Adversarial Evasion Attacks Practicality in Networks: Testing the Impact of Dynamic Learning

Machine Learning (ML) has become ubiquitous, and its deployment in Network Intrusion Detection Systems (NIDS) is inevitable due to its automated nature and high accuracy in processing and classifying large volumes of data. However, ML has been found to have several flaws, on top of them are adversarial attacks, which aim to trick ML models into producing faulty predictions. While most adversarial attack research focuses on computer vision datasets, recent studies have explored the practicality of such attacks against ML-based network security entities, especially NIDS. This paper presents two distinct contributions: a taxonomy of practicality issues associated with adversarial attacks against ML-based NIDS and an investigation of the impact of continuous training on adversarial attacks against NIDS. Our experiments indicate that continuous re-training, even without adversarial training, can reduce the effect of adversarial attacks. While adversarial attacks can harm ML-based NIDSs, our aim is to highlight that there is a significant gap between research and real-world practicality in this domain which requires attention

NDPA: A generalized efficient parallel in-place N-Dimensional Permutation Algorithm

N-dimensional transpose/permutation is a very important operation in many large-scale data intensive and scientific applications. These applications include but not limited to oil industry i.e. seismic data processing, nuclear medicine, media production, digital signal processing and business intelligence. This paper proposes an efficient in-place N-dimensional permutation algorithm. The algorithm is based on a novel 3D transpose algorithm that was published recently. The proposed algorithm has been tested on 3D, 4D, 5D, 6D and 7D data sets as a proof of concept. This is the first contribution which is breaking the dimensions’ limitation of the base algorithm. The suggested algorithm exploits the idea of mixing both logical and physical permutations together. In the logical permutation, the address map is transposed for each data unit access. In the physical permutation, actual data elements are swapped. Both permutation levels exploit the fast on-chip memory bandwidth by transferring large amount of data and allowing for fine-grain SIMD (Single Instruction, Multiple Data) operations. Thus, the performance is improved as evident from the experimental results section. The algorithm is implemented on NVidia GeForce GTS 250 GPU (Graphics Processing Unit) containing 128 cores. The rapid increase in GPUs performance coupled with the recent and continuous improvements in its programmability proved that GPUs are the right choice for computationally demanding tasks. The use of GPUs is the second contribution which reflects how strongly they fit for high performance tasks. The third contribution is improving the proposed algorithm performance to its peak as discussed in the results section

Early predictors of cardiac dysfunction in Egyptian children with chronic kidney disease

Background: Cardiovascular morbidity (CVM) is the main etiology of mortality in children and adolescents with chronic kidney disease (CKD). CKD associated cardiovascular mortality is more common in children with diastolic cardiac dysfunction which was considered as an early indicator for death, while increased left ventricular mass (LVM) is a strong independent risk factor for these patients. Vitamin D deficiency was previously studied as one of the risk factors for CVM. Aim: The aim of the work was to investigate the relationship between biomarkers of mineral bone disorder including serum 25(OH) Vitamin D3 (25-OH D3), phosphorus and calcium × phosphorus (Ca×Po4) product with diastolic cardiac function and LVM in children and adolescents with CKD. Subjects and Methods: This was a cross-sectional observational study. Participants were classified into two groups: Group I including 86 pediatric patients with CKD (stages 4 or 5) and Group II including 40 healthy controls. Group I was subdivided into IA included children with diastolic dysfunction and IB included cases without diastolic dysfunction. 25-OH D3 level was measured by enhanced chemiluminescence method and intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) by electrochemiluminescence method. Parameters for diastolic function and LVM were assessed by Doppler echocardiography, tissue Doppler imaging, and M-mode echocardiography. Results: 25-OH D3 level was significantly lower in Group I when compared to Group II. Diastolic dysfunction was present in 48.8% of the studied patients and was significantly associated with increased serum phosphorus and calcium-phosphorus product but not with decreased level of 25-OH D3. There was a significant positive correlation between LVM and iPTH. Conclusions: Hyperphosphatemia and high Ca×Po4 product were considered of prognostic value as they predict early diastolic dysfunction and increased LVM in children with CKD

Serum Osteoprotegerin level and the extent of cardiovascular calcification in haemodialysis patients

BackgroundCardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in chronic kidney disease and hemodialysis population. The mechanisms of vascular damage in this population are not fully explained by traditional cardiovascular risk factor. Osteoprotegerin (OPG) has been shown as an independent predictor of mortality in CKD patients and proposed as a potential biomarker for vascular calcification.MethodsA total of 80 subjects (60 hemodialysis patients and 20-age and sex matched healthy control) were studied. Vascular and valvular calcification was measured using plain X-ray and transthoracic echocardiography. Circulating OPG was measured in addition to standard clinical biochemical analysis.ResultsOsteoprotegerin level showed significant difference between hemodialysis (5.4±2.8pmol/l) and controls (0.96±0.41pmol/l) P<0.001. Vascular calcification detected by X-Ray and valvular calcification by echocardiography was statistically significant correlated with serum OPG level in hemodialysis patients with significant X-ray calcification score p=0.003 and overall valvular calcification with p value <0.001.ConclusionThere is strong positive relationship between osteoprotegerin and both vascular and valvular calcification in hemodialysis patients. This positive correlation may open the gate for routine estimation of this agent as a surrogate marker of cardiovascular calcification in hemodialysis patients

Speckle tracking evaluation of right ventricular functions in children with sickle cell disease

Background: Cardiac dysfunction is a risk factor for death in patients with sickle cell disease (SCD). Aim of the Work: Aim of the work is to evaluate the right ventricular systolic and diastolic functions by tissue Doppler and speckling tracking imaging in children with SCD. Subjects and Methods: Thirty children with SCD and thirty controls were subjected to clinical, laboratory evaluations, and echocardiographic study using GE Vivid 7 (GE Medical System, Horten, Norway with a 3.5-MHz multifrequency transducer) including; Two-dimensional and tissue Doppler echocardiographic study (lateral tricuspid valve annulus peak E' velocity, lateral tricuspid valve annulus peak A' velocity, E'/A' ratio, isovolumetric relaxation time, lateral tricuspid valve annulus S' and septal S' waves and peak longitudinal systolic strain [PLSS] and time to PLSS) were done in six right ventricular segments. Results: There was a significant decrease in right ventricular systolic and diastolic function in patients group when compared to controls. Conclusions: Children with SCD have impaired right ventricular systolic and diastolic functions when compared to healthy children with early evaluation of the systolic dysfunction by speckle tracking imaging technique

Lead and Cadmium Toxicity in Tile Manufacturing Workers in Assiut, Egypt

Occupational lead and cadmium exposure are important health issues in developing countries. This study aimed to detect toxic metal contents in raw materials used to make tiles and to assess exposure health impacts on workers. The study sample consisted of 74 tile workers, having a mean age of 35.2 years, in the Industrial City of Arab El Awamer, Assiut (Egypt). Elemental analysis of the raw materials was performed by using scanning electron microscopy. The data collection questionnaire was divided into two parts; the first included demographic data, symptoms attributed to toxic elements and possible sources of exposure to metals. The second part was designated to assess heavy metal exposure health impacts through clinical examination and biological  investigations. Many toxic elements were identified in the raw materials used to make tiles, and the most abundant were lead and cadmium. Analysis of the clinical data revealed that 66% of the workers suffered from headache, constipation (8%), abdominal colic (33.8%) and 30% suffered from a variety of respiratory problems such as dyspnea (60%), cough (13%) and chest tightness (27%). Fifty percent of the workers complained of weak grip, 33.8% of foot drop, and 54% had tremors. Burton’s line in gums was present in 28% of workers and 28.2% were diagnosed with constrictive lung diseases. Of the 74 workers, 90.5 % showed toxic lead levels and 80% had toxic cadmium levels. 10.8% had abnormal alpha glutathione levels with a positive strong linear correlation between lead and cadmium levels and years of work. It is mandatory to develop and implement measures to prevent these hazardous exposure effects among tile industry workers

The Association between Fibroblast Growth Factor-23 and Vascular Calcification Is Mitigated by Inflammation Markers

Background: Fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) has been linked to vascular calcification, ventricular hypertrophy and mortality in chronic kidney disease (CKD), although these links may not be direct and independent. Similar grave outcomes are associated with inflammation and oxidative stress in CKD. Recently, accumulating evidence has linked components of phosphate homeostasis to inflammation and oxidative stress. The interaction between the triad of inflammation, FGF-23 and cardiovascular outcomes is underinvestigated. Methods: We studied 65 patients with stage 5 CKD on hemodialysis. Serum levels of FGF-23, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), endogenous soluble receptor of advanced glycation end products (esRAGE), advanced oxidation protein products (AOPP), parathormone, lipids, calcium and phosphorous were measured. The aortic calcification index (ACI) was determined using non-contrast CT scans of the abdominal aorta. Results: FGF-23 was elevated (mean: 4,681 pg/ml, SD: 3,906) and correlated with hsCRP, esRAGE, AOPP, dialysis vintage and phosphorus in univariate analysis. In multiple regression analysis, hsCRP, AOPP and phosphorus but not esRAGE were all significantly correlated to FGF-23 (R2 = 0.7, p 2 = 0.65, p Conclusion: FGF-23 is strongly correlated to various markers of inflammation and oxidative stress in hemodialysis patients. The association between FGF-23 and vascular calcification was mitigated when corrected for inflammation markers