An Empirical Assessment of Users\u27 Information Security Protection Behavior towards Social Engineering Breaches

User behavior is one of the most significant information security risks. Information Security is all about being aware of who and what to trust and behaving accordingly. Due to technology becoming an integral part of nearly everything in people\u27s daily lives, the organization\u27s need for protection from security threats has continuously increased. Social engineering is the act of tricking a user into revealing information or taking action. One of the riskiest aspects of social engineering is that it depends mainly upon user errors and is not necessarily a technology shortcoming. User behavior should be one of the first apprehensions when it comes to social engineering. Unfortunately, there are few specific studies to understand factors that affect users\u27 information security protection behavior towards social engineering breaches. The focus of the information security literature is shifting from technology to user behavior in recent times. SETA (Security Education Training Awareness) program aids organizations in teaching their users about information security issues and expectations to prevent information security breaches. Information security policies depict the rules and regulations that everyone must follow utilizing an organization\u27s information technology resources. This research study used Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) combined with the SETA program and security policies to determine factors that affect users\u27 information security protection behavior towards social engineering breaches. This research study was an empirical and quantitative study to congregate data utilizing a web survey and PLS-SEM (Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling) technique. As a result, the research study supported all three hypotheses associated with fear, including a positive impact of perceived severity on fear, perceived vulnerability on fear, and fear on protection motivation. Moreover, the research study substantiated the positive impact of perceived severity, perceived vulnerability, and response efficacy on protection motivation. Furthermore, the research study also confirmed the positive impact of protection motivation and the SETA program on protection behavior. The findings of this research study derived that, unswerving with the literature, social engineering has arisen as one of the biggest threats in information security. This research study explored factors impacting users\u27 information security protection behavior towards social engineering breaches. Support of all hypotheses for fear appeal is a substantial contribution in view of a lesser-researched fear appeal in preceding research using PMT. This research study provided the groundwork for encouraging and nurturing users\u27 information security protection behavior to prevent social engineering breaches. Finally, this research study contributes to the increasing phenomenon of social engineering in practice and future research

A regenerative antioxidant protocol of vitamin E and alpha-lipoic acid ameliorates cardiovascular and metabolic changes in fructose-fed rats

Type 2 diabetes is a major cause of cardiovascular disease. We have determined whether the metabolic and cardiovascular changes induced by a diet high in fructose in young adult male Wistar rats could be prevented or reversed by chronic intervention with natural antioxidants. We administered a regenerative antioxidant protocol using two natural compounds: α-lipoic acid together with vitamin E (α-tocopherol alone or a tocotrienol-rich fraction), given as either a prevention or reversal protocol in the food. These rats developed glucose intolerance, hypertension, and increased collagen deposition in the heart together with an increased ventricular stiffness. Treatment with a fixed combination of vitamin E (either α-tocopherol or tocotrienol-rich fraction, 0.84 g/kg food) and α-lipoic acid (1.6 g/kg food) normalized glucose tolerance, blood pressure, cardiac collagen deposition, and ventricular stiffness in both prevention and reversal protocols in these fructose-fed rats. These results suggest that adequate antioxidant therapy can both prevent and reverse the metabolic and cardiovascular damage in type 2 diabetes

A study evaluating knowledge, attitude and practices of practitioners in the medicine department of tertiary care teaching rural hospital with respect to antihypertensives

Background: The aim of this study was to evaluate knowledge, attitude and practices of practitioners in the medicine department of tertiary care teaching rural hospital with respect to antihypertensives and find out the disparity between the recommended and actual practices for pharmacological management.Methods: It was survey type of study, carried out using feedback questionnaire related to use of antihypertensives. Total 25 consultants were included in the study.Results: It was found that in mild hypertension single drug and two drugs in combination were preferred by 15 and 10 practitioners respectively. In moderate hypertension single drug, two drugs in combination, and greater than two drugs were preferred by 3, 13, and 7 practitioners respectively. In severe hypertension two drugs in combination and greater than two drugs were preferred by 16 and 9 practitioners respectively; none preferred single drug. Angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors /angiotensin receptor blockers, beta blockers, Calcium channel blockers, diuretics were preferred as first line drug by 7, 4, 8, and 16 practitioners respectively. Most commonly preferred combination was Losartan and amlodipine by 16 practitioners. In pregnancy nifedipine was preferred as the first line drug while in elderly diuretics were preferred. In hypertensive patients with age less than 40 years all practitioners preferred ACEIs/ARBs. In diabetics ACEIs/ARBs was preferred by all practitioners. Each practitioner claimed to follow Joint National Committee (JNC) 7 criteria. Cost of drug was an important consideration in all their prescribing patterns.Conclusion: The knowledge, attitudes and practices followed by the practitioners of Dhiraj hospital were satisfactory and guidelines oriented.

The immunobiology of B Lymphocytes in non-small cell lung cancer

Lung cancer is the second most diagnosed cancer, after breast cancer, worldwide. However, it is still the leading cause of cancer-specific mortality globally, contributing to 18% of all cancer-related deaths. Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) makes up 85% of lung cancers and dependent on the stage, is amenable to a wide of treatments from surgery to systemic therapy. Immune responses within the tumour microenvironment have increasingly been implicated as determining factors in tumour progression and aggressiveness, and the focus has predominated on T-cell biology. The immune response is a complex interplay between the primary tumour and microenvironment, T and B cells. The role of the B cell in tumour survival is unclear but clearly has a function as tumour infiltration is commonly reported. Through deep phenotyping and multispectral tissue imaging techniques, we identified key differences in the effector and suppressive B cell composition between the tumour and peripheral blood compartments. IL10 positive suppressive B regulatory phenotypes were significantly more abundant in the circulation of patients who recurred post-operatively. Using a broad spectrum immunome array, we employed machine learning techniques and identified an auto-antibody signature in the serum of NSCLC patients that was highly predictive for post-operative recurrence in two independent cohorts. In addition to the techniques described above, we utilised functional ex vivo B cell assays to interrogate the response to checkpoint blockade in advanced disease patients and how this relates to B cell dynamics. Our findings demonstrated that lack of a suppressive B cell “brake” predisposed patients to high grade immune related adverse events post-treatment. Moreover, the B cells from toxicity patients were not only functionally defective in their ability to produce IL10 but also displayed a pan cytokine failure affecting pro-inflammatory cytokines thus suggesting B cell exhaustion in these patients. These findings significantly enhanced our understanding of the aetiopathogenesis of auto-immune toxicity secondary to checkpoint blockade with anti PD-1/PDL-1. In summary, this study aimed to explore the role of B cell biology in NSCLC by employing deep phenotyping and functional assay techniques at the blood and tissue level in both early and advanced stage disease. Our findings are likely to be informative in biomarker development for predicting response to treatment, post-operative relapse and for therapeutic adjuvant polyepitopic vaccine strategies in high-risk patients

A randomised trial of anti-GM-CSF otilimab in severe COVID-19 pneumonia (OSCAR)

Background: Granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and dysregulated myeloid cell responses are implicated in the pathophysiology and severity of COVID-19. Methods: In this randomised, sequential, multicentre, placebo-controlled, double-blind study, adults aged 18–79 years (Part 1) or ≥70 years (Part 2) with severe COVID-19, respiratory failure and systemic inflammation (elevated C-reactive protein/ferritin) received a single intravenous infusion of otilimab 90 mg (human anti-GM-CSF monoclonal antibody) plus standard care (NCT04376684). The primary outcome was the proportion of patients alive and free of respiratory failure at Day 28. Results: In Part 1 (n=806 randomised 1:1 otilimab:placebo), 71% of otilimab-treated patients were alive and free of respiratory failure at Day 28 versus 67% who received placebo; the model-adjusted difference of 5.3% was not statistically significant (95% CI −0.8–11.4%, p=0.09). A nominally significant model-adjusted difference of 19.1% (95% CI 5.2–33.1%, p=0.009) was observed in the predefined 70–79 years subgroup, but this was not confirmed in Part 2 (n=350 randomised) where the model-adjusted difference was 0.9% (95% CI −9.3–11.2%, p=0.86). Compared with placebo, otilimab resulted in lower serum concentrations of key inflammatory markers, including the putative pharmacodynamic biomarker CC chemokine ligand 17, indicative of GM-CSF pathway blockade. Adverse events were comparable between groups and consistent with severe COVID-19. Conclusions: There was no significant difference in the proportion of patients alive and free of respiratory failure at Day 28. However, despite the lack of clinical benefit, a reduction in inflammatory markers was observed with otilimab, in addition to an acceptable safety profile

A Regenerative Antioxidant Protocol of Vitamin E and α-Lipoic Acid Ameliorates Cardiovascular and Metabolic Changes in Fructose-Fed Rats

Type 2 diabetes is a major cause of cardiovascular disease. We have determined whether the metabolic and cardiovascular changes induced by a diet high in fructose in young adult male Wistar rats could be prevented or reversed by chronic intervention with natural antioxidants. We administered a regenerative antioxidant protocol using two natural compounds: α-lipoic acid together with vitamin E (α-tocopherol alone or a tocotrienol-rich fraction), given as either a prevention or reversal protocol in the food. These rats developed glucose intolerance, hypertension, and increased collagen deposition in the heart together with an increased ventricular stiffness. Treatment with a fixed combination of vitamin E (either α-tocopherol or tocotrienol-rich fraction, 0.84 g/kg food) and α-lipoic acid (1.6 g/kg food) normalized glucose tolerance, blood pressure, cardiac collagen deposition, and ventricular stiffness in both prevention and reversal protocols in these fructose-fed rats. These results suggest that adequate antioxidant therapy can both prevent and reverse the metabolic and cardiovascular damage in type 2 diabetes

Darbepoetin alfa: review in the management of anemia in patients with chronic kidney disease

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a significant clinical problem across the world including India. The SEEK (Screening and Early Evaluation of Kidney Disease) study from India reported the prevalence of CKD as 17.2%. Diabetic nephropathy, undetermined etiology, chronic glomerulonephritis and hypertensive nephrosclerosis are the common causes of CKD in India. Rising rates of diabetes and hypertension, late presentation of patients to nephrologists and limited number of nephrologists in India adds to the concerns related to management of CKD. Considering the pathophysiology of CKD, anemia is almost an inevitable complication in these patients. Untreated anemia significantly contributes to the morbidity and mortality associated with CKD. Early recognition, timely management with appropriate therapy helps to reduce the complications of anemia. Erythropoiesis-stimulating agents (ESAs) are one of the important measures for correction of anemia in CKD patients. Darbepoetin, an ESA is a valuable therapeutic option for the treatment of anemia in CKD patients and has played a vital role in enhancing anemia management. In this article we reviewed the efficacy and safety data along with key benefits and place of darbepoetin alfa in the management of anemia in CKD patients

A study of access and compliance of iron and folic acid tablets for prevention and cure of anaemia among adolescent age group females in Ahmedabad district of India surveyed under multi indicator cluster survey 2011

Objective The knowledge and utilization of Iron and folic acid tablets supplementation of the adolescent girls in Ahmedabad district. Setting The study was conducted over a time span of 20 weeks period, from April 2011 till Aug 2011 in selected areas of Ahmedabad district, which has an approximate population of 15,94,010 as per census 2001. Study design Cross sectional observational study. Participants All the adolescent girls in the population surveyed by MICS 2011. Methodology 30 clusters sampling method based on PPS (Probability Proportional to Size) for cluster selection. Results 431 adolescent girls were included in the survey of total population of 6076. The result showed that 51.5% (222) girls went to school and only 36.2% (156) received IFA tablets. Out of them 66% (103) girls stopped taking these tablets due to one or other side effects of the tablets. Nearly 47.4% (74) girls were unaware of the positive effects of these tablets on their health

Treatment outcomes of patients with isoniazid resistant tuberculosis under National Tuberculosis Elimination Programme in Ahmedabad city: a retrospective study

Background: Drug resistance tuberculosis remains major public health problem worldwide. In India, the incidence of any isoniazid-resistant TB is 11.6% in new tuberculosis patients, while in previously treated patients, incidence is 25%. For isoniazid resistant cases management 6-9 months duration of H mono regimen containing rifampicin, pyrazinamide, ethambutol and levofloxacin is available under national tuberculosis elimination programme. We present a retrospective study on outcomes of patients of H mono regime in years 2019 and 2020 in Ahmedabad city.Methods: Retrospectively we collected data about age, sex, co-morbid conditions, resistance level (high/low level isoniazid resistance) and treatment outcome of patients put on H Mono regimen under programme from January 2019 to December 2020 in Ahmedabad city from Ni-kshay, an online web-based portal.Results: We have collected data of 251 patients (147 in 2019, 104 in 2020). Out of 251, 188 were males and 63 females. Out of 251, favourable outcome seen in 57.4% patients and unfavourable outcome seen in 42.6% patients. Favourable outcome was significantly higher among females compared to males.Conclusions: Management of drug resistance tuberculosis according to drug sensitivity helps in better patient outcome. Early diagnosis of drug resistance and its treatment, timely diagnosis of treatment failure and management, better patient compliance and patient education about disease help in decrease in the unfavourable outcome