Burden Of Client Research Articles

EMK-ABSE: Efficient Multikeyword Attribute-Based Searchable Encryption Scheme Through Cloud-Edge Coordination

Cloud storage and edge computing provide the possibility to address the tremendous storage and computing pressure caused by the explosive growth of traffic at the edge of the networks. In this scene, as data is outsourced to the cloud or edge servers, data privacy can be leaked. For enhancing security and privacy, attribute-based searchable encryption (ABSE), as an effective technical approach, achieves controllable search of ciphertext. Aiming at addressing the issues of the low search efficiency in a single-keyword ABSE scheme and the large computing overhead of the existing multikeyword ABSE schemes, we propose a novel multikeyword ABSE scheme (EMK-ABSE) through cloud-edge coordination. The huge amounts of encrypted data is stored to cloud server (CS), while the corresponding encrypted index is uploaded to the nearest edge node (EN) to perform multikeyword search and assisted decryption. To further release the computational burden of clients, a hybrid online/offline mechanism is adopted in encryption. Security analysis indicates that the multikeyword index in EMK-ABSE has secure indistinguishability under chosen keyword attack (IND-CKA). The comprehensive evaluation proves that EMK-ABSE achieves not only encrypted multikeyword retrieval but also fine-grained access control, with lower computation complexity in the three stages of encryption, trapdoor generation, and decryption. We show that the proposed scheme has higher efficiency and practicability than the selected relative works.

A brief young adult alcohol problems screening test: Short form development using combinatorics

Objective: To develop a shortened form of the Young Adult Alcohol Problems Screening Test 1 (YAAPST; original length = 27 items) using a novel combinatorial approach. Participants: 489 college freshmen, half of whom were above average risk for alcohol use disorder based upon family history, attending a large, Midwestern University followed prospectively for 16–17 years across 7 measurement occasions (waves). Methods: Using an exhaustive combinatorial approach, we evaluated all possible combinations of questions and questionnaire length. Each candidate short-form was evaluated using part-whole correlations, alpha coefficients, and polyserial correlations with DSM-III criteria. Results: The 12-item scale, the Brief-YAAPST, was chosen as the best candidate short-form as this scale had the fewest items while maintaining strong reliability and validity. Conclusions: Complete enumeration optimization effectively produced a 12-item short form with minimal loss of reliability and validity making the Brief-YAAPST a desirable assessment alternative when there are concerns about participant or client burden.

Achieving Lightweight Privacy-Preserving Image Sharing and Illegal Distributor Detection in Social IoT

The applications of social Internet of Things (SIoT) with large numbers of intelligent devices provide a novel way for social behaviors. Intelligent devices share images according to the groups of their specified owners. However, sharing images may cause privacy disclosure when the images are illegally distributed without owners’ permission. To tackle this issue, combining blind watermark with additive secret sharing technique, we propose a lightweight and privacy-preserving image sharing (LPIS) scheme with illegal distributor detection in SIoT. Specifically, the query user’s authentication information is embedded in two shares of the transformed encrypted image by using discrete cosine transform (DCT) and additive secret sharing technique. The robustness against attacks, such as JPEG attack and the least significant bit planes (LSBs) replacement attacks, are improved by modifying 1/8 of coefficients of the transformed image. Moreover, we adopt two edge servers to provide image storage and authentication information embedding services for reducing the operational burden of clients. As a result, the identity of the illegal distributor can be confirmed by the watermark extraction of the suspicious image. Finally, we conduct security analysis and ample experiments. The results show that LPIS is secure and robust to prevent illegal distributors from modifying images and manipulating the embedded information before unlawful sharing.

A Homomorphic Encryption and Privacy Protection Method Based on Blockchain and Edge Computing

With its decentralization, reliable database, security, and quasi anonymity, blockchain provides a new solution for data storage and sharing as well as privacy protection. This paper combines the advantages of blockchain and edge computing and constructs the key technology solutions of edge computing based on blockchain. On one hand, it achieves the security protection and integrity check of cloud data; and on the other hand, it also realizes more extensive secure multiparty computation. In order to assure the operating efficiency of blockchain and alleviate the computational burden of client, it also introduces the Paillier cryptosystem which supports additive homomorphism. The task execution side encrypts all data, while the edge node can process the ciphertext of the data received, acquire and return the ciphertext of the final result to the client. The simulation experiment proves that the proposed algorithm is effective and feasible.

A tool for measuring burden in activities and participation of clients with acquired brain injury: the FINAH-instrument

ABSTRACT Primary objective: The objective of this study was to design an instrument to screen for burden in the daily life of both the client with acquired brain injury (ABI) and their nonprofessional caregiver. Research Design: Exploratory research Methods and Procedures: Based on a survey amongst stakeholder organizations, the FINAH-instrument is designed as a digital self-assessment questionnaire, based on ICF-framework. A test survey of the FINAH instrument is conducted on both clients, nonprofessional caregivers and healthcare professionals. Main Outcomes and Results: The relative burden per item for clients and nonprofessional caregivers is most prominent in the domains of fatigue, cognitive and emotional consequences, self-care and mobility. The estimation of burden for clients and nonprofessional caregiver by healthcare professionals showed an overall 65% correct estimation by the healthcare professional. 19% of the items showed underestimation of burden, while 16% showed overestimation. Conclusions: These results show that FINAH can ameliorate the estimation of the health care professional on the self-assessed burden of clients and nonprofessional caregivers, thus substantiating a more client-centred approach.

Safety and effectiveness of one-day later abortion procedures: A retrospective chart review

Introduction The abortion process at later gestational ages—from placement of dilators, to completion of procedure—can have a duration of up to three days. Coupled with mandatory waiting periods in many states, later-abortion procedures often place undue burdens on patients (increased travel, accommodation, and administrative costs). We present evidence on the safety of later-abortion protocols that are carried out in one day, which can result in reducing client burden. Method We conducted a retrospective review of 379 patient medical charts from two different clinics (in four states) that provide abortions for gestational ages 18–24 weeks, in one day. Data was collected using an online data collection platform. We used Stata 15 to clean and perform preliminary descriptive analyses. Results We found that, on an average, complications occurred in 0.79% (n = 3) of the total procedures. Literature suggests that for D&E procedures occurring between 14 and 24 weeks, complications occur in 4% of cases (Autry et. al, 2002). In our study, cervical tear was the only incident. All the incidents were resolved in the procedure room on the day of the procedure. Conclusions One-day procedures result in a low occurrence of complications—lower than what has been reported for longer procedures and have not needed hospital admission. By adopting shorter procedures, financial burden on patients, especially those traveling long distances, can be reduced, and access to later abortion care can be expanded.

Publicly-Verifiable Proofs of Storage Based on the Discrete Logarithm Problem

With the rapid development of cloud computing platforms, cloud storage services are becoming widespread in recent years. Based on these services, clients are able to store data on remote cloud servers and thereby saving their local storage. This greatly reduces the burden of clients, while it also brings certain security risks to the outsourced data. Among the risks, a critical one is data corruption, for example cloud servers may delete some rarely used outsourced data for cost saving. To prevent this risk, proof of storage (PoS) schemes are invented, which can validate the integrity of cloud data without downloading the entire data. The existing PoS schemes, however, mostly either involve complex operations e.g. bilinear pairings, or don't support public verifiability. To fill this gap, in this paper we construct a new PoS scheme that is publicly verifiable and only requires simple cryptographic computations. We prove that our scheme is secure under the discrete logarithm assumption, in the random oracle model. Furthermore, we also show how to extend the scheme to support data updates. Finally, we implement our scheme. The simulation results demonstrate that our scheme is more computationally-efficient than the publicly-verifiable PoS schemes of Shacham and Waters (Journal of Cryptology 2013).

Predicting caregiver burden in general veterinary clients: Contribution of companion animal clinical signs and problem behaviors

Caregiver burden, found in many clients with a chronically or terminally ill companion animal, has been linked to poorer psychosocial function in the client and greater utilization of non-billable veterinary services. To reduce client caregiver burden, its determinants must first be identified. This study examined if companion animal clinical signs and problem behaviors predict veterinary client burden within broader client- and patient-based risk factor models. Data were collected in two phases. Phase 1 included 238 companion animal owners, including those with a sick companion animal (n=119) and matched healthy controls (n=119) recruited online. Phase 2 was comprised of 602 small animal general veterinary hospital clients (n=95 with a sick dog or cat). Participants completed cross-sectional online assessments of caregiver burden, psychosocial resources (social support, active coping, self-mastery), and an item pool of companion animal clinical signs and problem behaviors.Several signs/behaviors correlated with burden, most prominently: weakness, appearing sad/depressed or anxious, appearing to have pain/discomfort, change in personality, frequent urination, and excessive sleeping/lethargy. Within patient-based risk factors, caregiver burden was predicted by frequency of the companion animal’s signs/behaviors (P<.01). Within client-based factors, potentially modifiable factors of client reaction to the animal’s signs/behaviors (P=.01), and client sense of control (P<.04) predicted burden. Understanding burden may enhance veterinarian-client communication, and is important due to potential downstream effects of client burden, such as higher workload for the veterinarian. Supporting the client’s sense of control may help alleviate burden when amelioration of the companion animal’s presentation is not feasible.

Testing the Clinical Implications of Planned Missing Data Designs.

Assessment is a core element of evidence-based practice, but thorough formal assessment can place a significant burden on clients. We evaluated the clinical viability of using planned missing data designs to reduce client burden. Data come from an archival dataset with 1342 participants. Although significant differences were found in scores with planned missing data versus real scores, the effect sizes for the differences were generally small. Scores with missing data had sensitivity and specificity scores generally above .90 when predicting real scores over clinical cutoffs and improvement in real scores. These findings offer useful information to agencies and researchers looking for ways to collect more data without losing its immediate clinical utility.

The safety and acceptance of the PrePex device for non-surgical adult male circumcision in Rakai, Uganda. A non-randomized observational study.

ObjectivesTo assess the safety and acceptance of the PrePex device for medical male circumcision (MMC) in rural Uganda.MethodsIn an observational study, HIV-uninfected, uncircumcised men aged 18 and older who requested elective MMC were informed about the PrePex and dorsal slit methods and offered a free choice of their preferred procedure. 100 men received PrePex to assess preliminary safety (aim 1). An additional 329 men, 250 chose PrePex and 79 chose Dorsal slit, were enrolled following approval by the Safety Monitoring Committee (aim 2). Men were followed up at 7 days to assess adverse events (AEs) and to remove the PrePex device. Wound healing was assessed at 4 weeks, with subsequent weekly follow up until completed healing.ResultsThe PrePex device was contraindicated in 5.7% of men due to a tight prepuce or phimosis/adhesions. Among 429 enrolled men 350 (82.0%) got the PrePex device and 79 (18.0%) the dorsal slit procedure. 250 of 329 men (76.0%) who were invited to choose between the 2 procedures chose Prepex. There were 9 AEs (2.6%) with the PrePex, of which 5 (1.4%) were severe complications, 4 due to patient self-removal of the device leading to edema and urinary obstruction requiring emergency surgical circumcision, and one due to wound dehiscence following device removal. 71.8% of men reported an unpleasant odor prior to PrePex removal. Cumulative rates of completed wound healing with the PrePex were 56.7% at week 4, 84.8% week 5, 97.6% week 6 and 98.6% week 7, compared to 98.7% at week 4 with dorsal slit (p<0.0001).ConclusionThe PrePex device was well accepted, but healing was slower than with dorsal slit surgery. Severe complications, primarily following PrePex self-removal, required rapid access to emergency surgical facilities. The need to return for removal and delayed healing may increase Program cost and client burden.

Does professional tax preparation matter? Empirical evidence from Germany

This paper is an empirical assessment of the average effect of tax consultants on non-business taxpayers’ tax burden. The author uses German income tax return data to identify tax returns filed by a tax consultant. In contrast to previous research, propensity score matching is used to construct an appropriate control group to eliminate problems arising from self-selection. The effect of tax consultants is found to be twofold and depends on the income level. On the one hand, tax consultants reduce the tax burden of clients on a high income. Possible reasons for this are the progressive income tax rate as well as income-dependent deductions, e.g., donations, which offer tax consultants greater scope to make use of their superior tax knowledge. However, this effect is reversed for clients on comparatively low incomes. This finding is in line with the interpretation that, besides the already identified disburdening impact, a tax consultant can also act as a preceding enforcement instance that mitigates clients’ excessively aggressive filing strategies.

Server Re-Tag Provable Data Possession in Public Cloud

Integrity checking becomes imperative to secure data in a cloud environment. Especially in mobile cloud storage, clients can easily modify and share data as a group, which easily result in the stored data is neither compromised nor corrupted. To ensure data integrity can be audited publicly, clients need to compute signatures on all the blocks in shared data .In mobile cloud storage environment, the clients frequently join or leave groups. Once the client leaves the group, the blocks, which were previously signed, must be re-signed by an existing client. One method to allow other client to download the shared data and re-sign it, but it is inefficient due to the large size of shared data in the cloud. In this paper, we propose server re-tag provable data possession (SRT-PDP). By utilizing proxy re-signatures, we allow the cloud severs as the group manager to re-sign blocks after the client sign the shared data, so that existing clients do not have to do anything even if some clients leave the group. In addition, a public verifier is always able to audit the integrity of shared data without retrieving the entire data from the cloud servers. SRT-PDP enable the cloud server takes the most of the work, and reduce the burden of client, which is suit for mobile device.

The Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale-Short Version: Scale reduction via exploratory bifactor modeling of the broad anxiety factor.

Using a school-based (N = 1,060) and clinic-referred (N = 303) youth sample, the authors developed a 25-item shortened version of the Revised Child Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS) using Schmid-Leiman exploratory bifactor analysis to reduce client burden and administration time and thus improve the transportability characteristics of this youth anxiety and depression measure. Results revealed that all anxiety items primarily reflected a single "broad anxiety" dimension, which informed the development of a reduced 15-item Anxiety Total scale. Although specific DSM-oriented anxiety subscales were not included in this version, the items comprising the Anxiety Total scale were evenly pulled from the 5 anxiety-related content domains from the original RCADS. The resultant 15-item Anxiety Total scale evidenced significant correspondence with anxiety diagnostic groups based on structured clinical interviews. The scores from the 10-item Depression Total scale (retained from the original version) were also associated with acceptable reliability in the clinic-referred and school-based samples (α = .80 and .79, respectively); this is in contrast to the alternate 5-item shortened RCADS Depression Total scale previously developed by Muris, Meesters, and Schouten (2002), which evidenced depression scores of unacceptable reliability (α = .63). The shortened RCADS developed in the present study thus balances efficiency, breadth, and scale score reliability in a way that is potentially useful for repeated measurement in clinical settings as well as wide-scale screenings that assess anxiety and depressive problems. These future applications are discussed, as are recommendations for continued use of exploratory bifactor modeling in scale development.

Efficient audit service outsourcing for data integrity in clouds

Cloud-based outsourced storage relieves the client's burden for storage management and maintenance by providing a comparably low-cost, scalable, location-independent platform. However, the fact that clients no longer have physical possession of data indicates that they are facing a potentially formidable risk for missing or corrupted data. To avoid the security risks, audit services are critical to ensure the integrity and availability of outsourced data and to achieve digital forensics and credibility on cloud computing. Provable data possession (PDP), which is a cryptographic technique for verifying the integrity of data without retrieving it at an untrusted server, can be used to realize audit services.In this paper, profiting from the interactive zero-knowledge proof system, we address the construction of an interactive PDP protocol to prevent the fraudulence of prover (soundness property) and the leakage of verified data (zero-knowledge property). We prove that our construction holds these properties based on the computation Diffie–Hellman assumption and the rewindable black-box knowledge extractor. We also propose an efficient mechanism with respect to probabilistic queries and periodic verification to reduce the audit costs per verification and implement abnormal detection timely. In addition, we present an efficient method for selecting an optimal parameter value to minimize computational overheads of cloud audit services. Our experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.

Provable Data Possession of Resource-constrained Mobile Devices in Cloud Computing

Benefited from cloud storage services, users can save their cost of buying expensive storage and application servers, as well as deploying and maintaining applications. Meanwhile they lost the physical control of their data. So effective methods are needed to verify the correctness of the data stored at cloud servers, which are the research issues the Provable Data Possession (PDP) faced. The most important features in PDP are: 1) supporting for public, unlimited numbers of times of verification; 2) supporting for dynamic data update; 3) efficiency of storage space and computing. In mobile cloud computing, mobile end-users also need the PDP service. However, the computing workloads and storage burden of client in existing PDP schemes are too heavy to be directly used by the resource-constrained mobile devices. To solve this problem, with the integration of the trusted computing technology, this paper proposes a novel public PDP scheme, in which the trusted third-party agent (TPA) takes over most of the calculations from the mobile end-users. By using bilinear signature and Merkle hash tree (MHT), the scheme aggregates the verification tokens of the data file into one small signature to reduce communication and storage burden. MHT is also helpful to support dynamic data update. In our framework, the mobile terminal devices only need to generate some secret keys and random numbers with the help of trusted platform model (TPM) chips, and the needed computing workload and storage space is fit for mobile devices. Our scheme realizes provable secure storage service for resource-constrained mobile devices in mobile cloud computing.

The development of a streamlined, coordinated and sustainable evaluation methodology for a diverse chronic disease management program

The Northern Alliance Hospital Admission Risk Program-Chronic Disease Management comprises 13 services delivering care to those with chronic disease and older people with complex care needs, who are frequent hospital users. To develop and implement a system-wide approach to the evaluation of this existing program. The Northern Clinical Research Centre audited all existing, routinely collected administrative data within the program and then met with each service to develop service specific outcome measures. The evaluators then developed and implemented a system-wide evaluation approach to measure performance in terms of: client profile; access and entry; service efficiency; client outcomes; and hospital demand. Data are collected electronically and more than 80% are derived from existing, administrative datasets, minimising staff and client burden. Additional data include client outcomes and a health related quality of life measure. The preliminary twelve month data suggest that clients have the equivalent of 'fair' or 'poor' self-reported health status (n = 862) and the average health utility scores are significantly (P < 0.05) worse than population control data. These analyses reveal, for the first time, that the Northern Alliance Hospital Admission Risk Program-Chronic Disease Management program is targeting appropriate clients. This methodology will enable many prospective assessments to be performed including; client outcome evaluation, service model comparisons, and cost-utility analyses. This evaluation approach demonstrates the feasibility of a highly coordinated 'whole of system' evaluation. Such an approach may ultimately contribute to the development of evidence-based policy.

Savings from integrating administrative systems for social assistance programmes in Russia

AbstractRussian local governments now have primary responsibility for the administration of social assistance programmes thanks to a combination of decentralization of some responsibilities from higher levels of government and the transfer of certain administrative functions from state enterprises to municipalities. Over the past few years, there has also been a distinct shift to means‐testing of social assistance. This article reports on the results of a pilot project undertaken to improve the efficiency of programme administration conducted in the city of Arzamas (pop. 110,000). The municipal administration promotes it as a programme to ease client burden and improve access to benefits. Specifically, the pilot introduced a unified application form for all the major social assistance programmes in the city and required, regardless of how many programmes are applied for, that applicants visit only one office and supply one set of documents verifying their eligibility for assistance. Benefit processing is also consolidated. Staff efficiency improvements are substantial: under the one‐window system, 127 benefits are processed per month per staff member, while 85 benefits were processed per month per staff member under the old administrative system. Impressive time savings for clients were also observed: the statistically average client saves between 1.3 and 2.4 hours, depending on the degree to which a client was able to coordinate documentation collection and trips to the benefit agencies under the old system. The total potential time saved by clients as a result of the one‐window reforms is between 4100 and 7600 person hours per month. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.