Legal issues in clouds: towards a risk inventory.

Cloud computing technologies have reached a high level of development, yet a number of obstacles still exist that must be overcome before widespread commercial adoption can become a reality. In a cloud environment, end users requesting services and cloud providers negotiate service-level agreements (SLAs) that provide explicit statements of all expectations and obligations of the participants. If cloud computing is to experience widespread commercial adoption, then incorporating risk assessment techniques is essential during SLA negotiation and service operation. This article focuses on the legal issues surrounding risk assessment in cloud computing. Specifically, it analyses risk regarding data protection and security, and presents the requirements of an inherent risk inventory. The usefulness of such a risk inventory is described in the context of the OPTIMIS project

Urine-derived renal epithelial cells isolated after kidney transplant are sensitive to neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin exposure during in vitro culture

Urine-derived renal epithelial cells (URECs) are highly voided after kidney transplant and express typical kidney markers, including markers of kidney epithelial progenitor cells. Recently URECs have shown promising immunomodulatory properties when cultured with Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells (PBMCs), promoting an increase in the T regulatory cells. In vivo, kidney cells are highly exposed to damage associated molecules during both acute and chronic kidney injury. Neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL) is one of the most -known early marker of acute and chronic kidney damage. However, its role on the evolution of renal damage has not yet been fully described, nor has its impact on the characteristics of renal-derived cells during in vitro culture. The aim of this study is to investigate the effect of NGAL on the characteristics of URECs isolated after kidney transplant, by exposing these cells to the treatment with NGAL during in vitro culture and evaluating its effect on UREC viability, proliferation, and immunomodulatory potential. The exposure of URECs to NGAL reduced their viability and proliferative capacity, promoting the onset of apoptosis. The immunomodulatory properties of URECs were partially inhibited by NGAL, without affecting the increase of Treg cells observed during URECPBMCs coculture. These results suggest that the exposure to NGAL may compromise some features of kidney stem and specialized cell types, reducing their viability, increasing apoptosis, and partially altering their immunomodulatory properties. Thus, NGAL could represent a target for approaches acting on its inhibition or reduction to improve functional recovery

[Hyperkinetic ventricular arrhythmias in acute myocardial infarction: different etiopathogenetic mechanisms?]

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[Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation: study of the pattern of onset using dynamic electrocardiography]

We have examined 24 hours ECG Holter recordings of 22 patients without any organic heart disease and with recurrent episodes of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) to check the possible sympatho-vagal influence on spontaneous initiation. Patients were divided into 3 groups according to average heart rate (HR) during the 24 hours recording and to the mode of onset of the arrhythmia: sympathetic (only diurnal episodes, HR greater than or equal to 75 b/min before the onset of the episode, average 24 hours HR greater than or equal to 80 b/min, progressive or sudden shortening of sinusal cycle before the onset), vagal (only nocturnal episodes, HR less than or equal to 60 b/min before the onset, average 24 hours HR less than or equal to 60 b/min, progressive or sudden lengthening of sinusal cycle before the onset of the episode) or "others" who did not show the aforementioned characteristics

[Electrocardiographic, clinical and prognostic evaluation of sustained ventricular tachycardia in acute and chronic ischemic heart disease]

We retrospectively evaluated 48 patients with sustained ventricular tachycardia (STV), in whom a 12 lead ECG had been recorded during arrhythmia, considering two groups: pts. with acute or subacute myocardial infarction (MI group = 15 pts.) and pts. with chronic post infarction ischemic heart disease (CPIIHD group = 33 pts.). The electrocardiographic patterns in the basal ECG and during SVT (16 SVT in the MI group, 40 in the CPIIHD group) as well as the in-hospital and long-term prognosis were evaluated. The two groups were comparable as far as mean age, site of acute or previous infarction, and baseline ECG parameters are concerned. QTc values greater than 440 msec were present in 64.5% of the cases. The ECG recording during SVT showed longer duration of QRS in CPIIHD group (171 +/- 39 msec) versus MI group (140 +/- 25 msec) (p less than 0.005). In comparison to basal ECG, Q waves in the SVT recording were in the same site (47.2%) or in a wider site (38.1%), rarely (10.9% of the cases) there was a discordance between the two tracings. In-hospital mortality was 40% (6/15 pts.) in MI group, related to severe hemodynamic impairment, 15.1% (5/33 pts.) in CPIIHD group. During the follow-up (mean 38.4 months) survival in CPIIHD group was 89.3% at 12 months, in MI group 88.9% at 12 months. In CPIIHD patients SVT was recurrent in 60.6% of the cases.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS

[Role of electrophysiologic study in the sick sinus syndrome and in carotid sinus syndrome]

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Electric Power System Anomaly Detection Using Neural Networks

Wellington, New Zealand, Lecture Notes in Artificial Intelligenc