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Security in sensor networks is more important than traditional networks as they are deployed in hostile environments and are more prone to capture. Trusted third party authentication schemes, public‐key systems are not suitable owing to their high resource requirements. Key pre‐distribution was introduced in (3) to solve this problem. Our scheme achieves identical connectivity compared to the random key pre distribution (4) using a less number of preloaded keys in each sensor node. The design of our scheme is motivated by the observation that at present most key pre‐distribution schemes employ random mechanisms which use a large number of keys and are unsuitable for sensor networks. In this paper we extend the deterministic key pre‐distribution scheme proposed by us in our earlier work (1), which is based on assigning keys to sensors by placing them on a grid. This approach has been further modified to use multiple mappings of keys to nodes. In each mapping every node gets distinct set of keys which it shares with different nodes. The key assignment is done such that, there will be keys in common between nodes in different sub‐grids. After randomly being deployed, the nodes discover common keys, authenticate and communicate securely. The analysis and simulation results show that this scheme is able to achieve better security compared to the random schemes.

As large‐scale homogeneous networks suffer from high costs of communication, computation, and storage requirements, the heterogeneous sensor networks (HSN) are preferred because they provide better performance and security solutions for scalable applications in dynamic environments. Random key pre‐distribution schemes are vulnerable to collusion attacks. The purpose of this paper is to propose an efficient collusion resistant security mechanism for heterogeneous sensor networks.

The authors consider a heterogeneous sensor network (HSN) consists of a small number of powerful high‐end H‐sensors and a large number of ordinary low‐end L‐sensors. However, homogeneous sensor network (MSN) consists of only L‐sensors. Since the collusion attack on key pre‐distribution scheme mainly takes advantage of the globally applicable keys, which are selected from the same key pool, they update the key ring after initial deployment and generate new key rings by using one‐way hash function on nodes' IDs and initial key rings. Further, in the proposed scheme, every node is authenticated by the BS in order to join the network.

The analysis of the proposed scheme shows that even if a large number of nodes are compromised, an adversary can only exploit a small number of keys near the compromised nodes, while other keys in the network remain safe.

The proposed key management scheme described in the paper outperforms the previous random key pre‐distribution schemes by: considerably reducing the storage requirement, and providing more resiliency against node capture and collusion attacks.

Riding on the wave of intelligent transportation systems, the vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) is becoming a popular research topic. VANET is designed to build an environment where the vehicles can exchange information about the traffic conditions or vehicle situation to help the vehicles avoid traffic accidents or traffic jams. In order to keep the privacy of vehicles, the vehicles must be anonymous and the routing must be untraceable while still being able to be verified as legal entities. The paper aims to discuss these issues.

The exchanged messages must be authenticated to be genuine and verified that they were sent by a legal vehicle. The vehicles also can mutually trust and communicate confidentially. In VANETs, road-side units (RSUs) are installed to help the vehicles to obtain message authentication or communicate confidentially. However, the coverage of RSUs is limited due to the high cost of wide area installation. Therefore the vehicles must be able to obtain message authentication by themselves – without an RSU.

The authors take the concept of random key pre-distribution used in wireless sensor networks, modify it into a random secret pre-distribution, and integrate it with identity-based cryptography to make anonymous message authentication and private communication easier and safer. The authors construct a two-tier structure. The tier 1, trust authority, assigns n anonymous identities and embeds n secrets into these identities to be the private secret keys for the tier 2, registered vehicles. At any time, the vehicles can randomly choose one of n anonymous identities to obtain message authentication or communicate confidentially with other vehicles.

The processes of building neighbor set, setting pairing value, and message authenticating are proposed in this paper. The proposed method can protect against the attacks of compromising, masquerading, forging, and replying, and can also achieve the security requirements of VANET in message authentication, confidential communication, anonymity, and un-traceability. The performance of the proposed method is superior to the related works.

This article has been withdrawn as it was published elsewhere and accidentally duplicated. The original article can be seen here: 10.1108/17427370780000139. When citing the article, please cite: R. Kalindi, R. Kannan, S.S. Iyengar, A. Durresi, (2006), “Sub-grid based key vector assignment: A key pre-distribution scheme for distributed sensor networks”, International Journal of Pervasive Computing and Communications, Vol. 2 Iss: 1, pp. 35 - 45.

Currently, legislation relating to hazardous sites is becoming more rigorous, with the exception of nuclear installations and these are being addressed. A particular facet of accidents at nuclear installations involving radioactivity is potassium iodate prophylaxis as a counter measure. Effective distribution of stable iodine is important, with early issue to an affected populace critical. Present arrangements are unsatisfactory in that the Police Service is the principal agency for such distribution, with other agencies, for example the Health Service, acting in support. There is limited pre‐distribution to designated sites, but the practice varies throughout the country. Considerable thought has been given to the matter of an effective distribution process with the possibility shortly of guidance. It is unclear what arrangements will be in the future for this distribution and the matter will have to be treated with considerable care, bearing in mind the sensitivity of this subject as far as the public is concerned.

The Thailand National Institute of Health (NIH) established an external quality assessment (EQA) scheme on HIV serology testing since 1994 for many public health laboratories. For the past six years, the NIH has evaluated the activities of 226 laboratories.

Approximately 40,000 tests using 16 trial samples of external quality assessment panel performed at 226 laboratories during 2000‐2006. The methods performed were classified into five assays; machine‐based enzyme immunoassay (MBA), microplate‐based enzyme immunoassay (EIA), simple/rapid test and antigen assay only performed at blood screening laboratory centers. A few laboratories performed confirmation method by western blot (WB). Most participating laboratories performed at least two methods.

The evaluation showed that, during the six‐year period, the program had an increasing response rate among all groups of laboratories: government hospital laboratories, private hospital and clinic laboratories and blood screening laboratory centers. Moreover, there were no significantly different errors found between these groups. The highest median percent of overall errors found was in antigen assay. Very minimal errors appeared on other methods.

National HIV EQA program has played an important role in improving the quality of participating laboratory performance. The participating laboratories gained a better understanding and were able to use good quality anti‐HIV approved kits. Furthermore, HIV serology testing selection was varied over the past six years as microplate‐based EIA was mostly used in the past but currently MBA and simple/rapid test are more commonly used. The test methods were determined by test volumes and budget. In addition, sensitivity was one critical reason labs chose to use EIA. The most popular method used was simple/rapid testing. Overall errors occurred with all assays but not with WB. Errors could occur with any test techniques if good quality management is not employed.

The technique of cross-docking is attractive to organisations because of the lower warehousing and transportation (consolidated shipments) costs. This concept is based on the fast movement of products. Accordingly, cross-docking operations should be monitored carefully and accurately. Several factors in cross-docking operations can be impacted by uncertain sources that can lead to inaccuracy and inefficiency of this process. Although many papers have been published on different aspects of cross-docking, there is a need for a comprehensive review to investigate the sources of uncertainties in cross-docking. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to analyse and categorise sources of uncertainty in cross-docking operations. A systematic review has been undertaken to analyse methods and techniques used in cross-docking research.

A systematic review has been undertaken to analyse methods and techniques used in cross-docking research.

The findings show that existing research has limitations on the applicability of the models developed to solve problems due to unrealistic or impractical assumption. Further research directions have been discussed to fill the gaps identified in the literature review.

There has been an increasing number of papers about cross-docking since 2010, among which three are literature reviews on cross-docking from 2013 to 2016. There is an absence of study in the current literature to critically review and identify the sources of uncertainty related to cross-docking operations. Without the proper identification and discussion of these uncertainties, the optimisation models developed to improve cross-docking operations may be inherently impractical and unrealistic.

The purpose of this paper is to analyse justifications for, and accounting’s role in, arguments for and against the living wage.

A systematic content analysis of arguments made for and against the living wage in a range of secondary data sources is conducted. Boltanski and Thévenot’s typology of “orders of worth” provides the framework for analysis.

Arguments for a living wage are found to draw on a range of orders of worth. These arguments hold that while market signals have a valid role in informing wage decisions, such decisions should also take into account the civic order’s emphasis on collective outcomes, the industrial order’s emphasis on long-term organisational performance, and an emphasis on the inherent dignity of the human worker drawn from the domestic and inspired orders. Business arguments against a living wage hold that the current weight given to the tests and objectives of the market order is optimal and that a living wage would undermine firm competitiveness and, ultimately, collective well-being. Justifications of existing low-wage practices are shown to be reflected in, and naturalised by, accounting discourses and practices.

This study contributes to the emergent literature on the relationship between accounting and inequality. It elucidates accounting’s role in supporting the market order of worth and thus the stabilisation and perpetuation of income inequalities. Its analysis of the orders of worth invoked by those calling for a living wage contribute to the task of imagining and constructing an alternative, more equitable, accounting discourse and practice.

Examines those aspects of trader/consumer transactions — the quality of the organizations products and/or services, and the quality of its interaction with customers — which are critical to customer satisfaction. Considers how companies are regulating these areas, suggesting that customer satisfaction is the prerequisite for successful, legal unfettered trading. Concludes that it is those companies which recognise consumerism as an opportunity rather than a threat which are the most successful.