New threats to health data privacy

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Along with the rapid digitalization of health data (e.g. Electronic Health Records), there is an increasing concern on maintaining data privacy while garnering the benefits, especially when the data are required to be published for secondary use. Most of the current research on protecting health data privacy is centered around data de-identification and data anonymization, which removes the identifiable information from the published health data to prevent an adversary from reasoning about the privacy of the patients. However, published health data is not the only source that the adversaries can count on: with a large amount of information that people voluntarily share on the Web, sophisticated attacks that join disparate information pieces from multiple sources against health data privacy become practical. Limited efforts have been devoted to studying these attacks yet.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>We study how patient privacy could be compromised with the help of today’s information technologies. In particular, we show that private healthcare information could be collected by aggregating and associating disparate pieces of information from multiple online data sources including online social networks, public records and search engine results. We demonstrate a real-world case study to show user identity and privacy are highly vulnerable to the attribution, inference and aggregation attacks. We also show that people are highly identifiable to adversaries even with inaccurate information pieces about the target, with real data analysis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>We claim that too much information has been made available electronic and available online that people are very vulnerable without effective privacy protection.</p

Study on behavior incentive mechanism of energy conservation and emission reduction for China freshwater live fish supply chain

Purpose: The purpose of this paper investigates the subject behavior of Energy conservation and emission reduction (ECER) based on structured classification of the organization types of FLF supply chain, and explores reasonable behavior incentive mechanism for ECER of FLF supply chain in China. Design/methodology/approach: This paper classifies the organization subjects of FLF supply chain, and different characteristics of organization subjects are compared in detail. ECER behavior incentive mechanism modeling of FLF supply chain is explored by taking advantage of principal-agent model in view of asymmetry information. Incentives issue of different operating subjects is discussed as enlightenment of the model. Findings: Three types of the organization subjects of FLF supply chain in China have been identified as: loose organization, semi-compact organization and compact organization. Subjects of different types have different abilities to conduct ECER work. Government needs to propose differentiation polices of incentive compensation for different operating subjects, widen the gap of differentiated subsidies/rewards for different investment levels on ECER conducted by different operating subjects of FLF supply chain. Research limitations/implications: It will take long-term unremitting efforts to achieve the target of ECER work for FLF supply chain in China, the dynamic issues and simulation modeling on behavior incentive mechanism of ECER should be developed in future research. Practical implications: Clear understanding of structured classification of the organization subject types of FLF supply chain and the behavior incentive mechanism for ECER, will help government to improve the ECER work in an efficient and effective way. Originality/value: Research to behavior incentive mechanism of ECER has important theoretical value and practical significance. This paper contributes to distinguish three types of operating subjects of FLF supply chain in China, put forward the behavior incentive mechanism of ECER to support the government to improve the ECER work scientifically.Peer Reviewe

Study on behavior incentive mechanism of energy conservation and emission reduction for China freshwater live fish supply chain

Purpose: The purpose of this paper investigates the subject behavior of Energy conservation and emission reduction (ECER) based on structured classification of the organization types of FLF supply chain, and explores reasonable behavior incentive mechanism for ECER of FLF supply chain in China. Design/methodology/approach: This paper classifies the organization subjects of FLF supply chain, and different characteristics of organization subjects are compared in detail. ECER behavior incentive mechanism modeling of FLF supply chain is explored by taking advantage of principal-agent model in view of asymmetry information. Incentives issue of different operating subjects is discussed as enlightenment of the model. Findings: Three types of the organization subjects of FLF supply chain in China have been identified as: loose organization, semi-compact organization and compact organization. Subjects of different types have different abilities to conduct ECER work. Government needs to propose differentiation polices of incentive compensation for different operating subjects, widen the gap of differentiated subsidies/rewards for different investment levels on ECER conducted by different operating subjects of FLF supply chain. Research limitations/implications: It will take long-term unremitting efforts to achieve the target of ECER work for FLF supply chain in China, the dynamic issues and simulation modeling on behavior incentive mechanism of ECER should be developed in future research. Practical implications: Clear understanding of structured classification of the organization subject types of FLF supply chain and the behavior incentive mechanism for ECER, will help government to improve the ECER work in an efficient and effective way. Originality/value: Research to behavior incentive mechanism of ECER has important theoretical value and practical significance. This paper contributes to distinguish three types of operating subjects of FLF supply chain in China, put forward the behavior incentive mechanism of ECER to support the government to improve the ECER work scientifically.Peer Reviewe

Emodin Induced SREBP1-Dependent and SREBP1-Independent Apoptosis in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cells

Reynoutria multiflora (Thunb.) Moldenke (He Shou Wu) has been used for about 20 centuries as a Chinese medicinal herb for its activities of anticancer, anti-hyperlipidemia, and anti-aging. Previously, we found that He Shou Wu ethanol extract could induce apoptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma cells, and we also screened its active components. In this study, we investigated whether lowering lipid metabolism of emodin, a main active component in He Shou Wu, was associated with inhibitory effects in hepatocellular carcinoma cells. The correlation of apoptosis induction and lipid metabolism was investigated. The intrinsic apoptotic cell death, lipid production, and their signaling pathways were investigated in emodin-treated human hepatocellular carcinoma cells Bel-7402. The data showed that emodin triggered apoptosis in Bel-7402 cells. The mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) was reduced in emodin-treated Bel-7402 cells. We also found that emodin activated the expression of intrinsic apoptosis signaling pathway-related proteins, cleaved-caspase 9 and 3, Apaf 1, cytochrome c (CYTC), apoptosis-inducing factor, endonuclease G, Bax, and Bcl-2. Furthermore, the level of triglycerides and desaturation of fatty acids was reduced in Bel-7402 cells when exposed to emodin. Furthermore, the expression level of messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein of sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 (SREBP1) as well as its downstream signaling pathway and the synthesis and the desaturation of fatty acid metabolism-associated proteins (adenosine triphosphate citrate lyase, acetyl-CoA carboxylase alpha, fatty acid synthase (FASN), and stearoyl-CoA desaturase D) were also decreased. Notably, knock-out of SREBP1 in Bel-7402 cells was also found to induce less intrinsic apoptosis than did emodin. In conclusion, these results indicated that emodin could induce apoptosis in an SREBP1-dependent and SREBP1-independent manner in hepatocellular carcinoma cells

A stable variational formulation for non-ordinary state-based peridynamics

The paper builds a stable variational formulation for the non-ordinary state-based peridynamics (NOSB-PD). Firstly, a new force state vector is reformulated by introducing the first Piola-Kirchhoff stress in continuum mechanics. The consistency of the new governing equation of the proposed pridynamic model and classical continuum mechanics is proved. Secondly, a stable variational formulation of non-ordinary state based peridynamics is developed to unify the boundary conditions in peridynamcis and continuum mechanics. The zero mode oscillations of non-ordinary state based peridynamics is also eliminated by penalty method in numerical implementation. Numerical examples are illustrated to validate the proposed method. Numerical solutions obtained by the proposed method also indicate that the proposed method can well capture the general nonlinear behavior of solid materials

Pharmacokinetics of Anthraquinones from Medicinal Plants

Anthraquinones are bioactive natural products, some of which are active components in medicinal medicines, especially Chinese medicines. These compounds exert actions including purgation, anti-inflammation, immunoregulation, antihyperlipidemia, and anticancer effects. This study aimed to review the pharmacokinetics (PKs) of anthraquinones, which are importantly associated with their pharmacological and toxicological effects. Anthraquinones are absorbed mainly in intestines. The absorption rates of free anthraquinones are faster than those of their conjugated glycosides because of the higher liposolubility. A fluctuation in blood concentration and two absorption peaks of anthraquinones may result from the hepato-intestinal circulation, reabsorption, and transformation. Anthraquinones are widely distributed throughout the body, mainly in blood-flow rich organs and tissues, such as blood, intestines, stomach, liver, lung, kidney, and fat. The metabolic pathways of anthraquinones are hydrolysis, glycuronidation, sulfation, methylation/demethylation, hydroxylation/dehydroxylation, oxidation/reduction (hydrogenation), acetylation and esterification by intestinal flora and liver metabolic enzymes, among which hydrolysis, glycuronidation and sulfation are dominant. Of note, anthraquinones can be transformed into each other. The main excretion routes for anthraquinones are the kidney, recta, and gallbladder. Conclusion: Some anthraquinones and their glycosides, such as aloe-emodin, chrysophanol, emodin, physcion, rhein and sennosides, have attracted the most PK research interest due to their more biological activities and/or detectability. Anthraquinones are mainly absorbed in the intestines and are mostly distributed in blood flow-rich tissues and organs. Transformation into another anthraquinone may increase the blood concentration of the latter, leading to an increased pharmacological and/or toxicological effect. Drug-drug interactions influencing PK may provide insights into drug compatibility theory to enhance or reduce pharmacological/toxicological effects in Chinese medicine formulae and deserve deep investigation

Maternal OGTT Glucose Levels at 26–30 Gestational Weeks with Offspring Growth and Development in Early Infancy

Aims. We aim to evaluate the association of maternal gestational oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) glucose concentrations with anthropometry in the offspring from birth to 12 months in Tianjin, China. Methods:. A total of 27,157 pregnant women underwent OGTT during 26–30 weeks gestation, and their children had body weight/length measured from birth to 12 months old. Results:. Maternal OGTT glucose concentrations at 26–30 gestational weeks were positively associated with Z-scores for birth length-for-gestational age and birth weight-for-length. Compared with infants born to mothers with normal glucose tolerance, infants born to mothers with gestational diabetes mellitus (impaired glucose tolerance/new diabetes) had higher mean values of Z-scores for birth length-for-gestational age (0.07/0.23; normal group −0.08) and birth weight-for-length (0.27/0.57; normal group −0.001), smaller changes in mean values of Z-scores for length-for-age (0.75/0.62; normal group 0.94) and weight-for-length (0.18/−0.17; normal group 0.37) from birth to month 3, and bigger changes in mean values in Z-scores for weight-for-length (0.07/0.12; normal group 0.02) from month 9 to 12. Conclusions:. Abnormal maternal glucose tolerance during pregnancy was associated with higher birth weight and birth length, less weight and length gain in the first 3 months of life, and more weight gain in the months 9–12 of life

Myosin Light Chain Kinase Mediates Intestinal Barrier Disruption following Burn Injury

Background: Severe burn injury results in the loss of intestinal barrier function, however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Myosin light chain (MLC) phosphorylation mediated by MLC kinase (MLCK) is critical to the pathophysiological regulation of intestinal barrier function. We hypothesized that the MLCK-dependent MLC phosphorylation mediates the regulation of intestinal barrier function following burn injury, and that MLCK inhibition attenuates the burn-induced intestinal barrier disfunction. Methodology/Principal Findings: Male balb/c mice were assigned randomly to either sham burn (control) or 30 % total body surface area (TBSA) full thickness burn without or with intraperitoneal injection of ML-9 (2 mg/kg), an MLCK inhibitor. In vivo intestinal permeability to fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC)-dextran was measured. Intestinal mucosa injury was assessed histologically. Tight junction proteins ZO-1, occludin and claudin-1 was analyzed by immunofluorescent assay. Expression of MLCK and phosphorylated MLC in ileal mucosa was assessed by Western blot. Intestinal permeability was increased significantly after burn injury, which was accompanied by mucosa injury, tight junction protein alterations, and increase of both MLCK and MLC phosphorylation. Treatment with ML-9 attenuated the burn-caused increase of intestinal permeability, mucosa injury, tight junction protein alterations, and decreased MLC phosphorylation, but not MLCK expression