Dynamic Analysis of Executables to Detect and Characterize Malware

It is needed to ensure the integrity of systems that process sensitive information and control many aspects of everyday life. We examine the use of machine learning algorithms to detect malware using the system calls generated by executables-alleviating attempts at obfuscation as the behavior is monitored rather than the bytes of an executable. We examine several machine learning techniques for detecting malware including random forests, deep learning techniques, and liquid state machines. The experiments examine the effects of concept drift on each algorithm to understand how well the algorithms generalize to novel malware samples by testing them on data that was collected after the training data. The results suggest that each of the examined machine learning algorithms is a viable solution to detect malware-achieving between 90% and 95% class-averaged accuracy (CAA). In real-world scenarios, the performance evaluation on an operational network may not match the performance achieved in training. Namely, the CAA may be about the same, but the values for precision and recall over the malware can change significantly. We structure experiments to highlight these caveats and offer insights into expected performance in operational environments. In addition, we use the induced models to gain a better understanding about what differentiates the malware samples from the goodware, which can further be used as a forensics tool to understand what the malware (or goodware) was doing to provide directions for investigation and remediation.Comment: 9 pages, 6 Tables, 4 Figure

Treatment compliance and effectiveness of a cognitive behavioural intervention for low back pain : a complier average causal effect approach to the BeST data set

Background: Group cognitive behavioural intervention (CBI) is effective in reducing low-back pain and disability in comparison to advice in primary care. The aim of this analysis was to investigate the impact of compliance on estimates of treatment effect and to identify factors associated with compliance. Methods: In this multicentre trial, 701 adults with troublesome sub-acute or chronic low-back pain were recruited from 56 general practices. Participants were randomised to advice (control n = 233) or advice plus CBI (n = 468). Compliance was specified a priori as attending a minimum of three group sessions and the individual assessment. We estimated the complier average causal effect (CACE) of treatment. Results: Comparison of the CACE estimate of the mean treatment difference to the intention-to-treat (ITT) estimate at 12 months showed a greater benefit of CBI amongst participants compliant with treatment on the Roland Morris Questionnaire (CACE: 1.6 points, 95% CI 0.51 to 2.74; ITT: 1.3 points, 95% CI 0.55 to 2.07), the Modified Von Korff disability score (CACE: 12.1 points, 95% CI 6.07 to 18.17; ITT: 8.6 points, 95% CI 4.58 to 12.64) and the Modified von Korff pain score (CACE: 10.4 points, 95% CI 4.64 to 16.10; ITT: 7.0 points, 95% CI 3.26 to 10.74). People who were non-compliant were younger and had higher pain scores at randomisation. Conclusions: Treatment compliance is important in the effectiveness of group CBI. Younger people and those with more pain are at greater risk of non-compliance

Comparison of ultrasonographic findings in cats with and without azotaemia

US findings in 238 cats with (serum creatinine >180 μmol/l) and 270 cats without azotaemia were compared in a retrospective case-control study. Cats with pre-renal azotaemia or urethral obstruction were excluded. Data extracted from the medical records included age, body weight and body condition score (BCS). Quantitative and subjective US findings were extracted from archived ultrasound images and contemporaneous reports

What advances may the future bring to the diagnosis, treatment, and care of male sexual and reproductive health?

Over the past 40 years, since the publication of the original WHO Laboratory Manual for the Examination and Processing of Human Semen, the laboratory methods used to evaluate semen markedly changed and benefited from improved precision and accuracy, as well as the development of new tests and improved, standardized methodologies. Herein, we present the impact of the changes put forth in the sixth edition together with our views of evolving technologies that may change the methods used for the routine semen analysis, up-and-coming areas for the development of new procedures, and diagnostic approaches that will help to extend the often-descriptive interpretations of several commonly performed semen tests that promise to provide etiologies for the abnormal semen parameters observed. As we look toward the publication of the seventh edition of the manual in approximately 10 years, we describe potential advances that could markedly impact the field of andrology in the future

STARE2: Detecting Fast Radio Bursts in the Milky Way

There are several unexplored regions of the short-duration radio transient phase space. One such unexplored region is the luminosity gap between giant pulses (from pulsars) and cosmologically located fast radio bursts (FRBs). The Survey for Transient Astronomical Radio Emission 2 (STARE2) is a search for such transients out to 7 Mpc. STARE2 has a field of view of 3.6 steradians and is sensitive to 1 millisecond transients above ~300 kJy. With a two-station system we have detected and localized a solar burst, demonstrating that the pilot system is capable of detecting short duration radio transients. We found no convincing non-solar transients with duration between 65 μs and 34 ms in 200 days of observing, limiting with 95% confidence the all-sky rate of transients above ~300 kJy to <40 sky⁻¹ yr⁻¹. If the luminosity function of FRBs could be extrapolated down to 300 kJy for a distance of 10 kpc, then one would expect the rate to be ~2 sky⁻¹ yr⁻¹

STARE2: Detecting Fast Radio Bursts in the Milky Way

There are several unexplored regions of the short-duration radio transient phase space. One such unexplored region is the luminosity gap between giant pulses (from pulsars) and cosmologically located fast radio bursts (FRBs). The Survey for Transient Astronomical Radio Emission 2 (STARE2) is a search for such transients out to 7 Mpc. STARE2 has a field of view of 3.6 steradians and is sensitive to 1 millisecond transients above ~300 kJy. With a two-station system we have detected and localized a solar burst, demonstrating that the pilot system is capable of detecting short duration radio transients. We found no convincing non-solar transients with duration between 65 μs and 34 ms in 200 days of observing, limiting with 95% confidence the all-sky rate of transients above ~300 kJy to <40 sky⁻¹ yr⁻¹. If the luminosity function of FRBs could be extrapolated down to 300 kJy for a distance of 10 kpc, then one would expect the rate to be ~2 sky⁻¹ yr⁻¹

Spatial and individual factors mediate the tissue burden of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in adult and chick brown pelicans in the northern Gulf of Mexico

The northern Gulf of Mexico supports a substantial level of oil and gas extraction in marine waters and experiences acute and chronic exposure to marine pollution events. The region also supports a diverse array of breeding and migratory seabirds that are exposed to these pollutants during foraging and other activities. Among the pollutants of highest concern within the region are polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) which tend to be toxic, carcinogenic, mutagenic, or teratogenic. We assessed PAH loads in blood from adult brown pelicans and from feathers of adults and chicks of brown pelicans in relation to individual (e.g., body condition, sex) and spatial (e.g., breeding location within the Gulf, home range size, migration distance) factors. Of the 24 PAHs assessed, 17 occurred at least once among all samples. There were no PAHs found in chicks that were not also found in adults. Alkylated PAHs occurred more commonly and were measured at higher summed concentrations compared to parent PAHs in all samples, indicating that exposure to oil and/or byproducts of oil may have been a substantial source of PAH contamination for brown pelicans during this study. Within adults, PAHs were more likely to occur, and to increase in concentration, in blood samples of females compared to males, although no difference was found in feather samples. We also found that occurrence of and concentration of PAHs increased in adults that migrated longer distances. In adults and chicks, the background levels of oil and gas development within the region of the colony was not a consistent predictor of the presence of or concentration of PAHs. We also found correlations of PAHs with hematological and biochemical biomarkers that suggested compromised health. Our results indicate that both short- and long-term exposure (i.e., blood and feathers, respectively) are occurring for this species and that even nest-bound chicks can accumulate high levels of PAHs. Long-term tracking of PAHs, as well as an assessment of sublethal effects of PAHs on pelicans, could enhance our understanding of the persistence and effects of this contaminant in the northern Gulf as could increasing the breadth of species studied

Studying Cat (Felis catus) Diabetes: Beware of the Acromegalic Imposter

Naturally occurring diabetes mellitus (DM) is common in domestic cats (Felis catus). It has been proposed as a model for human Type 2 DM given many shared features. Small case studies demonstrate feline DM also occurs as a result of insulin resistance due to a somatotrophinoma. The current study estimates the prevalence of hypersomatotropism or acromegaly in the largest cohort of diabetic cats to date, evaluates clinical presentation and ease of recognition. Diabetic cats were screened for hypersomatotropism using serum total insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1; radioimmunoassay), followed by further evaluation of a subset of cases with suggestive IGF-1 (>1000 ng/ml) through pituitary imaging and/ or histopathology. Clinicians indicated pre-test suspicion for hypersomatotropism. In total 1221 diabetic cats were screened; 319 (26.1%) demonstrated a serum IGF-1>1000 ng/ml (95% confidence interval: 23.6-28.6%). Of these cats a subset of 63 (20%) underwent pituitary imaging and 56/63 (89%) had a pituitary tumour on computed tomography; an additional three on magnetic resonance imaging and one on necropsy. These data suggest a positive predictive value of serum IGF-1 for hypersomatotropism of 95% (95% confidence interval: 90-100%), thus suggesting the overall hypersomatotropism prevalence among UK diabetic cats to be 24.8% (95% confidence interval: 21.2-28.6%). Only 24% of clinicians indicated a strong pre-test suspicion; most hypersomatotropism cats did not display typical phenotypical acromegaly signs. The current data suggest hypersomatotropism screening should be considered when studying diabetic cats and opportunities exist for comparative acromegaly research, especially in light of the many detected communalities with the human disease