Automatically Detect Software Security Vulnerabilities Based on Natural Language Processing Techniques and Machine Learning Algorithms

Nowadays, software vulnerabilities pose a serious problem, because cyber-attackers often find ways to attack a system by exploiting software vulnerabilities. Detecting software vulnerabilities can be done using two main methods: i) signature-based detection, i.e. methods based on a list of known security vulnerabilities as a basis for contrasting and comparing; ii) behavior analysis-based detection using classification algorithms, i.e., methods based on analyzing the software code. In order to improve the ability to accurately detect software security vulnerabilities, this study proposes a new approach based on a technique of analyzing and standardizing software code and the random forest (RF) classification algorithm. The novelty and advantages of our proposed method are that to determine abnormal behavior of functions in the software, instead of trying to define behaviors of functions, this study uses the Word2vec natural language processing model to normalize and extract features of functions. Finally, to detect security vulnerabilities in the functions, this study proposes to use a popular and effective supervised machine learning algorithm

Sparsity exploitation via discovering graphical models in multi-variate time-series forecasting

Graph neural networks (GNNs) have been widely applied in multi-variate time-series forecasting (MTSF) tasks because of their capability in capturing the correlations among different time-series. These graph-based learning approaches improve the forecasting performance by discovering and understanding the underlying graph structures, which represent the data correlation. When the explicit prior graph structures are not available, most existing works cannot guarantee the sparsity of the generated graphs that make the overall model computational expensive and less interpretable. In this work, we propose a decoupled training method, which includes a graph generating module and a GNNs forecasting module. First, we use Graphical Lasso (or GraphLASSO) to directly exploit the sparsity pattern from data to build graph structures in both static and time-varying cases. Second, we fit these graph structures and the input data into a Graph Convolutional Recurrent Network (GCRN) to train a forecasting model. The experimental results on three real-world datasets show that our novel approach has competitive performance against existing state-of-the-art forecasting algorithms while providing sparse, meaningful and explainable graph structures and reducing training time by approximately 40%. Our PyTorch implementation is publicly available at https://github.com/HySonLab/GraphLASS

SECURITY CAPABILITY ANALYSIS OF COGNITIVE RADIO NETWORK WITH SECONDARY USER CAPABLE OF JAMMING AND SELF-POWERING

This paper investigates a cognitive radio network where a secondary sender assists a primarytransmitter in relaying primary information to a primary receiver and also transmits its own information toa secondary recipient. This sender is capable of jamming to protect secondary and/or primary informationagainst an eavesdropper and self-powering by harvesting radio frequency energy of primary signals.Security capability of both secondary and primary networks are analyzed in terms of secrecy outageprobability. Numerous results corroborate the proposed analysis which serves as a design guidelineto quickly assess and optimize security performance. More importantly, security capability trade-offbetween secondary and primary networks can be totally controlled with appropriate selection of systemparameters

Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factor Patterns and Their Implications for Intervention Strategies in Vietnam

Background. Data on cardiovascular disease risk factors (CVDRFs) in Vietnam are limited. This study explores the prevalence of each CVDRF and how they cluster to evaluate CVDRF burdens and potential prevention strategies. Methods. A cross-sectional survey in 2009 (2,130 adults) was done to collect data on behavioural CVDRF, anthropometry and blood pressure, lipidaemia profiles, and oral glucose tolerance tests. Four metabolic CVDRFs (hypertension, dyslipidaemia, diabetes, and obesity) and five behavioural CVDRFs (smoking, excessive alcohol intake, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and stress) were analysed to identify their prevalence, cluster patterns, and social predictors. Framingham scores were applied to estimate the global 10-year CVD risks and potential benefits of CVD prevention strategies. Results. The age-standardised prevalence of having at least 2/4 metabolic, 2/5 behavioural, or 4/9 major CVDRF was 28%, 27%, 13% in women and 32%, 62%, 34% in men. Within-individual clustering of metabolic factors was more common among older women and in urban areas. High overall CVD risk (≥20% over 10 years) identified 20% of men and 5% of women—especially at higher ages—who had coexisting CVDRF. Conclusion. Multiple CVDRFs were common in Vietnamese adults with different clustering patterns across sex/age groups. Tackling any single risk factor would not be efficient

Reduced Need of Infiltration Anesthesia Accompanied With Other Positive Outcomes in Diode Laser Application for Frenectomy in Children

Introduction: The abnormal maxillary labial frenum is common in children during the primary or mixed dentition stage. A conventional surgery for this abnormality usually requires infiltration anesthesia which leads to fear in children and consequent noncooperation during the surgery. The aim of present study was to evaluate the reduction in the need of infiltration anesthesia, intraoperative bleeding control and postoperative pain and wound healing in children when using the diode laser for abnormal labial frenum in the maxilla.Methods: The present study was carried out among 30 children attending the Hanoi Medical University, Vietnam. A Diode Laser with 810 nm wavelength and power of 0.8 W was used for frenectomy.Results: The proportion of procedures without any need of infiltration anesthesia was 70%, while 93.34% of children demonstrated positive and very positive behavior. Proportion of indolence on the first day after surgery was 83.3%. While 83.3% of children did not take any analgesics, not a single child complained of any pain 3 days after surgery.Conclusion: Our results indicated that the use of diode laser showed several benefits in maxillary labial frenectomy in children. These included reducing the need of infiltration anesthesia, increasing the children’s cooperation as well as decreasing the postoperative pain

The Role of Serial NT-ProBNP Level in Prognosis and Follow-Up Treatment of Acute Heart Failure after Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery

BACKGROUND: After coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery, heart failure is still major problem. The valuable marker for it is needed. AIM: Evaluating the role of serial NT-proBNP level in prognosis and follow-up treatment of acute heart failure after CABG surgery. METHODS: The prospective, analytic study evaluated 107 patients undergoing CABG surgery at Ho Chi Minh Heart Institute from October 2012 to June 2014. Collecting data was done at pre- and post-operative days with measuring NT-proBNP levels on the day before operation, 2 hours after surgery, every next 24 h until the 5th day, and in case of acute heart failure occurred after surgery. RESULTS: On the first postoperative day (POD1), the NT-proBNP level demonstrated significant value for AHF with the cut-off point = 817.8 pg/mL and AUC = 0.806. On the second and third postoperative day, the AUC value of NT- was 0.753 and 0.751. It was statistically significant in acute heart failure group almost at POD 1 and POD 2 when analyzed by the doses of dobutamine, noradrenaline, and adrenaline (both low doses and normal doses). CONCLUSION: Serial measurement of NT-proBNP level provides useful prognostic and follow-up treatment information in acute heart failure after CABG surgery

Depth-dose distribution in potatoes with low-energy X-rays

Irradiation is known as a handful measure to inhibit potato sprouting, kill harmful bacteria, and increase preservation. The absorbed dose is one of the essential characteristics of the irradiation process. In this study, the depth-dose distributions in potatoes and polymethyl methacrylate were investigated under low-energy X-ray irradiation by using the Fricke dosimeter and Gafchromic film dosimeter. The dose rates required for the rays to penetrate in polymethyl methacrylate were compared with those in potatoes. Polymethyl methacrylate could be used as a phantom in measuring the depth dose delivered in potatoes. The difference in depth-dose distribution in potatoes between one-sided and double-sided irradiation was also investigated. The calculated dose uniformity ratio values are 5.8 and 1.9 for potatoes irradiating one-sided and double-sided

Selective breeding of saline-tolerant striped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus) for sustainable catfish farming in climate vulnerable Mekong Delta, Vietnam

peer reviewedStriped catfish (Pangasianodon hypophthalmus), a freshwater species cultured mainly in the Mekong Delta region in Southern Vietnam, is facing a significant challenge due to salinity intrusion as a result of climatic changes. Given these evolving environmental conditions, selecting new strains with a higher salinity tolerance could make production of striped catfish economically feasible in brackish environments. In this study, we carried out a selection program aimed at developing a striped catfish strain able to survive and grow fast in a saline environment. To implement the selection program, we first collected males and females from different provinces in the Mekong delta. We next performed a factorial cross of these breeders to produce half- and full-sib families. When fish reached fry stage (47 dph), we put them in a saline environment (10 ppt) and subsequently kept 50 % of the fastest-growing fish after 143 days post hatching (dph). We repeated this mass selection procedure after 237 dph and 340 dph. We maintained in parallel a randomly selected group in saline conditions and a group of fish reared in freshwater to serve as controls. After crossing the selected individuals, we performed several tests on the next generation of fish to evaluate the effectiveness of selection after one generation in saline conditions. Average direct responses to selection were 18.0 % for growth and 11.4 % for survival rate after one generation of selection. We estimated a moderate realized heritability (0.29) for body weight. The genetic gains obtained in our study for body weight and survival rate after one generation of selection under saline conditions suggest that selection can be effective to improve ability of striped catfish to cope with saline stress. We conclude that our selection program has succeeded in developing a productive strain of striped catfish with better tolerance to salinity. © 2022 The Author

Implementation of point-of-care testing of C-reactive protein concentrations to improve antibiotic targeting in respiratory illness in Vietnamese primary care: a pragmatic cluster-randomised controlled trial

Background In previous trials, point-of-care testing of C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations safely reduced antibiotic use in non-severe acute respiratory infections in primary care. However, these trials were done in a research-oriented context with close support from research staff, which could have influenced prescribing practices. To better inform the potential for scaling up point-of-care testing of CRP in respiratory infections, we aimed to do a pragmatic trial of the intervention in a routine care setting. Methods We did a pragmatic, cluster-randomised controlled trial at 48 commune health centres in Viet Nam between June 1, 2020, and May 12, 2021. Eligible centres served populations of more than 3000 people, handled 10–40 respiratory infections per week, had licensed prescribers on site, and maintained electronic patient databases. Centres were randomly allocated (1:1) to provide point-of-care CRP testing plus routine care or routine care only. Randomisation was stratified by district and by baseline prescription level (ie, the proportion of patients with suspected acute respiratory infections to whom antibiotics were prescribed in 2019). Eligible patients were aged 1–65 years and visiting the commune health centre for a suspected acute respiratory infection with at least one focal sign or symptom and symptoms lasting less than 7 days. The primary endpoint was the proportion of patients prescribed an antibiotic at first attendance in the intention-to-treat population. The per-protocol analysis included only people who underwent CRP testing. Secondary safety outcomes included time to resolution of symptoms and frequency of hospitalisation. This trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03855215. Findings 48 commune health centres were enrolled and randomly assigned, 24 to the intervention group (n=18 621 patients) and 24 to the control group (n=21 235). 17 345 (93·1%) patients in the intervention group were prescribed antibiotics, compared with 20 860 (98·2%) in the control group (adjusted relative risk 0·83 [95% CI 0·66–0·93]). Only 2606 (14%) of 18 621 patients in the intervention group underwent CRP testing and were included in the per-protocol analysis. When analyses were restricted to this population, larger reductions in prescribing were noted in the intervention group compared with the control group (adjusted relative risk 0·64 [95% CI 0·60–0·70]). Time to resolution of symptoms (hazard ratio 0·70 [95% CI 0·39–1·27]) and frequency of hospitalisation (nine in the intervention group vs 17 in the control group; adjusted relative risk 0·52 [95% CI 0·23–1·17]) did not differ between groups. Interpretation Use of point-of-care CRP testing efficaciously reduced prescription of antibiotics in patients with non-severe acute respiratory infections in primary health care in Viet Nam without compromising patient recovery. The low uptake of CRP testing suggests that barriers to implementation and compliance need to be addressed before scale-up of the intervention. Funding Australian Government, UK Government, and the Foundation for Innovative New Diagnostics