A Security Monitoring Framework For Virtualization Based HEP Infrastructures

High Energy Physics (HEP) distributed computing infrastructures require automatic tools to monitor, analyze and react to potential security incidents. These tools should collect and inspect data such as resource consumption, logs and sequence of system calls for detecting anomalies that indicate the presence of a malicious agent. They should also be able to perform automated reactions to attacks without administrator intervention. We describe a novel framework that accomplishes these requirements, with a proof of concept implementation for the ALICE experiment at CERN. We show how we achieve a fully virtualized environment that improves the security by isolating services and Jobs without a significant performance impact. We also describe a collected dataset for Machine Learning based Intrusion Prevention and Detection Systems on Grid computing. This dataset is composed of resource consumption measurements (such as CPU, RAM and network traffic), logfiles from operating system services, and system call data collected from production Jobs running in an ALICE Grid test site and a big set of malware. This malware was collected from security research sites. Based on this dataset, we will proceed to develop Machine Learning algorithms able to detect malicious Jobs.Comment: Proceedings of the 22nd International Conference on Computing in High Energy and Nuclear Physics, CHEP 2016, 10-14 October 2016, San Francisco. Submitted to Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS

L1CAM binds ErbB receptors through Ig-like domains coupling cell adhesion and neuregulin signalling.

During nervous system development different cell-to-cell communication mechanisms operate in parallel guiding migrating neurons and growing axons to generate complex arrays of neural circuits. How such a system works in coordination is not well understood. Cross-regulatory interactions between different signalling pathways and redundancy between them can increase precision and fidelity of guidance systems. Immunoglobulin superfamily proteins of the NCAM and L1 families couple specific substrate recognition and cell adhesion with the activation of receptor tyrosine kinases. Thus it has been shown that L1CAM-mediated cell adhesion promotes the activation of the EGFR (erbB1) from Drosophila to humans. Here we explore the specificity of the molecular interaction between L1CAM and the erbB receptor family. We show that L1CAM binds physically erbB receptors in both heterologous systems and the mammalian developing brain. Different Ig-like domains located in the extracellular part of L1CAM can support this interaction. Interestingly, binding of L1CAM to erbB enhances its response to neuregulins. During development this may synergize with the activation of erbB receptors through L1CAM homophilic interactions, conferring diffusible neuregulins specificity for cells or axons that interact with the substrate through L1CAM

Corrosion studies of different ferrous alloys for rolling cylinders

peer reviewedThe aim of this work is to study the corrosion behaviour in chloride media of a high chromium iron alloy. The influence of the surface finishing as well as the heat treatment was analysed. The technique employed for measuring the corrosion behaviour was the Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy, an electrochemical technique that allows the observation not only of the corrosion rates but also the changes on the corrosion mechanism of the alloy. The results showed that it is worth performing a double tempering and a having smoother surface finishing only for long exposure periods. A comparison between different oxidising conditions was also performed simulating the life in service of the hot rolling cylinders and revealed an increase in the protective properties as the oxidising time increased due to the chromium present on the alloy (18%). (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Beyond the 2008 Great Recession: Economic factors and electoral support for the radical left in Europe

One of the most striking political developments occurring during the Great Recession has been the growth of the radical left in some European countries. Though the literature is far from conclusive, it has generally been argued that the economy is not a main reason driving people’s support for non-mainstream parties (particularly the Greens and the radical right). In this article, we contend that this is not the case for radical left parties, which despite pursuing other agendas do still compete very strongly on economic issues. Using individual-level data for 56 elections taking place between 1996 and 2016 in 15 European countries we find a positive effect of unemployment on support for radical left parties, and only very weak evidence that this effect depends on voters’ ideology or whether the mainstream left (Social Democrats) is in office. We conclude that unemployment enables the radical left to increase its support regardless of the political context, but does not significantly change by itself the ideological makeup of its electorate

Perceptions of Self-Efficacy & Support Among Secondary Early-Career Teachers and their Principals During the COVID-19 Pandemic

In response to challenges faced by middle and high school educators during the COVID-19 pandemic, a study was conducted in the Spring of 2021 involving 33 early-career mathematics teachers and eight supervising school principals in the State of California. These participants completed detailed surveys which provided demographic information, as well as perceptions of support, efficacy and job satisfaction. Findings show a variety of associations among teacher perceptions of support and their efficacy and job satisfaction in the face of challenging circumstances. As it related to principal support and recognition, principal participants expressed confidence in their ability to support teachers as a result of the pandemic, including understanding best practices for evaluating teachers for online teaching. Additionally, while agreeing that teachers at their schools needed more professional development in instructional practice, participating school principals felt they supported their teachers as they adapted instruction due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aspires to inform practitioners and policymakers alike in their understanding of teachers and their principals as they responded to significant challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic

Diagnostic accuracy of transvaginal sonography for detecting parametrial involvement in women with deep endometriosis: systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of transvaginal sonography (TVS) for detecting parametrial deep endometriosis, using laparoscopy as the reference standard. Methods: A search was performed in PubMed/MEDLINE and Web of Science for studies evaluating TVS for detecting parametrial involvement in women with suspected deep endometriosis, as compared with laparoscopy, from January 2000 to December 2020. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) tool was used to evaluate the quality of the studies. Pooled sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative likelihood ratios for TVS in the detection of parametrial deep endometriosis were calculated, and the post-test probability of parametrial deep endometriosis following a positive or negative test was determined. Results: The search identified 134 citations. Four studies, comprising 560 patients, were included in the analysis. The mean prevalence of parametrial deep endometriosis at surgery was 18%. Overall, the pooled estimated sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative likelihood ratios of TVS in the detection of parametrial deep endometriosis were 31% (95% CI, 10–64%), 98% (95% CI, 95–99%), 18.5 (95% CI, 8.8–38.9) and 0.70 (95% CI, 0.46–1.06), respectively. The diagnostic odds ratio was 26 (95% CI, 10–68). Heterogeneity was high. Visualization of a lesion suspected to be parametrial deep endometriosis on TVS increased significantly the post-test probability of parametrial deep endometriosis. Conclusion: TVS has high specificity but low sensitivity for the detection of parametrial deep endometriosis. © 2021 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology

Lower Cretaceous (Hauterivian-Albian) ammonite biostratigraphy in the Maestrat Basin (E Spain)

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Incidence of zygomycosis in transplant recipients

AbstractRecently, a remarkable increase in the incidence of zygomycosis has been reported from institutions in the USA and Europe. The use of voriconazole for the treatment of aspergillosis and, less frequently, the use of echinocandins as empirical treatment for invasive fungal infections are thought to be responsible for the increase. In addition, an increased incidence of this infection has been observed in transplant recipients, including both haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) and solid organ transplant (SOT) patients. There are no global surveys on the prevalence or incidence of zygomycosis, but data from individual institutions and countries show that zygomycosis is an emerging infection. The increased incidence of zygomycosis most probably reflects a greater frequency of predisposing factors, such as higher numbers of patients undergoing HSCT and immunosuppressive chemotherapy. In addition, the emergence of rare pathogens as a result of the rise in the use of antifungal therapy against common species can be postulated. Further, the availability of antifungal agents with activity profiles that are more specific for selected fungi increases the necessity of identifying pathogenic fungi; the frequency of Zygomycetes infections may have been underestimated until now because therapeutic decisions did not depend on the precise identification of pathogenic fungi

Involvement of intact inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate-sensitive Ca2+ stores in cell cycle progression at the G1/S boundary in serum-stimulated human fibroblasts

AbstractThapsigargin, a selective inhibitor of the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump, has been shown to deplete inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate-sensitive Ca2+ stores. Here we report that when thapsigargin was introduced to serum-stimulated human fibroblasts at a time point just before the G1/S boundary, it completely inhibited expression of cyclin A, activation of p33CDK2 cyclindependent kinase and initiation of DNA synthesis. In contrast, the Ca2+ mobilizing ionophore ionomycin was without effect. These findings indicate that Ca2+ inside the inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphatesensitive Ca2+ stores plays a pivotal role for traverse across the G1/S transition point

Proper motions of the HH1 jet

We describe a new method for determining proper motions of extended objects, and a pipeline developed for the application of this method. We then apply this method to an analysis of four epochs of [S~II] HST images of the HH~1 jet (covering a period of $\sim 20$~yr). We determine the proper motions of the knots along the jet, and make a reconstruction of the past ejection velocity time-variability (assuming ballistic knot motions). This reconstruction shows an "acceleration" of the ejection velocities of the jet knots, with higher velocities at more recent times. This acceleration will result in an eventual merging of the knots in $\sim 450$~yr and at a distance of $\sim 80"$ from the outflow source, close to the present-day position of HH~1.Comment: 12 pages, 8 figure