Risk Of Attack Research Articles

Соціальна інженерія як загроза кібербезпеці: методи запобігання та захисту

The relevance of the study of social engineering is due to the ever-growing number of cyberattacks that use the human factor as the main penetration vector. Attackers, using various methods such as phishing, vishing, pretexting, and others, cause significant damage to organisations by stealing confidential data, undermining reputation, and disrupting the smooth operation of business processes. The growth of social engineering-related cyberattacks requires improving the legal framework and developing new cybersecurity standards. The article analyses modern methods of social engineering, their impact on information systems and organisations, and identifies the main areas of protection against these threats. Particular attention is paid to the role of the human factor in cybersecurity and the need for an integrated approach that combines technical, organisational and educational measures. Particular attention is paid to the challenges associated with the human factor in cybersecurity systems, as well as the importance of an integrated approach to combating these threats. The author substantiates the need to integrate cybersecurity education and training programmes to reduce the risk of successful social engineering attacks. Prospects for further research are identified, in particular in the development of interactive training programmes to raise user awareness and the development of new algorithms for the automatic detection of social attack attempts

Current Practices and Attitudes of Community Health Centers Toward the Use of Algorithmic Logic to Identify Patients with Undiagnosed Hypertension.

Treating patients with uncontrolled hypertension is a powerful intervention for reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Leveraging health information technology to identify patients with undiagnosed hypertension using algorithmic logic can be an effective approach for reaching hypertensive patients who may otherwise be overlooked. Despite evidence that this strategy can support favorable cardiovascular health outcomes in the safety-net healthcare setting, little is known about its implementation outside of targeted practice and research environments. In 2021-2022, Community Clinic Association of Los Angeles County and the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health collaborated on a mixed methods, organizational assessment of community health centers to better understand their practices and attitudes toward the use of algorithmic logic to identify patients with undiagnosed hypertension. Results from the assessment suggest that awareness and use of this approach are limited; numerous challenges are associated with its adoption and implementation.

Enhancing maritime transportation security: A data-driven Bayesian network analysis of terrorist attack risks.

Maritime terrorist accidents have a significant low-frequency-high-consequence feature and, thus, require new research to address the associated inherent uncertainty and the scarce literature in the field. This article aims to develop a novel method for maritime security risk analysis. It employs real accident data from maritime terrorist attacks over the past two decades to train a data-driven Bayesian network (DDBN) model. The findings help pinpoint key contributing factors, scrutinize their interdependencies, ascertain the probability of different terrorist scenarios, and describe their impact on different manifestations of maritime terrorism. The established DDBN model undergoes a thorough verification and validation process employing various techniques, such as sensitivity, metrics, and comparative analyses. Additionally, it is tested against recent real-world cases to demonstrate its effectiveness in both retrospective and prospective risk propagation, encompassing both diagnostic and predictive capabilities. These findings provide valuable insights for the various stakeholders, including companies and government bodies, fostering comprehension of maritime terrorism and potentially fortifying preventive measures and emergency management.

Impact of chronic kidney disease on left atrial appendage occlusion: A meta-analysis of procedural outcomes and complications.

Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) experience atrial fibrillation more frequently. The balance of medical management for stroke prevention and bleeding events presents a challenging issue in CKD population. Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) may be an effective solution for stroke prevention in patients who experience frequent bleeding with oral anticoagulants. However, the specific impact of CKD on the procedural success, complications, and outcomes of LAAO implantations remains underexplored. We conducted a search of various databases for articles published before October 31, 2023. This search yielded 7 studies, comparing outcomes between CKD and non-CKD cohorts undergoing LAAO implantation. Our analysis focused on CHA2DS2-VASc scores, average eGFR, use of oral anticoagulants, procedural success rates, procedural complications, and associated outcomes. The meta-analysis included data from 2576 patients, with 1131 identified as having CKD. The CKD group also had higher CHA2DS2-VASc scores (4.7 ± 1.4 vs 4.0 ± 1.5; P < .001) and HAS-BLED scores (3.8 ± 1.1 vs 3.1 ± 1.0; P < .001) than the non-CKD group. CKD patients showed a nonreduction in procedural success rates and a nonsignificant increase in total complications. The risks of stroke and transient ischemic attack, major bleeding, and cardiovascular mortality were not significantly different between the 2 groups. However, a significantly lower rate of total mortality was observed in the non-CKD group (odds ratio: 0.43; 95% confidence interval, 0.32-0.60). While CKD is associated with a nonsignificant decrease in procedural success and a nonsignificant increase in complication risks, the outcomes of LAAO implantation are comparably favorable between CKD and non-CKD groups. Despite similar procedural outcomes, the CKD group exhibited a higher rate of all-cause mortality.

The State of Lipid Metabolism in Old Rats in High Altitude Conditions Against the Background of the Use of Coenzyme Q10

The problem of population aging is relevant both in Kyrgyzstan and in the global space. At the same time, the preservation of the functional capabilities of the body of elderly people living in adverse climatic conditions is of particular importance. 20-30% of the inhabitants live in the mountainous area of Kyrgyzstan at an altitude of 2000-4000 meters above sea level. It is known that in high-altitude conditions, the body is influenced by extreme factors of the highlands, which accelerate the aging process and reduce life expectancy. This article presents data from experimental studies of energy metabolism disorders in old rats and its correction of coenzyme Q10 at an altitude of 3200 m above sea level. It was found that in old rats, under conditions of short-term adaptation in the mountains, an increase in the level of total cholesterol, triglycerides and low-density lipoproteins was shown, and the level of high-density lipoproteins decreased, indicating a violation of lipid metabolism. Also, due to oxidative stress in high-altitude conditions, the level of malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase and catalase in the blood of animals was increased. Oral administration of coenzyme Q10 at a dose of 30 mg/kg of body weight 1 time per day for 30 days to old rats led to a decrease in total cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins, triglycerides and an increase in high-density lipoproteins, due to the fact that coenzyme Q10 protects the plasma membrane of the cell from lipid peroxidation, preventing oxidative modifications lipids, which leads to a reduced risk of coronary heart disease, heart attack and stroke.

The Potential Therapeutic Role of Bromelin in Pineapple Fruit for Cholesterol: A Comprehensive Literature Review

Background: A main risk factor for cardiovascular illnesses is high cholesterol, which causes 3.6 million deaths yearly by WHO, 2022. Reducing the risk of heart attacks and strokes depends on lowering cholesterol. Recent research indicates that pineapple's bromelain enzyme might help reduce cholesterol levels. This review examines bromelain's potential application in cholesterol management and its effect on cholesterol metabolism. Objectives: This literature review aims to explore bromelin in pineapple fruit for cholesterol. Methods: We searched Pubmed, Google Scholar, Scopus, and Web of Science using keywords like cholesterol, lipid metabolism, bromelin and pineapple. We included accessible articles in Bahasa Indonesia or English, including research articles, systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and literature reviews. Discussion: Bromelain found in pineapple fruit can decrease cholesterol and triglyceride production due to its effects on lipid metabolism, heart function, and anti-inflammatory effects. This is due to their ability to inhibit HMG-CoA reductase production, an important enzyme involved in the liver's cholesterol synthesis. Conclusion: Bromelin has significant therapeutic potential for reducing cholesterol, especially as a natural supplement to resist lipid-lowering treatments for people who cannot tolerate statins. We need to conduct further research to determine the clinical effectiveness of combination therapy.

Efficient SFC Protection Method against Network Attack Risks in Air Traffic Information Networks

With the continuous development of the civil aviation industry toward digitalization and intelligence, the closed architecture of traditional air traffic information networks struggles to meet the rapidly growing demands for air traffic services. Network function virtualization (NFV) is one of the key technologies that can address the rigidity of traditional air traffic information networks. NFV technology has facilitated the flexible deployment of air traffic services, but it has also expanded the attack surface of the network. In addressing the network attack risks faced by service function chains (SFCs) in NFV environments, a SFC protection method based on honeypots and backup technology (PBHB) is proposed to reduce the resource cost of protecting air traffic information networks while enhancing network security. Initially, PBHB utilizes the TAPD algorithm to deploy the primary VNFs as closely as possible to the shortest path between the source and destination endpoints, thus aiming to reduce SFC latency and save bandwidth resource costs. Subsequently, the RAHDR algorithm is employed to install honeypot VNFs in each physical platform that is at risk of side-channel attacks, thus updating the deployment status of honeypot VNFs in real time based on the VNF lifecycle in order to offer primary protection for SFCs. Lastly, the BDMPE algorithm was used to calculate the backup scheme with the highest protection efficiency to implement secondary protection for the SFCs that still do not meet the security requirements. Through experiments, the maximum backup limit for SFCs in PBHB was determined, confirming its satisfactory performance across various SFC arrival rates. Furthermore, performance comparisons with other SFC protection methods revealed that PBHB achieves optimizations in resources cost while ensuring SFC security and latency.

Cardiac Troponin I-Responsive Nanocomposite Materials for Voltammetric Monitoring of Acute Myocardial Infarction.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a severe cardiovascular disease characterized by heart muscle damage due to inadequate blood supply, leading to a life-threatening risk of heart attack. Herein, we report on the design of polyaminophenol-based thin film functional polymers and their thorough optimization by electrochemical, spectroscopic, and microscopic techniques to develop a high-performance point-of-care voltammetric monitoring system. Molecularly imprinted polymer-based cTnI-responsive nanocomposite materials were prepared on an electrode surface by imprinting a specific cTnI epitope, integrating polyaminophenol electrodeposition, along with gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) and graphene quantum dots (GQDs). The characterization techniques, including cyclic and square wave voltammetries, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, fluorescence microscopy, attenuated total reflection-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), and contact angle measurements proved the efficient fabrication of the voltammetric monitoring system relying on cTnI-responsive functional thin films. The sensing platform prepared with the optimized nanocomposite composition of AuNPs, GQDs, and molecularly imprinted polymers exhibited very high sensitivity, reproducibility, specificity, and affinity toward cTnI. The sensor showed a storage stability of 30 days, demonstrating great potential for use in early and point-of-care diagnosis of AMI with its 18 min detection time.

Tamper Detection and Self-recovery in a Visual Secret Sharing based Security Mechanism for Medical Records.

Medical records contain highly sensitive patient information. These medical records are significant for better research, diagnosis, and treatment. However, ensuring secure medical records storage is paramount to protect patient confidentiality, integrity, and privacy. Conventional methods involve encrypting and storing medical records in third-party clouds. Such storage enables convenient access and remote consultation. This cloud storage poses single-point attack risks and may lead to erroneous diagnoses and treatment. To address this, a novel (n,n)VSS scheme is proposed with data embedding, permutation ordered binary number system, tamper detection, and self-recovery mechanism. This approach enables the reconstruction of medical records even in the case of tampering. The tamper detection algorithm ensures data integrity. Simulation results demonstrate the superiority of proposed method in terms of security and reconstruction quality. Here, security analysis is done by considering attacks such as brute force, differential, and tampering attacks. Similarly, the reconstruction quality is evaluated using various human visual system parameters. The results show that the proposed technique provides a lower bit error rate ( ≈ 0), high average peak signal-to-noise ratio ( ≈ 35 dB), high structured similarity ( ≈ 1), high text embedding rate ( ≈ 0.7 BPP), and lossless reconstruction in the case of attacks.

Integrated management of safety and security barriers in chemical plants to cope with emerging cyber-physical attack risks under uncertainties

Chemical facilities face threats from accidental and intentional events, including the rising concern of cyber-physical (C2P) attacks in the digitized industrial control system era. Addressing major accident risks from safety hazards and C2P attacks requires an immediate unified framework for safety and security barrier management. This study presents a systematic risk-based approach to integrate conventional safety risks with emerging C2P attack risks. Adverse scenarios are identified, integrated into an attack-tree-bow-tie diagram, and modelled using a Bayesian network (BN). A vulnerability assessment model is developed to quantify industrial control system vulnerability to C2P attacks, considering uncertainties in attackers' knowledge levels. Monte Carlo simulations are used to handle uncertainty propagation in risk assessment, allowing the use of probability distributions for BN root nodes. Sensitivity analysis identifies critical factors/events, guiding the proposal of candidate strategies for barrier improvements. Combining cost-effectiveness analysis with a risk matrix yields the optimal strategy for safety and security barrier enhancements based on risk estimations. A hypothetical case study demonstrates the proposed approach's effectiveness in integrated safety and security barrier management, considering security vulnerability patching and safety barrier maintenance scheduling from a cost-effective perspective.

Situational prevention: Pharmacotherapy during periods of increased risk for migraine attacks.

The small molecule calcitonin gene-related peptide receptor antagonists (gepants) are the only drug class with medicines indicated for both the acute and preventive treatment of migraine. Given this dual capacity to both treat and prevent, along with their favorable tolerability profiles and lack of an association with medication-overuse headache, headache specialists have begun to use gepants in ways that transcend the traditional categories of acute and preventive treatment. One approach, called situational prevention, directs patients to treat during the interictal phase, before symptoms develop, insituations of increased risk for migraine attacks. Herein, we present three patients to illustrate scenarios of gepant use for situational prevention. In each case, a gepant was started in anticipation of a period of increased headache probability (vulnerability) and continued for a duration of 1 day to 5 consecutive days. Although this approach may expose patients to medication when headache may not have developed, the tolerability and safety profile and preventive effect of gepants may represent a feasible approach for some patients. Situational prevention is an emerging strategy for managing migraine before symptoms develop in individuals who can identify periods when the probability of headache is high. This paper is intended to increase awareness of this strategy and stimulate future randomized, placebo-controlled trials to rigorously assess this strategy.

Isolation and Phenotypic Identification of Mycotoxigenic Fungi from Stored Maize Kernels within Dutsin–Ma Metropolis, Katsina State

One of the most important effects of post-harvest decay or seed deterioration by fungi is the production of mycotoxins. Mycotoxicosis is a disease of animals and humans following consumption of feeds and foods contaminated by fungi that produce toxic substances called mycotoxins. The study investigated the cultural morphology, microscopic identification, pathogenicity, and mycotoxin production of fungal isolates from 25 stored maize samples collected. Standard microbiological techniques were employed for the analysis of all the samples, Cultural morphology on Potatoes Dextrose Agar revealed diverse colony characteristics, ranging from olive and dark green hues with smooth or spongy surfaces to brownish-pink and dull yellow-green colonies. Microscopic analysis identified six different fungal species, with Aspergillus spp being the most prevalent (72%) and Mucor spp as the least prevalent (6%). Pathogenicity tests on fresh maize demonstrated that all the isolates were pathogenic, causing observable growth on the maize samples. Furthermore, mycotoxin production by the fungal was revealed by evidence of fluorescence under UV radiation, indicating the potential production of aflatoxins. Stored maize kernels from the study area were at risk of fungal attack due to poor storage facilities, poor handling practices and inadequate drying of the grains, which enabled the fungi to grow and produce mycotoxins. Therefore, farmers should be sensitized on the possible risk of fungal attack on grains and be educated on timely harvest, hygienic drying and storage practices of grains.

The Evolution of Ransomware: Tactics, Techniques, and Mitigation Strategies

Ransomware has developed into one of the most dangerous cyber threats. It is developed for the purpose of encrypting the data, and the owner is to pay the specified amount of money for the decoder. From simple rudimentary to developed sort with advanced encryption methods and modern distribution techniques, this research article is a complete historical journey of ransomware. Some of the specific aspects of ransomware development include the process of how the attackers act, starting from the traditional approach of spraying the malware to another strategic approach of singling out industries and organizations for attacks.The article also analyzes how the world came to know about ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS). The analysts have attributed the docket to the fact that it has also made it easy for inexperienced and unskilled hackers to embrace the commodity space by merely launching ransomware attacks. Current ransomware strategies that hackers employ include double extortion, where they steal information and threaten to publish the stolen data publicly, besides demanding a ransom for the encrypted information. The use of coins in the payment of ransom is examined with regard to their anonymity and the emergence of targeting of key infrastructure and other giant entities.Tactics that can allow for minimizing the attacks’ impact are equally crucial in the fight against ransomware. Some of the extensive strategies highlighted in this article are basic cyber hygiene measures, backup and restore methodologies, and endpoint detection and prevention measures. Implementing frequent training exercises to sensitize users to the risks of ransomware attacks is underlined, as is the need to have a clearly outlined incident response procedure in case of infections to enable the speedy handling of the attacks.This paper argues that an ability to comprehend the complexity of today’s ransomware, along with multiple layers of a defense system, will help organizations improve their readiness against this adaptive and continuous threat. This paper contains an analysis of the current state of ransomware and measures that need to be taken to curb the threat posed by this cyber threat; thus, it can serve as a valuable resource to cybersecurity experts.

Thermal Influence on the Heart: The Impact of Hot Weather on Cardiovascular Conditions.

Dear Editor, We are cognisant of the fact that cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) have a considerable impact on public healthcare systems. Cardiovascular disorders rank as the primary global reason of fatality, claiming an estimated 17.9 million lives in 2019, which equates to 32% of all global fatalities. The majority of these deaths, around 85 percent, result from heart attacks and strokes. Low- and middle-income countries tolerate the brunt of heart-related fatalities, accounting for over three quarters of all deaths attributed to these conditions. Additionally, out of the 17 million premature deaths caused by noncommunicable diseases in 2019, CVDs were responsible for 38 percent.1 The prevailing cardiovascular risk factors encompass increasing age, hypertension (commonly referred to as a double-edged sword), diabetes mellitus, tobacco use, obesity, dyslipidaemia, and stress.1,2 A sedentary lifestyle together with poor eating habits have also led to an increased rate of CVS-related illnesses.1 Often overlooked as a risk factor, experiencing high temperatures significantly adds to the increased occurrence of cardiovascular diseases. Multiple studies support the connection between extreme temperatures and heightened cardiovascular risks.2-5 Being exposed to higher temperatures can lead to intravascular volume depletion, haemoconcentration, a hypercoagulable state, electrolyte imbalance, and raised sympathetic activity, placing substantial stress on the heart, especially in individuals with pre-existing cardiovascular disease.3 To investigate cardiovascular mortality associations with extremes of temperatures, Barrak Alahmad et al. assembled daily counts of specific cardiovascular causes of death from 567 cities across 5 continents in overlapping periods ranging from 1979 to 2019, and the city-specific daily ambient temperatures were noted. The findings indicated that higher temperature extremes (99th percentile for heat and 1st percentile for cold) were linked to an increased probability of mortality from various cardiovascular conditions, including ischaemic heart disease, stroke, and heart failure.4 In a case-crossover study conducted using the England and Wales MINAP database, involving 24,861 participants (hospital admissions for myocardial infarction) during the warmest months (June to August) from 2003 to 2009, it was found that each 1-degree Celsius increase in temperature beyond the established threshold of 20 °C temporarily increased the risk of heart attack by 1.9 percent.5 The cardiovascular-related illness and fatalities are quite prevalent in Pakistan. Pakistan due to her geographical location, usually encounters summer temperatures ranging from 45 to 55 degrees Celsius across most areas of the country. ---Continue

Risk Analysis of Pirate Attacks on Southeast Asian Ships Based on Bayesian Networks

As a bridge for international trade, maritime transportation security is crucial to the global economy. Southeast Asian waters have become a high-incidence area of global piracy attacks due to geographic location and complex security situations, posing a great threat to the development of the Maritime Silk Road. In this study, the factors affecting the risk of pirate attacks are analyzed in depth by using the Global Ship Piracy Attacks Report from the IMO Global Integrated Shipping Information System (GISIS) database (i.e., 2013–2022) in conjunction with a Bayesian Network (BN) model, and the Expectation Maximization algorithm is used to train the model parameters. The results show that piracy behaviors and the ship’s risk are the key factors affecting the risk of pirate attacks, and suggestions are made to reduce the risk of pirate attacks. This study develops a theoretical basis for preventing and controlling the risk of pirate attacks on ships, which helps maintain the safety of ship operations.

Automate the verification of session cookie attributes

In this research, we focus on a critical web security topic, namely the security of session cookies, which play a key role in the functioning of modern web applications. As a standard mechanism for storing data on the client side, cookies are crucial for authentication, authorization and maintaining the state of a user's session. However, despite their necessity and convenience, cookies can also pose serious security risks. Our research focuses on the analysis and automation of cookie attribute verification, which is critical to ensuring protection against various web attacks. Identifying and eliminating weaknesses in cookie attributes can significantly reduce the risk of malicious attacks such as session hijacking, cross-site scripting (XSS) and cross-site request forgery (CSRF) attacks. We take an in-depth look at modern methods and tools for securing cookies, including implementing strict policies on cookie attributes such as Secure, HttpOnly, and SameSite. These attributes help to restrict access to cookies from unauthorized use via client-side scripts and provide additional protection against cross-site attacks. In addition, we consider the importance of updating the cookie standard, RFC6265bis, which offers improved security mechanisms, including the SameSite attribute, which allows controlling the sending of cookies during cross-requests, thereby reducing the risk of CSRF attacks. Our research also includes an analysis of potential threats and vulnerabilities associated with the misuse or misconfiguration of cookies, as well as a discussion of strategies to minimize these risks. We demonstrate how detailed automated verification of cookie attributes can significantly improve the security of web applications. The results of the study point to the need to constantly monitor and evaluate the protection of session cookies, as well as the importance of implementing security best practices and standards to ensure the reliability and security of web applications.

Unraveling space and time variability in maximum water storage among sunflower organs: Implications for wetness duration

Vegetation wetness significantly alters the plant microclimate, thereby influencing plant functionality, growth, and yield. Prolonged wetness periods can exacerbate the risk of attack of various plant diseases. Maximum water storage capacity is a crucial parameter for modeling wetness duration, as it sets the upper limit for free water available for evaporation. This study aimed to achieve three main goals: (i) to investigate the maximum water storage capacity of distinct sunflower organs (leaves, stems, and capitula) and their constituent phytoelements, (ii) to establish relationships between maximum water storage and visible morphological characteristics, and (iii) to assess the impact of maximum water storage on phytoelement wetness duration. Morphological and micrometeorological measurements were conducted within a sunflower field plot. Maximum water storage capacity was determined in the laboratory using phytoelements collected from the field. For the capitula and its constituent phytoelements, this capacity was monitored throughout their development. Phytoelement size and orientation were quantified and correlated with their water storage capacity. The influence of phytoelement maximum water storage on wetness duration was investigated through simulation. Notably, we found that the maximum water storage capacity in leaf axils exceeded those in leaf lamina by 43 times. During the flowering and grain-filling stages, capitula exhibited greater water storage, primarily attributed to the contribution from the capitulum front. The area of leaves, stems, and capitula during the flowering stage had a greater impact on their maximum water storage capacity than their orientation. Simulation results revealed that certain phytoelements (e.g., leaf axils and capitulum disk) could remain wet for up to 20 h after most of the canopy, mainly leaves and stems, had dried. This study underscores the importance of examining variability in maximum water storage capacity and its impact on wetness duration within a sunflower canopy at the phytoelement level.

Secure data sharing scheme with privacy-preserving and certificateless integrity auditing in cloud storage

With cloud storage services becoming wildspread and low-cost, individuals and organizations select outsourcing large amounts of document to cloud. Cloud storage applications provide data sharing services with varying functionality. In some cloud storage systems that provide data sharing, such as e-health systems, hiding sensitive information fields is a necessity. Meanwhile, in sharing process, unauthorized entities may have access to these privacy fields. The resource-constrained computation capability for data owner (DO) is universal. To tackle above problems, we propose a sanitizer-based secure data sharing scheme where sanitizer performs most computations of encryption and signature after receiving the partially blinded data from DO. It also checks the legitimacy of visitors before CSP returns stored data file. Besides, adopting an attribute-based access policy guarantees further privacy and fine-grained access authorization. After verification, cloud will return the required data to the legitimate visitors. Moreover, integrity auditing to shared data file is based on certificateless authentication technique, which removes certificates issue of traditional cryptographic technique, avoids key-escrow attack risk caused by identity-based cryptography. Finally, the performance analysis and experimental results show that our proposed scheme is competitive in practical applications since it reduces the authenticator generation overhead by up to 21.6% and proof generation overhead by up to 12% compared with related schemes.

Attitudes, knowledge, and risk perceptions of patients who received elective genomic testing as a clinical service

PurposeElective genomic testing (EGT) is increasingly available clinically. Limited real-world evidence exists about attitudes and knowledge of EGT recipients. MethodsAfter web-based education, patients who enrolled in an EGT program at a rural nonprofit health care system completed a survey that assessed attitudes, knowledge, and risk perceptions. ResultsFrom August 2020 to April 2022, 5920 patients completed the survey and received testing. Patients most frequently cited interest in learning their personal disease risks as their primary motivation. Patients most often expected results to guide medication management (74.0%), prevent future disease (70.4%), and provide information about risks to offspring (65.4%). Patients were “very concerned” most frequently about the privacy of genetic information (19.8%) and how well testing predicted disease risks (18.0%). On average, patients answered 6.7 of 11 knowledge items correctly (61.3%). They more often rated their risks for colon and breast cancers as lower rather than higher than the average person but more often rated their risk for a heart attack as higher rather than lower than the average person (all P < .001). ConclusionPatients pursued EGT because of the utility expectations but often misunderstood the test’s capabilities.

Feasibility of incorporating coal mine overburden material as construction-grade fine aggregate

This study addresses the environmental challenge posed by coal mine overburden (CMOB) disposal by exploring its viability as a fine aggregate substitute for concrete production, particularly in response to the escalating demand for natural river sand (NS). Physical properties of CMOB, including particle size, specific gravity, density, water absorption, and the presence of deleterious materials, were rigorously evaluated. The results show that while some physical properties differ from NS, crucial parameters such as specific gravity, density, and soundness closely align with NS, all within specified code limits. Chemical-mineralogical analyses reveal the absence of sulfur and chloride in CMOB, mitigating the risk of sulfate and chloride attack on cement mortar/concrete. The study also highlights that CMOB-incorporated mortar exhibits enhanced compressive strength, with an optimum replacement level of 60%. Exceeding this level may elevate water demand in mortar, diminishing strength. This research not only establishes CMOB as a construction-grade fine aggregate but also presents it as a sustainable solution, conserving natural river sand and addressing environmental concerns associated with overburden disposal.