Intrusion detection mechanisms for VoIP applications

VoIP applications are emerging today as an important component in business and communication industry. In this paper, we address the intrusion detection and prevention in VoIP networks and describe how a conceptual solution based on the Bayes inference approach can be used to reinforce the existent security mechanisms. Our approach is based on network monitoring and analyzing of the VoIP-specific traffic. We give a detailed example on attack detection using the SIP signaling protocol

Who self‐cares wins: a global perspective on men and self-care

In this report, ‘men’s health’ is used as shorthand for ‘the health and wellbeing of men and boys’. The term ‘health practice’ is preferred to the more commonly-used concept of ‘health behaviour’. In many ways, the terms are synonymous but ‘health practice’ suggests that what people ‘do’ is not simply a matter of individual decision but is also influenced by a range of wider social, economic and cultural factors.1 Comparisons between men’s health and women’s health should not be read as meaning that women’s health is unproblematic or that bringing men’s outcomes into line with women’s would be sufficient. That is far from the case – women’s health also needs significant attention. But because the differences in male and female health are only to a small degree inevitable (less than 1-2 years of the life expectancy ‘gap’ is believed to be genetically determined)2, they are one useful indicator of where action is needed. A limitation of this report is that it is based on evidence published in English and focused primarily on the Global North which covers about one-quarter of the world’s population and includes the United States of America, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Europe. Information relevant to the Global South (broadly including Africa, Latin America, and the developing countries in Asia), has been included wherever possible, however. All figures cited have been rounded for the purposes of clarity

Influence of low grade exercise on skeletal scintigraphy using Tc-99m methylene diphosphonate

BACKGROUND: Tc-99m methylene diphosphonate [MDP] bone scan is the basis of the skeletal imaging in nuclear medicine being a highly sensitive tool for detecting bone diseases. Mechanical stimulation induced by low grade exercise or whole-body vibration appears to be advantageous regarding the maintenance and/or improvement of skeletal mass in humans. We aimed to assess the physiological influence of low grade exercise on the quality of skeletal scintigraphy using Tc-99m MDP. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Tc-99m MDP bone scan was done for 92 volunteers [Group 1; G1]. Five days later, the same subjects were re-scanned [Group 2; G2] after an exercise on treadmill for 5 minutes. Image quality was assessed using quantitative measures whereby equal regions of interest (ROI) were drawn over the femoral diaphysis, and the contralateral adductor area. The total number of counts from the bone [B] ROI and soft tissue [ST] ROI was expressed as a ratio [B:ST ratio] and a mean value for each was established. RESULTS: Statistically significant difference was found between the B:ST ratio means [p = 0.001] in G1 and G2. CONCLUSION: This study raised a physiological influence of low grade exercise on the image quality of tc-99m MDP skeletal scintigraphy by increasing MDP osseous uptake

Utjecaj fluniksina na uklanjanje i dinamiku rezidua oksitetraciklina u mlijeku mliječnih pasmina koza

This research assessed the impact of flunixin meglumine (FM) co-administration on the elimination and milk residual properties of oxytetracycline (OTC) in dairy goats. OTC was administered via single intravenous (i/v) and intramuscular (i/m) injections at a dose of 10 mg/kg body mass (b.m.). Serum, urine, milk and ruminal juice were analysed using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The OTC serum concentrations were higher than the MIC for 12 hours against most susceptible pathogens in both groups. The half-lives of the distribution (T1/2α) and elimination (T1/2β) of OTC were 0.24 and 5.79 hours, respectively. The total body clearance was significantly increased in the FM coadministered groups. Following i/m injection, the absorption half-life (T1/2ab) with the maximum absorption time (Tmax) revealed a rapid absorption rate. Furthermore, the systemic bioavailability (F%) after i/m was 107.2%, indicating complete absorption from the muscular tissues. The bounded fraction of OTC with serum proteins was 18.73%. FM significantly decreases OTC concentration in milk and ruminal juice. OTC is eliminated primarily through the kidneys and to a lesser extent via milk and ruminal juice in dairy goats. Milk obtained from OTC treated goats may not be safe for human consumption two days post administration. Concomitantly, the use of FM with OTC may necessitate the surveillance and optimization of OTC dosage.Istražen je utjecaj fluniksina-meglumina (FM) na uklanjanje i rezidualna svojstva oksitetraciklina (OTC) u mlijeku mliječnih pasmina koza. OTC je dan jednokratno intravenski i intramuskularno u dozi od 10 mg/kg tjelesne mase. Serum, urin, mlijeko i buražni sok analizirani su tekućinskom kromatografijom visoke učinkovitosti (HPLC). Koncentracije OTC u serumu bile su tijekom 12 sati više od najmanje inhibitorne koncentracije za najosjetljivije patogene u objema skupinama. Vrijeme polurazgradnje OTC-a (T1/2α) bilo je 0,24 sata, a vrijeme uklanjanja (T1/2β) 5,79 sati. Vrijeme potpunog uklanjanja OTC-a statistički znakovito je poraslo u skupinama kojima je istodobno dan i fluniksin-meglumin. Nakon intramuskularne injekcije poluvijek apsorpcije (T1/2ab) s maksimalnim vremenom apsorpcije (Tmax) pokazao je veću brzinu apsorpcije. Osim toga sistemska bioraspoloživost (F %) nakon intramuskularne primjene bila je 107,2 % što upućuje na potpunu apsorpciju iz mišićnih tkiva. Dio OTC-a vezan na serumske proteine iznosio je 18,73 %. Fluniksin-meglumin statistički znakovito je smanjio koncentracije OTC-a u mlijeku i buražnom soku. OTC je uklonjen ponajprije putem bubrega i, u manjoj mjeri, mlijekom i buražnim sokom u mliječnih pasmina koza. Mlijeko dobiveno od koza kojima je davan OTC nije prikladno za upotrebu u ljudi do dva dana nakon primjene. Istodobna primjena FM-a s OTC-om može zahtijevati praćenje i optimizaciju OTC doze

Predicting walking and cycling behaviour change using an extended Theory of Planned Behaviour

Introduction The psychological predictors of behaviour change may differ from the predictors of engaging in behaviour, and there is limited evidence on the associations between psychological constructs and changes in physical activity behaviours such as walking and cycling. This study of observational cohort data examined whether an extended version of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (eTPB) predicted change in walking and cycling for transport and recreation using a population-based sample of adults from three UK municipalities. Methods We used baseline, 1-year and 2-year follow-up data from the iConnect study. Nine psychological constructs from the eTPB as well as weekly time spent (i) walking and (ii) cycling, each (i) for transport and (ii) for recreation, were self-reported at all time points. Multinomial logistic regression was used to examine associations between baseline eTPB constructs and (i) increases and (ii) decreases in the four behavioural outcomes, adjusted for socio-demographic characteristics. Results 1796 and 1465 participants provided 1- and 2-year follow-up data, respectively. All eTPB constructs except subjective norms were associated with changes in at least one of the four outcomes, but these amounted to relatively few significant associations among the large number tested. In general, eTPB constructs were more often associated with increases than with decreases in time spent walking and cycling. Conclusions This is one of the first known studies to examine psychological predictors of change in walking and cycling for transport and recreation using an extended TPB. Future interventions to promote walking and cycling through individually delivered approaches might consider fostering the development of positive attitudes, perceived behavioural control, intentions, and habits for these behaviours.The iConnect consortium was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). JP and DO are supported by the Medical Research Council (unit programme number MC_UU_12015/6) and DO was also supported by the Centre for Diet and Activity Research (CEDAR), a UKCRC Public Health Research Centre of Excellence. Funding from the British Heart Foundation, Economic and Social Research Council, Medical Research Council, National Institute for Health Research and the Wellcome Trust, under the auspices of the UK Clinical Research Collaboration, is gratefully acknowledged

STUDY OF THE POSSIBLE ANTIHYPERTENSIVE AND HYPOLIPIDEMIC EFFECTS OF AN HERBAL MIXTURE ON L-NAME-INDUCED HYPERTENSIVE RATS

Objective: Hypertension is a chronic medical condition. Diet can improve blood pressure control and decrease the risk of health complication.Methods: In this study, four plants: Roselle, Marjoram, Chamomile, and Doum were extracted by water. Equal portions of them were mixed. Lethaldose 50% of the mixture was assayed; the dose which did not cause any mortality was 266.94 mg/100 g body weight. Animals were classified into fivegroups: Negative control group, positive control group where hypertension was induced by L-name, two groups treated with two doses of the mixture,and a group treated with prazosin as a standard treatment. Treatment of hypertensive rats continued for 4 successive weeks.Results: Treatment with the mixture showed a significant reduction in blood pressure of hypertensive rats, as well as serum cholesterol, low-densitylipoprotein-cholesterol, and urea levels when compared to positive control group.Conclusion: The results obtained suggest that the aqueous extract is efficient as an antihypertensive and hypolipidemic agent.Keywords: Rats, Aqueous extract, Hypertension, Hyperlipidemia, L-name

Determination of urban volatile organic compound emission ratios and comparison with an emissions database

During the NEAQS-ITCT2k4 campaign in New England, anthropogenic VOCs and CO were measured downwind from New York City and Boston. The emission ratios of VOCs relative to CO and acetylene were calculated using a method in which the ratio of a VOC with acetylene is plotted versus the photochemical age. The intercept at the photochemical age of zero gives the emission ratio. The so determined emission ratios were compared to other measurement sets, including data from the same location in 2002, canister samples collected inside New York City and Boston, aircraft measurements from Los Angeles in 2002, and the average urban composition of 39 U.S. cities. All the measurements generally agree within a factor of two. The measured emission ratios also agree for most compounds within a factor of two with vehicle exhaust data indicating that a major source of VOCs in urban areas is automobiles. A comparison with an anthropogenic emission database shows less agreement. Especially large discrepancies were found for the C2-C4 alkanes and most oxygenated species. As an example, the database overestimated toluene by almost a factor of three, which caused an air quality forecast model (WRF-CHEM) using this database to overpredict the toluene mixing ratio by a factor of 2.5 as well. On the other hand, the overall reactivity of the measured species and the reactivity of the same compounds in the emission database were found to agree within 30%. Copyright 2007 by the American Geophysical Union

STEROLS BIOACTIVITY OF RUTA GRAVEOLENS L. AND MURRAYA PANICULATA L.

Objective: Ruta graveolens L. (R. graveolens) and Murraya paniculata L. (M. paniculata) are medicinal plants belonging to Rutaceae family have many uses in traditional medicine. The aim of the present study was to investigate sterols bioactivity of the two Rutaceae plant leaves.Methods: Sterols of the two Rutaceae plant leaves were identified using GC/MS. The antioxidant activities of the sterols of these herbs were evaluated by three different methods; free radical scavenging using 2,2′-Azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS), 1,1-Diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH) and total antioxidant activity. The anticancer activity of the sterols was determined by MTT assay against colorectal cancer HCT116, breast cancer MCF7, liver cancer HepG2 and lung cancer A549 cell lines. Anti-inflammatory activity was evaluated using albumin denaturation assay and antiviral activities against H5N1 virus were carried out using plaque reduction assay.Results: GC/MS assay showed β-Sitosterol (36%) as the most abundant sterols of R. graveolens followed by stigmasterol (18%), while stigmasterol (25.2%) was the most abundant one of M. paniculata steroids. The anti-inflammatory potential of R. graveolens steroids was significantly higher than that of diclofenac sodium (standard drug). M. paniculata sterols have higher antiviral activity (IC50= 0.15 of µg/ml) than R. graveolens sterols (IC50= 7.8 of µg/ml). The sterols of R. graveolens showed anticancer activity against MCF7 and A549 cells with inhibition 84.3 and 81%, at 100 µg/ml respectively. While M. paniculata sterols showed 77.3% inhibition against A549 cells.Conclusion: The current study suggests that the sterols of M. paniculata have more anti-viral activity than R. graveolens sterols which showed more anticancer and anti-inflammatory activities