Practical Provably Secure Multi-node Communication

We present a practical and provably-secure multimode communication scheme in the presence of a passive eavesdropper. The scheme is based on a random scheduling approach that hides the identity of the transmitter from the eavesdropper. This random scheduling leads to ambiguity at the eavesdropper with regard to the origin of the transmitted frame. We present the details of the technique and analyze it to quantify the secrecy-fairness-overhead trade-off. Implementation of the scheme over Crossbow Telosb motes, equipped with CC2420 radio chips, shows that the scheme can achieve significant secrecy gain with vanishing outage probability. In addition, it has significant overhead advantage over direct extensions to two-nodes schemes. The technique also has the advantage of allowing inactive nodes to leverage sleep mode to further save energy.Comment: Proceedings of the IEEE International Conference on Computing, Networking and Communications (ICNC 2014

Analysis of gene mutations in exhaled breath condensate from healthy and lung cancer individuals and profiling of mutations and gut microbiota in stools from patients with gastrointestinal neoplasms

Lung and gastrointestinal (GIT) cancers are two types of malignancies in which early diagnosis has a significant impact on prognosis and better survival rate. Exhaled breath condensate (EBC) from lung cancer patients and stool from patients with GIT tumors can represent non-invasive sources for diagnosis of malignancy at an early stage. These materials contain DNA from cells exfoliated from malignant or pre-malignant lesions and consequently could reflect all genetic alterations occurring during development of the cancer. Stool samples are also a good source to study gut bacterial composition. Changes in the gut bacterial profile are linked to many diseases including GIT cancers. The aim of the study was to explore gene mutations in these samples, and to test their feasibility for the detection of malignancy in different tumor stages, including both early and advanced stages. A further aim was to investigate differences in the gut microbiota profile in stool samples of GIT cancer patients based on the location of the tumor. The study material consisted of EBC samples from 26 lung cancer patients and 20 healthy individuals and stool specimens collected from 87 GIT neoplasia patients and 14 healthy individuals included as controls. DNA was isolated from both the EBC and stool samples. Targeted amplicon next generation sequencing (NGS) and 16S rRNA sequencing, using the Ion Torrent platforms, were performed to study gene mutations and stool bacterial profiling, respectively. In study I, the methodology was optimized for applying NGS to study gene mutations in the EBC DNA from healthy individuals. The results revealed 15 subjects showing a total of 35 hotspot mutations in their EBC samples. The most frequent hotspot mutations occurred at TP53, KRAS, NRAS, and SMAD4 genes. A codon 12 KRAS G12V mutation was detected in one control EBC sample with a mutant allele fraction of 6.8%. In the follow-up, study II, the same methodological steps were applied to the DNA isolated from EBC samples of patients with lung neoplasms. The success rate was 67.9% with 17 patients revealing a total of 39 hotspot mutations in their EBC. The most frequent hotspot mutations occurred in the following genes: TP53, SMAD4, PIK3CA, and KRAS. A codon 13 KRAS G13D mutation was detected in one patient’s EBC sample with a mutant allele fraction of 17%. The average mutant allele fraction for the gene mutations seen in patients were higher compared to that in controls; e.g. for TP53, the average mutant allele fraction was 22.9% and 13.6% and for KRAS, 11.4% and 4.3% in the patients and controls, respectively. In study III, a cancer hotspot gene panel together with colon and lung cancer gene panels were used to study mutations in stool DNA from 87 patients with gastric and colorectal neoplasms. The success rates were 78% and 87% for gastric and colorectal neoplasia, respectively. Stools from patients with gastric neoplasms revealed 5 hotspot mutations, while from colorectal neoplasms 20 hotspot mutations were found. APC, TP53, and KRAS were the most frequently mutated genes in colorectal neoplasms. However, APC, CDKN2A, and EGFR were the only genes that showed hotspot mutations in gastric neoplasms. Hotspot mutations could also be detected in stool DNA from benign (8 mutations) and early malignant (9 mutations) GIT neoplasms. In study IV, bacterial profiling in stool samples from patients with GIT neoplasms revealed variations in abundance according to the site of the GIT neoplasm. Two families, Lactobacillaceae and Bifidobacteriaceae, showed lower relative abundance while Enterobacteriaceae showed higher relative abundance when compared with control samples. The observed bacterial diversity could serve as an indicator in GIT neoplasms and help in disease monitoring. To conclude, EBC and stool specimens are easily accessible non-invasive samples that could be used for studying different genetic alterations in neoplasms. Our studies revealed that NGS is a sensitive molecular technique that can be successfully applied to study gene mutations in multiple cancer genes from a very small amount of input DNA.Keuhko-ja suolistosyöpien varhainen diagnostisointi parantaa ennustetta. Keuhkosyöpäpotilaiden hengitysilman tiiviste ja suolistosyöpäpotilaiden uloste tarjoavat näytteet varhaista diagnosointia varten; ne sisältävät kasvaimesta peräisin olevia soluja, joiden DNA:ta tutkimalla voidaan selvittää syövän kasvuun liittyvät geneettiset muutokset. Ulostenäytteet tarjoavat myös mahdollisuuden tutkia suoliston bakteereja eli mikrobiflooraa. DNA- ja mikrobiflooran muutokset ovat yhteydessä syöpien syntyyn. Tämän työn tarkoituksena oli tutkia geenimutaatioita edellä mainituista näytteistä, ja testata niiden sopivuus syöpäkasvaimen varhaisdiagnostiikassa. Lisäksi tutkittiin suoliston mikrobiflooran muutoksia suolistosyövissä, ja muutosten yhteyttä syöpäkasvaimen paikkaan maha-suolikanavassa.Tutkimus koostui 26 keuhkosyöpäpotilaan ja 20 terveen henkilön hengitysilmatiivisteestä sekä 87 suolistosyöpäpotilaan ja 14 terveen henkilön ulosteesta. Näytteistä eristettiin DNA. Geenimutaatiota tutkittiin uuden polven sekvensoinnilla. Mikrobifloora tutkittiin 16S rRNA-sekvensoinnilla Tutkimustulokset on julkaistu neljässä erillisessä osatyössä. Osatyössä I, uudenpolvensekvensointi optimoitiin terveiden henkilöiden hengitysilmatiivisteille. Yhteensä 35 mutaatiota löydettiin 15 eri näytteestä. Eniten mutaatioita löydettiin TP53, KRAS, NRAS ja SMAD4-geeneistä. Tunnettu syövänkasvuun liitettävä KRAS-geenin mutaatio G12V, jonka alleelifrekvenssi oli 6.8%, löydettiin yhdestä kontrollinäytteestä. Työssä II, työssä I optimoitu menetelmä sovellettiin keuhkosyöpäpotilaiden näytteille. Onnistumisprosentti oli 67.9%: yhteensä 39 mutaatiota löydettiin 17 eri potilasnäytteestä. Eniten mutaatioita todettiin TP53, SMAD4, PIK3CA ja KRAS-geeneistä. Toinen tunnettu syöpään liittyvä KRAS-mutaatio G13D havaittiin yhdestä näytteestä, ja sen alleelifrekvenssi oli 17%. Keskimääräinen alleelifrekvenssi oli korkeampi syöpäpotilaiden näytteissä kuin kontrollinäytteissä. Esimerkiksi TP53-geenimutaatioiden alleelifrekvenssi oli 22.9% syöpäpotilailla ja 13.6% kontrollinäytteissä, ja vastaavat luvut KRAS-geenimutaatioille olivat 11.4% ja 4.3%. Työssä III tutkittiin geenimutaatioita 87 suolistosyöpäpotilaan ulostenäytteestä. Onnistumisprosentti oli 78% mahasyöpänäytteille ja 87% paksusuolisyöpänäytteille. Mahasyöpäpotilaiden ulostenäytteistä löydettiin viisi mutaatiota, ja paksusuolisyöpäpotilaiden näytteistä löydettiin yhteensä 20 mutaatiota. APC, TP53 ja KRAS olivat eniten mutatoituneita geenejä paksusuolisyöpäpotilaiden näytteissä. Mahasyöpäpotilaiden näytteissä mutaatioita löydettiin vain APC, CDKN2A ja EGFR-geeneissä. Lisäksi löydettiin mutaatioita potilasnäytteistä, joiden kasvain oli diagnosoitu hyvälaatuiseksi (kahdeksan mutaatiota), tai joiden syöpä oli varhaisessa vaiheessa (yhdeksän mutaatiota). Työssä IV suolistosyöpäpotilaiden ulostenäytteiden mikrobiflooran profilointi paljasti eroja näytteiden välillä riippuen, missä maha-suolikanavan kohdassa syöpäkasvain sijaitsi. Kaksi bakteeriperhettä, Lactobacillaceae and Bifidobacteriaceae, olivat aliedustettuina, kun taas Enterobacteriaceae-bakteeriperhe oli yliedustettuna verrattuna kontrollinäytteisiin. Johtopäätöksenä, hengitysilmatiiviste- ja ulostenäytteittä voidaan hyödyntää geneettisten muutosten ja mikrobiflooran tutkimuksessa. Kuvaamiemme geenivirheiden ja bakteerikirjon kliinisen merkityksen selvittämiseksi tarvitaan laajoja jatkotutkimuksia

IMPACT OF 3D SIMULATION MODELING ON ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN EDUCATION

Throughout the last few decades, architectural design education has witnessed several changes. One of these changes was using 3D Simulation modeling technology into design process. With the rise of environmental approach in design, new 3D simulation applications started to invade studios and laboratories of design. These applications proved an obvious efficiency for the architectural form concerning thermal adaptation, ideal lighting, and most appropriate ventilation. Lately, Arabic countries imported this technology into its schools of architecture, but unfortunately students faced obstacles in applying it in their design projects. Although there are certain courses, such as; \u27Environmental Design\u27, \u27Indoor Environmental Control\u27, and \u27Digital Fabrication Modeling\u27, that already give students a good knowledge with 3D simulation modeling and environment aspects, but in fact students still find difficulties in applying it into their \u27Architectural Design\u27 course. This paper investigates the real reasons standing behind this problem trying to produce new suggestions that can be followed into design studio. That aims to improve the student\u27s architectural product to be closer to reality. As an effective case study, the paper will examine the impact of using 3D simulation modeling on a selection of design projects from \u27the fourth year students, Faculty of Architectural Engineering, Beirut Arab University, Lebanon\u27. One of the important findings is: \u27Students consider the 3D simulation modeling a constrain reducing their conceptual creativity\u27

عقود نقل التكنولوجيا كأداة للترويج السياسي

غالبًا ما يُعالج موضوع عقود نقل التكنولوجيا من وجهة نظر الدولة المستورِدة للتكنولوجيا كوسيلة مُشبعةٍ بالدعاية السياسية لتحقيق التطور الاقتصادي المرغوب. ما قد يجعل العقد غير قادر على تحقيق الغايات المرجوة منه، المتمثلة في الوصول إلى مستوىً تكنولوجي مكافئ لمستوى المُوَرِّد، دون التغافل عمّا يمكن أن يترتب عن ذلك من تكاليف باهظة قد تتحملها الأجيال اللاحقة. وتهدف هذه الدراسة إلى توضيح وجهة نظر المُوَرِّد للتكنولوجيا في محل العقد وتوضيح الأسباب السياسية والاقتصادية والقانونية لعدم نجاح الكثير من هذه العقود، وهو ما من شأنه أن يمنح لواقع هذه العقود رؤية أكثر شمولًا وواقعية، لعلها تسهم في إنجاحها مستقبلًا. لمناقشة إشكالية إخراج عقد نقل التكنولوجيا من إطاره القانوني وإدخاله في الترويج السياسي، في حالتي سوريا ومصر، يتبع البحث المنهج المقارن التقليدي في مقارنة السلوك القانوني والسياسي لكل من طرفي العقد على أساس الفعل ورد الفعل، بتحليل ودراسة بعض عقود نقل التكنولوجيا التي جرى -أو كان من المفترض أن يجري- تنفيذها في سوريا ومصر منذ خمسينيات القرن الماضي. ويخلص إلى البحث نتائج من أهمها: إنّ استخدام العقد كدعاية سياسية يؤدي إلى فشل نقل التكنولوجيا والتطور الاقتصادي، وأن شرط مراعاة العقد لمصالح الطرفين يقتضي تحقيق المنفعة المتبادلة، سواء كانت تعبيرًا عن كمال معنوي بالنسبة إلى المورد أو كوسيلة للتطور الاقتصادي بالنسبة إلى المستورد

Istisnaa Banking and its Contemporary Applications

In this study we discuss how the Istisnaa contract currently occupies an important place in the Islamic agricultural industry. However, this great development in this sector has led to greater exposure to risks. What prompted events and festivals in the sector. The research used the descriptive approach by collecting the provisions of the Istisnaa contract from the Islamic heritage and the sayings of the jurists and the inductive, by mentioning the provisions of the Istisnaa contract, the analytical approach, by devising contemporary provisions related to the Istisnaa contract and analyzing them, and the comparative approach, by comparing the provisions related to Istisnaa derived from the Islamic heritage, with the applications of banks. The research reached a set of results, the most important of which are: The Istisna’a contract is a contract on a sale described in the responsibility, in which the work is stipulated, in a specific way, at a known price, and the pillars of the Istisna’ contract are three: the two contracts - the manufacturer and the manufacturer - and the contracted upon - the manufacture and the price - and the formula, and the manufacturer may To stipulate a penalty condition that deducts from the manufacturer’s entitlements a specific amount for each day of delay in delivering the ready-made product on time, but the estimate of the amount shall not exceed the limits of the expected damage

The effect of different antidepressant drugs of oxidative stress after lipopolysaccharide administration in mice

This study investigated the effect of the serotonin selective reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) fluoxetine, sertraline, fluvoxamine and the tricyclic antidepressant (TCA) impiramine on oxi-dative stress in brain and liver induced by lipopolysaccharide administration in mice. Each drug was administered subcutaneously at doses of 10 or 20 mg/kg, for two days prior to in-traperitoneal (i.p.) administration of lipopolysaccharide E (LPS: 200 μg/kg). Mice were euthanized 4 h after administration of the lipopolysaccharide. Lipid peroxidation (malondial-dehyde; MDA), reduced glutathione (GSH) and nitric oxide (nitrite/nitrate) concentrations were measured in brain and liver. Results: The administration of lipopolysaccharide increased oxidative stress in brain and liv-er; it increased brain MDA by 36.1 and liver MDA by 159.8 %. GSH decreased by 34.1 % and 64.8 % and nitric oxide increased by 78.7 % and 103.8 % in brain and liver, respectively. In brain, MDA decreased after the administration of sertraline and by the lower dose of fluo-xetine or fluvoxamine, but increased after the higher dose of imipramine. Reduced glutathione increased after sertraline, fluvoxamine and the lower dose of fluoxetine or imipramine. Nitric oxide decreased by sertraline, fluoxetine, fluvoxamine and by the lower dose of imipramine. In the liver, all drugs decreased MDA and increased GSH level. Nitric oxide is decreased by sertraline, fluvoxamine and by the lower dose of fluoxetine or imipramine. It is concluded that, during mild systemic inflammatory illness induced by peripheral bacterial endotoxin in-jection, the SSRIs fluoxetine, sertraline and fluvoxamine reduced, while the TCA impiramine increased oxidative stress induced in the brain. The SSRIs as well as imipramine reduced oxi-dative stress due to lipopolysaccharide in liver tissue

Assessment of performance wastewater treatment by infiltration-percolation: a case study

The recycling of wastewater is felt like a need, on the one hand to protect the receiving mediums and on the other hand, to be re-used for various uses (refill of the groundwater, irrigation….). To allow the development of the treatment of wastewater, the infiltration percolation can in this context, to represent an interesting alternative. This technique of purification combined with the Anaerobic Engine with Submerged Bacterial Bed (RALBI) developed at the point by laboratory BIOMARE of the Faculty of Science of El Jadida has for increasing the performances of treatment of the known as engine. The results of the complementary treatment by the infiltration-percolation made it possible to remove the effluent from engine RALBI from its suspended matter and to decrease its organic, nitrogen, and phosphor load and of its microbial flora. The averages of results of specific analyses are all in lower part of the thresholds of reference. Keywords: wastewater, treatment, infiltration-percolation, RALBI, bioreactor, El Jadida, Morocc

Risk stratification in oral squamous cell carcinoma using staging of the eighth American Joint Committee on Cancer : Systematic review and meta-analysis

The eighth edition of the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC8) staging manual has major changes in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). We searched PubMed, OvidMedline, Scopus, and Web of Science for studies that examined the performance of AJCC8 in OSCC. A total of 40 808 patients were included in the studies of our meta-analysis. A hazard ratio (HR) of 1.87 (95%CI 1.78-1.96) was seen for stage II, 2.65 (95%CI 2.51-2.80) for stage III, 3.46 (95%CI 3.31-3.61) for stage IVa, and 7.09 (95%CI 4.85-10.36) for stage IVb. A similar gradual increase in risk was noted for the N classification. For the T classification, however, there was a less clear variation in risk between T3 and T4. AJCC8 provides a good risk stratification for OSCC. Future research should examine the proposals introduced in the published studies to further improve the performance of AJCC8.Peer reviewe

Treatment of domestic wastewater by anaerobic denitrification: Influence of the type of support media on the production of extracellular polymer substances

Eighteen Erlenmeyer flask containing six different support media [pozzolan, polyvinyl chloride1 (PVC1), polyvinyl chloride2 (PVC2), foam, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polystyrene (PS)] were subject to identical volumetric organic loadings and hydraulic retention time in treating synthetic protein ± carbohydrate waste. The objective was to examine the influence of support media on performance of anaerobic denitrification and retention and their resulting impact on system performance and failure. According to the results relative to every control support media, it was noticed that the best support media were the ones in PVC1 and PVC2, with successive reduction rates of 68.33 and 61.93% for chemical oxygen demand (COD), and 55 and 49% for nitrate. On the other hand, in two submerged anaerobic biofilter reactor packed with the support media of PVC1 and PVC2, the reactor with PVC1 media exhibited 89.93% COD and 78.75% nitrate removal efficiency attributable to its higher production of EPSp and EPSc.Key words: Wastewater, anaerobic biofilm, extracellular polymeric substances (EPS), extraction, support media