From product recommendation to cyber-attack prediction: generating attack graphs and predicting future attacks

Modern information society depends on reliable functionality of information systems infrastructure, while at the same time the number of cyber-attacks has been increasing over the years and damages have been caused. Furthermore, graphs can be used to show paths than can be exploited by attackers to intrude into systems and gain unauthorized access through vulnerability exploitation. This paper presents a method that builds attack graphs using data supplied from the maritime supply chain infrastructure. The method delivers all possible paths that can be exploited to gain access. Then, a recommendation system is utilized to make predictions about future attack steps within the network. We show that recommender systems can be used in cyber defense by predicting attacks. The goal of this paper is to identify attack paths and show how a recommendation method can be used to classify future cyber-attacks in terms of risk management. The proposed method has been experimentally evaluated and validated, with the results showing that it is both practical and effective

Hospitalization for pertussis: profiles and case costs by age

BACKGROUND: Pertussis, a highly contagious respiratory illness, affects people of all ages and can have serious clinical consequences. It has been reported that from 1997–2000, 20% of all pertussis cases required hospitalization in the US. This analysis examined demographics, case fatality rate, resource use and costs of hospital care related to pertussis by age. METHODS: ICD-9 codes (033.0, 033.9) were used to identify cases of pertussis in hospital discharge databases from roughly 1,000 US hospitals in 4 states (California, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts). Data from 1996–1999 were examined by age group. Separate analyses were done for infants (<1 year) and children (1–11 years); however, adolescent and adult cases were combined into one group (12+ years), due to the small number of cases. Databases were used to determine demographics, health service utilization and care costs. Cost estimates include accommodations, ancillary and physician services, reported in 2002 US$. RESULTS: Of the 2,518 cases identified, 90$9,586 per stay. Children (n = 191) had a mean LOS of 3.7 and cost of $4,729; adolescents/adults (n = 61, mean age 40 years) stayed on average 3.4 days with a cost of$5,683 per hospitalization. CONCLUSION: Infants are responsible for the bulk of hospitalizations and generate higher inpatient costs. Costly hospital care occurs, however, in patients with pertussis at all ages

Children's vomiting following posterior fossa surgery: A retrospective study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Nausea and vomiting is a problem for children after neurosurgery and those requiring posterior fossa procedures appear to have a high incidence. This clinical observation has not been quantified nor have risk factors unique to this group of children been elucidated.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A six year retrospective chart audit at two Canadian children's hospitals was conducted. The incidence of nausea and vomiting was extracted. Hierarchical multivariable logistic regression was used to quantify risk and protective factors at 120 hours after surgery and early vs. late vomiting.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The incidence of vomiting over a ten day postoperative period was 76.7%. Documented vomiting ranged from single events to greater than 20 over the same period. In the final multivariable model: adolescents (age 12 to <17) were less likely to vomit by 120 hours after surgery than other age groups; those who received desflurane, when compared to all other volatile anesthetics, were more likely to vomit, yet the use of ondansetron with desflurane decre kelihood. Children who had intraoperative ondansetron were more likely to vomit in the final multivariable model (perhaps because of its use, in the clinical judgment of the anesthesiologist, for children considered at risk). Children who started vomiting in the first 24 hours were more likely to be school age (groups 4 to <7 and 7 to <12) and receive desflurane. Nausea was not well documented and was therefore not analyzed.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The incidence of vomiting in children after posterior fossa surgery is sufficient to consider all children requiring these procedures to be at high risk for POV. Nausea requires better assessment and documentation.</p

Association of epicardial adipose tissue with proteomics, coronary flow reserve, cardiac structure and function, and quality of life in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction: insights from the PROMIS-HFpEF study

Aim: Epicardial adipose tissue (EAT) may play a role in the pathophysiology of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). We investigated associations of EAT with proteomics, coronary flow reserve (CFR), cardiac structure and function, and quality of life (QoL) in the prospective multinational PROMIS-HFpEF cohort.Methods and results: Epicardial adipose tissue was measured by echocardiography in 182 patients and defined as increased if ≥9 mm. Proteins were measured using high-throughput proximity extension assays. Microvascular dysfunction was evaluated with Doppler-based CFR, cardiac structural and functional indices with echocardiography and QoL by Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ). Patients with increased EAT (n = 54; 30%) had higher body mass index (32 [28-40] vs. 27 [23-30] kg/m2 ; p Conclusion: Increased EAT was associated with cardiac structural alterations and proteins expressing adiposity, inflammation, lower insulin sensitivity and endothelial dysfunction related to HFpEF pathology, probably driven by general obesity. Potential local mechanical or paracrine effects mediated by EAT remain to be elucidated.</p

Search for the Θ+\Theta^+ pentaquark in the reaction γd→pK−K+n\gamma d \to p K^- K^+ n

A search for the \thp in the reaction $\gamma d \to pK^-K^+n$ was completed using the CLAS detector at Jefferson Lab. A study of the same reaction, published earlier, reported the observation of a narrow \thp resonance. The present experiment, with more than 30 times the integrated luminosity of our earlier measurement, does not show any evidence for a narrow pentaquark resonance. The angle-integrated upper limit on \thp production in the mass range of 1.52 to 1.56 GeV/c$^2$ for the $\gamma d \to pK^-\Theta^+$ reaction is 0.3 nb (95% CL). This upper limit depends on assumptions made for the mass and angular distribution of \thp production. Using \lamstar production as an empirical measure of rescattering in the deuteron, the cross section upper limit for the elementary $\gamma n \to K^-\Theta^+$ reaction is estimated to be a factor of 10 higher, {\it i.e.}, $\sim 3$ nb (95% CL).Comment: 5 figures, submitted to PRL, revised for referee comment

Enhanced recovery in colorectal surgery: a multicentre study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Major colorectal surgery usually requires a hospital stay of more than 12 days. Inadequate pain management, intestinal dysfunction and immobilisation are the main factors associated with delay in recovery. The present work assesses the short and medium term results achieved by an enhanced recovery program based on previously published protocols.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>This prospective study, performed at 12 Spanish hospitals in 2008 and 2009, involved 300 patients. All patients underwent elective colorectal resection for cancer following an enhanced recovery program. The main elements of this program were: preoperative advice, no colon preparation, provision of carbohydrate-rich drinks one day prior and on the morning of surgery, goal directed fluid administration, body temperature control during surgery, avoiding drainages and nasogastric tubes, early mobilisation, and the taking of oral fluids in the early postoperative period. Perioperative morbidity and mortality data were collected and the length of hospital stay and protocol compliance recorded.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The median age of the patients was 68 years. Fifty-two % of the patients were women. The distribution of patients by ASA class was: I 10%, II 50% and III 40%. Sixty-four % of interventions were laparoscopic; 15% required conversion to laparotomy. The majority of patients underwent sigmoidectomy or right hemicolectomy. The overall compliance to protocol was approximately 65%, but varied widely in its different components. The median length of postoperative hospital stay was 6 days. Some 3% of patients were readmitted to hospital after discharge; some 7% required repeat surgery during their initial hospitalisation or after readmission. The most common complications were surgical (24%), followed by septic (11%) or other medical complications (10%). Three patients (1%) died during follow-up. Some 31% of patients suffered symptoms that delayed their discharge, the most common being vomiting or nausea (12%), dyspnoea (7%) and fever (5%).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The following of this enhanced recovery program posed no risk to patients in terms of morbidity, mortality and shortened the length of their hospital stay. Overall compliance to protocol was 65%. The following of this program was of benefit to patients and reduces costs by shortening the length of hospital stay. The implantation of such programmes is therefore highly recommended.</p

Expression of Toll-like receptor 2 is up-regulated in monocytes from patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

BACKGROUND: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is characterised by pulmonary and systemic inflammation which flare-up during episodes of acute exacerbation (AECOPD). Given the role of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in the induction of inflammatory responses we investigated the involvement of TLRs in COPD pathogenesis. METHODS: The expression of TLR-2, TLR-4 and CD14 in monocytes was analyzed by flow cytometry. To study the functional responses of these receptors, monocytes were stimulated with peptidoglycan or lipopolysaccharide and the amounts of TNFα and IL-6 secreted were determined by ELISA. RESULTS: We found that the expression of TLR-2 was up-regulated in peripheral blood monocytes from COPD patients, either clinically stable or during AECOPD, as compared to never smokers or smokers with normal lung function. Upon stimulation with TLR-2 ligand monocytes from COPD patients secreted increased amounts of cytokines than similarly stimulated monocytes from never smokers and smokers. In contrast, the expressions of TLR-4 and CD14 were not significantly different between groups, and the response to lipopolysaccharide (a TLR-4 ligand) stimulation was not significantly different either. At discharge from hospital TLR-2 expression was down-regulated in peripheral blood monocytes from AECOPD patients. This could be due to the treatment with systemic steroids because, in vitro, steroids down-regulated TLR-2 expression in a dose-dependent manner. Finally, we demonstrated that IL-6, whose plasma levels are elevated in patients, up-regulated in vitro TLR-2 expression in monocytes from never smokers. CONCLUSION: Our results reveal abnormalities in TLRs expression in COPD patients and highlight its potential relationship with systemic inflammation in these patients

Induction of endogenous γ-globin gene expression with decoy oligonucleotide targeting Oct-1 transcription factor consensus sequence

Human β-globin disorders are relatively common genetic diseases cause by mutations in the β-globin gene. Increasing the expression of the γ-globin gene has great benefits in reducing complications associated with these diseases. The Oct-1 transcription factor is involved in the transcriptional regulation of the γ-globin gene. The human γ-globin genes (both Aγ and Gγ-globin genes) carry three Oct-1 transcription factor consensus sequences within their promoter regions. We have studied the possibility of inducing γ-globin gene expression using decoy oligonucleotides that target the Oct-1 transcription factor consensus sequence. A double-stranded 22 bp decoy oligonucleotide containing the Oct-1 consensus sequence was synthesized. The results obtained from our in vitro binding assay revealed a strong competitive binding of the decoy oligonucleotide for the Oct-1 transcription factor. When K562 human erythroleukemia cells were treated with the Oct-1 decoy oligonucleotide, significant increases in the level of the γ-globin mRNA were observed. The results of our western blots further demonstrated significant increases of the fetal hemoglobin (HbF, α2γ2) in the Oct-1 decoy oligonucleotide-treated K562 cells. The results of our immunoprecipitation (IP) studies revealed that the treatment of K562 cells with the Oct-1 decoy oligonucleotide significantly reduced the level of the endogenous γ-globin gene promoter region DNA co-precipitated with the Oct-1 transcription factor. These results suggest that the decoy oligonucleotide designed for the Oct-1 transcription factor consensus sequence could induce expression of the endogenous γ-globin gene through competitive binding of the Oct-1 transcription factor, resulting in activation of the γ-globin genes. Therefore, disrupting the bindings of the Oct-1 transcriptional factors with the decoy oligonucleotide provides a novel approach for inducing expression of the γ-globin genes. It also provides an innovative strategy for the treatment of many disease conditions, including sickle cell anemia and β-thalassemia

Jet energy measurement with the ATLAS detector in proton-proton collisions at root s=7 TeV

The jet energy scale and its systematic uncertainty are determined for jets measured with the ATLAS detector at the LHC in proton-proton collision data at a centre-of-mass energy of √s = 7TeV corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 38 pb-1. Jets are reconstructed with the anti-kt algorithm with distance parameters R=0. 4 or R=0. 6. Jet energy and angle corrections are determined from Monte Carlo simulations to calibrate jets with transverse momenta pT≥20 GeV and pseudorapidities {pipe}η{pipe}<4. 5. The jet energy systematic uncertainty is estimated using the single isolated hadron response measured in situ and in test-beams, exploiting the transverse momentum balance between central and forward jets in events with dijet topologies and studying systematic variations in Monte Carlo simulations. The jet energy uncertainty is less than 2. 5 % in the central calorimeter region ({pipe}η{pipe}<0. 8) for jets with 60≤pT<800 GeV, and is maximally 14 % for pT<30 GeV in the most forward region 3. 2≤{pipe}η{pipe}<4. 5. The jet energy is validated for jet transverse momenta up to 1 TeV to the level of a few percent using several in situ techniques by comparing a well-known reference such as the recoiling photon pT, the sum of the transverse momenta of tracks associated to the jet, or a system of low-pT jets recoiling against a high-pT jet. More sophisticated jet calibration schemes are presented based on calorimeter cell energy density weighting or hadronic properties of jets, aiming for an improved jet energy resolution and a reduced flavour dependence of the jet response. The systematic uncertainty of the jet energy determined from a combination of in situ techniques is consistent with the one derived from single hadron response measurements over a wide kinematic range. The nominal corrections and uncertainties are derived for isolated jets in an inclusive sample of high-pT jets. Special cases such as event topologies with close-by jets, or selections of samples with an enhanced content of jets originating from light quarks, heavy quarks or gluons are also discussed and the corresponding uncertainties are determined. © 2013 CERN for the benefit of the ATLAS collaboration

Measurement of the cross-section of high transverse momentum vector bosons reconstructed as single jets and studies of jet substructure in pp collisions at √s = 7 TeV with the ATLAS detector

This paper presents a measurement of the cross-section for high transverse momentum W and Z bosons produced in pp collisions and decaying to all-hadronic final states. The data used in the analysis were recorded by the ATLAS detector at the CERN Large Hadron Collider at a centre-of-mass energy of √s = 7 TeV;{\rm Te}{\rm V}$and correspond to an integrated luminosity of$4.6\;{\rm f}{{{\rm b}}^{-1}}$. The measurement is performed by reconstructing the boosted W or Z bosons in single jets. The reconstructed jet mass is used to identify the W and Z bosons, and a jet substructure method based on energy cluster information in the jet centre-of-mass frame is used to suppress the large multi-jet background. The cross-section for events with a hadronically decaying W or Z boson, with transverse momentum${{p}_{{\rm T}}}\gt 320\;{\rm Ge}{\rm V}$and pseudorapidity$|\eta |\lt 1.9$, is measured to be${{\sigma }_{W+Z}}=8.5\pm 1.7$ pb and is compared to next-to-leading-order calculations. The selected events are further used to study jet grooming techniques