A Framework for anonymous background data delivery and feedback

The current state of the industry’s methods of collecting background data reflecting diagnostic and usage information are often opaque and require users to place a lot of trust in the entity receiving the data. For vendors, having a centralized database of potentially sensitive data is a privacy protection headache and a potential liability should a breach of that database occur. Unfortunately, high profile privacy failures are not uncommon, so many individuals and companies are understandably skeptical and choose not to contribute any information. It is a shame, since the data could be used for improving reliability, or getting stronger security, or for valuable academic research into real-world usage patterns. We propose, implement and evaluate a framework for non-realtime anonymous data collection, aggregation for analysis, and feedback. Departing from the usual “trusted core” approach, we aim to maintain reporters’ anonymity even if the centralized part of the system is compromised. We design a peer-to-peer mix network and its protocol that are tuned to the properties of background diagnostic traffic. Our system delivers data to a centralized repository while maintaining (i) source anonymity, (ii) privacy in transit, and (iii) the ability to provide analysis feedback back to the source. By removing the core’s ability to identify the source of data and to track users over time, we drastically reduce its attractiveness as a potential attack target and allow vendors to make concrete and verifiable privacy and anonymity claims

Analyzing and Mapping Sweat Metabolomics by High-Resolution NMR Spectroscopy

The content of human sweat is studied by high-resolution NMR, and the majority of organic components most often found in sweat of conditionally healthy people are identified. Original and simple tools are designed for sweat sampling from different areas of human body. The minimal surface area needed for sampling is in the range of 50–100 cm2. On all the surface parts of the human body examined in this work, the main constituents forming a sweat metabolic profile are lactate, glycerol, pyruvate, and serine. The only exception is the sole of the foot (planta pedis), where trace amounts of glycerol are found. An attempt is made to explain the presence of specified metabolites and their possible origin

The effect of hepatopancreas homogenate of the Red king crab on HA-based filler

In this study, several methods were used to analyze the hydrolysis of hyaluronic acid (HA)-based cosmetic fillers by the hepatopancreas homogenate of the Red king crab. The results show that the homogenate and commercially available hyaluronidases have similar hydrolysis activities on the fillers. Atomic force microscopy images reveal that the HA fillers consist mainly of spherical-like particles, which are converted into filamentous structures as a result of hydrolysis by the Red king crab hepatopancreas homogenate. Turbidimetric analysis of the hydrolysis process shows that HA aggregation with acidic albumin exhibits a bell-shaped dependence on reaction time. Analysis of the hydrolysis process by nuclear magnetic resonance shows that HA degradation lasts several days. The maximum rate of the reaction is detected in the 1st h of incubation. The data confirm that the purified homogenate of the Red king crab hepatopancreas exerts hyaluronidase activity on HA-based cosmetic fillers; therefore, it may be considered as a potential therapeutic agent for treating filler complications

¹⁴N-NMR spectrum of human sweat from forehead (male).

<p>¹⁴N-NMR spectrum of human sweat from forehead (male).</p

¹H-NMR spectrum of sweat from child back (A) and male sole of foot (B).

<p>In contrast to spectra of sweat from human back and forehead (<a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0028824#pone-0028824-g001" target="_blank">Figs. 1</a> and <a href="http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0028824#pone-0028824-g002" target="_blank">2</a>), the observed signal of glycerol in the 3.5–3.8 ppm region of NMR spectra was very weak.</p

¹H-NMR spectrum of sweat from human back, «sugar region» is highlighted (male).

<p>¹H-NMR spectrum of sweat from human back, «sugar region» is highlighted (male).</p

¹H-NMR spectrum of human sweat from forehead (male).

<p>¹H-NMR spectrum of human sweat from forehead (male).</p

Special tools for sweat collection - glass roller and the holder (A) and special pipette with reverse capillary (B).

<p>Special tools for sweat collection - glass roller and the holder (A) and special pipette with reverse capillary (B).</p

Chemical shifts of ¹H NMR and concentrations of metabolites revealed in human sweat.

<p>*Concentrations of urea and ammonia were determined from ¹⁴N NMR spectra, trace- trace amount suffuicient for the component identification only.</p>a,b<p>samples were taken at different times from the forehead of the same 60 years old male donor.</p