Protection and efficient management of big health data in cloud environment

University of Technology Sydney. Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology.Healthcare data has become a great concern in the academic world and in industry. The deployment of electronic health records (EHRs) and healthcare-related services on cloud platforms will reduce the cost and complexity of handling and integrating medical records while improving efficiency and accuracy. To make effective use of advanced features such as high availability, reliability, and scalability of Cloud services, EHRs have to be stored in the clouds. By exposing EHRs in an outsourced environment, however, a number of serious issues related to data security and privacy, distribution and processing such as the loss of the controllability, different data formats and sizes, the leakage of sensitive information in processing, sensitive-delay requirements has been naturally raised. Many attempts have been made to address the above concerns, but most of the attempts tackled only some aspects of the problem. Encryption mechanisms can resolve the data security and privacy requirements but introduce intensive computing overheads as well as complexity in key distribution. Data is not guaranteed being protected when it is moved from one cloud to another because clouds may not use equivalent protection schemes. Sensitive data is being processed at only private clouds without sufficient resources. Consequently, Cloud computing has not been widely adopted by healthcare providers and users. Protecting and managing health data efficiently in many aspects is still an open question for current research. In this dissertation, we investigate data security and efficient management of big health data in cloud environments. Regarding data security, we establish an active data protection framework to protect data; we investigate a new approach for data mobility; we propose trusted evaluation for cloud resources in processing sensitive data. For efficient management, we investigate novel schemes and models in both Cloud computing and Fog computing for data distribution and data processing to handle the rapid growth of data, higher security on demand, and delay requirements. The novelty of this work lies in the novel data mobility management model for data protection, the efficient distribution scheme for a large-scale of EHRs, and the trust-based scheme in security and processing. The contributions of this thesis can be summarized according to data security and efficient data management. On data security, we propose a data mobility management model to protect data when it is stored and moved in clouds. We suggest a trust-based scheduling scheme for big data processing with MapReduce to fulfil both privacy and performance issues in a cloud environment. • The data mobility management introduces a new location data structure into an active data framework, a Location Registration Database (LRD), protocols for establishing a clone supervisor and a Mobility Service (MS) to handle security and privacy requirements effectively. The model proposes a novel security approach for data mobility and leads to the introduction of a new Data Mobility as a Service (DMaaS) in the Cloud. • The Trust-based scheduling scheme investigates a novel composite trust metric and a real-time trust evaluation for cloud resources to provide the highest trust execution on sensitive data. The proposed scheme introduces a new approach for big data processing to meet with high security requirements. On the efficient data management, we propose a novel Hash-Based File Clustering (HBFC) scheme and data replication management model to distribute, store and retrieve EHRs efficiently. We propose a data protection model and a task scheduling scheme which is Region-based for Fog and Cloud to address security and local performance issues. • The HBFC scheme innovatively utilizes hash functions to cluster files in defined clusters such that data can be stored and retrieved quickly while maintaining the workload balance efficiently. The scheme introduces a new clustering mechanism in managing a large-scale of EHRs to deliver healthcare services effectively in the cloud environment. • The trust-based scheduling model uses the proposed trust metric for task scheduling with MapReduce. It not only provides maximum trust execution but also increases resource utilization significantly. The model suggests a new trust-oriented scheduling mechanism between tasks and resources with MapReduce. • We introduce a novel concept “Region” in Fog computing to handle the data security and local performance issues effectively. The proposed model provides a novel Fog-based Region approach to handle security and local performance requirements. We implement and evaluate our proposed models and schemes intensively based on both real infrastructures and simulators. The outcomes demonstrate the feasibility and the efficiency of our research in this thesis. By proposing innovative concepts, metrics, algorithms, models, and services, the significant contributions of this thesis enable both healthcare providers and users to adopt cloud services widely, and allow significant improvements in providing better healthcare services

Factors Affecting Business Angels Investment in Vietnam

The paper aims at investigating and comparing the factors determining investment decisions by business angels (BAs) from the viewpoints of BAs and startups in Vietnam based on a framework synthesized from a literature review and primary data from in-depth interviews conducted with 8 startups and 15 angel investors. The results show that the startups’ founder, working team, financial issues, product and market, and strategy related to exit and the roles of BAs are startup-related factors determining BAs’ investment in Vietnam. For BA-related factors, the BAs’ experience, investment objectives and preferences, and culture are key determinants. The novelty of the paper is to find out the gaps between the perspectives of BAs and startups, and the difference between Vietnamese and foreign BAs’ viewpoints. The finding is that BAs, more strictly than startups, assess their business plan, financial state, product, market, and targeted consumers. Startups neglect the exit strategy and role of BAs in invested startups. In addition, foreign and domestic BAs have different opinions on startups’ market scale, and expectation of profits and BAs’ roles in startups. The paper ends by providing some implications for Vietnamese startups to attract more angel investment, focusing on improving the quality of human resources, developing a profitable, honest, and realistic business plan, and setting up a long-run vision towards the global market. Doi: 10.28991/ESJ-2023-07-02-07 Full Text: PD

Interaction between triphenylphosphine or 1,2-bis(diphenylphosphino)ethane with some complexes K[PtCl3(olefin)] (olefin: methyleugenol, safrole, isopropyl eugenoxyacetate)

Novel study on the interaction between K[PtCl3(olefin)] (olefin: methyleugenol, safrole and isopropyl eugenoxyacetate) with TPP and DPPE shows that TPP and DPPE readily replace the olefins to form complexes [PtCl2(TPP)2] (P4), [PtCl2(DPPE)] (P5) and [Pt(DPPE)2]Cl2 (P6). P4 possesses trans configuration when the molar ratio of the mono olefin and TPP of 1:1. When the ratio is 1:2, P4 is a mixture of trans and cis isomers of which trans one is prevailing. The cis isomer trends to convert to trans one in chloroform solvent. P5 and P6 were formed when the molar ratio of mono isopropyl eugenoxyacetate and DPPE of 1:1 and 1:2, respectively. The structures of P4÷P6 were elucidated by Pt analysis, ESI-MS, IR and 1H NMR spectra studies. Keywords. Pt(II) complexes, olefins, phosphine derivatives

A Multitask Data-Driven Model for Battery Remaining Useful Life Prediction

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) have recently been used widely in moving devices. Understand status of the batteries can help to predict the failure and improve the effectiveness of using them. There are some lithium-ion information that define the battery health over time. These are state-of-charge (SOC), state-of-health (SOH), and remaining-useful-life (RUL). Normally, a LIB is working under charging and discharging cycles continuously. In this paper, we will focus on the data dependency of different time-slots in a cycle and in a sequence of cycles to retrieve RUL. We leverage multi-channel inputs such as temperature, voltage, current and the nature of peaks cross the cycles to improve our prediction. Comparing to existing methods, the experiments show that we can improve from 0.040 to 0.033 (reduce 17.5%) in RMSE loss, which is significant

Immunohistochemical expression of anaplastic lymphoma kinase in neuroblastoma and its relations with some clinical and histopathological features

Background Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) mutations have been identified as a prominent cause of some familial and sporadic neuroblastoma (NB). ALK expression in NB and its relationship with clinical and histopathological features remains controversial. This study investigated ALK expression and its potential relations with these features in NB. Methods Ninety cases of NB at the Department of Pathology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam from 01/01/2018 to 12/31/2021, were immunohistochemically stained with ALK (D5F3) antibody. The ALK expression and its relations with some clinical and histopathological features were investigated. Results The rate of ALK expression in NB was 91.1%. High ALK expression (over 50% of tumor cells were positive with moderate-strong intensity) accounted for 65.6%, and low ALK expression accounted for 34.4%. All the MYCN-amplified NB patients had ALK immunohistochemistry positivity, most cases had high ALK protein expression. The undifferentiated subtype of NB had a lower ALK-positive rate than the poorly differentiated and differentiated subtype. The percentages of ALK positivity were significantly higher in more differentiated histological types of NB (p = .024). There was no relation between ALK expression and: age group, sex, primary tumor location, tumor stage, MYCN status, clinical risk, Mitotic-Karyorrhectic Index, prognostic group, necrosis, and calcification. Conclusions ALK was highly expressed in NB. ALK expression was not related to several clinical and histopathological features. More studies are needed to elucidate the association between ALK expression and ALK gene status and to investigate disease progression, especially the oncogenesis of ALK-positive NB

Acute toxicity evaluation of methanol, ethanol and aqueous extracts of Balanophora latisepala (V.Tiegh.) Lec.

Balanophora latisepala has been used in traditional medicine in Vietnam for many years with both proven and unproven scientific proofs. This study aimed to evaluate the acute toxicity effects of B. latisepala by testing safety parameters of hot water, ethanol and methanol extracts of B. latisepala in Mus musculus. The acute toxicity was studied according to the World Health Organisations guideline for the evaluation of the safety and efficacy of herbal medicines. During study, a single dose of 1000, 2000 and 5000 mg/kg of each extract was orally administered to Swiss mice. To determine the median lethal dose, experimental mice were observed in behavior and mortality for 72 hours. Data of organ weight, histopathology,biochemical and hematology were also collected. The results showed that hot water, ethanol and methanol extracts at a dose of 5000 mg/kg did not induce mortality in experimental mice; therefore, LD50 is not determined. Insignificant changes were found in relative organ weight at dose 5000 mg/kg for all of the extracts. Similarly, no significant differences were observed in biochemical indices and organ histology. However, changes in hematological indices in both male and female mice were noticed. In male mice, it is likely that all B. latisepala extracts induced anemia. Moreover, clotting or bleeding abnormalities were also observed in female mice. Methanol extracts had the highest effect to hematology indices (p<0.05). Therefore, B.latisepala in different doses was shown its safety under acute toxicity studies with promising applications in drug therapy

Chemical composition and cytotoxic activity of the essential oils of Cymbopogon citratus L. Grown in phu tho province

Culms and leaves of Cymbopogon citratus L. were collected from two regions of Phu Tho province (Thanh Son and Phu Ninh) and used as materials for essential oil extraction. Oils obtained were steam-distilled, analyzed for chemical composition and evaluated for cytotoxic activity against three different cancer cell lines. The GC/MS analysis showed that citral is the major content of the steam-distilled essential oils which was found in the range of 64.15-76.22%. Camphene was found only in culm oils of both regions but it was not detected in the leaf oils. Interestingly, the isomer forms of ocimene present at higher content in the culm oils than in the leaf oils whereas myrcene content in the leaf oils is higher than that in the culm oils. In a cytotoxicity test, four essential oils of culms and leaves of C. citratus from Thanh Son and Phu Ninh showed potent activity against A549 (human lung carcinoma) cell line with the IC50 values ranging from 4.01±0.39 to 6.3±0.54 µg/ml. The essential oils (culms and leaves) from Phu Ninh exhibited moderate effects on the Hela (human cervical adenocarcinoma) cells with the IC50 values of 19.43±1.16 and 42±2.41 µg/ml, respectively. However, they were inactive against the human hepatocellular carcinoma Hep3B cell line. The essential oils from Thanh Son exhibited potent cytotoxic activity against Hela and Hep3B cell lines with the IC50 values ranging from 1.18±0.26 to 8.91±0.32 µg/ml. The results indicated that the essential oils of C. citratus from Thanh Son, Phu Tho could be considered as a promising candidate for the natural sources of anticancer agents

Experimental cultivation of Spirulina platensis using My An mineral water, Thua Thien Hue province

Spirulina platensis was experimentally cultivated by semi-continuous method at 20m2 scale pilot to effectively use the available bicarbonate and minerals of the My An mineral water, Phu Vang district, Thua Thien Hue province, and reduce production cost. Analyses of My An water quality showed that this mineral water source was suitable to cultivate Spirulina Platensis after removing H2S. The average algal yield reached to 10gDW/m2.day. The obtained algal biomass contained high nutrient compositions and was a suitable source for functional food (68.32 % protein, 7.32 % lipids containing Omega-3 and Omega-6, and low heavy metal concentration). The obtained results indicated that the My An mineral water source was indeed a suitable water source for producing Spirulina platensis biomass as a functional food