Protection Standards Research Articles

Abstract 2283: A targeted mutation calling workflow - end to end - from FASTQ to clinical report for single cells

Abstract Molecular profiling of rare cancer cells derived from liquid biopsy holds promise to monitor systemic cancer progression and guide personalized therapy interventions. However, this necessitates reliable and comprehensive profiling of samples at the single cell level and requires whole genome amplification (WGA), which adds amplification errors and bias to common sequencing errors. Therefore, we established a single-cell mutation calling workflow that can identify clinically actionable somatic mutations in rare single cell DNA with high sensitivity and accuracy. Our workflow is an end-to-end solution which can take FASTQ reads from any Panel Sequencing (PanelSeq) data and gives out single nucleotide variations (SNVs), insertion-deletions (InDels), and copy number variations (CNVs) in single cells alongside with mutation specific information from ClinVar, OncoKB, pathogenicity scores, conservations scores as well as known association to drug response and resistance. We incorporated a Bayesian Neural Network (NN) based Classifier algorithm that assigns a single statistical confidence score to the mutations, enabling prioritization of the mutations in a robust manner. On the training dataset including MDA-MB-453, BT474, BT549 and ZR-75.1 cell lines, the classifier achieved 91% sensitivity and 96% specificity (AUC=0.98), while on the independent test collective including HCC1395/HCC1395BL cell lines it achieved 84% sensitivity and 96% specificity (AUC=0.90). We applied the workflow to patient samples suffering from advanced metastatic Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC) assayed with in-house single-cell Integrated Mutation Profiling of Actionable Cancer Targets (scIMPACT) and single-cell Whole Exome Sequencing (scWES). Using our method, we detected clinically actionable SNVs with pathogenic relevance in primary tumor, metastatic specimens, circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from blood and disseminated cancer cells (DCC) from pleural effusions, as well as the matched CTC-derived in vivo models (CDX). Notably, functional in vitro drug screens performed on CDX models uncovered susceptibility to approved drug treatments conferred by mutations detected in the samples. In summary, we introduce a novel mutation calling workflow facilitating detection of SNVs, Indels and CNVs in rare single cells with high sensitivity and precision. Confident scores assigned by the NN classifier enables identification of functionally actionable mutations. The workflow was executed in GDPR compliant fashion and follows all data protection standards imposed by the European laws. Accordingly, the method is well suited for molecular profiling, therapeutic target selection and longitudinal monitoring of liquid biopsy specimens in diagnostic environments. Citation Format: Adithi Ravikumar Varadarajan, Thomas Ragg, Jonas Grote, Vadim Dechand, Steffi Treitschke, Clara Chaiban, Christoph Klein, Zbigniew Czyz, Jens Warfsmann. A targeted mutation calling workflow - end to end - from FASTQ to clinical report for single cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2024; Part 1 (Regular Abstracts); 2024 Apr 5-10; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(6_Suppl):Abstract nr 2283.

DATA PRIVACY AND SECURITY IN IT: A REVIEW OF TECHNIQUES AND CHALLENGES

In today's interconnected digital world, data privacy and security have emerged as paramount concerns for individuals, organizations, and governments alike. This review provides a comprehensive review of techniques and challenges surrounding data privacy and security in information technology (IT) systems. The review begins by outlining the significance of data privacy and security in IT, emphasizing the proliferation of sensitive information stored and transmitted across various digital platforms. With the exponential growth of data collection, storage, and processing, ensuring the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data has become imperative. Next, the review delves into the techniques employed to safeguard data privacy and security in IT environments. Encryption techniques, such as symmetric and asymmetric cryptography, play a crucial role in protecting data from unauthorized access and interception. Additionally, access control mechanisms, including authentication and authorization protocols, help manage user privileges and restrict unauthorized entry into sensitive data repositories. Furthermore, anonymization and pseudonymization techniques are utilized to conceal personally identifiable information (PII) and mitigate the risk of identity theft and privacy breaches. Moreover, the review discusses the challenges associated with data privacy and security in IT ecosystems. These challenges include the evolving nature of cyber threats, such as malware, ransomware, and social engineering attacks, which constantly test the resilience of IT defenses. Additionally, compliance with regulatory frameworks, such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), presents significant challenges for organizations striving to adhere to stringent data protection standards while maintaining operational efficiency. Furthermore, emerging technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI), introduce novel security risks and privacy concerns due to their interconnected nature and reliance on vast amounts of data. In conclusion, the review underscores the critical importance of continuously evaluating and enhancing data privacy and security measures in IT systems to mitigate risks, comply with regulations, and foster trust among stakeholders in an increasingly digitalized world.
 Keywords: Data, Privacy, Security, IT, AI.

REALIZATION OF THE RIGHT TO ENSURE A HIGH LEVEL OF CONSUMER PROTECTION IN THE EUROPEAN UNION

The subject of the article is the realization of the right to ensure a high level of consumer protection in the European Union. The basis for constructing this law is Art. 38 of the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union, the provisions of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union and EU directives defining the subject of consumer law. The article discusses the normative basis for the protection of consumer rights in European Union law. Selected standards of consumer rights protection in the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union were discussed, too. The article also discusses the role of European Union consumer law in realization of the right to consumer protection in the Republic of Poland. According to the author Art. 76 of the Constitution of the Republic of Poland does not provide grounds for constructing a subjective right to ensure a high level of consumer protection. Therefore, the provisions of European Union law and the case law of the Court of Justice of the European Union are of key importance.

Indonesia’s Responsibility as a Non-Party to the 1951 Convention and 1967 Protocol on the Status of Refugees in its Protection

Under ordinary circumstances, someone who enters other countries shall be provided with travel documents and required visa as entry permit. On the other hand, if they enter to the territory of another country because of feeling well-founded fear, such as their safety are threatened; and the country of their origin occurs social unrest or war. Therefore, the person may not have complete travel documents and visas. Movement of people who want to enjoy the protection of another country because they feel unsafe in their own country can be filed a request for refugee status. International refugee problem (Refugee) has existed since 1921, the prior international community responded to such events to the preparation of the 1951 Convention and the 1967 Protocol on the Status of Refugee. Nowadays, many countries have ratified them. In both these legal instruments, these contained provisions on international protection standards to international refugees for the states parties. For the countries that are not a party to the Convention and the Protocol, such as the Indonesian state, is not bound to the provisions of these legal instruments. Indonesia as well as other countries that have not ratified, then they have only a moral obligation or humanitarian responsibility. Based on the principle of humanity in the entire country, although they have not yet ratified, there is no a reason to refuse in protecting the refugees.

International investment agreements and the global minimum tax: of treaty troubles and investment incentives

Abstract Statutory and effective tax rates have witnessed a marked decline over the past decades, prompting international tax policymakers to grapple with the challenge of tax competition. The latest tool in this struggle is the global minimum tax (GMT). This paper examines the intersection between the GMT and International Investment Agreements (IIAs). It first briefly explains the operation of the GMT and reviews how IIAs address domestic tax measures. It goes on to argue that multinational enterprises (MNEs) affected by the GMT are unlikely to file large numbers of investor-State dispute settlement cases to challenge its implementation. Instead, MNEs will leverage IIAs in seeking to replace corporate income tax incentives captured by the minimum tax with alternative economic benefits. Given how income-tax-based investment incentives are administered in practice, many MNEs could plausibly argue that the withdrawal or undermining of these incentives through top-up taxes violates IIA protection standards. The paper concludes by outlining the potential motivations and options for MNEs seeking to replace tax incentives and the implications for the ongoing global effort to address tax challenges. Ultimately, the GMT’s design means that the race to the bottom is likely to shift elsewhere.

Patchwork Protection: The Politics of Prisoners’ Rights Accountability in the United States

In recent years US prisons have failed to meet legally required minimum standards of care and protection of incarcerated people. Explanations for the failure to protect prisoners in the United States focus on the effects of the Prison Litigation Reform Act (PLRA) and lack of adequate external oversight. However, very little scholarship empirically examines how different systems of accountability for prisoners’ rights work (or do not work) together. In this article, we introduce an accountability framework that helps us examine the prisoners’ rights “accountability environment” in the United States. We then compare two post-PLRA case studies of failure to protect incarcerated women from sexual assault in two different states. We find that the prisoners’ rights accountability environment is a patchwork of legal, bureaucratic, professional, and political systems. The patchwork accountability environment consists of a web of hierarchical and interdependent relationships that constrain or enable accountability. We argue that ultimately the effectiveness of prisoners’ rights accountability environments depends on whether protecting prisoners’ rights aligns with the priorities of dominant political officials. Our argument has implications for efforts to improve prison conditions and incarcerated people’s well-being.

Pitfalls in Implementing the EU Whistleblower Directive

Abstract In this paper, we focus on two conceptual problems associated with the EU Whistleblower Directive and point out issues that may undermine or even frustrate the successful implementation of the Directive in a national context. While fully acknowledging strong arguments for, and undeniable benefits of, speaking in favour of EU whistleblower protection, it has to be noted that a specific form of forced gold-plating calling for the extension of the material scope of protection may complicate the interpretation of the autonomous part of legislation and lead to legal insecurity. Moreover, new elements of whistleblower protection as introduced by the Directive diverge from the case law of the European Court of Human Rights. The introduction of higher standards of protection in favour of whistleblowers does not raise problems in relations between the state and the individual, but some EU rules may cause problems in horizontal relations between private individuals, since fair balancing of interests as required by Strasbourg jurisprudence may be not always guaranteed.

Constitutional, Administrative and Criminal Law Regulation of Protecting Rights of Internally Displaced Persons: Foreign Experience and Directions for Improvement

The purpose of the article consists in revealing the constitutional, administrative and criminal law foundations of protecting rights of internally displaced persons, problems of implementing foreign experience and identification of directions for improvement. It is substantiated that the system of individual protection standards is a kind of international mechanism for ensuring first of all the status of rights and freedoms of internally displaced persons, the corresponding guarantees regulated by the norms of universal, regional and special treaties, implemented by authorized subjects of public administration in various spheres of society. Attention is focused on compliance with the Guidelines of 1998, which are the basis of the legal acts of the European Union, the Council of Europe and other democratic countries. However, the existing standards of individual protection are not uniform, and there is no corresponding institutional mechanism. Universal, supranational, regional, mandatory, recommendatory, permanent and temporary standards are singled out. The authors conclude that the Ukrainian authorities are entrusted with important tasks, functions and powers to guarantee the rights and freedoms of internally displaced persons, as well as tasks concerning implementation and protection of such rights and freedoms, restoration of violated rights and implementation of existing international standards and best foreign practices. Therefore, it is natural to improve Ukrainian legislation and ensure effective and accessible procedures. Proposed are ways to solve existing problems in the sphere of social protection, electoral law, housing and land rights, and provision of legal aid.

How Much Lightning Actually Strikes the United States?

Abstract The number of cloud-to-ground (CG) flashes over the contiguous United States (CONUS) has been estimated to be from as small as 25 million per year to as many as 40 million. In addition, many CG flashes contact the ground in more than one place. To clarify these values, recent data from the National Lightning Detection Network (NLDN) have been examined since the network is performing well enough to make precise updates to the number of CG flashes and their associated ground contact points. The average number of CG flashes is calculated to be about 23.4 million per year over the CONUS, and the average number of ground contact points is calculated as 36.8 million per year. Knowledge of these two parameters is critical to lightning protection standards, as well as better understanding of the effects of lightning on forest fire initiation, geophysical interactions, human safety, and applications that benefit from knowing that a single flash may transfer charge to the ground in multiple, widely spaced locations. Sensitivity tests to assess the effects of misclassification of CG and in-cloud (IC) lightning are also made to place bounds on these estimates, and the likely uncertainty is a few percent.

GDPR's impact on cybersecurity: A review focusing on USA and European practices

The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has emerged as a landmark legislation reshaping the global landscape of data privacy and cybersecurity. Enforced in May 2018, the GDPR has had a profound impact on organizations worldwide, prompting a reevaluation of cybersecurity practices to ensure compliance with stringent data protection standards. This paper provides a comprehensive review of GDPR's influence on cybersecurity, with a particular emphasis on the contrasting approaches and practices adopted in the United States (USA) and Europe. The GDPR introduces a set of robust principles designed to protect the rights and privacy of individuals, emphasizing the need for transparency, accountability, and proactive measures to safeguard personal data. Its extraterritorial scope extends its impact beyond European borders, compelling businesses operating globally to adhere to its regulations. This paper explores the challenges and opportunities arising from GDPR compliance, examining how organizations in the USA and Europe have navigated the evolving cybersecurity landscape. In the USA, where privacy regulations historically differed across states, the GDPR has prompted discussions around the development of federal privacy laws. The review delves into the varying approaches adopted by American businesses, considering the interplay between state and federal regulations in shaping cybersecurity strategies. Conversely, European practices reflect a proactive response to the GDPR, as organizations have embraced the principles embedded in the regulation to fortify cybersecurity frameworks. The paper investigates the evolution of cybersecurity standards in Europe, highlighting successful strategies and potential areas for improvement. By synthesizing experiences from both sides of the Atlantic, this review contributes to a deeper understanding of the GDPR's impact on cybersecurity. It sheds light on the evolving dynamics of data protection, offering insights for organizations seeking to enhance their cybersecurity resilience in the face of a rapidly changing regulatory landscape.

The UK and the echr After Brexit: The Challenge of Immigration Control

Abstract This article examines the challenges that immigration control-related political imperatives in the United Kingdom (UK) have posed for UK compliance with the European Convention on Human Rights (echr) and evaluates the challenges that the UK’s moving away from echr compliance pose for its post-Brexit relationship with the European Union (EU) and its member states. The contribution begins with an examination of the constitutional parameters of UK (non-)compliance with the echr in the field of immigration control and the implications of this for the post-Brexit arrangements with the EU and its member states. The contribution then focuses on substantive immigration and refugee law and the impact of the current situation on asylum transfer co-operation within and outside of the EU. Through these areas, the article examines how EU law has infiltrated the interpretation of the echr with the result of raising standards of protection for asylum seekers and migrants and hampering the exercise of state sovereignty in the field.

Evaluation of Ship Recycling Industry in View of Present Global Circumstances and Way Forward

Ship recycling, commonly referred to as ship dismantling, is an inherently sustainable practice with global implications. It involves the reverse engineering process of disassembling obsolete ships to recover reusable materials in a safe and environmentally friendly manner. Over the past two decades, ships have predominantly been beached in South Asian countries such as Bangladesh, India, China, and Pakistan, allowing local yards to dismantle vessels with moderate preventive measures and substantial manual labor. Ship recycling stands as a significant and environmentally conscious industry, witnessing the annual recycling of approximately 1000 obsolete ships globally. Currently, this industry is predominantly led by three South Asian countries—India, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. In Bangladesh, the industry commenced with the dismantling of stranded ships, evolving into a large and profitable sector that generates substantial employment opportunities for thousands of semi-skilled workers in poverty-prone areas. While the ship recycling industry presents opportunities, it also poses challenges for coastal zone management, encompassing environmental, law enforcement, and worker safety concerns. The surge in demand for ship recycling has prompted increased regulatory scrutiny at both national and international levels. This pressure culminated in the development of the Hong Kong International Convention (HKC) by the IMO in 2009, mandating safety and environmental protection standards at recycling yards. Achieving a perfectly green ship recycling process in line with European standards is inherently costly. However, a viable and almost green ship recycling approach, integrating the current common practice of beaching methods in Asian countries, is entirely feasible. Despite limitations and challenges, the industry significantly contributes to Bangladesh's GDP and the overall socio-economic landscape. Currently, there has been a visible reduction in Bangladesh's market share due to stringent environmental regulations, while competitors have experienced increases. This study represents an analytical effort to evaluate the current global ship recycling scenario, exploring its potential, challenges, and the future trajectory of both local and global ship recycling industries.

Limits to the employer in managing employee data in labor relations

Despite the creation of legal standards for data protection in both the international and Brazilian spheres, the matter needs further elaboration regarding the limitations that must be established for the employer in the management of employee data in labor relations both in pre-contractual phase, both in the maintenance of labor contracts and in the dismissal of employees. Principles such as Dignity of the Human Person, Freedom of Profession, Non-Discrimination, Proportionality, Purpose, Adequacy and Necessity must be observed. To this end, the role of data protection supervisory agents in the labor sphere must be highlighted.

Modeling Electromagnetic Field Radiation Variability for Minimization of Exposure Rate in Public Health Environments: A Machine Learning Approach

Public Health awareness of the exposure to radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (Rf-EMF) is necessary for epidemiological studies on possible bio-effects. The Knowledge will promote good health, reduce health risk factors, lower morbidity and mortality rates often associated with public health environment (PHE). Modeling EMF radiation variability and its application is vital given the prospective growth in both the number of mobile devices and equipment radiating electromagnetic fields (EMF) and the increasing concerns in the general public. The main goal of this work is to develop a framework based on Machine Learning (ML) approach to determine the exposure level on time-based variances within and during operational procedures of frequency bands used in mobile telecommunication, digital devices, transmitters, broadcasting terminals etc. The system adopts the measurements and instrumentation methodology, using a handheld Poniie pn8000 multi-field EMF metre and EME Spy exposimeter with a detection limit of 0.0066mW/m (2) with sampling at certain interval in a specific frequency ensemble. The measurements were synthesized as exposure coefficients with assessment based on EMF radiation from emitting devices and matching with International Commission on Non-Ionizing Radiation Protection (ICNIRP) standards endorsed by WHO. Consequently, obtained data was processed and segmented into training and test sets on 70:30 ratios respectively. Computing modeling of the system was performed with R programming language using data obtained from field measurements and records. The prosed system used Ensemble ML-Random Forest Algorithm and Decision Tree algorithm (DTA). Performance evaluation and results obtained clearly demonstrates 87% based on the Confusion Matrix (CM) outcomes for Random Forest and Decision Tree presents 56%. This justifies the capability of ML techniques in accurately classifying EMF radiation to mitigate exposure rate and improve healthcare throughput. The model was transformed and deployed in a production system API environment with Graphical User Interface (GUI) for flexibility. This work revealed relating potential health bio-effects associated with EMF exposure and the different parameters that are currently used for evaluating, limiting, and mitigating the impact of the exposure on the general public.

Endogenous property rights, credit market, and economic development

AbstractEmpirical evidence suggests that credit markets can catalyze property rights reforms. We illustrate this in a theoretical framework where a borrower must expend costly effort to protect output from predation. We consider two possible equilibrium loan contracts. In the first, lenders leave the decision to protect output to borrowers. In the second, lenders set the standard of property protection as a precondition for lending. The second contracting regime results in a higher level of property rights enforcement. Significantly, the level of economic development determines the equilibrium contracting form and vice versa. Based on this analysis, we jointly determine the evolution of property rights and economic development. The analysis also sheds light on the environments that lead an economy to a low development trap with a poor quality of property rights institutions.

Organizational Health Literacy as a supportive tool for the effective implementation of the 2013/59/EURATOM Directive in Italy.

Since 2013, European countries have transposed the 2013/59/EURATOM Directive that lays down basic safety standards for protection against dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation. In the years between the issuance of the European Directive and its formal transposition, Italian researchers investigated solutions to renew the technological, educational, and organizational culture in radiology departments. This article proposed a reflection on the contribution of Organizational Health Literacy (OHL) to implement Legislative Decree 101/2020 in the practice of Italian radiology departments. By implementing OHL principles, examinations with exposure to ionizing radiation and related informative processes could be personalized based on patients' knowledge, abilities, and competencies, as well as on the services' provision. These principles can be in fact integrated with the organizational, training, and management requirements set by the Directive. According with the state-of-the-art, decision-makers and health managers could support the application of OHL principles in Italian radiology departments.

Council Directive 2013/59/Euratom of 5 December 2013 laying down basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionising radiation: medico-legal and legal-comparative study.

This paper is a scientific contribution on basic safety standards, related to protection against hazards arising from exposure to ionizing radiation: medico-legal issues resulting from the research of the University of Campania and the study conducted by the Italian Society of Medical and Interventional Radiology are reported.

Legal and Social Issues of Stateless Children in Malaysia

Malaysia does not have official records on the number of stateless people in the country. This lack of proactivity makes it challenging to identify the number of stateless people from the country’s population of ‘non-citizens’. For many stateless children, they are the products of this endless cycle of statelessness that transmits from one generation to the next especially when attempts to obtain a Malaysian citizenship from the National Registration Department fall futile. Though statelessness remains their only identity, it has also robbed them of State protection over the most fundamental human rights. This paper seeks to address the legal and social issues faced by stateless children in Malaysia. It begins by exploring the legal definition of a stateless child and the international minimum standard of protection that they are entitled to. The second part of the paper will then analyse the current Malaysian legal framework on statelessness, and how it fails to provide adequate protection for stateless children. This is followed by proposing potential solutions to the issue, such as amending the relevant laws and introducing awareness campaigns. Finally, the paper will conclude by outlining the importance of addressing statelessness in Malaysia and how this will benefit the stateless population.

QUANTUM COMPUTING AND LEGAL READINESS FOR E-GOVERNMENT SERVICES

Quantum computing promises unprecedented processing power that could revolutionize e-government services. However, realizing this potential requires updating legal frameworks on data privacy, cybersecurity, intellectual property, and procurement. This paper provides an overview of quantum computing and its applications to e-government. It analyzes gaps in current laws and regulations, arguing for benchmarks towards legal readiness. Recommendations focus on data protection standards, liability rules, transparency policies, interagency collaboration, and public-private partnerships. With timely legislation and strategic planning, governments can harness quantum computing for more secure, efficient, and equitable public services.

Utilization of Citrus Peel Waste Into Anti-Mosquito Spray Preparations as An Alternative to Malaria Prevention

Malaria is one of the infectious diseases that is still a health problem for the community. Anopheles sp mosquitoes are vectors for spreading malaria caused by plasmodium sp. parasites. The content of citric acid in oranges, makes this fruit has a sour taste that gives a fresh aroma. Essential oils found in orange peels can generally be used as anti-mosquito spray deodorizers. Orange peels can repel mosquitoes because mosquitoes do not like the smell of fragrances. Essential oils contain gologan organic compounds terpenes and terpenoids that are oil-soluble (lipophilic). This study aims to determine the use of citrus peel waste into mosquito repellent spray preparations as an alternative to malaria prevention with variations of active substances infusion of orange peel F1 (20%), F2 (40%). The sample used in this study was an infusion of citrus fruit peel (Citrus Sinensis L). The results of organoleptis test research have a distinctive aroma of sweet orange fruit peel, yellow color and liquid form. While the average pH for all is to have a pH of 5, and for homogeneity tests all three homogeneous formulas are seen in macroscopic and microscopic ways. Test mosquito protection power, in this study the average results obtained for F1 is 43%, and F2 63% for mosquito protection standards is 90%