Enterprise platform systems management security threats and mitigation techniques

Developers and technologists of enterprise systems such as servers, storage and networking products must constantly anticipate new cybersecurity threats and evolving security requirements. These requirements are typically sourced from marketing, customer expectations, manufacturing and evolving government standards. Much ongoing major research focus has been on securing the main enterprise system purpose functionality, operating system, network and storage. There appears, however, to be far less research and a growing number of reports of vulnerabilities in the area of enterprise systems management hardware and software subsystems. Many recent examples are within types of subsystems such as baseboard management controllers (BMCs), which are intricate embedded subsystems, independent of the host server system functionality. A BMC is typically comprised of a specialized system-on-a-chip, RAM, non-volatile storage, and sensors, and runs an embedded LINUX Operating System. The BMC’s primary roles are always increasing in scope including managing system inventory, system operational health, thermal and power control, event logging, remote console access, provisioning, performance monitoring, software updates and failure prediction and remediation. To compromise or create a denial of service of such subsystems has an increasing impact on equipment manufacturers and large and small enterprises. This report’s primary objective is to research real-world and theoretical hardware and software cyber-attack vectors on enterprise product platforms, inclusive of BMCs, BIOS and other embedded systems within such products. For each presented attack vector, best practices and suggestions for effective avoidance and mitigation are explored. Domains of particular interest are physical access security, hardware manipulation and secure boot protections against software image manipulation, BIOS recovery and secure field debug techniques.Electrical and Computer Engineerin

The effects of heat stress on neuromuscular activity during endurance exercise

This study analysed the effect of hot (35 C) and cold (15 C) environments on electromyographic (EMG) signal characteristics, skin and rectal temperatures and heart rate during progressive endurance exercise. Eight healthy subjects performed three successive 15-min rides at 30%, 50% and 70% of their peak sustained power output and then cycled at increasing (15 W/min) work rates to exhaustion in both 35 C and 15 C environments. Skin and rectal temperatures, heart rate and EMG data were measured during the trials. The skin temperatures were higher and the subjects felt more uncomfortable in the hot conditions (Bedford scale) (P<0.01). Rectal temperature was slightly, but not significantly, higher under hot conditions. Heart rate was significantly higher in the hot group (between condition P<0.05). Peak power output (267.4€67.7 W vs. 250.1€61.5 W) and time-toexhaustion (55.7€16.7 min vs. 54.5€17.1 min) (COLD vs. HOT) were not different between conditions. There were no differences in integrated EMG (IEMG) or mean power frequency spectrum between conditions. Rating of perceived exertion increased similarly in both conditions over time. Although the hot conditions increased heart rate and skin temperature, there were no differences in muscle recruitment or maximal performance, which suggests that the thermal stress of 35 C, in combination with exercise, did not impair maximal performance in this study

Peak rates of diuresis in healthy humans during oral fluid overload

Objective. To determine whether rates of intestinal fluid absorption and renal diuresis can match high rates of fluid ingestion in healthy humans exposed to oral fluid overload, thereby preventing the development of hyponatraemia either by reverse sodium movement across the intestine (the Priestley-Haldane effect) or by expansion of the extracellular fluid volume.Methods. Changes in renal function and in plasma chemical measurements in response to an oral fluid overload (0.9 - 1.8 1/ h x 3 h) were investigated in 6 healthy control subjects at rest, and in a subject with a history of exercise induced symptomatic hyponatraemia, during both prolonged (160-minute) exercise and at rest.Findings. All control subjects gained weight (2.7 ± 0.2 kg, mean ± standard error of mean (SEM)) because the rate of oral fluid intake exceeded the peak rate of urine production (778 ± 39 rnl / h). Blood volume rose by 7.1 (± 0.5)% and plasma sodium concentrations fell progressively from 144 ± 2.6 to 136 ± 1.1 mmol/ 1 (P < 0.05) in the control subjects. Plasma potassium and angiotensin II concentrations were unchanged and creatinine clearance was normal ( -125 rnl/min). Free water clearance reached a maximum of 11.2 ± 0.9 rnl/min after 2 hours. The increase in body mass could be accounted for by calculated or measured changes in extra- and intracellular fluid volumes. Similar changes were measured in the subject with a previous history of symptomatic hyponatraernia.Conclusion. The rate of intestinal fluid absorption appeared to match the rate of oral fluid ingestion and there was no  evidence of fluid accumulation in the intestine with reverse sodium movement from the extracellular space into intestinal fluid. The results of this study are therefore at variance with the Priestley-Haldane hypothesis and suggest that reverse sodium movement did not contribute to the hyponatraernia induced by oral fluid overload in these subjects. Rather it appears that humans may have a limited capacity to excrete fluid at rates in excess of -900 rnl/ h in response to higher rates of oral fluid intake. When the rate of intestinal fluid absorption matches the rate of fluid ingestion and exceeds the kidneys' maximum capacity for fluid excretion, the excess fluid accumulates in the extra- and intracellular fluid compartments, inducing the dilutional hyponatraemia of water intoxication. These findings may have relevance to other clinical conditions in which hyponatraemia develops in response to high rates of oral or intravenous fluid provision

Caffeine ingestion does not alter performance during a 100-km cycling time-trial performance

This study analyzed the effect of caffeine ingestion on performance during a repeated-measures, 100-km, laboratory cycling time trial that included bouts of 1- and 4-km high intensity epochs (HIE). Eight highly trained cyclists participated in 3 separate trials - placebo ingestion before exercise with a placebo carbohydrate solution and placebo tablets during exercise (Pl), or placebo ingestion before exercise with a 7% carbohydrate drink and placebo tablets during exercise (Cho), or caffeine tablet ingestion before and during exercise with 7% carbohydrate (Caf). Placebo (twice) or 6 mg · kg-1 caffeine was ingested 60 min prior to starting 1 of the 3 cycling trials, during which subjects ingested either additional placebos or a caffeine maintenance dose of 0.33 mg · kg-1 every 15 min to trial completion. The 100-km time trial consisted of five 1-km HIE after 10, 32, 52, 72, and 99 km, as well as four 4-km HIE after 20, 40, 60, and 80 km. Subjects were instructed to complete the time trial and all HIE as fast as possible. Plasma (caffeine) was significantly higher during Caf (0.43 ± 0.56 and 1.11 ± 1.78 mM pre vs. post Pl; and 47.32 ± 12.01 and 72.43 ± 29.08 mM pre vs. post Caf). Average power, HIE time to completion, and 100-km time to completion were not different between trials. Mean heart rates during both the 1-km HIE (184.0 ± 9.8 Caf; 177.0 ± 5.8 Pl; 177.4 ± 8.9 Cho) and 4-km HIE (181.7 ± 5.7 Caf; 174.3 ± 7.2 Pl; 175.6 ± 7.6 Cho;p less than .05) was higher in Caf than in the other groups. No significant differences were found between groups for either EMG amplitude (IEMG) or mean power frequency spectrum (MPFS). IEMG activity and performance were not different between groups but were both higher in the 1-km HIE, indicating the absence of peripheral fatigue and the presence of a centrally-regulated pacing strategy that is not altered by caffeine ingestion. Caffeine may be without ergogenic benefit during endurance exercise in which the athlete begins exercise with a defined, predetermined goal measured as speed or distance

The effect of selective beta1-blockade on EMG signal characteristics during progressive endurance exercise

This study analysed the effect of selective b1- blockade on neuromuscular recruitment characteristics during progressive endurance exercise. Ten healthy subjects ingested a selective b1-blocker, acebutolol (200 mg b.d.), for 7 days (for one of two cycling trials), with a 10-day wash-out period between trials. On the last day of acebutolol ingestion subjects performed three successive 15-min rides at 30%, 50% and 70% of their peak power output and then cycled at increasing (15 W min-1) work rates to exhaustion. Force output, heart rate, submaximal V_O2, rate of perceived exertion (RPE), electromyographic (EMG) data and blood lactate were captured during the cycling activity. Peak work rate [270 (111) W vs 197 (75) W, CON vs BETA, P<0.01], time to exhaustion [49.7 (23.2) min vs 40.3 (23.7) min, CON vs BETA, P <0.05] and heart rate [mean, for the full ride 135.5 (38.3) beats min-1 vs 111.5 (30.0) beats min-1 CON vs BETA, P <0.05] were significantly lower for the group who ingested b1-blockade (BETA) compared to the control group (CON). Although not significant, submaximal V_O2 was reduced in BETA during the ride, while RPE was significantly higher during the ride for BETA (P <0.01). Mean integrated electromyography was higher in the BETA group although these differences were not significant. Mean power frequency values of the BETA group showed a significant (P <0.05) shift to the upper end of the spectrum in comparison to the control group. Lactate values [11.7 (3.5) mmol.l-1 vs 7.1 (4.1) mmol.l-1 CON vs BETA] were significantly lower (P <0.05) at exhaustion in BETA. Significant reductions in cycling performance were found when subjects ingested b1- blockers. This study has shown significant shifts to the upper end of the EMG frequency spectrum after b1- blocker ingestion, which could be caused by a change in neuromuscular recruitment strategy to compensate for the impaired submaximal exercise performance

EMG amplitude in maximal and submaximal exercise is dependent on signal capture rate

This study analysed the effect of different electromyographic (EMG) capture rates during maximal voluntary contraction, submaximal and maximal dynamic cycling activity on EMG amplitude and signal characteristics. Ten healthy subjects participated in this study. Peak power output (PPO) and maximal isometric force output (MVC) were measured, followed by a progressive cycle ride on a cycle ergometer. Electromyographic (EMG) data were simultaneously captured during the MVC and cycling activities at frequencies of 32, 64, 128, 256, 512, 1024 and 1984 Hz. Significant differences in amplitude were found (p < 0.01) between MVC, submaximal (SUB) and maximal cycling activities (PWATT) for all capture rates. Asymptote values for IEMG amplitude occurred at EMG capture rates of 1604 ± 235.6 Hz during MVC, 503.1 ± 236.2 Hz during PWATT and 326.2 ± 105.4 Hz during SUB cycling activity and were significantly different (p < 0.01). No significant differences were found for force/EMG ratios between PWATT and MVC at 1984 Hz capture rates (3.8 ± 1.7 N/V vs 2.5 ± 0.9 N/V) while significant differences occurred at 32 Hz capture rate (6.2 ± 3.8 vs 16.0 ± 8.0; p < 0.01). Low correlations were found between EMG activity captured at 1984 Hz during PWATT and lean thigh volume (r = 0.36) and MVC (r = 0.32). Asymptote values found on this study suggest that data captured below 326 Hz for SUB, 503 Hz for PWATT and 1604 Hz for MVC are not reliable. Therefore apparatus capturing EMG data at low frequencies from these values cannot be used for quantitative data analyses

Radio Astronomy

Contains reports on sixteen research projects.National Science Foundation (Grant AST81-21416)National Science Foundation (Grant AST80-22864)National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Contract S-10665-C)National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Contract NAGW373)National Science Foundation (Grant AST79-19553)National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Grant 04-8-M01-1)National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Grant NAG5-10)National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Contract NAS5-22929)Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Contract MDA 903-82-K-0521)Intelsat (Contract Intel-188)Joint Services Electronics Program (Contract DAAG29-80-C-0104)Lockheed Missiles and Space Company (Contract LS90B4860F

The OA Trial Bank: Meta-analysis of individual patient data from knee and hip osteoarthritis trials show that patients with severe pain exhibit greater benefit from intra-articular glucocorticoids

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy of intra-articular (IA) glucocorticoids for knee or hip osteoarthritis (OA) in specific subgroups of patients with severe pain and inflammatory signs using individual patient data (IPD) from existing trials. Design: Randomized trials evaluating one or more IA glucocorticoid preparation in patients with knee or hip OA, published from 1995 up to June 2012 were selected from the literature. IPD obtained from original trials included patient and disease characteristics and outcomes measured. The primary outcome was pain severity at short-term follow-up (up to 4 weeks). The subgroup factors assessed included severe pain (≥70 points, 0-100 scale) and signs of inflammation (dichotomized in present or not) at baseline. Multilevel regression analyses were applied to estimate the magnitude of the effects in the subgroups with the individuals nested within each study. Results: Seven out of 43 published randomized clinical trials (n = 620) were included. Patients with severe baseline pain had a significantly larger reduction in short-term pain, but not in mid- and long-term pain, compared to those with less severe pain at baseline (Mean Difference 13.91; 95% Confidence Interval 1.50-26.31) when receiving IA glucocorticoid injection compared to placebo. No statistical significant interaction effects were found between inflammatory signs and IA glucocorticoid injections compared to placebo and to tidal irrigation at all follow-up points. Conclusions: This IPD meta-analysis demonstrates that patients with severe knee pain at baseline derive more benefit from IA glucocorticoid injection at short-term follow-up than those with less severe pain at baseline

Effects of antiplatelet therapy on stroke risk by brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases: subgroup analyses of the RESTART randomised, open-label trial

Background Findings from the RESTART trial suggest that starting antiplatelet therapy might reduce the risk of recurrent symptomatic intracerebral haemorrhage compared with avoiding antiplatelet therapy. Brain imaging features of intracerebral haemorrhage and cerebral small vessel diseases (such as cerebral microbleeds) are associated with greater risks of recurrent intracerebral haemorrhage. We did subgroup analyses of the RESTART trial to explore whether these brain imaging features modify the effects of antiplatelet therapy