A Process-Based Approach to ABET Accreditation: A Case Study of a Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics Program

ABET accreditation has become a well-known standard for academic programs not only in the U.S. but also across the globe. Instantiating the processes to systematically improve the quality of programs is a daunting task for higher education institutions. In this contribution, we provide a detailed process-based framework that can assist aspiring institutions to embed quality in their processes leading to ABET accreditation. Our contribution is a novel framework for a process-based approach to quality assurance, as most of the published literature is primarily concerned with the experience of ABET accreditation of a solitary program. However, in this paper, we have presented a generic framework that ABET aspiring programs can instantiate in their preparation for ABET accreditation. We have validated these processes in our successful ABET accreditation application of the Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics program. Our existing ABET-accredited programs were following old ABET criteria and the Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity and Digital Forensics program must apply based on the new criteria proposed by ABET. Another novelty of our contribution is that it is based on our work for the first application cycle for ABET cybersecurity-related programs, so the findings of our contribution may assist other aspiring cybersecurity related academic programs to well prepare in their ABET accreditation pursuit

Patterns of [18F]FDG myocardial uptake in oncology patients as a predictor of myocardial ischaemia on stress myocardial perfusion imaging

Background: There is variable cardiac uptake observed on oncological 18F-fludeoxyglucose ([18F]FDG) positron emission/computed tomography (PET/CT). The main purpose of this study is to evaluate patterns of overnight fasting myocardial [18F]FDG uptake in oncological PET/CT and analyse the relationship between myocardial [18F]FDG uptake and myocardial ischaemia on stress single-photon emission CT (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI). Material and methods: A total of 362 subjects underwent both oncological PET/CT and stress SPECT MPI within 3 months of each other. Subjects with focal-mass-like [18F]FDG myocardial uptake raising the suspicion of cardiac metastasis and subjects with coronary artery disease (CAD) were excluded. The myocardial [18F]FDG uptake was classified into four patterns. Results: Abnormal SPECT MPI was noted in 91 (25%) patients; 220 (61%) patients had completely absent [18F]FDG uptake, 80 (22%) had diffuse [18F]FDG uptake, 39 (11%) had focal on diffuse [18F]FDG uptake, and 23 (6%) had focal or regional myocardial [18F]FDG uptake, the regional [18F]FDG myocardial uptake was the most predictive of myocardial ischaemia on SPECT MPI, and there were positive associations between age, sex, hypertension, tobacco smoking, hypercholesterolemia, and left ventricular ejection, a fair agreement was noted between the focal or regional FDG uptake and presence of ischaemia on SPECT, K = 0.394 (95% CI 0.164 to 0.189). Conclusions: Based on the presented findings, the physiological myocardial [18F]FDG uptake in fasting oncology patients is variable. The regional myocardial [18F]FDG uptake pattern is the most frequent pattern associated with myocardial ischaemia on stress SPECT MPI, however, the agreement between regional FDG uptake and presence of ischaemia on SPECT is fair

Comorbidities and Risk Factors for Severe Outcomes in COVID-19 Patients in Saudi Arabia: A Retrospective Cohort Study

Purpose: The first novel coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) case in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) was reported in Qatif in March 2020 with continual increase in infection and mortality rates since then. In this study, we aim to determine risk factors which effect severity and mortality rates in a cohort of hospitalized COVID-19 patients in KSA. Method: We reviewed medical records of hospitalized patients with confirmed COVID-19 positive results via reverse-transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction (RT-PCR) tests at Prince Mohammed Bin Abdulaziz Hospital, Riyadh between May and August 2020. Data were obtained for patient’s demography, body mass index (BMI), and comorbidities. Additional data on patients that required intensive care unit (ICU) admission and clinical outcomes were recorded and analyzed with Python Pandas. Results: A total of 565 COVID-19 positive patients were inducted in the study out of which, 63 (11.1%) patients died while 101 (17.9%) patients required ICU admission. Disease incidences were significantly higher in males and non-Saudi nationals. Patients with cardiovascular, respiratory, and renal diseases displayed significantly higher association with ICU admissions (p< 0.001) while mortality rates were significantly higher in COVID-19 patients with cardiovascular, respiratory, renal and neurological diseases. Univariate cox proportional hazards regression model showed that COVID-19 positive patients requiring ICU admission [Hazard’s ratio, HR=4.2 95% confidence interval, CI 2.5– 7.2); p< 0.001] with preexisting cardiovascular [HR=4.1 (CI 2.5– 6.7); p< 0.001] or respiratory [HR=4.0 (CI 2.0– 8.1); p=0.010] diseases were at significantly higher risk for mortality among the positive patients. There were no significant differences in mortality rates or ICU admissions among males and females, and across different age groups, BMIs and nationalities. Hospitalized patients with cardiovascular comorbidity had the highest risk of death (HR=2.9, CI 1.7– 5.0; p=0.020). Conclusion: Independent risk factors for critical outcomes among COVID-19 in KSA include cardiovascular, respiratory and renal comorbidities

Triple negative breast cancer: nanosolutions for a big challenge

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is a particular immunopathological subtype of breast cancer that lacks expression of estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER/PR) and amplification of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) gene. Characterized by aggressive and metastatic phenotypes and high rates of relapse, TNBC is the only breast cancer subgroup still lacking effective therapeutic options, thus presenting the worst prognosis. The development of targeted therapies, as well as early diagnosis methods, is vital to ensure an adequate and timely therapeutic intervention in patients with TNBC. This review intends to discuss potentially emerging approaches for the diagnosis and treatment of TNBC patients, with a special focus on nano-based solutions that actively target these particular tumors.his study was supported by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) and the European Community fund FEDER, through Program COMPETE, under the scope of the Projects FCOMP01–0124-FEDER -0 21053 (PTDC/ SAU-BMA/121028/2010), PEst-OE/ EQB/LA0023/2013, RECI/BBB-EBI/0179/2012 (FCOMP-01–0124FEDER-027462), the strategic funding of UID/BIO/04469/2013 unit, and the Projects “BioHealth – Biotechnology and Bioengineering approaches to improve health quality”, REF. NORTE-07–0124-FEDER-000027, and “BioInd – Biotechnology and Bioengineering for improved Industrial and Agro-Food processes”, REF. NORTE-07–0124-FEDER-000028, co-funded by the Programa Operacional Regional do Norte (ON.2 – O Novo Norte), QREN, FEDER. Tânia Mendes acknowledges the FCT for supporting her PhD grant (SFRH / BD / 51955 / 2012)

Omics-based molecular techniques in oral pathology centred cancer: Prospect and challenges in Africa

: The completion of the human genome project and the accomplished milestones in the human proteome project; as well as the progress made so far in computational bioinformatics and “big data” processing have contributed immensely to individualized/personalized medicine in the developed world.At the dawn of precision medicine, various omics-based therapies and bioengineering can now be applied accurately for the diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, and risk stratifcation of cancer in a manner that was hitherto not thought possible. The widespread introduction of genomics and other omics-based approaches into the postgraduate training curriculum of diverse medical and dental specialties, including pathology has improved the profciency of practitioners in the use of novel molecular signatures in patient management. In addition, intricate details about disease disparity among diferent human populations are beginning to emerge. This would facilitate the use of tailor-made novel theranostic methods based on emerging molecular evidences

Secure mobile authentication in ubiquitous networking environments

Mobile users desire to have connectivity anywhere and at anytime even in heterogeneous networks where different wireless technologies provided by different network providers. Several approaches have been proposed to allow ubiquitous networking. However, limitations still exist in those approaches, especially authentication. This research project first investigates the existing mobile authentication approaches for ubiquitous networking and then proposes a secure hybrid authentication solution with high flexibility and good performance to facilitate users’ mobility. The proposed model combines the advantages of both centralised and distributed authentication models in terms of security and performance while still achieving flexibility. The authentication process not only identifies the important and essential properties of mobile authentication, but also clarifies the relationships between the problems in mobile authentication and system properties. The proposed model can also serve as a guideline for system designers and implementers to design mobile authentication systems. The identified key solution requirements facilitate the analysis and evaluation of mobile authentication approaches. In order to realise the model, the project proposes a Passport and Visa authentication approach with protocols that possess the required properties, namely flexibility, security, and efficiency. In terms of the flexibility requirement, the Passport/Visa approach allows mobile users to access the best available wireless service with a single authentication credential to simplify the wireless network access process. Also, a mobile user can directly negotiate with potential foreign network providers for more coverage and services. In terms of the security requirement, the Passport/Visa approach provides mutual authentication and resists common attacks. This helps a foreign network ensure that the service will get paid for and also helps the mobile user ensure that the foreign network is a legitimate and trusted provider. Moreover, the proposed approach can ensure a joint key control between a foreign network and the mobile user in order to protect against the communication interception by the home network. The Passport and Visa tokens provide practical key management, user anonymity and un-traceability. In terms of the efficiency requirement, the Passport/Visa approach minimises computation, communication and storage costs. Since the proposed hybrid mobile authentication model combines the advantages of both distributed and centralised models it assists the distribution of the authentication load among engaging authentication servers. In addition, the proposed model provides a new efficient technique using recent evidence to tackle the problem of user revocation status check. The analysis and evaluation show that the proposed model, along with its realisation, offers flexible, efficient strong authentication for ubiquitous networking compared to existing approaches

Fostering Sustainable Quality Assurance Practices in Outcome-Based Education: Lessons Learned from ABET Accreditation Process of Computing Programs

Education is an important enabler for economic uplift of a society and academic institutions need to deliver quality education to equip students with required skills to excel in their professional careers. Due to international initiatives such as Washington and Seoul accords, outcome-based education has gained significant interest from industry, academia, governments, accreditation bodies and students. Outcome-based education is a paradigm shift form conventional education approach and its successful adoption requires sustainable quality practices by higher education institutions. Fostering quality assurance processes for outcome-based education requires careful planning and active collaboration among stakeholders. However, due to the sparse body of knowledge about quality processes in outcome-based education, many academic institutions rely on ad hoc practices, resulting in a trial and error approach. In this paper, we present set of guidelines which can help academic institutions to deploy sustainable practices in their academic programs. We document important guidelines to deliver outcome-based education based on our longitudinal work of ABET accreditation process of three different computing programs (Computer Science, Computer Information Systems, and Cyber Security and Digital Forensics). The successful application of proposed guidelines helps to foster sustainable quality practices in academic programs