Towards Self-Awareness Privacy Protection for Internet of Things Data Collection

The Internet of Things (IoT) is now an emerging global Internet-based information architecture used to facilitate the exchange of goods and services. IoT-related applications are aiming to bring technology to people anytime and anywhere, with any device. However, the use of IoT raises a privacy concern because data will be collected automatically from the network devices and objects which are embedded with IoT technologies. In the current applications, data collector is a dominant player who enforces the secure protocol that cannot be verified by the data owners. In view of this, some of the respondents might refuse to contribute their personal data or submit inaccurate data. In this paper, we study a self-awareness data collection protocol to raise the confidence of the respondents when submitting their personal data to the data collector. Our self-awareness protocol requires each respondent to help others in preserving his privacy. The communication (respondents and data collector) and collaboration (among respondents) in our solution will be performed automatically

Introducing REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts) to Enhance the Risk Adjusted Returns of the Risky Direct Real Estate Portfolio

Purpose: The paper has several objectives in mind: to examine whether or not a dynamic, ex ante AHP-SAA model and a dynamic Markowitz QP TAA model that utilizes de-smoothed data, produces an investment strategy, which further optimizes the risk-adjusted return of the pan-Asian real estate portfolio. It examines the required de-smoothing and Modern Portfolio Theory (MPT) for the TAA. Design/Methodology/Approach: This paper reveals that the efficient frontier of risk-adjusted returns for direct real estate portfolio is enhanced by introducing REITS. The portfolio comprises the Pan-Asian office and industrial real estate markets for 13 major Asian cities, to which Asian REITS are added. Direct real estate total return data is in its “smooth” form while the REIT data is “de-smoothed” under the 1st and 4th order autoregressive model. The efficient frontier is constructed under a dynamic Strategic Asset Allocation (SAA) model, incorporating the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach. Secondly, the dynamic Markowitz quadratic-programming Tactical Asset Allocation (TAA) model is adopted to obtain a geographically and real estate sector diversified portfolio.Findings: The resulting efficient frontier with the de-smoothed data reveals a higher overall TR for every corresponding standard deviation as compared to the smoothed data. TAA for the de-smoothed returns would lie on the efficient frontier at the maximum Sharpe ratio of 1.44 with a TR on 15.30% and a standard deviation of 7.31%. Conversely, TAA for the smoothed returns would lie on the efficient frontier at the maximum Sharpe ratio of 1.31 with a lower TR of 14.2% and a standard deviation of 7.18%.Practical implications: This paper should serve as a meaningful guide to look at an alternative asset allocation process that can be effectively adopted and refined by practitioners and researchers. It enables asset managers/or investors to deploy expert opinions on an ex ante basis for a longer term dynamic SAA model and a short term dynamic Markowitz QP TAA model. Originality/Value: The paper offers insightful information for in adopting the AHP to develop a dynamic SAA and the dynamic Markowitz QP TAA model in utilizing de-smoothed direct real estate TR data. This paper is specific to a Pan Asian direct real estate portfolio of 13 Asian cities together with the introduction of Asian REITS, to provide greater diversification and risk-return benefits

Attitude, acceptability and knowledge of HPV vaccination among local university students in Hong Kong

© 2016 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine has the great potential to prevent HPV-related infections for millions of women and men worldwide. However, the success of the vaccine is highly dependent on the vaccination rate. Factors influencing the attitudes of undergraduate students towards HPV vaccination should be studied. This is a cross-sectional survey that was conducted to estimate the HPV vaccination rate among undergraduate students in Hong Kong, and to identify the predictors of their attitude towards HPV vaccination. The results showed that the HPV vaccination rate was 13.3%. Factors related to knowledge of vaccination were the main predictors of the studentsâ attitude towards vaccination (there were seven predictors, with B = 1.36 to 2.30; p < 0.05), followed by gender (B =-1.40; p < 0.05), acceptable maximum price (B = 0.35; p < 0.05), and willingness to receive the HPV vaccine if it can protect against cervical/anal cancer and genital warts (B =-1.90; p < 0.001).Theregressionmodelthatwasdevelopedbasedonthepredictorshadamoderateeffect size (adj-R 2 = 0.33). To conclude, the HPV vaccination rate among undergraduate students in Hong Kong was low. They should be provided with more active education and activities to promote HPV vaccination to improve their knowledge on the subject.Link_to_subscribed_fulltex

Novosti u artroskopskoj kirurgiji ručnog zgloba: od resekcije do rekonstrukcije

One of the major advances in wrist arthroscopy is the development of various therapeutic procedures since the 90’s. Therapeutic procedures are no longer restricted to resection. More specific repair procedures and functional reconstruction involving replenishment of tissue defect and augmentation of vital structures are seen with proven value. In particular, wrist arthroscopy performed under local anaesthetic setting without tourniquet and sedation markedly reduces the risk and cost. This article highlights the common indications and applications of wrist arthroscopy, with emphasis on the latest and significant innovations in reconstructive arthroscopic surgery in Hong Kong. On the resection aspect, common procedures include joint debridement, synovectomy, ganglionectomy, capsular release and osteotomies. Reparative surgery includes ligament repair, arthroscopic assisted reduction and fixation of fracture dislocation and chondroplasty for small chondral lesions. Reconstructive surgery embraces surgical solutions tackling on osseous, soft tissue and cartilage problems. Scaphoid nonunion can be treated by arthroscopic bone grafting and percutaneous fixation with union rate of over 90 %. Partial wrist fusion can be achieved arthroscopically to maximize motion and to enhance union by preserving soft tissue and vascularity. Arthroscopic assisted reconstruction of the radio-ulnar ligaments with tendon graft can be performed to treat chronic distal radioulnar joint instability through bone tunnels in sigmoid notch and ulnar fovea. In chronic scapholunate (SL) instability, the dorsal and palmar portion of the SL interosseous ligament is reconstituted anatomically through arthroscopically assisted reconstruction with tendon graft in a box-like structure. In cartilage reconstruction, post–traumatic chondral lesion can be treated with arthroscopic osteochondral transplant.Od uvođenja artroskopije ručnog zgloba 90-ih godina prošloga stoljeća počinje razvoj i uvođenje brojnih novih terapijskih postupaka. Zahvati više nisu ograničeni samo na resekcije, već se počinje s razvojem reparacijskih i funkcionalnih rekonstrukcija, kao što su popunjavanje defekata i augmentacija vitalnih struktura. Artroskopija ručnog zgloba izvedena u lokalnoj anesteziji i bez Torniquetove poveske značajno smanjuje i cijenu zahvata. U ovom radu istaknute su najčešće indikacije i primjena artroskopija ručnog zgloba s naglaskom na najnoviji zahvat artroskopske rekonstrukcije ručnog zgloba u Hong Kongu. Glede resekcija, najčešći zahvati uključuju debridman zgloba, sinovijektomiju, ganglionekotimiju, opuštanje zglobne čahure i oteotomiju. Reparativni zahvati uključuju rekonstrukcije ligamenata, artroskopski asistirane repozicije i fiksacije prijeloma i luksacija te hondroplastike. Rekonstruktivni zahvati obuhvaćaju zahvate na kostima, mekim tkivima i hrskavici. Nesraštanje skafoidne kosti može se liječiti artroskopski s koštanim presadcima i perkutanim fiksacijama, a uspješnost cijeljenja je veća od 90 %. Djelomične artrodeze mogu se provesti artroskopski kako bi se očuvala pokretljivost ostalih dijelova i pojačalo cijeljenje očuvanjem mekih tkiva i vaskularizacije. Artroskopski asistirana rekonstrukcija radioularnih ligamenata s tetivnim transplantatima može se izvoditi pri kroničnim nestabilnostima distalnog radioulnarnog zgloba. Pri kroničnoj skafolunatnoj nestabilnosti, dorzalni i palmarni dio SL ligamenta mogu se anatomski rekonstruirati tetivnim presadcima. Posttraumatska hrskavična oštećenja mogu se liječiti artroskopski primjenom koštano-hrskavičnih transplantata

Occurrences of mild compression wood in agathis borneensis and dacrydium elatum

Studies on the compression wood in tropical gymnosperms are uncommon due to their limited distribution and over-exploitation. Microscopic examination of the heartwood of two tropical gymnosperms, Agathis borneensis (local name: bindang, damar minyak) and Dacrydium elatum (local name: sempilor) growing on higher elevations in Sarawak, Malaysia showed the occurrence of mild compression wood. Intercellular spaces were present in the compression wood of A. borneensis, but not in D. elatum. Rounded shapes of tracheids, typical of severe compression wood, were not observed in any of the samples examined. In D. elatum helical cavities were present, which corresponded in location to cell wall checks seen in cross-sectional views. The S1 layer was relatively thick in both wood species but a distinct S3 layer was observable only in the mild compression wood of D. elatum. Although the main feature of the mild compression wood tracheids of both wood species was greater lignification of the outer S2 region, autofluorescence and KMnO4 staining showed the fluorescence and staining intensity in the corner middle lamella in some cases to be much stronger than that in the outer part of S2 layer

Infrared galaxies detected by the Atacama Cosmology Telescope

We report on 167 infrared (IR) galaxies selected by AKARI and IRAS and detected in the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT) Data Release 5 (DR5) sky maps at the 98, 150 and 220 GHz frequency bands. Of these detections, 134 (80%) of the millimeter counterparts are first-time identifications with ACT. We expand the previous ACT extragalactic source catalogs, by including new 98 GHz detections and measurements from ACT DR5. We also report flux density measurements at the 98, 150, and 220 GHz frequency bands. We compute $\alpha_{98-150}$, $\alpha_{98-220}$, and $\alpha_{150-220}$ millimeter-wave spectral indices and far-IR to millimeter-wave spectral indices between 90 micron and 98, 150, and 220 GHz. We specify the galaxy type, based on $\alpha_{150-220}$. We combine publicly available multiwavelength data-including ultraviolet, optical, near-IR, mid-IR, far-IR, and the millimeter measurements obtained in this work-and perform spectral energy distribution (SED) fitting with CIGALE. With the radio emission decomposition advantage of CIGALE V2022.0, we identify the origins of the millimeter emissions for 69 galaxies in our sample. Our analysis also shows that millimeter data alone indicates the need for a radio synchrotron component in the SEDs that are produced by active galactic nuclei (AGNs) and/or star formation. We present SEDs and measured physical properties of these galaxies, such as the dust luminosity, AGN luminosity, the total IR luminosity, and the ratio of the IR and radio luminosity. We quantify the relationships between the total IR luminosity and the millimeter-band luminosities, which can be used in the absence of SED analysis.Comment: 29 pages, 6 tables, 11 figures, 1 appendix with 1 further figure. Accepted for publication in ApJ

PTEN/Akt Signaling Controls Mitochondrial Respiratory Capacity through 4E-BP1

10.1371/journal.pone.0045806PLoS ONE79

SARS Transmission among Hospital Workers in Hong Kong

Despite infection control measures, breakthrough transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) occurred for many hospital workers in Hong Kong. We conducted a case-control study of 72 hospital workers with SARS and 144 matched controls. Inconsistent use of goggles, gowns, gloves, and caps was associated with a higher risk for SARS infection (unadjusted odds ratio 2.42 to 20.54, p < 0.05). The likelihood of SARS infection was strongly associated with the amount of personal protection equipment perceived to be inadequate, having <2 hours of infection control training, and not understanding infection control procedures. No significant differences existed between the case and control groups in the proportion of workers who performed high-risk procedures, reported minor protection equipment problems, or had social contact with SARS-infected persons. Perceived inadequacy of personal protection equipment supply, infection control training <2 hours, and inconsistent use of personal protection equipment when in contact with SARS patients were significant independent risk factors for SARS infection

Improved orthogonal array based simulated annealing for design optimization

Recent research shows that simulated annealing with orthogonal array based neighbourhood functions can help in the search for a solution to a parametrical problem which is closer to an optimum when compared with conventional simulated annealing. Previous studies of simulated annealing analyzed only the main effects of variables of parametrical problems. In fact, both main effects of variables and interactions between variables should be considered, since interactions between variables exist in many parametrical problems. In this paper, an improved orthogonal array based neighbourhood function (IONF) for simulated annealing with the consideration of interaction effects between variables is described. After solving a set of parametrical benchmark function problems where interaction effects between variables exist, results of the benchmark tests show that the proposed simulated annealing algorithm with the IONF outperforms significantly both the simulated annealing algorithms with the existing orthogonal array based neighbourhood functions and the standard neighbourhood functions. Finally, the improved orthogonal array based simulated annealing was applied on the optimization of emulsified dynamite packing-machine design by which the applicability of the algorithm in real world problems can be evaluated and its effectiveness can be further validated