8383 research outputs found
Sort by
Towards Cyber-User Awareness: Design and Evaluation
No full textHuman reliance on interconnected devices has given rise to a massive increase in cyber activities. There are about 17 billion interconnected devices in our World of about 8 billion people. Like the physical world, the cyber world is not void of entities whose activities, malicious or not, could be detrimental to other users who remain vulnerable as a result of their existence within cyberspace. Developments such as the introduction of 5G networks which advances communication speed among interconnected devices, undoubtedly proffer solutions for human living as well as adversely impacting systems. Vulnerabilities in applications embedded in devices, hardware deficiencies, user errors, are some of the loopholes that are exploited. Studies have revealed humans as weakest links in the cyber-chain, submitting that consistent implementation of cyber awareness programs would largely impact cybersecurity. Cyber-active systems have goals that compete with the implementation of cyber awareness programs, within limited resources. It is desirable to have cyber awareness systems that can be tailored around specific needs and considerations for important factors.
This paper presents a system that aims to promote user awareness through a flexible, accessible, and cost-effective design. The system implements steps in a user awareness cycle, that considers human-factor (HF) and HF related root causes of cyber-attacks. We introduce a new user testing tool, adaptable for administering cybersecurity test questions for varying levels and categories of users. The tool was implemented experimentally by engaging cyber users within UK. Schemes and online documentations by UK Cybersecurity organisations were harnessed for assessing and providing relevant recommendations to participants. Results provided us with values representing each participants’ notional level of awareness which were subjected to a paired-T test for comparison with values derived in an automated assessment. This pilot study provides valuable details for projecting the efficacy of the system towards improving human influence in cybersecurity
Going Off the Map: 'Transcendental Dependent Arising' in the Nettippakaraṇa
Get PDFThe early Buddhist exegetical text, the Nettippakaraṇa, apparently uniquely, describes the stages of the path as ‘transcendental dependent arising’ (lokuttara paṭicca-samuppāda), in contrast with the twelve nidānas, called ‘worldly dependent arising’ (lokiya paṭicca-samuppāda). A close reading of the Nettippakaraṇa in relation to another, related, exegetical text, the Peṭakopadesa, reveals that the latter interprets the same stages of the path in a different way. More broadly, while the Peṭakopadesa takes paṭicca-samuppāda to refer only to the twelve nidānas, the Nettippakaraṇa’s exegetical strategy takes paṭicca-samuppāda to refer to an over-arching principle of conditionality, both ‘worldly’ and ‘transcendental’. This exegesis has proved popular with modern western Buddhist exegetes
Active Aging: Social Entrepreneuring in Local Communities of Five European Countries
Get PDFBuilding on the active aging framework, the aim of this study, carried out between 2016 and 2018, is to analyze concrete experiences of older individuals acting as key players of social change in six local communities of five European countries (Bulgaria, Denmark, England, France, Spain). The 19 seniors involved in the study, according to social contexts, individual past experiences, knowledge, and motivations, acted as senior social entrepreneurs, trying to build a pathway towards social solutions for unmet social problems they detected in local communities. Data were collected via templates and questionnaires and analyzed using the thematic analysis. The results highlighted that the 16 local initiatives created by seniors concerned social problems such as food waste, social isolation, multicultural integration, etc. The social solutions implemented by seniors seemed to have the potential to produce social value and, to different degrees, encouraging results and impact. Since this “social experiment” provided evidence that senior social entrepreneuring could be a driver to solve societal problems, policy makers should sustain the spread of both social entrepreneurial mindset and practices at the European level, for catalyzing the active potential of older people for the benefit of European local communities
The Final Frontier? Religion and Posthumanism in Film and TV
No full textWhilst science fiction is often considered secular in emphasis, more recently it has started to exhibit a different sensibility. This may reflect wider social and cultural change, and the emergence of a ‘post-secular’ culture, in which new and enduring forms of religiosity co-exist, albeit in certain tension, with secular and atheist world-views. In contrast to the assertion that any future or technologically-advanced world would have no need for religion, are more sympathetic treatments of religious belief and identity. This does not represent the extinction of science fiction’s elevation of scientific enquiry and secular humanist values, however: rather, faith is regarded as both inimical to progress and an inescapable part of what it means to be, and become, fully human.Theology and Religious Studies Research Seminar 2014-1
Editorial: Hope in the Midst of Ruins
Get PDFThis editorial article introduces the papers originally given at the annual conference of Modern Church, on the theme of "Theology in the Public Square", held in July 2019. It considers what and how, and with what authority, the Christian churches might speak on public issues in the midst of challenges such as Brexit, inequality and globalisation. The church might speak, but is anyone listening
The value of embedded secondary-care-based psychology services in rheumatology: an exemplar for long-term conditions
Get PDFRheumatoid arthritis is an exemplar long term condition, complicated by pain, disability, co-morbidities and long term medication use. It has significant effects on mobility, work performance, social role, sexual function and relationships. It is commonly associated with fatigue and mood disturbance as a result of complex interactions of physical (disease related) and psychosocial factors. NICE guidance recommends the availability of psychological support for these patients. We have implemented a psychology service for our patients with chronic rheumatological conditions. This study was set up to capture the value of this service
The importance of long-term genetic monitoring of reintroduced populations: inbreeding in the natterjack toad (Epidalea calamita)
Get PDFGenetic monitoring is an important, but frequently lacking, component of management actions to support long-term persistence in reintroduced populations. Populations that remain small, due to demographic processes and genetic diversity, are more likely to experience a second extinction event. The natterjack toad (Epidelea calamita) is legally protected in Britain and was the subject of a reintroduction programme in the 1990s. However, subsequent genetic assessment has been mostly lacking. The aim of this study was to assess the genetic diversity of two reintroduced populations of natterjack toads in order to inform conservation management. Adults were sampled and nine microsatellites amplified to assess neutral genetic variation within each site and for comparison with the source population. Inbreeding was observed at the reintroduction sites, as evidenced by high FIS values (0.43 and 0.72), low observed compared to expected heterozygosities, and significant deviation from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Observed heterozygosity is currently lower in the reintroduction sites than it was in the source population at the time of the reintroductions (Red Rocks: 0.15±0.20; Talacre: 0.12±0.20; Ainsdale (source): 0.29). Evidence for a bottleneck was not found, although this is likely a result of sampling overlapping generations. No within-site population structuring was observed. Such low genetic diversity has not previously been recorded in any natterjack population. Genetic rescue, combined with pool creation, is the most viable option for safeguarding the species at these sites into the future. Our work highlights the importance of ongoing genetic monitoring, in collaboration with conservation organisations, to support conservation management
Selection of endogenous control genes for normalising gene expression data derived from formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded tumour tissue
Get PDFFrom Springer Nature via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: received 2020-06-16, accepted 2020-09-28, registration 2020-10-01, online 2020-10-14, pub-electronic 2020-10-14, collection 2020-12Publication status: PublishedFunder: NIHRFunder: Mission Sector of the Egyptian Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.Funder: CRUK; Grant(s): C147/A25254Abstract: Quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) data are normalised using endogenous control genes. We aimed to: (1) demonstrate a pathway to identify endogenous control genes for qPCR analysis of formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue using bladder cancer as an exemplar; and (2) examine the influence of probe length and sample age on PCR amplification and co-expression of candidate genes on apparent expression stability. RNA was extracted from prospective and retrospective samples and subject to qPCR using TaqMan human endogenous control arrays or single tube assays. Gene stability ranking was assessed using coefficient of variation (CoV), GeNorm and NormFinder. Co-expressed genes were identified from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) using the on-line gene regression analysis tool GRACE. Cycle threshold (Ct) values were lower for prospective (19.49 ± 2.53) vs retrospective (23.8 ± 3.32) tissues (p < 0.001) and shorter vs longer probes. Co-expressed genes ranked as the most stable genes in the TCGA cohort by GeNorm when analysed together but ranked lower when analysed individually omitting co-expressed genes indicating bias. Stability values were < 1.5 for the 20 candidate genes in the prospective cohort. As they consistently ranked in the top ten by CoV, GeNorm and Normfinder, UBC, RPLP0, HMBS, GUSB, and TBP are the most suitable endogenous control genes for bladder cancer qPCR
The ADEPT study: a comparative study of dentists' ability to detect enamel-only proximal caries in bitewing radiographs with and without the use of AssistDent artificial intelligence software
Get PDFFrom Springer Nature via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: received 2020-10-20, accepted 2020-12-16, registration 2021-01-01, pub-print 2021-10, pub-electronic 2021-10-22, online 2021-10-22Publication status: PublishedAbstract: Introduction Reversal of enamel-only proximal caries by non-invasive treatments is important in preventive dentistry. However, detecting such caries using bitewing radiography is difficult and the subtle patterns are often missed by dental practitioners. Aims To investigate whether the ability of dentists to detect enamel-only proximal caries is enhanced by the use of AssistDent artificial intelligence (AI) software. Materials and methods In the ADEPT (AssistDent Enamel-only Proximal caries assessmenT) study, 23 dentists were randomly divided into a control arm, without AI assistance, and an experimental arm, in which AI assistance provided on-screen prompts indicating potential enamel-only proximal caries. All participants analysed a set of 24 bitewings in which an expert panel had previously identified 65 enamel-only carious lesions and 241 healthy proximal surfaces. Results The control group found 44.3% of the caries, whereas the experimental group found 75.8%. The experimental group incorrectly identified caries in 14.6% of the healthy surfaces compared to 3.7% in the control group. The increase in sensitivity of 71% and decrease in specificity of 11% are statistically significant (p <0.01). Conclusions AssistDent AI software significantly improves dentists' ability to detect enamel-only proximal caries and could be considered as a tool to support preventive dentistry in general practice
Data sources:
Access Repository Dashboard
Do you manage ChesterRep? Access insider analytics, issue reports and manage access to outputs from your repository in the CORE Repository Dashboard!