Topology-aware cognitive self-protection framework for automated detection and mitigation of security and privacy incidents in 5G-IoT networks

Internet of Things (IoT) coupled with 5G networks enable unprecedented levels of scalability and performance in the computing industry. These enhanced performance features allow to offer and deploy a wide range of new use cases and services in scenarios such as Smart Cities, Smart Grid or Industry 5.0 just to mention a few. However, the inherent complexity of such networks is a serious concern in terms of security. Furthermore, the vulnerability and low-power constraints of IoT devices make such networks a targeted vector for cyber criminals. In this contribution, authors present an innovative topology-aware Cognitive Self-protection framework able to detect and mitigate attacks in an autonomous way with no human intervention in the wired segments of 5G-IoT multi-tenant networks. Preliminary tests carried out on a realistic emulated testbed show promising results in terms of time spent in stopping DDoS attacks (less than 47 seconds) and scalability for scenarios with different number of tenants and UEs (2 virtual tenants deployed in 4 Edge nodes and up to 64 IoT devices or sensors connected to the infrastructure)

A Fast 0.5 T Prepolarizer Module for Preclinical Magnetic Resonance Imaging

We present a magnet and high power electronics for Prepolarized Magnetic Resonance Imaging (PMRI) in a home-made, special-purpose preclinical system designed for simultaneous visualization of hard and soft biological tissues. The sensitivity of MRI systems grows with field strength, but so do their costs. PMRI can boost the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) in affordable low-field scanners by means of a long and strong magnetic pulse. However, this must be rapidly switched off prior to the imaging pulse sequence, in timescales shorter than the spin relaxation (or T1) time of the sample. We have operated our prepolarizer at up to 0.5 T and demonstrated enhanced magnetization, image SNR and tissue contrast with PMRI of tap water, an ex vivo mouse brain and food samples. These have T1 times ranging from hundreds of milli-seconds to single seconds, while the preliminary high-power electronics setup employed in this work can switch off the prepolarization field in tens of milli-seconds. In order to make this system suitable for solid-state matter and hard tissues, which feature T1 times as short as 10 ms, we are developing new electronics which can cut switching times to ~ 300 μs. This does not require changes in the prepolarizer module, opening the door to the first experimental demonstration of PMRI on hard biological tissues

Estudio comparado del rendimiento de los alumnos de primer curso procedentes de C.O.U. frente a los alumnos procedentes de F.P.

De los 450 alumnos de nuevo ingreso que actualmente se matriculan en las titulaciones de Ingeniería Técnica de Informática de Gestión (ITIG) o de Sistemas (ITIS,) en la Escuela Universitaria de Informática de la Universidad Politécnica de Valencia, 135 proceden de Formación Profesional (FP), mientras que la mayor parte del resto han cursado previamente el Curso de Orientación Universitaria (COU). Esta distinta procedencia provoca una importante heterogeneidad en el alumnado, pues mientras se constata, por ejemplo, una mayor habilidad de los alumnos procedentes de F.P. en algunas prácticas de laboratorio, también se evidencian en estos últimos, unas mayores carencias en lo que a conocimientos básicos se refiere, especialmente en Matemáticas. En este trabajo se compara el rendimiento académico de los alumnos de nuevo ingreso procedentes de COU frente al de los procedentes de FP, durante los cuatro cursos de vigencia del actual plan de estudios. Dado que los datos del estudio reflejan unos índices de fracaso académico muy superiores en los alumnos procedentes de FP que en los de COU, desde el curso 96-97, la Escuela decidió implantar en el primer cuatrimestre, una asignatura optativa, Elementos de Matemáticas, recomendada para los alumnos procedentes de F.P., con el fin de mitigar esa falta de conocimientos básicos. Los resultados del primer curso de implantación reflejan una cierta mejora sobre los cursos anteriores

Preparation and characterization of micro-nano engineered targets for high-power laser experiments

[EN] The continuous development of ultra-fast high-power lasers (HPL) technology with the ability of working at unprecedented repetition rates, between 1 and 10 Hz, is raising the target needs for experiments in the different areas of interest to the HPL community. Many target designs can be conceived according to specific scientific issues, however to guarantee manufacturing abilities that enable large number production and still allow for versatility in the design is the main barrier in the exploitation of these high repetition rate facilities. Here, we have applied MEMS based manufacturing processes for this purpose. In particular, we have focused on the fabrication and characterization of submicrometric conductive membranes embedded in a silicon frame. These kinds of solid targets are used for laser-driven particle acceleration through the so-called Target Normal Sheath Acceleration mechanism (TNSA). They were obtained by top-down fabrication alternating pattern transfer, atomic layer deposition, and selective material etching. The adaptability of the approach is then analyzed and discussed by evaluating different properties of targets for use in laser-driven particle acceleration experiments. These characteristics include the surface properties of membranes after fabrication and the high density of the target array. Finally, we were able to show their efficiency for laser-driven proton acceleration in a series of experiments with a 3 TW table-top laser facility, achieving stable proton acceleration up to 2 MeV.The authors highly appreciate the collaboration of Radosys (Budapest) which provided CR-39 detector material, etching bath, and readout equipment. This project has been financed by the Spanish Ministry for Economy and Competitiveness within the Retos-Colaboracion 2015 initiative, ref. RTC-2015-3278-1. P. Mur has received a grant of the Garantia Juvenil 2015 program. This work has made use of the Spanish ICTS Network MICRONANOFABS partially supported by MEINCOM.Zaffino, R.; Seimetz, M.; Quirión, D.; Ruiz-De La Cruz, A.; Sánchez, I.; Mur, P.; Benlliure, J.... (2018). Preparation and characterization of micro-nano engineered targets for high-power laser experiments. Microelectronic Engineering. 194:67-70. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mee.2018.03.011S677019

Wafer-scale fabrication of target arrays for stable generation of proton beams by laser-plasma interaction

[EN] Large-scale fabrication of targets for laser-driven acceleration of ion beams is a prerequisite to establish suitable applications, and to keep up with the challenge of increasing repetition rate of currently available high-power lasers. Here we present manufacturing and test results of large arrays of solid targets for TNSA laser-driven ion acceleration. By applying micro-electro-mechanical-system (MEMS) based methods allowing for parallel processing of thousands of targets on a single Si wafer, sub-micrometric, thin-layer metallic membranes were fabricated by combining photolithography, physical and chemical vapor deposition, selective etching, and Si micromachining. These structures were characterized by using optical and atomic force microscopy. Their performance for the production of laser-driven proton beams was tested on a purpose-made table-top Ti:Sapphire laser system running at 3 TW peak power with a contrast over ASE of 108. We have performed several test series achieving maximum proton energy values around 2 MeV.This work has made use of the Spanish ICTS Network MICRONANOFABS partially supported by MEINCOM. This project has been financed by the Spanish Ministry for Economy and Competitiveness within the Retos- Colaboración 2015 initiative, ref. RTC-2015-3278-1. P. Mur has received a grant of the Garantía Juvenil 2015 program.Zaffino, R.; Seimetz, M.; Ruiz-De La Cruz, A.; Sánchez, I.; Mur, P.; Bellido-Millán, PJ.; Lera, R.... (2018). Wafer-scale fabrication of target arrays for stable generation of proton beams by laser-plasma interaction. Journal of Physics: Conference Series (Online). 1079. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1079/1/012007S0120071079Abedi, S., Dorranian, D., Abari, M. E., & Shokri, B. (2011). Relativistic effects in the interaction of high intensity ultra-short laser pulse with collisional underdense plasma. Physics of Plasmas, 18(9), 093108. doi:10.1063/1.3633529Antici, P., Fuchs, J., d’ Humières, E., Lefebvre, E., Borghesi, M., Brambrink, E., … Pépin, H. (2007). Energetic protons generated by ultrahigh contrast laser pulses interacting with ultrathin targets. Physics of Plasmas, 14(3), 030701. doi:10.1063/1.2480610Ceccotti, T., Lévy, A., Popescu, H., Réau, F., D’Oliveira, P., Monot, P., … Martin, P. (2007). Proton Acceleration with High-Intensity Ultrahigh-Contrast Laser Pulses. Physical Review Letters, 99(18). doi:10.1103/physrevlett.99.18500

Efficient proton acceleration from a 3 TW table-top laser interacting with submicrometric mass-produced solid targets

[EN] Thin layer membranes with controllable features and material arrangements are often used as target materials for laser driven particle accelerators. Reduced cost, large scale fabrication of such membranes with high reproducibility, and good stability are central for the efficient production of proton beams. These characteristics are of growing importance in the context of advanced laser light sources where increased repetition rates boost the need for consumable targets with design and properties adjusted to study the different phenomena arising in ultra-intense laser-plasma interaction. Wepresent the fabrication of sub-micrometric thin-layer gold or aluminum membranes in a silicon wafer frame by using nano/micro-electro-mechanical-system (N/MEMS) processing which are suitable for rapid patterning and machining of many samples at the same time and allowing for high-throughput production of targets for laser-driven acceleration. Obtained targets were tested for laserproton acceleration through the Target Normal Sheath Acceleration mechanism (TNSA) in a series of experiments carried out on a purpose-made table-top Ti:Sa running at 3 TW peak power and 10 Hz diode pump rate with a contrast over ASE of 10(8)The authors highly appreciate the collaboration of Radosys (Budapest) which provided CR-39 detector material, etching bath, and readout equipment. This project has been financed by the Spanish Ministry for Economy and Competitiveness within the Retos-Colaboracion 2015 initiative, ref. RTC-2015-3278-1. P Mur has received a grant of the Garantia Juvenil 2015 program. This work has made use of the Spanish ICTS Network MICRONANOFABS partially supported by MEINCOM.Zaffino, R.; Seimetz, M.; Ruiz-De La Cruz, A.; Sánchez, I.; Mur, P.; Quirión, D.; Bellido-Millán, PJ.... (2018). Efficient proton acceleration from a 3 TW table-top laser interacting with submicrometric mass-produced solid targets. Journal of Physics Communications. 2(4):1-6. https://doi.org/10.1088/2399-6528/aabc25S1624Borghesi, M., Campbell, D. H., Schiavi, A., Haines, M. G., Willi, O., MacKinnon, A. J., … Bulanov, S. (2002). Electric field detection in laser-plasma interaction experiments via the proton imaging technique. Physics of Plasmas, 9(5), 2214-2220. doi:10.1063/1.1459457Ledingham, K., Bolton, P., Shikazono, N., & Ma, C.-M. (2014). Towards Laser Driven Hadron Cancer Radiotherapy: A Review of Progress. Applied Sciences, 4(3), 402-443. doi:10.3390/app4030402Spindloe, C., Arthur, G., Hall, F., Tomlinson, S., Potter, R., Kar, S., … Tolley, M. K. (2016). High volume fabrication of laser targets using MEMS techniques. Journal of Physics: Conference Series, 713, 012002. doi:10.1088/1742-6596/713/1/012002Schomburg, W. K. (2011). Thin Films. RWTHedition, 9-20. doi:10.1007/978-3-642-19489-4_4Bellido, P., Lera, R., Seimetz, M., Cruz, A. R. la, Torres-Peirò, S., Galán, M., … Benlloch, J. M. (2017). Characterization of protons accelerated from a 3 TW table-top laser system. Journal of Instrumentation, 12(05), T05001-T05001. doi:10.1088/1748-0221/12/05/t05001Mayer, M. (1999). SIMNRA, a simulation program for the analysis of NRA, RBS and ERDA. AIP Conference Proceedings. doi:10.1063/1.59188Ceccotti, T., Lévy, A., Popescu, H., Réau, F., D’Oliveira, P., Monot, P., … Martin, P. (2007). Proton Acceleration with High-Intensity Ultrahigh-Contrast Laser Pulses. Physical Review Letters, 99(18). doi:10.1103/physrevlett.99.185002Dollar, F., Reed, S. A., Matsuoka, T., Bulanov, S. S., Chvykov, V., Kalintchenko, G., … Maksimchuk, A. (2013). High-intensity laser-driven proton acceleration enhancement from hydrogen containing ultrathin targets. Applied Physics Letters, 103(14), 141117. doi:10.1063/1.4824361Neely, D., Foster, P., Robinson, A., Lindau, F., Lundh, O., Persson, A., … McKenna, P. (2006). Enhanced proton beams from ultrathin targets driven by high contrast laser pulses. Applied Physics Letters, 89(2), 021502. doi:10.1063/1.2220011Green, J. S., Carroll, D. C., Brenner, C., Dromey, B., Foster, P. S., Kar, S., … Zepf, M. (2010). Enhanced proton flux in the MeV range by defocused laser irradiation. New Journal of Physics, 12(8), 085012. doi:10.1088/1367-2630/12/8/085012Giuffrida, L., Svensson, K., Psikal, J., Dalui, M., Ekerfelt, H., Gallardo Gonzalez, I., … Margarone, D. (2017). Manipulation of laser-accelerated proton beam profiles by nanostructured and microstructured targets. Physical Review Accelerators and Beams, 20(8). doi:10.1103/physrevaccelbeams.20.08130

Development and Validation of Hepamet Fibrosis Scoring System A Simple, Noninvasive Test to Identify Patients With Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease With Advanced Fibrosis

Background & Aims Fibrosis affects prognoses for patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). Several non-invasive scoring systems have aimed to identify patients at risk for advanced fibrosis, but inconclusive results and variations in features of patients (diabetes, obesity and older age) reduce their diagnostic accuracy. We sought to develop a scoring system based on serum markers to identify patients with NAFLD at risk for advanced fibrosis. Methods We collected data from 2452 patients with NAFLD at medical centers in Italy, France, Cuba, and China. We developed the Hepamet fibrosis scoring system using demographic, anthropometric, and laboratory test data, collected at time of liver biopsy, from a training cohort of patients from Spain (n = 768) and validated the system using patients from Cuba (n = 344), Italy (n = 288), France (n = 830), and China (n = 232). Hepamet fibrosis score (HFS) were compared with those of previously developed fibrosis scoring systems (the NAFLD fibrosis score [NFS] and FIB-4). The diagnostic accuracy of the Hepamet fibrosis scoring system was assessed based on area under the receiver operating characteristic (AUROC) curve, sensitivity, specificity, diagnostic odds ratio, and positive and negative predictive values and likelihood ratios. Results Variables used to determine HFS were patient sex, age, homeostatic model assessment score, presence of diabetes, levels of aspartate aminotransferase, and albumin, and platelet counts; these were independently associated with advanced fibrosis. HFS discriminated between patients with and without advanced fibrosis with an AUROC curve value of 0.85 whereas NFS or FIB-4 did so with AUROC values of 0.80 (P = .0001). In the validation set, cut-off HFS of 0.12 and 0.47 identified patients with and without advanced fibrosis with 97.2% specificity, 74% sensitivity, a 92% negative predictive value, a 76.3% positive predictive value, a 13.22 positive likelihood ratio, and a 0.31 negative likelihood ratio. HFS were not affected by patient age, body mass index, hypertransaminasemia, or diabetes. The Hepamet fibrosis scoring system had the greatest net benefit in identifying patients who should undergo liver biopsy analysis and led to significant improvements in reclassification, reducing the number of patients with undetermined results to 20% from 30% for the FIB-4 and NFS systems (P < .05). Conclusions Using clinical and laboratory data from patients with NAFLD, we developed and validated the Hepamet fibrosis scoring system, which identified patients with advanced fibrosis with greater accuracy than the FIB-4 and NFS systems. the Hepamet system provides a greater net benefit for the decision-making process to identify patients who should undergo liver biopsy analysis

The MINDVIEW project: First results

[EN] We present the first results of the MINDVIEW project. An innovative imaging system for the human brain examination, allowing simultaneous acquisition of PET/MRI images, has been designed and constructed. It consists of a high sensitivity and high resolution PET scanner integrated in a novel, head-dedicated, radio frequency coil for a 3T MRI scanner. Preliminary measurements from the PET scanner show sensitivity 3 times higher than state-of-the-art PET systems that will allow safe repeated studies on the same patient. The achieved spatial resolution, close to 1 mm, will enable differentiation of relevant brain structures for schizophrenia. A cost-effective and simple method of radiopharmaceutical production from C-11-carbon monoxide and a mini-clean room has been demonstrated. It has been shown that C-11-raclopride has higher binding potential in a new VAAT null mutant mouse model of schizophrenia compared to wild type control animals. A significant reduction in TSPO binding has been found in gray matter in a small sample of drug-naive, first episode psychosis patients, suggesting a reduced number or an altered function of immune cells in brain at early stage schizophrenia. (c) 2018 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.This project is funded by EU grant FP7-HEALTH-F2-2013-603002.Benlloch Baviera, JM.; González Martínez, AJ.; Pani, R.; Preziosi, E.; Jackson, C.; Murphy, J.; Barbera Ballester, J.... (2018). The MINDVIEW project: First results. European Psychiatry. 50:21-27. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eurpsy.2018.01.002S212750Gonzalez, A. J., Gonzalez-Montoro, A., Aguilar, A., Conde, P., Canizares, G., Hernandez, L., … Benlloch, J. M. (2016). 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Journal of Psychopharmacology, 29(2), 97-115. doi:10.1177/0269881114563634Moliner, L., Correcher, C., González, A. J., Conde, P., Hernández, L., Orero, A., … Benlloch, J. M. (2013). Implementation and analysis of list mode algorithm using tubes of response on a dedicated brain and breast PET. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 702, 129-132. doi:10.1016/j.nima.2012.08.029Zelano, J., Mikulovic, S., Patra, K., Kühnemund, M., Larhammar, M., Emilsson, L., … Kullander, K. (2013). The synaptic protein encoded by the gene Slc10A4 suppresses epileptiform activity and regulates sensitivity to cholinergic chemoconvulsants. Experimental Neurology, 239, 73-81. doi:10.1016/j.expneurol.2012.09.006Antich, P., Malakhov, N., Parkey, R., Slavin, N., & Tsyganov, E. (2002). 3D position readout from thick scintillators. 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Archives of General Psychiatry, 69(8). doi:10.1001/archgenpsychiatry.2012.169Ling, T., Lewellen, T. K., & Miyaoka, R. S. (2007). Depth of interaction decoding of a continuous crystal detector module. Physics in Medicine and Biology, 52(8), 2213-2228. doi:10.1088/0031-9155/52/8/012González, A. J., Majewski, S., Sánchez, F., Aussenhofer, S., Aguilar, A., Conde, P., … Benlloch, J. M. (2016). The MINDView brain PET detector, feasibility study based on SiPM arrays. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 818, 82-90. doi:10.1016/j.nima.2016.02.046Wong, D. F., Waterhouse, R., Kuwabara, H., Kim, J., Brasic, J. R., Chamroonrat, W., … Mozley, P. D. (2013). 18F-FPEB, a PET Radiopharmaceutical for Quantifying Metabotropic Glutamate 5 Receptors: A First-in-Human Study of Radiochemical Safety, Biokinetics, and Radiation Dosimetry. 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Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, Detectors and Associated Equipment, 497(1), 60-74. doi:10.1016/s0168-9002(02)01893-4Larhammar, M., Patra, K., Blunder, M., Emilsson, L., Peuckert, C., Arvidsson, E., … Kullander, K. (2015). SLC10A4 Is a Vesicular Amine-Associated Transporter Modulating Dopamine Homeostasis. Biological Psychiatry, 77(6), 526-536. doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.07.017Kaul, M., Surti, S., & Karp, J. S. (2013). Combining Surface Treatments With Shallow Slots to Improve the Spatial Resolution Performance of Continuous, Thick LYSO Detectors for PET. IEEE Transactions on Nuclear Science, 60(1), 44-52. doi:10.1109/tns.2013.2240315Bleich, A., Brown, S.-L., Kahn, R., & van Praag, H. M. (1988). The Role of Serotonin in Schizophrenia. Schizophrenia Bulletin, 14(2), 297-315. doi:10.1093/schbul/14.2.29