Internet of Things for Sustainability: Perspectives in Privacy, Cybersecurity, and Future Trends

In the sustainability IoT, the cybersecurity risks to things, sensors, and monitoring systems are distinct from the conventional networking systems in many aspects. The interaction of sustainability IoT with the physical world phenomena (e.g., weather, climate, water, and oceans) is mostly not found in the modern information technology systems. Accordingly, actuation, the ability of these devices to make changes in real world based on sensing and monitoring, requires special consideration in terms of privacy and security. Moreover, the energy efficiency, safety, power, performance requirements of these device distinguish them from conventional computers systems. In this chapter, the cybersecurity approaches towards sustainability IoT are discussed in detail. The sustainability IoT risk categorization, risk mitigation goals, and implementation aspects are analyzed. The openness paradox and data dichotomy between privacy and sharing is analyzed. Accordingly, the IoT technology and security standard developments activities are highlighted. The perspectives on opportunities and challenges in IoT for sustainability are given. Finally, the chapter concludes with a discussion of sustainability IoT cybersecurity case studies

Report from a symposium on catalyzing primary and secondary prevention of cancer in India

PurposeOral, breast, and cervical cancers are amenable to early detection and account for a third of India’s cancer burden. We convened a symposium of diverse stakeholders to identify gaps in evidence, policy, and advocacy for the primary and secondary prevention of these cancers and recommendations to accelerate these efforts. MethodsIndian and global experts from government, academia, private sector (health care, media), donor organizations, and civil society (including cancer survivors and patient advocates) presented and discussed challenges and solutions related to strategic communication and implementation of prevention, early detection, and treatment linkages.ResultsInnovative approaches to implementing and scaling up primary and secondary prevention were discussed using examples from India and elsewhere in the world. Participants also reflected on existing global guidelines and national cancer prevention policies and experiences.ConclusionsSymposium participants proposed implementation-focused research, advocacy, and policy/program priorities to strengthen primary and secondary prevention efforts in India to address the burden of oral, breast, and cervical cancers and improve survival

Serine Protease HtrA1 Associates with Microtubules and Inhibits Cell Migration▿

HtrA1 belongs to a family of serine proteases found in organisms ranging from bacteria to humans. Bacterial HtrA1 (DegP) is a heat shock-induced protein that behaves as a chaperone at low temperature and as a protease at high temperature to help remove unfolded proteins during heat shock. In contrast to bacterial HtrA1, little is known about the function of human HtrA1. Here, we report the first evidence that human HtrA1 is a microtubule-associated protein and modulates microtubule stability and cell motility. Intracellular HtrA1 is localized to microtubules in a PDZ (PSD95, Dlg, ZO1) domain-dependent, nocodazole-sensitive manner. During microtubule assembly, intracellular HtrA associates with centrosomes and newly polymerized microtubules. In vitro, purified HtrA1 promotes microtubule assembly. Moreover, HtrA1 cosediments and copurifies with microtubules. Purified HtrA1 associates with purified α- and β-tubulins, and immunoprecipitation of endogenous HtrA1 results in coprecipitation of α-, β-, and γ-tubulins. Finally, downregulation of HtrA1 promotes cell motility, whereas enhanced expression of HtrA1 attenuates cell motility. These results offer an original identification of HtrA1 as a microtubule-associated protein and provide initial mechanistic insights into the role of HtrA1 in theregulation of cell motility by modulating microtubule stability

Ct-Based Assessment Of Visceral Adiposity And Outcomes For Esophageal Adenocarcinoma

Background: Various methods of quantifying and correlating obesity to outcomes for patients with esophageal adenocarcinoma (EA) have been evaluated. Published data suggest that quantification of adiposity may be more accurate than body mass index (BMI) as a prognostic factor. We report our analysis of adiposity as a prognostic factor in a series of patients with EA. Methods: This single institution retrospective review included patients with EA who underwent esophagectomy from 1994-2008. Patients with BMI \u3c 20 were excluded. Using the preoperative CT scan, the visceral (VFA), subcutaneous (SFA), and total abdominal fat (TFA) areas were calculated. Each was contoured on a Siemens Leonardo workstation at the level of the iliac crest (L4/5). The Hounsfield threshold was -30 to -130. Outcomes were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier method and log-rank analysis. Multivariate analysis (MVA) was performed using the Cox proportion hazard regression model. Results: We identified 126 patients for the analysis. There were no statistically significant differences in overall survival or disease-free survival between groups above and below the medians for TFA, SFA, or VFA/SFA ratio. However, an increase in VFA was significantly associated with worsened OS and DFS when we further classified patients into quartiles. Patients with VFA ≥182 cm2 had larger tumor size (P=0.016), fewer involved lymph nodes (P=0.047), longer operating times (P=0.032), and were more likely to be males (P=0.042). Conclusions: Published data have demonstrated an association between treatment outcomes and degree of adiposity; our study found a correlation between VFA and OS and DFS in patients with EA. Median TFA, SFA, and VFA/SFA were not prognostic on MVA. While VFA \u3e 182 cm2 was associated with larger tumors, there were also fewer lymph nodes harvested in this group

Small Caliber Covered Self-Expanding Metal Stents In The Management Of Malignant Dysphagia

Background: Use of large caliber [≥18 mm body diameter (BD)] self-expanding metal stents (SEMS) for management of malignant dysphasia is associated with substantial adverse event (AE) and mortality rates (MRs). We sought to determine dysphagia response, stent migration rates, and AE and MRs, for small caliber covered SEMS (sccSEMS) with BDs between 10-16 mm in malignant dysphagia. Methods: Thirty-one patients underwent direct endoscopic placement of 50 sccSEMS between January 2008 and March 2011. Patients were monitored for change in dysphagia score (DS), stent migration, AEs, and death through May 2011. Results: DS improved in 30 of 31 patients (97%). The median DS decreased from 3 to 2 (P \u3c 0.0001). The median effective duration of first sccSEMS placement was 116 (95% CI: 75-196) days. Major and minor AE rates were 6.5% and 19.4% respectively. No stent related deaths were encountered. The overall migration rate was 36% (18/50). The anticipated migration rate was 45.7% (16/35) and the unanticipated migration rate was 13.3% (2/15) (P=0.052). Positive effective clinical outcome occurred in 93.5% (29/31) of cases. Conclusions: In malignant dysphagia, direct endoscopic sccSEMS placement provided acceptable dysphagia control and migration rates with substantial reductions in stent related AEs and MRs compared to those reported for large caliber SEMS

Stone age painting in India /

Bibliography: p. 111-112.Includes index