Accountable privacy preserving attribute based framework for authenticated encrypted access in clouds

In this paper, we propose an accountable privacy preserving attribute-based framework, called Ins-PAbAC, that combines attribute based encryption and attribute based signature techniques for securely sharing outsourced data contents via public cloud servers. The proposed framework presents several advantages. First, it provides an encrypted access control feature, enforced at the data owner’s side, while providing the desired expressiveness of access control policies. Second, Ins-PAbAC preserves users’ privacy, relying on an anonymous authentication mechanism, derived from a privacy preserving attribute based signature scheme that hides the users’ identifying information. Furthermore, our proposal introduces an accountable attribute based signature that enables an inspection authority to reveal the identity of the anonymously-authenticated user if needed. Third, Ins-PAbAC is provably secure, as it is resistant to both curious cloud providers and malicious users adversaries. Finally, experimental results, built upon OpenStack Swift testbed, point out the applicability of the proposed scheme in real world scenarios

Could serum visfatin be a potential biomarker for postmenopausal breast cancer?

Objective: Previous studies have shown that visfatin is significantly elevated in patients with gastric carcinoma and postmenopausal breast cancer (PBC). We thus explored whether serum visfatin could be used as a potential diagnostic and prognostic tool for PBC, taking into account clinicopathological features, serum tumor markers, anthropometric and metabolic parameters. Methods: Serum visfatin, tumor marker CA 15-3, carcinoembryonic antigen, metabolic and anthropometric parameters were determined in 103 postmenopausal women with pathologically confirmed, incident invasive breast cancer, 103 controls matched on age and time of diagnosis, and 51 patients with benign breast lesions (BBL). Results: Mean serum visfatin was significantly higher in cases than in controls and patients with BBL (p < 0.001). In cases, visfatin was significantly associated with CA 15-3 (p = 0.03), hormone-receptor status (p < 0.001), lymph node invasion (p = 0.06) but not with metabolic and anthropometric variables (p > 0.05). Multivariable regression analysis revealed that absence of estrogen and progesterone receptors (ER-PR-) was the strongest significant determinant of serum visfatin (p < 0.001) in cases adjusting for demographic, metabolic and clinicopathological features. Based upon receiver operator characteristic analysis, serum visfatin outperformed CA 15-3 only in discriminating between PBC cases with early cancer stage than those with late stage, and in differentiating particularly patients with ER-PR- breast tumors. Conclusion: Further prospective and longitudinal studies are needed to determine whether serum visfatin could be used as a prognostic tool in the armamentarium of PBC monitoring and management in conjunction with other biomarkers. © 2011 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved

Study on the reproducibility of thyroid lesions telecytology diagnoses based upon digitized images

The objective of this study is to evaluate the reproducibility and usefulness of telecytology diagnoses proffered on the basis of digitized images from fine-needle aspiration specimens prepared by means of liquid-based cytology. Representative digital cytological images from a total of 270 thyroid fine-needle aspiration specimens were transferred via file transfer protocol to specific password-protected accounts and were remotely reviewed by five independent board-certified cytopathologists (initial round). Their reports were recorded and classified. After 6 and 12 months, the same representative digital images were transferred in random order to the same cytopathologists and were reviewed again (first and second review rounds). The cytopathologists' first and second round diagnoses were recorded and compared with their initial ones. Statistical evaluation of cytological diagnoses detected no significant difference in diagnostic accuracy among initial and review diagnoses. The overall interobserver agreement was almost perfect with K values of 0.869-0.939, whereas intraobserver agreement ranged from almost perfect to perfect with K values of 0.967-1 in all diagnostic rounds. Digitized cytological images transmission and remote evaluation allows reproducible diagnosis of thyroid gland lesions. Diagnoses made by using static telecytology systems can be equally reliable to those made by using conventional microscopy, provided that representative images are utilized and that the standard cytological diagnostic criteria are applied. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2010. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc

Endovascular Graft-Stent Placement for Treatment of Traumatic Carotid Cavernous Fistulas

Detachable balloon-based endovascular fistula occlusion is a widely accepted treatment for traumatic carotid cavernous fistulas (CCF). However, more recently coils have been used to obliterate the lesion, especially in case detachable balloon is not available. We failed balloon-assisted coil embolization for CCF because of large fistulas and herniation of coil loops into the parent artery. The authors describe our experiences of balloonexpandable graft-stents to treat CCF, and place emphasis on arterial wall reconstruction. Three traumatic CCF patients were treated using a graft-stent with/without coils, and underwent angiographic follow-up to evaluate the patency of the internal carotid artery (ICA). In all cases, symptoms related to CCF regressed after stent deployment and did not recur during follow-up. Follow-up angiography revealed good patency of the ICA in all patients. Graft-stents should be considered as an alternative means of treating CCF and preserving the parent artery by arterial wall reconstruction especially in patients with a fistula that cannot be successfully occluded with detachable balloons or coils