An investigation into financial fraud in online banking and card payment systems in the UK and China

This doctoral thesis represents an investigation into financial fraud in online banking and card payment systems in the UK and China, involving network security, online financial transactions, internet fraud, card payment systems and individuals’ perception of and behaviours towards electronic environments. In contrast to previous studies, the research questions were tackled by survey questionnaires both in the UK and China, with a particular interest in fraud and attempted fraud. The main findings from the UK respondents were that those with higher IT skill and younger respondents are more likely to be defrauded on the internet. Certain types of online activities are associated with higher risks of fraud, these being internet banking; online shopping and media downloading. Furthermore, four predictors (internet banking, online education services, downloading media and length of debit card usage) provided significant effects in the logistic regression model to explain fraud occurrence in the UK. Based on the data collected in China, younger respondents were more likely to have higher general IT skill and higher educational qualifications. However, online shopping was the only online activity which was significantly correlated to fraud occurrence. Finally, two predictors (frequency of usage of online shopping and number of debit cards) were selected in the logistic regression model to explain fraud occurrence in China

Analisis isi situs Kiblat.Net dan Voa-Islam.Com: studi radikalitas paham keagamaan melalui indeks radikal

Dalam konstelasi politik di Indonesia, masalah radikalisme Islam semakin membesar karena pendukungnya juga semakin meningkat. Akan tetapi, gerakan-gerakan radikal ini kadang berbeda pandangan serta tujuan sehingga tidak memiliki pola yang seragam. Ada yang berpendapat sekadar memperjuangkan implementasi syariat Islam tanpa keharusan mendirikan negara Islam, namun ada pula yang memperjuangkan berdirinya negara Islam Indonesia. Secara garis besar gerakan radikalisme disebabkan oleh faktor ideologi dan faktor non-ideologi. Ada sejumlah instrumen ilmiah dalam memahami karakteristik dan tipikal radikal yang diperkenalkan oleh para ahli. Misalnya Multiscale Modelling of Radical and Counter-Radical Islamic Organization, model multi skala tentang radikalitas dan perlawanan terhadap radikalitas yang dilakukan oleh organisasi islam yang didasarkan pada kriteria yang tepat dan bersifat obyektif. Empat dimensi yang akan menjadi content skala itu diantaranya: Dimensi Epistemologi (Epistemology), Dimensi Pengembangan Sikap Toleransi Keberagamaan (Religious Diversity Tolerance), Perubahan Orientasi (Change Orientation) dan Ideologi Kekerasan (Violence Ideology). Media online adalah media massa yang tersaji secara online di situs web (website) internet. Kehadiran media online membuat beragam macam informasi atau berita yang disebarkan menjadi lebih cepat dan dapat diakses kapan pun dan dimana pun oleh masyarakat dengan koneksi internet. Sejak kemajuan teknologi, perkembangan komunikasi mengalami banyak perubahan. Perubahan informasi tersebut dikhawatirkan akan membawa dampak bagi masyarakat. Hal tersebut menjadi hal yang penting untuk diperhatikan, lebih khusus saat ini negara Indonesia sedang rentan akan konten-konten negatif seperti ujaran kebencian, fitnah, provokasi, SARA, penghinaan simbol negara, phising hingga malware. Fenomena yang saat ini terjadi adalah meningkatnya semangat keagamaan di berbagai dunia. Ada banyak bahkan ratusan situs Islam yang telah diblokir oleh pihak pemerintah. Hal tersebut dilakukan sebab sejumlah situs web Islam diindikasikan adanya konten-konten negatif hingga phising dan malware yang berpotensi menimbulkan sentimen di kehidupan bermasyarakat. Akan tetapi yang lebih penting adalah esensi atau tujuan pemerintah yang ingin membendung upaya persebaran paham radikalisme di Indonesia yaitu mencegah kecenderungan situs yang rawan disusupi oleh tujuan beberapa kelompok kepentingan yang ingin melancarkan tujuan dasarnya yakni menjadikan Indonesia sebagai lahan perang kepentingan

Rubber Toughened and Nanoparticle Reinforced Epoxy Composites

Epoxy resins have achieved acceptance as adhesives, coatings, and potting compounds, but their main application is as matrix to produce reinforced composites. However, their usefulness in this field still limited due to their brittle nature. Some studies have been done to increase the toughness of epoxy composites, of which the most successful one is the modification of the polymer matrix with a second toughening phase. Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) is one of the most important technologies to manufacture fiber reinforced composites. In the last decade it has experimented new impulse, due to its favorable application to produce large surface composites with good technical properties and at relative low cost. This research work focuses on the development of novel modified epoxy matrices, with enhanced mechanical and thermal properties, suitable to be processed by resin transfer molding technology, to manufacture Glass Fiber Reinforced Composites (GFRC’s) with improved performance in comparison to the commercially available ones. In the first stage of the project, a neat epoxy resin (EP) was modified using two different nano-sized ceramics: silicium dioxide (SiO2) and zirconium dioxide (ZrO2); and micro-sized particles of silicone rubber (SR) as second filler. Series of nanocomposites and hybrid modified epoxy resins were obtained by systematic variation of filler contents. The rheology and curing process of the modified epoxy resins were determined in order to define their aptness to be processed by RTM. The resulting matrices were extensively characterized qualitatively and quantitatively to precise the effect of each filler on the polymer properties. It was shown that the nanoparticles confer better mechanical properties to the epoxy resin, including modulus and toughness. It was possible to improve simultaneously the tensile modulus and toughness of the epoxy matrix in more than 30 % and 50 % respectively, only by using 8 vol.-% nano-SiO2 as filler. A similar performance was obtained by nanocomposites containing zirconia. The epoxy matrix modified with 8 vol.-% ZrO2 recorded tensile modulus and toughness improved up to 36% and 45% respectively regarding EP. On the other hand, the addition of silicone rubber to EP and nanocomposites results in a superior toughness but has a slightly negative effect on modulus and strength. The addition of 3 vol.-% SR to the neat epoxy and nanocomposites increases their toughness between 1.5 and 2.5 fold; but implies also a reduction in their tensile modulus and strength in range 5-10%. Therefore, when the right proportion of nanoceramic and rubber were added to the epoxy resin, hybrid epoxy matrices with fracture toughness 3 fold higher than EP but also with up to 20% improved modulus were obtained. Widespread investigations were carried out to define the structural mechanisms responsible for these improvements. It was stated, that each type of filler induces specific energy dissipating mechanisms during the mechanical loading and fracture processes, which are closely related to their nature, morphology and of course to their bonding with the epoxy matrix. When both nanoceramic and silicone rubber are involved in the epoxy formulation, a superposition of their corresponding energy release mechanisms is generated, which provides the matrix with an unusual properties balance. From the modified matrices glass fiber reinforced RTM-plates were produced. The structure of the obtained composites was microscopically analyzed to determine their impregnation quality. In all cases composites with no structural defects (i.e. voids, delaminations) and good superficial finish were reached. The composites were also properly characterized. As expected the final performance of the GFRCs is strongly determined by the matrix properties. Thus, the enhancement reached by epoxy matrices is translated into better GFRC´s macroscopical properties. Composites with up to 15% enhanced strength and toughness improved up to 50%, were obtained from the modified epoxy matrices

A Subgroup Identification Method with Interaction Filtering and Quantitative Criteria

Subgroup identification has always been of great interest among the many functions and applications of statistical learning. In the pharmaceutical area, it is desirable to find a subgroup with enhanced treatment effect so that we can efficiently lower the number of patients required for a trail and improve the success rate of drug development projects. A more familiar name for this application is called personalized medicine, which has drawn great attention recently. A majority of work has been done regarding the personalized medicine with their pros and cons. Some methods focus on the detection of subgroup effects but do not provide any way to select patients. Some methods have a tree regression style and provide a detailed picture of each patient’s performance, they are hence more optimized for prediction rather than subgroup identification. Some methods try to “maximize the effect” in the training dataset but tend to be too greedy. There are also methods trying to build a score system to stratify the patients. In this dissertation, we propose a subgroup identification method with interaction filtering and quantitative criteria. More specifically, the method consists of two steps. Step 1 can select relevant interactions related to the individual treatment benefit without modeling the main effects. Step 2 can select a desired subgroup based on some quantitative criteria without relying on any specific model. The proposed method works for both the continuous and the survival response, and is shown to have a better performance than some popular existing methods

Heteroskedasticity-robust semi-parametric GMM estimation of a spatial model with space-varying coefficients

<p>Heteroskedasticity-robust semi-parametric GMM estimation of a spatial model with space-varying coefficients. <i>Spatial Economic Analysis</i>. The spatial model with space-varying coefficients proposed by Sun et al. in 2014 has proved to be useful in detecting the location effects of the impacts of covariates as well as spatial interaction in empirical analysis. However, Sun et al.’s estimator is inconsistent when heteroskedasticity is present – a circumstance that is more realistic in certain applications. In this study, we propose a kind of semi-parametric generalized method of moments (GMM) estimator that is not only heteroskedasticity robust but also takes a closed form written explicitly in terms of observed data. We derive the asymptotic distributions of our estimators. Moreover, the results of Monte Carlo experiments show that the proposed estimators perform well in finite samples.</p

Charged Surface Regulates the Molecular Interactions of Electrostatically Repulsive Peptides by Inducing Oriented Alignment

Regulation of molecular orientation of charged dipeptides and involved interactions by electrostatic repulsion from like-charged surfaces were studied using all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. It was found that a charged surface can induce oriented alignment of like-charged peptides, and the oriented alignment leads to enhanced electrostatic repulsion between the peptide molecules. The findings are consistent with previous experimental results about the inhibition of charged protein aggregation using like-charged ion-exchange resin. Furthermore, the simulations provided molecular insights into this process, and demonstrated the distinct regulation effect of like-charged surfaces on the molecular interactions between peptides that possess an electric dipole structure. Both the charged surface and the electric dipole structure of peptides were confirmed to be crucial for the regulation. The research is expected to facilitate the rational design of surfaces or devices to regulate the behavior of amphoteric molecules such as proteins for both <i>in vivo</i> and <i>in vitro</i> applications, which would contribute to the regulation of protein–protein interactions and its application in life science and biotechnology

Biomimetic Design of Platelet Adhesion Inhibitors to Block Integrin α2β1-Collagen Interactions: I. Construction of an Affinity Binding Model

Platelet adhesion on a collagen surface through integrin α2β1 has been proven to be significant for the formation of arterial thrombus. However, the molecular determinants mediating the integrin–collagen complex remain unclear. In the present study, the dynamics of integrin–collagen binding and molecular interactions were investigated using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and molecular mechanics–Poisson–Boltzmann surface area (MM-PBSA) analysis. Hydrophobic interaction is identified as the major driving force for the formation of the integrin–collagen complex. On the basis of the MD simulation and MM-PBSA results, an affinity binding model (ABM) of integrin for collagen is constructed; it is composed of five residues, including Y157, N154, S155, R288, and L220. The ABM has been proven to capture the major binding motif contributing 84.8% of the total binding free energy. On the basis of the ABM, we expect to establish a biomimetic design strategy of platelet adhesion inhibitors, which would be beneficial for the development of potent peptide-based drugs for thrombotic diseases

Table_1_Red and processed meat and pancreatic cancer risk: a meta-analysis.DOCX

BackgroundThe relationship between red and processed meat consumption and pancreatic cancer risk is controversial and no study has looked specifically at the correlation for 6 years. We conducted a meta-analysis to summarize the evidence about the association between them.MethodsWe systematically searched PubMed, Embase and Cochrane Library for studies of red or processed meat consumption and pancreatic cancer published from December 2016 to July 2022. We performed random-effects models to pool the relative risks from individual studies. Subgroup analyses were used to figure out heterogeneity. We also performed publication bias analysis.ResultsSeven cohort studies and one case–control study that contained a total of 7,158 pancreatic cancer cases from 805,177 participants were eligible for inclusion. The combined RRs (95% CI) comparing highest and lowest categories were 1.07 (95% CI: 0.91–1.26; p = 0.064) for red meat and 1.04 (95% CI: 0.81–1.33; p = 0.006) for processed meat with statistically significant heterogeneity.ConclusionThis meta-analysis suggested that red and processed meat consumption has no relationship with pancreatic cancer risk.</p

Image_4_Transcriptional regulatory cascade of LcMYB71 and LcNAC73 affects low-temperature and drought stress response in Lonicera caerulea.tif

The development of stress tolerance is regulated via the transcriptional regulatory networks involving regulatory homeostasis mediated by protein–DNA interactions. LcNAC73 from Lonicera caerulea was characterized to understand the underlying mechanism of low-temperature and drought stress response in L. caerulea. To better understand the transcription pathway of LcNAC73, we cloned the promoter and screened proteins that could interact with the promoter. Using Yeast one-hybrid, electrophoretic mobility shift, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, we found that the LcMYB71 protein specifically bound to the promoter of LcNAC73. The transient transformation and stable transgenic system were used to produce transgenic L. caerulea plants with overexpressed and silenced LcNAC73, elucidating the effect of LcNAC73 on low-temperature and drought stress tolerance. LcNAC73 positively regulated the proline content and enhanced the scavenging of reactive oxygen species, thus improving tolerance to low-temperature and drought stress. Further studies revealed that LcMYB71 and LcNAC73 had similar functions and could improve plant low-temperature and drought tolerance. It is necessary to identify the upstream regulators of a specific gene to characterize gene functions and the associated transcriptional pathways.</p

Image_3_Transcriptional regulatory cascade of LcMYB71 and LcNAC73 affects low-temperature and drought stress response in Lonicera caerulea.tif

The development of stress tolerance is regulated via the transcriptional regulatory networks involving regulatory homeostasis mediated by protein–DNA interactions. LcNAC73 from Lonicera caerulea was characterized to understand the underlying mechanism of low-temperature and drought stress response in L. caerulea. To better understand the transcription pathway of LcNAC73, we cloned the promoter and screened proteins that could interact with the promoter. Using Yeast one-hybrid, electrophoretic mobility shift, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays, we found that the LcMYB71 protein specifically bound to the promoter of LcNAC73. The transient transformation and stable transgenic system were used to produce transgenic L. caerulea plants with overexpressed and silenced LcNAC73, elucidating the effect of LcNAC73 on low-temperature and drought stress tolerance. LcNAC73 positively regulated the proline content and enhanced the scavenging of reactive oxygen species, thus improving tolerance to low-temperature and drought stress. Further studies revealed that LcMYB71 and LcNAC73 had similar functions and could improve plant low-temperature and drought tolerance. It is necessary to identify the upstream regulators of a specific gene to characterize gene functions and the associated transcriptional pathways.</p