An Economic Study of the Effect of Android Platform Fragmentation on Security Updates

Vendors in the Android ecosystem typically customize their devices by modifying Android Open Source Project (AOSP) code, adding in-house developed proprietary software, and pre-installing third-party applications. However, research has documented how various security problems are associated with this customization process. We develop a model of the Android ecosystem utilizing the concepts of game theory and product differentiation to capture the competition involving two vendors customizing the AOSP platform. We show how the vendors are incentivized to differentiate their products from AOSP and from each other, and how prices are shaped through this differentiation process. We also consider two types of consumers: security-conscious consumers who understand and care about security, and na\"ive consumers who lack the ability to correctly evaluate security properties of vendor-supplied Android products or simply ignore security. It is evident that vendors shirk on security investments in the latter case. Regulators such as the U.S. Federal Trade Commission have sanctioned Android vendors for underinvestment in security, but the exact effects of these sanctions are difficult to disentangle with empirical data. Here, we model the impact of a regulator-imposed fine that incentivizes vendors to match a minimum security standard. Interestingly, we show how product prices will decrease for the same cost of customization in the presence of a fine, or a higher level of regulator-imposed minimum security.Comment: 22nd International Conference on Financial Cryptography and Data Security (FC 2018

December (2013) Res

Abstract In vitro plant regeneration and daughter corm formation of saffron (Crocus sativus L.

Rapid determination of anti-tuberculosis drug resistance from whole-genome sequences

Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug resistance (DR) challenges effective tuberculosis disease control. Current molecular tests examine limited numbers of mutations, and although whole genome sequencing approaches could fully characterise DR, data complexity has restricted their clinical application. A library (1,325 mutations) predictive of DR for 15 anti-tuberculosis drugs was compiled and validated for 11 of them using genomic-phenotypic data from 792 strains. A rapid online ‘TB-Profiler’ tool was developed to report DR and strain-type profiles directly from raw sequences. Using our DR mutation library, in silico diagnostic accuracy was superior to some commercial diagnostics and alternative databases. The library will facilitate sequence-based drug-susceptibility testing

Preoperative Red Cell Distribution Width and 30-day mortality in older patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery: a retrospective cohort observational study

Increased red cell distribution width (RDW) is associated with poorer outcomes in various patient populations. We investigated the association between preoperative RDW and anaemia on 30-day postoperative mortality among elderly patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery. Medical records of 24,579 patients aged 65 and older who underwent surgery under anaesthesia between 1 January 2012 and 31 October 2016 were retrospectively analysed. Patients who died within 30 days had higher median RDW (15.0%) than those who were alive (13.4%). Based on multivariate logistic regression, in our cohort of elderly patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery, moderate/severe preoperative anaemia (aOR 1.61, p = 0.04) and high preoperative RDW levels in the 3rd quartile (>13.4% and ≤14.3%) and 4th quartile (>14.3%) were significantly associated with increased odds of 30-day mortality - (aOR 2.12, p = 0.02) and (aOR 2.85, p = 0.001) respectively, after adjusting for the effects of transfusion, surgical severity, priority of surgery, and comorbidities. Patients with high RDW, defined as >15.7% (90th centile), and preoperative anaemia have higher odds of 30-day mortality compared to patients with anaemia and normal RDW. Thus, preoperative RDW independently increases risk of 30-day postoperative mortality, and future risk stratification strategies should include RDW as a factor

Flame made ceria supported noble metal catalysts for efficient H₂ production via the water gas shift reaction

Rh/ceria catalysts were synthesized by flame spray pyrolysis for high temperature water gas shift (WGS) reactions. These catalysts show a high specific surface area due to a high degree of nanocrystallinity. X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) unraveled the formation of small Rh particles under WGS reaction conditions. The catalytic activity was examined at atmospheric pressure by measuring CO conversion as a function of temperature. Some methane formation was observed above 310 °C

Phenological growth stages of pepino (Solanum muricatum) according to the BBCH scale

[EN] The pepino (Soianum muricatum) is a solanaceous vegetatively propagated fruit crop of Andean origin. We provide a detailed description of phenological stages because it is of interest for pepino crop management and research. Given the increasing prominence of this crop, and the fact that it morphologically and developmentally variable, and different from other major solanaceous crops, we have developed a pepino specific BBCH (Biologische Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt, CHemische Industrie) numerical scale. Nine principal stages are described for germination/rooting, leaf development, formation of side shoots, main shoot elongation, inflorescence emergence, flowering, development of fruit, ripening of fruit and seed, and senescence. Secondary stages (two-digit scale) have been identified for all principal stages. Complementary descriptions using mesostages (three-digit scale) have been developed for leaf development, formation of side shoots, inflorescence emergence, and flowering phenological stages. A description of all phenological stages combined with illustrations is provided. The utility of the BBCH scale has been validated by comparing several traits of agronomic interest at specific developmental stages in a collection of pepino local varieties, modern cultivars and wild relatives. The BBCH scale developed provides uniform criteria for the description, identification and selection of phenological stages of the pepino and will facilitate the management, breeding and conservation of genetic resources of this crop. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.Herraiz García, FJ.; Vilanova Navarro, S.; Plazas Ávila, MDLO.; Gramazio, P.; Andújar, I.; Rodríguez Burruezo, A.; Fita, A.... (2015). Phenological growth stages of pepino (Solanum muricatum) according to the BBCH scale. Scientia Horticulturae. 183:1-7. doi:10.1016/j.scienta.2014.12.008S1718