using symmetric cryptography. The protocol is structured in a way that it maintains the original structure of IEEE 802.11 protocols and performs both phases using fewer messages than existing protocols. By simulating the protocol using well-established OMNeT++ simulator, we proved that the proposed protocol incurs a low computation overhead, making it ideal for low-latency applications. We extensively verified the security properties of the proposed protocol using formal verification through widely-accepted Scyther tool. Finally, we perform a comparative analysis of SAP with existing IEEE 802.11 wireless network protocols to highlight the improvement.
Pervasive growth of Internet of Things (IoT) is visible across the globe. The 2016 Dyn cyberattack exposed the critical fault-lines among smart networks. Security of IoT has become a critical ...concern. The danger exposed by infested Internet-connected Things not only affects the security of IoT but also threatens the complete Internet eco-system which can possibly exploit the vulnerable Things (smart devices) deployed as botnets. Mirai malware compromised the video surveillance devices and paralyzed Internet via distributed denial of service attacks. In the recent past, security attack vectors have evolved bothways, in terms of complexity and diversity. Hence, to identify and prevent or detect novel attacks, it is important to analyze techniques in IoT context. This survey classifies the IoT security threats and challenges for IoT networks by evaluating existing defense techniques. Our main focus is on network intrusion detection systems (NIDSs); hence, this paper reviews existing NIDS implementation tools and datasets as well as free and open-source network sniffing software. Then, it surveys, analyzes, and compares state-of-the-art NIDS proposals in the IoT context in terms of architecture, detection methodologies, validation strategies, treated threats, and algorithm deployments. The review deals with both traditional and machine learning (ML) NIDS techniques and discusses future directions. In this survey, our focus is on IoT NIDS deployed via ML since learning algorithms have a good success rate in security and privacy. The survey provides a comprehensive review of NIDSs deploying different aspects of learning techniques for IoT, unlike other top surveys targeting the traditional systems. We believe that, this paper will be useful for academia and industry research, first, to identify IoT threats and challenges, second, to implement their own NIDS and finally to propose new smart techniques in IoT context considering IoT limitations. Moreover, the survey will enable security individuals differentiate IoT NIDS from traditional ones.
The effects of substitution of Bi by Sn in Bi 2-x Sn x Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+δ with (x = 0-0.05) on the structural and physical properties were investigated in this paper. The samples were obtained by a ...solid-state reaction method and pressed uniaxially under 225 MPa before the last heat treatment. The prepared samples were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and electron dispersive X-ray (EDX). XRD studies indicated that all prepared samples were single phase with a small fraction of Bi 2 Sr 2 CuO 6+δ secondary phase. The lattice parameters of the Bi-2212 and Bi(Sn)-2212 phases were identified using DicVol04 software by Boultif et al. The elemental compositions analysis, which was determined from EDX, indicated that the Sn introduced into the microstructure of Bi-2212 phase. The SEM micrographs show that the undoped sample consists of grains well connected with a random distribution. A very different microstructure is obtained for the doped samples, where the grains are more connected with a flat shape characteristic of the Bi-based superconductors. DC magnetic measurements show that the onset transition temperature, of about 81 K for the undoped sample, increases until about 86.2 K for the doped sample.
Dairy farmworkers are exposed to a variety of respiratory hazards, including organic and inorganic dust, allergens, disinfectants, and gases emitted by cows and their wastes resulting in a range of ...adverse health effects. In Egypt, large herd dairy farms (>1000 cattle) are growing in both size and number and thereby more workers are employed. However, there is a lack of studies on the respiratory health status of these workers. Accordingly, the present study aimed to determine the prevalence of respiratory problems, assess ventilatory functions, and highlight the predictors of abnormal spirometry patterns among Egyptian dairy farmworkers.
A cross-sectional study was carried out on 282 male workers, of whom 141 were dairy farmworkers and the other 141, not involved in livestock handling, were enrolled as controls. Full history, clinical examination, and ventilatory function measurements were done for both groups.
Dairy farmworkers had a significantly higher prevalence of respiratory symptoms (throat irritation and/or sore throat, cough, sputum production, and difficulty breathing) than controls as well as bronchitis, wheezes on chest auscultation, and obstructive ventilatory patterns. Older age (>37 years), longer smoking duration (>10 years), and longer working duration (>4 years) were independent predictors of abnormal spirometry patterns, particularly obstructive patterns, in dairy farmworkers.
Large herd dairy farms, despite being open and naturally ventilated, are hazardous to workers' respiratory health. Hence, the provision of personal protective equipment, periodic spirometry examinations as well as mandatory breaks and days off, are highly urged.