Pseudo Identities Based on Fingerprint Characteristics

This paper presents the integrated project TURBINE which is funded under the EU 7th research framework programme. This research is a multi-disciplinary effort on privacy enhancing technology, combining innovative developments in cryptography and fingerprint recognition. The objective of this project is to provide a breakthrough in electronic authentication for various applications in the physical world and on the Internet. On the one hand it will provide secure identity verification thanks to fingerprint recognition. On the other hand it will reliably protect the biometric data through advanced cryptography technology. In concrete terms, it will provide the assurance that (i) the data used for the authentication, generated from the fingerprint, cannot be used to restore the original fingerprint sample, (ii) the individual will be able to create different "pseudo-identities" for different applications with the same fingerprint, whilst ensuring that these different identities (and hence the related personal data) cannot be linked to each other, and (iii) the individual is enabled to revoke an biometric identifier (pseudo-identity) for a given application in case it should not be used anymore

NMR RELAXOMETRY TO EVALUATE THE BAUHINIA FORFICATA TEA INFUSION AND DECOCTION

Nuclear magnetic resonance is a spectroscopic that permits analyzing samples by both solution and solid state. From solution and solid state NMR it is possible to obtain a good deal of information on sample molecular structure and dynamics, respectively. Plant extracts are often analyzed by solution NMR due to the complex compositions. The use of solid state, employing low-field NMR, such as spin-lattice relaxation time, gives response on the molecular dynamics. In this study, Bauhinia forficata parts and their extracts were evaluated to obtain tea with better properties to the health quality. Solution NMR techniques and relaxometry were used to evidence the therapeutic effects of this plant on diabetes, according to its chemical constitution. Studies revealed that its effectiveness is due to the presence of several classes of compounds as terpenes and flavonoids. The relaxometry was effective in characterizing the domains formed after the introduction of sugar in the tea

Credit risk in European banks: The bright side of the internal ratings based approach

This paper investigates the accuracy of internal rating based (IRB) models in measuring credit risk. We contribute to the growing debate on the current prudential regulatory framework by investigating the use of validated IRB models in promoting efficient risk management practices. Our empirical analysis is based on a novel panel data set of 177 Western European banks observed from 2008 to 2015, in the aftermath of the financial and economic crisis. We find that IRB banks were able to curb the increase in credit risk driven by the macroeconomic slowdown better than banks under the standardized approach. This suggests that the introduction of the internal ratings based approach by Basel II has promoted the adoption of stronger risk management practices among banks, as meant by the regulators

A survey of clinical features of allergic rhinitis in adults

Background: Allergic rhinitis (AR) has high prevalence and substantial socio-economic burden. Material/Methods: The study included 35 Italian Centers recruiting an overall number of 3383 adult patients with rhinitis (48% males, 52% females, mean age 29.1, range 18\u201345 years). For each patient, the attending physician had to fill in a standardized questionnaire, covering, in particular, some issues such as the ARIA classification of allergic rhinitis (AR), the results of skin prick test (SPT), the kind of treatment, the response to treatment, and the satisfaction with treatment. Results: Out of the 3383 patients with rhinitis, 2788 (82.4%) had AR: 311 (11.5%) had a mild intermittent, 229 (8.8%) a mild persistent, 636 (23.5%) a moderate-severe intermittent, and 1518 (56.1%) a moderate-severe persistent form. The most frequently used drugs were oral antihistamines (77.1%) and topical corticosteroids (60.8%). The response to treatment was judged as excellent in 12.2%, good in 41.3%, fair in 31.2%, poor in 14.5%, and very bad in 0.8% of subjects. The rate of treatment dissatisfaction was significantly higher in patients with moderate-to-severe AR than in patients with mild AR (p<0.0001). Indication to allergen immunotherapy (AIT) was significantly more frequent (p<0.01) in patients with severe AR than with mild AR. . Conclusions: These fndings confirm the appropriateness of ARIA guidelines in classifying the AR patients and the association of severe symptoms with unsuccessful drug treatment. The optimal targeting of patients to be treated with AIT needs to be reassessed

Preparing for the future

Taking into account the complexity of the problems to be solved and the broadness of the expertise needed to address the underlying scientific questions, the SEURAT-1 Research Initiative will not be able to finalise the necessary work for full replacement of animal testing in the area of repeated dose systemic toxicity within the next years. Indeed, moving from animal testing to mode-of-action based in vitro assays for improved human safety assessment will require the combined efforts of European and other international activities. The SEURAT-1 Research Initiative is operating in a very dynamic field of research, and a number of related research projects in different parts of the world are active in parallel. This chapter will provide an overview about these parallel research programmes by presenting short descriptions as a basis for the identification of complementary activities and, most importantly, possible future collaborations.JRC.I.5-Systems Toxicolog

Cluster meeting of the SEURAT-1 Research Inititive

The three SEURAT-1 Proof of Concepts were the central theme of the third annual meeting of the research cluster, and is shortly oulined in this chapter.JRC.I.5-Systems Toxicolog

Inorganic-organic hybrids based on poly (&#949;-Caprolactone) and silica oxide and characterization by relaxometry applying low-field NMR

Poly (&#949;-caprolactone) (PCL) based hybrids containing different amounts of modified (Aerosil® R972) and unmodified (Aerosil® A200) silica oxide were prepared employing the solution method, using chloroform. The relationships of the amount of nanofillers, organic coating, molecular structure and intermolecular interaction of the hybrid materials were investigated mainly using low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The NMR analyses involved the hydrogen spin-lattice relaxation time (T1H) and hydrogen spin-lattice relaxation time in the rotating frame (T1&#961;H). The spin-lattice relaxation time measurements revealed that the PCL/silica oxide hybrids were heterogeneous, meaning their components were well dispersed. X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) were also employed. The DSC data showed that all the materials had lower crystallization temperature (Tc) and melting temperature (Tm), so the crystallinity degree of the PCL decreased in the hybrids. The TGA analysis demonstrated that the addition of modified and unmodified silica oxide does not cause considerable changes to PCL's thermal stability, since no significant variations in the maximum temperature (Tmax) were observed in relation to the neat polymer

Cross-Cluster Cooperation

All SEURAT-1 projects will individually or collaboratively contribute to the cluster levelobjectives, which are: (i) to formulate and implement a research strategy based on generating and applying knowledge of modes-of-action; (ii) to develop highly innovative tools and methodology that can ultimately support regulatory safety assessment; (iii) to demonstrate proof-of-concept at multiple levels – theoretical, systems and application; and (iv) to provide the blueprint for expanding the applicability domains – chemical, toxicological and regulatory. Most of the SEURAT-1 projects feed directly into the second objective (development of innovative tools and methodology), but they will also, through working groups (see below) or other coordinated cluster activities, contribute to demonstrating the proof-of-concept at multiple levels. Theis is a description of cross cluster activities.JRC.I.5-Systems Toxicolog

USO DA RMN DE BAIXA RESOLUÇÃO NA AVALIAÇÃO DA DINÂMICA MOLECULAR DO Origanum vulgare

In this work, proton NMR relaxometry was used to measure the behavior of spin-lattice relaxation time with T1H as the time constant, and also of spin-spin relaxation time with the time constant T2H. These relaxometry parameters were determined to better understand the changes in the main structures present in commercial and in nature forms of origanum. The T1H relaxation data showed that the structures which had higher molecular mass were more sensitive to degradation with increased temperature treatment. According to the values of the T2H parameter, up to 150 degrees no significant change in the mobility and organization of water was observed. These data infer that the ideal cooking temperature and tea preparation mode for this herb should be around 100 degrees for the sample not to lose its characteristics. Also, it is not advisable to cook this herb at higher than 150 degrees but better to consume it at room temperature, especially give commercial herb has already been dehydrated