Defense Against REST-based Web Service Attacks for Enterprise Systems

In recent years, Representational State Transfer or REST-based Web Services have become popular for building Web systems. They have become an integral and critical part of information systems to facilitate and integrate the business processes across the enterprise. However, the simplicity of a REST-based implementation has caused the neglect of its systematic security threat analysis and design. One of the issues of systems built with REST services integration is their susceptibility to JSON input attacks. Such attacks could compromise the integrity of critical data in enterprise business processes. We analyze such a security issue in this paper. Some mechanisms used to secure Web sites and servers, such as encryption via HTTPS, static source code analysis, and input validation, can be integrated to defend against the attack

Using Document Indexers for Faceted Search in Dataspaces

Efficient information retrieval is essential to enrich user experience when searching for documents in dataspaces. With the continued growth in the volume and complexity of documents, the efficient information retrieval for searches has become increasingly challenging. To improve users’ search experience, faceted search combines direct keyword search methods with faceted browsing using a predefined set of categories (facets). This paper studies a faceted search approach that integrates dynamic facets generation with search. To further enhance the faceted search, alternative indexers based on pre-defined ontology for data repositories within dataspaces are evaluated in terms of execution time and data size. Experimental results suggest that combining the proposed faceted search with appropriate indexers improves search performance enhancing user experience

Health Information Exchange Adoption and Patient Satisfaction: The Mediating Role of Organizational Efficiency

Patient satisfaction is perceived as a significant benefit of hospitals’ investments in health information exchange (HIE). Successful implementation of HIE systems lead to increased organizational efficiency in hospitals and more likely to enable doctors and other staff members to better meet patient needs and expectations. This research draws upon system success theory to examine how HIE adoption affects patient satisfaction. In addition, this research investigates whether the relationship between HIE adoption and patient satisfaction is mediated by organizational efficiency. This is the first research study that draws upon system success theory to understand how HIE adoption affects patient satisfaction. For this study, the dataset was developed by integrating data from the Healthcare Cost Report Information System and the Hospital Compare data from the Medicare.gov website. It contained data from 2,459 U.S. acute care hospitals. Regression models were used to empirically validate relationships between HIE adoption and patient satisfaction. A three-step analysis was used to test the mediation effect. Results of this study indicates that HIE adoption positively impacts hospital efficiency. In addition, hospital efficiency positively influences patient satisfaction. Furthermore, the results validate the mediation role of hospital efficiency and suggest that HIE adoption indirectly affects patient satisfaction through hospital efficiency. HIE adoption leads to healthcare information system success (organizational efficiency), which in turn increases patient satisfaction

Aiding Fair Trade Online Through Place Branding

With the increased awareness of developed nations about social inequities in the world, fair trade has become in vogue. The Internet provides an opportunity for fair trade organizations (FTOs) to market their goods and take advantage of the desire of customers in developed nations to pay greater than free trade prices to reduce social inequities. FTOs, however, lack resources and knowledge to compete online against established retailers and/or branded products. We argue that through place branding FTOs can maximize their Internet retailing presence and expand their reach while increasing awareness of ethical consumerism. Free trade and place branding are reviewed and suggestions for the adoption of place branding online are discussed

Reengineering the coporation--a study at a semiconductor company

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, 1994.Includes bibliographical references (leaves 164-176).by Mark Ming-Hsun Lee.M.S

STAT3 Cooperates With Phospholipid Scramblase 2 to Suppress Type I Interferon Response

Type I interferon (IFN-I) is a pluripotent cytokine that modulates innate and adaptive immunity. We have previously shown that STAT3 suppresses IFN-I response in a manner dependent on its N-terminal domain (NTD), but independent of its DNA-binding and transactivation ability. Using the yeast two-hybrid system, we have identified phospholipid scramblase 2 (PLSCR2) as a STAT3 NTD-binding partner and a suppressor of IFN-I response. Overexpression of PLSCR2 attenuates ISRE-driven reporter activity, which is further aggravated by co-expression of STAT3. Moreover, PLSCR2 deficiency enhances IFN-I-induced gene expression and antiviral activity without affecting the activation or nuclear translocation of STAT1 and STAT2 or the assembly of ISGF3 complex. Instead, PLSCR2 impedes promoter occupancy by ISGF3, an effect further intensified by the presence of STAT3. Moreover, palmitoylation of PLSCR2 is required for its binding to STAT3 and for this suppressive activity. In addition to STAT3, PLSCR2 also interacts with STAT2, which facilitates the suppressive effect on ISGF3-mediated transcriptional activity. Together, these results define the role of a novel STAT3–PLSCR2 axis in fine-tuning IFN-I response

Pneumocystis jiroveci Pneumonia in Patients with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma Receiving Chemotherapy Containing Rituximab

AbstractRituximab enhances treatment efficacy of B-lineage lymphoma by targeting CD20+ B-cells. Such target therapies may compromise the immune system and render patients susceptible to opportunistic infections. We report 2 cases of lymphoma complicated with Pneumocystis jiroveci (previously known as P. carinii) pneumonia (PCP) while being treated with rituximab-containing chemotherapy regimens. In both cases, PCP developed during the neutropenic period. With timely diagnosis and proper management, both were treated successfully. We searched the literature and found that such opportunistic infection occurred only infrequently in lymphoma patients, and it has not been reported in the large-scale clinical trials of rituximab. Such cases demonstrate the importance of taking PCP into diagnostic consideration in lymphoma patients receiving similar therapies

Wealth Effects of Dividend Announcements on Bondholders: The Case of Taiwan Bond Market

Although bonds play an important role in U.S. capital markets, this financial instrument is less common in the emerging markets. Taiwan is a typical case. In fact, both bond issuances and bond transactions in Taiwan have been declining in the past years. Consistent with the previous studies, this research documents that wealth transfer effects exist between bondholders and stockholders. We hypothesize that this wealth transfer discourages investors from investing in bond markets because companies in Taiwan seem to care less about the interest of bondholders. Using the event study methodology, we examine the price change of bonds and stocks in Taiwan capital market around cash dividend announcements. We find that there are significant abnormal returns before cash dividend announcements from 30 days to 60 days and that there is insignificant price change of bonds during the three-day period around the announcement. Possible explanations of the results include low bond trading volumes, insider trading before announcements, and mixing signaling and wealth transfer effects. Although this study cannot prove that the results are directly related to management holdings, we tend to believe that insider trading somehow matters