Monitoring Data Integrity in Big Data Analytics Services

Enabled by advances in Cloud technologies, Big Data Analytics Services (BDAS) can improve many processes and identify extra information from previously untapped data sources. As our experience with BDAS and its benefits grows and technology for obtaining even more data improves, BDAS becomes ever more important for many different domains and for our daily lives. Most efforts in improving BDAS technologies have focused on scaling and efficiency issues. However, an equally important property is that of security, especially as we increasingly use public Cloud infrastructures instead of private ones. In this paper we present our approach for strengthening BDAS security by modifying the popular Spark infrastructure so as to monitor at run-time the integrity of data manipulated. In this way, we can ensure that the results obtained by the complex and resource-intensive computations performed on the Cloud are based on correct data and not data that have been tampered with or modified through faults in one of the many and complex subsystems of the overall system

Examining adherence to activity monitoring devices to improve physical activity in adults with cardiovascular disease: A systematic review

Background Activity monitoring devices are currently being used to facilitate and monitor physical activity. No prior review has examined adherence to the use of activity monitoring devices amongst adults with cardiovascular disease. Methods Literature from June 2012 to October 2017 was evaluated to examine the extent of adherence to any activity monitoring device used to collect objective physical activity data. Randomized control trials comparing usual care against the use of an activity monitoring device, in a community intervention for adults from any cardiovascular diagnostic group, were included. A systematic search of databases and clinical trials registers was conducted using Joanna Briggs Institute methodology. Results Of 10 eligible studies, two studies reported pedometer use and eight accelerometer use. Six studies addressed the primary outcome. Mean adherence was 59.1% (range 39.6% to 85.7%) at last follow-up. Studies lacked equal representation by gender (28.6% female) and age (range 42 to 82 years). Conclusion This review indicates that current research on activity monitoring devices may be overstated due to the variability in adherence. Results showed that physical activity tracking in women and in young adults have been understudied

Examining Associations of Environmental Characteristics with Recreational Cycling Behaviour by Street-Level Strava Data

Policymakers pay much attention to effectively increasing frequency of people’s cycling in the context of developing sustainable and green cities. Investigating associations of environmental characteristics and cycling behaviour could offer implications for changing urban infrastructure aiming at encouraging active travel. However, earlier examinations of associations between environmental characteristics and active travel behaviour are limited by low spatial granularity and coverage of traditional data. Crowdsourced geographic information offers an opportunity to determine the fine-grained travel patterns of people. Particularly, Strava Metro data offer a good opportunity for studies of recreational cycling behaviour as they can offer hourly, daily or annual cycling volumes with different purposes (commuting or recreational) in each street across a city. Therefore, in this study, we utilised Strava Metro data for investigating associations between environmental characteristics and recreational cycling behaviour at a large spatial scale (street level). In this study, we took account of population density, employment density, road length, road connectivity, proximity to public transit services, land use mix, proximity to green space, volume of motor vehicles and traffic accidents in an empirical investigation over Glasgow. Empirical results reveal that Strava cyclists are more likely to cycle for recreation on streets with short length, large connectivity or low volume of motor vehicles or on streets surrounded by residential land

Modelling Cyclists Route Choice Using Strava and OSMnx : A Case Study of the City of Glasgow

Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Ke Klaretovu spisu Complexionarius

Příspěvek je věnován Klaretově didaktické básni Complexionarius, jejímu popisu a obsahovému rozboru. V kontextu dalších Klaretových děl má spis svým tématem i dobou svého vzniku (pravděpodobně 40. léta 14. století) blízko k regiminu Medicaminarius, zaměřen je ovšem úžeji na výklad o lidských complexiones (povahách) a o jejich proměnách. Pozornost je věnována struktuře textu a tomu, jakým způsobem se v něm odráží nauka o septem res naturales. Autor třídí Klaretovy poznatky k jednotlivým complexiones a nově identifikuje některé textové shody s obdobným výkladem v díle Flos medicinae Scholae Salerni. Jako učební text Complexionarius poskytuje vhled do jedné z oblastí teorie medicíny, jak byla v českém prostředí pěstována v polovině 14. století.The article deals with Claretus’ didactic poem Complexionarius (written before 1348) and provides its description and content analysis. Among other Claretus’ writings it is related to Medicaminarius, a regimen sanitatis written in the same decade. The poem of 944 leonine verses describes the four human complexiones (temperaments) and puts them into context of so called septem res naturales. Structure of the poem and content of each chapter is outlined, Claretus’ method for characterization of each complexio is introduced, and Salernitan Rule of Health is identified as one of author’s sources. As a schooltext, Complexionarius allows us to take a look inside the medical theory as it was taught in the middle of 14th century in Bohemia

Predicting the number of users of new bicycle infrastructure in Oslo based on location data from Strava : an application of GIS and regression analysis

Denne masteroppgaven ser på muligheten for å benytte posisjonsdata fra treningsapplikasjonen Strava til å undersøke hvorvidt oppgradering av sykkelinfrastruktur i Oslo har en innvirkning på antallet syklister på strekningen. Dette er gjort ved å sammenligne tall fra Strava med tall fra sykkeltellere for så å studere likheten mellom disse. På denne måten kan bruken og nytten av nye sykkelveier evalueres gjennom modeller som benytter data fra nettdugnad som input.This master’s thesis looks at the possibility of using loaction data from the training application Strava to examine whether upgrading the cycling infrastructure in Oslo has an impact on the number of cyclists. This is done by comparing data from Strava with data from bicycle counters and then studying the similarities between these. In this way, the use and usefulness of new cycle paths can be evaluated through models that use data from crowdsoursing as input.M-GEO

Where to put bike counters? Stratifying bicycling patterns in the city using crowdsourced data

This work was supported by a grant from the Public Health Agency of Canada to BikeMaps.org.When designing bicycle count programs, it can be difficult to know where to locate counters to generate a representative sample of bicycling ridership. Crowdsourced data on ridership has been shown to represent patterns of temporal ridership in dense urban areas. Here we use crowdsourced data and machine learning to categorize street segments into classes of temporal patterns of ridership. We used continuous signal processing to group 3,880 street segments in Ottawa, Ontario into six classes of temporal ridership that varied based on overall volume and daily patterns (commute vs non-commute). Transportation practitioners can use this data to strategically place counters across these strata to efficiently capture bicycling ridership counts that better represent the entire city.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Analysis on Current US Cybersecurity Strategy

In March 2023 the Biden administration revealed a revitalized cybersecurity strategy to address the numerous threats from cyberspace. This plan involves five pillars of defense that the Biden administration plans to use to protect its national interests. These five pillars are the defense of critical infrastructure, disruption and dismantling of threat actors, shaping market forces to drive security and resilience, investment in a resilient future, and forging international partnerships. This analysis will examine if these five pillars are the correct approach by the United States to protect its cybersecurity interests, as well as explain the goals that the United States hope to achieve by accomplishing them