Algebraic properties of generalized Rijndael-like ciphers

We provide conditions under which the set of Rijndael functions considered as permutations of the state space and based on operations of the finite field \GF (p^k) ($p\geq 2$ a prime number) is not closed under functional composition. These conditions justify using a sequential multiple encryption to strengthen the AES (Rijndael block cipher with specific block sizes) in case AES became practically insecure. In Sparr and Wernsdorf (2008), R. Sparr and R. Wernsdorf provided conditions under which the group generated by the Rijndael-like round functions based on operations of the finite field \GF (2^k) is equal to the alternating group on the state space. In this paper we provide conditions under which the group generated by the Rijndael-like round functions based on operations of the finite field \GF (p^k) ($p\geq 2$) is equal to the symmetric group or the alternating group on the state space.Comment: 22 pages; Prelim0

Incorporating UTAUT Predictors for Understanding Home Care Patients’ and Clinician’s Acceptance of Healthcare Telemedicine Equipment

Telemedicine programs within health care are experiencing significant growth as healthcare organizations seek to reduce expenditures and improve efficiency. The high costs of treating chronic diseases, compounded by an aging population, has given focus to creating technology-enabled alternatives to support, enhance, or expand patient services. As investments in telemedicine products and services grow at a rapid pace, user technology acceptance has become a key issue in successful implementation. Drawing from the Unified Theory of Acceptance in Technology (UTAUT), this study investigated the predictors of behavioral intention to use Telehealth equipment by patients, clinicians, and agency personnel at Henry Ford e-Home Health Care. Survey data were provided by 126 participants recruited from an eligible population who were either currently using the Telehealth equipment or were familiar with it. Structural equation modeling was used to study the overall fit of the UTAUT model in predicting behavioral intention. Participant type, self-efficacy, anxiety and attitude were tested as moderators. Implications for increasing adoption of Telehealth technology are discussed

The Integration of Mine Operations and Mine Maintenance Groups within Teck Coal

Open pit coal mining is an equipment intensive process. The availability and the cost of operating the equipment is one of the most significant aspects of the operation. Focusing on Teck Coal, a subsidiary of Teck Resources Ltd., in this paper I examine how the current structure and relationship between the mine operations and maintenance groups impacts the effectiveness of the organization. I will discuss the benefits and the need for collaboration between the two groups, and examine the current adversarial relationship that exists. Through interviews with several key people within the organization I will determine where the adversarial relationships may have come from, make recommendations to bring the two groups closer together and ultimately describe a processes of implementation in order to achieve the desired cultural change

SOARING Towards Positive Transformation and Change

The SOAR strategic thinking and planning framework is a dynamic, modern, and innovative approach for framing strategic thinking, assessing individual and team performance, building strategy, and creating strategic plans. SOAR stands for strengths, opportunities, aspirations, and results. As a framework, SOAR focuses on the formulation and implementation of a positive strategy by identifying strengths, building creativity in the form of opportunities, encouraging individuals and teams to share aspirations, and determining measurable and meaningful results. This article presents the SOAR framework’s evolution from the fields of strategy, organization development and change, and Appreciative Inquiry (AI) to the discipline of positive organizational scholarship (POS)

A Compensatory Mutation Provides Resistance to Disparate HIV Fusion Inhibitor Peptides and Enhances Membrane Fusion

Fusion inhibitors are a class of antiretroviral drugs used to prevent entry of HIV into host cells. Many of the fusion inhibitors being developed, including the drug enfuvirtide, are peptides designed to competitively inhibit the viral fusion protein gp41. With the emergence of drug resistance, there is an increased need for effective and unique alternatives within this class of antivirals. One such alternative is a class of cyclic, cationic, antimicrobial peptides known as θ-defensins, which are produced by many non-human primates and exhibit broad-spectrum antiviral and antibacterial activity. Currently, the θ-defensin analog RC-101 is being developed as a microbicide due to its specific antiviral activity, lack of toxicity to cells and tissues, and safety in animals. Understanding potential RC-101 resistance, and how resistance to other fusion inhibitors affects RC-101 susceptibility, is critical for future development. In previous studies, we identified a mutant, R5-tropic virus that had evolved partial resistance to RC-101 during in vitro selection. Here, we report that a secondary mutation in gp41 was found to restore replicative fitness, membrane fusion, and the rate of viral entry, which were compromised by an initial mutation providing partial RC-101 resistance. Interestingly, we show that RC-101 is effective against two enfuvirtide-resistant mutants, demonstrating the clinical importance of RC-101 as a unique fusion inhibitor. These findings both expand our understanding of HIV drug-resistance to diverse peptide fusion inhibitors and emphasize the significance of compensatory gp41 mutations. © 2013 Wood et al

Thyroid hormone regulates distinct paths to maturation in pigment cell lineages

Thyroid hormone (TH) regulates diverse developmental events and can drive disparate cellular outcomes. In zebrafish, TH has opposite effects on neural crest derived pigment cells of the adult stripe pattern, limiting melanophore population expansion, yet increasing yellow/orange xanthophore numbers. To learn how TH elicits seemingly opposite responses in cells having a common embryological origin, we analyzed individual transcriptomes from thousands of neural crest-derived cells, reconstructed developmental trajectories, identified pigment cell-lineage specific responses to TH, and assessed roles for TH receptors. We show that TH promotes maturation of both cell types but in distinct ways. In melanophores, TH drives terminal differentiation, limiting final cell numbers. In xanthophores, TH promotes accumulation of orange carotenoids, making the cells visible. TH receptors act primarily to repress these programs when TH is limiting. Our findings show how a single endocrine factor integrates very different cellular activities during the generation of adult form