Risk Of Attack Research Articles

Information Leakage Through Passive Timing Attacks on RSA Decryption System

A side channel attack is a means of security attacks that tries to restore secret information by analyzing side-information such as electromagnetic wave, heat, electric energy and running time that are unintentionally emitted from a computer system. The side channel attack that focuses on the running time of a cryptosystem is specifically named a “timing attack”. Timing attacks are relatively easy to carry out, and particularly threatening for tiny systems that are used in smart cards and IoT devices because the system is so simple that the processing time would be clearly observed from the outside of the card/device. The threat of timing attacks is especially serious when an attacker actively controls the input to a target program. Countermeasures are studied to deter such active attacks, but the attacker still has the chance to learn something about the concealed information by passively watching the running time of the target program. The risk of passive timing attacks can be measured by the mutual information between the concealed information and the running time. However, the computation of the mutual information is hardly possible except for toy examples. This study focuses on three algorithms for RSA decryption, derives formulas of the mutual information under several assumptions and approximations, and calculates the mutual information numerically for practical security parameters.

A Study of The Risk Quantification Method of Cyber-Physical Systems focusing on Direct-Access Attacks to In-Vehicle Networks

Cyber-physical systems, in which ICT systems and field devices are interconnected and interlocked, have become widespread. More threats need to be taken into consideration when designing the security of cyber-physical systems. Attackers may cause damage to the physical world by attacks which exploit vulnerabilities of ICT systems, while other attackers may use the weaknesses of physical boundaries to exploit ICT systems. Therefore, it is necessary to assess such risks of attacks properly. A direct-access attack in the field of automobiles is the latter type of attacks where an attacker connects unauthorized equipment to an in-vehicle network directly and attempts unauthorized access. But it has been considered as less realistic and evaluated less risky than other threats via network entry points by conventional risk assessment methods. We focused on reassessing threats via direct access attacks in proposing effective security design procedures for cyber-physical systems based on a guideline for automobiles, JASO TP15002. In this paper, we focus on “fitting to a specific area or viewpoint” of such a cyber-physical system, and devise a new risk quantification method, RSS-CWSS_CPS based on CWSS, which is also a vulnerability evaluation standard for ICT systems. It can quantify the characteristics of the physical boundaries in cyber-physical systems.

Abstract P567: Cardiovascular Health Awareness and Risk Assessment in Schoolteachers in Calcutta, India

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in India, surpassing all infectious causes. Early awareness of CVD and its risk factors and adoption of heart healthy lifestyle practices are crucial to reducing the impact of CVD in the community. Objective: To assess schoolteachers’ awareness of CVD and to compare the calculated ten-year risk of heart attack, stroke, and death by the Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) model to the observed event rates. Methods: We surveyed 4,150 schoolteachers out of 5,321 (78% response rate) from 400 schools in Calcutta during 2019 using a questionnaire assessing their awareness of CVD in five domains: prevalence, spectrum of CVD, its nature, risk factors, and benefits of a heart healthy lifestyle. The study population was stratified by risk tertile of their 10-year calculated ASCVD score. Results: Awareness about cardiovascular health among schoolteachers (male 41%, mean age 44 years) was low: 33 (mean score out of maximum 100), varying in different domains as shown below. Although most (86%) were at mild risk for CVD with ASCVD scores below five, nine percent had moderate risk, and five percent had high risk of CVD. There was no significant association between their risk score and their awareness of CVD health (correlation coefficient r = - 0.022, 95% confidence interval - 0.052, 0.009). Conclusions: Cardiovascular health awareness among schoolteachers in Calcutta is suboptimal, many of whom are at risk for CVD. Awareness of the disease, detection of risk factors at an early stage, and adoption of a healthy lifestyle may help reduce CVD in this community.

Abstract P136: Young Women Accept a Developmentally Appropriate Cardiovascular Risk Assessment Tool That Changes Their Perceived Risk of Heart Disease

Introduction: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death for women in the US, yet many young women are unaware of their lifetime risk of CVD. We employed user-centered design principles to adapt a validated CVD risk prediction tool for young women. Hypothesis: We hypothesized that young women would rate the tool (HerHeart) as user-friendly, be likely to recommend it to their friends, experience a change in their perceived risk of CVD, and report intent to change their health habits after engaging with it. Methods: We recruited 13 young women ages 13-21 from two clinical practices in Atlanta, GA to engage with the HerHeart CVD risk prediction tool. Participants rated the tool’s usability via the Website Analysis and Measurement Inventory (WAMMI), which is scored from 0 to 100. Participants rated their perceived 10-year and lifetime risk of CVD on a visual analog scale from 0 (Never going to happen) to 10 (Definitely will happen) before and after completing the tool. Participants reported their likelihood of recommending the tool to their friends and changing their health habits from 0 (Not likely at all) to 10 (Extremely likely). Results: Participants rated the tool’s usability highly on the WAMMI (M = 78.62 +/- 9.70). Participants’ perceived 10-year risk of a heart attack increased from a mean of 0.85 +/- 0.99 to 1.83 +/- 1.90, and perceived lifetime risk increased from a mean of 2.38 +/- 2.72 to 2.75 +/- 2.63, on the 10-point scale after engaging with the tool. Participants were more than likely to recommend HerHeart to their friends (M = 8.00 +/- 2.22) and to report intent to change their health habits (M = 8.82 +/- 1.47) after completing the tool. Participant data captured in the HerHeart tool are shown in the Table. Conclusions: The HerHeart tool is acceptable to young women and demonstrates potential for changing their risk perception and improving their health habits to reduce their risk of CVD. Recruitment is ongoing and will include input from clinicians on the feasibility of incorporating the tool in clinical practice.

A Bayesian-network approach for assessing the probability of success of physical security attacks to offshore Oil&Gas facilities

Offshore Oil&Gas facilities are attractive targets of intentional malicious attacks (security attacks) that may trigger cascading events (e.g., the release and dispersion of hazardous material and/or energy, fires, explosions) with consequences on people, environment, and assets. The severity of these consequences is potentially similar to those arising from major accident scenarios originated by conventional safety-related causes. Current practice in managing the risk of security attacks mostly relies on qualitative or semi-quantitative procedures developed over the years in the offshore Oil&Gas industry. In the present study, a systematic quantitative procedure is developed, based on a Bayesian Network (BN) approach, for calculating the probability of success of physical security attacks, taking into account both preventive and mitigative security intervention strategies. The procedure addresses the specific framework of the offshore Oil&Gas industry. A case study concerning an offshore fixed Oil&Gas platform allowed us to demonstrate the quality of the results that can be achieved and their potential towards the improvement of the security of the installations considered.

Black/white differences in the relationship between debt and risk of heart attack across cohorts

BackgroundNumerous studies show that increasing levels of education, income, assets, and occupational status are linked to greater improvements in White adults' health than Black adults’. Research has yet to determine, however, whether there are racial differences in the relationship between health and debt and whether this relationship varies across cohorts. MethodsUsing data from the 1992–2018 Health and Retirement Study, we use survival analyses to examine the link between debt and heart attack risk among the Prewar Cohort, born 1931–1941, and Baby Boomers, born 1948–1959. ResultsHigher unsecured debt is associated with increased heart attack risk for Black adults, especially among Baby Boomers and during economic recessions. Higher mortgage debt is associated with lower risk of heart attack for White but not Black Baby Boomers. The relationship between debt and heart attack risk remains after controlling for health behaviors, depressive symptoms, and other economic resources that are concentrated among respondents with high levels of debt. ConclusionDebt is predictive of heart attack risk, but the direction and strength of the relationship varies by type of debt, debtors’ racial identity, and economic context.

Perfluoroalkyl substance exposure is associated with asthma and innate immune cell count in US adolescents stratified by sex.

Exposure to perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) may be harmful to humans; however, previous studies have been inconsistent regarding the potential for PFAS-induced immunosuppresion. This study explored the relationship between PFAS exposure and risks of asthma, wheezing, and immunosuppression in 12-19year-olds using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data. Logistic regression models were used to reveal associations between serum PFAS levels and risks of asthma, wheezing, asthma attack, and emergency department visits. Pearson's correlation was used to determine the relationship between serum PFAS levels and leukocyte count. Data were also stratified by sex. We found that medium-low levels of serum perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) (6.90-12.40ng/mL) and serum perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) (2.43-3.60ng/mL) were negatively related, respectively, to current asthma and wheezing in boys, and to wheezing in girls. Meanwhile, boys with medium-high levels (1.50-3.00ng/mL) of serum perfluorohexanesulfonate (PFHxS) had a high risk of wheezing. Among asthmatic participants, both medium-high levels (3.75-5.07ng/mL) of serum PFOA and high levels (> 3.92ng/mL) of PFHxS correlated with asthma attacks in boys; likewise, medium-low levels (0.70-0.99ng/mL) of serum PFNA correlated with asthma attacks in girls. Also, PFOA and PFNA levels were weakly positively correlated with basophil count, whereas PFOS levels were weakly negatively correlated with eosinophils in asthmatic boys, indicating that basophils may be important in the immune response to PFAS exposure among asthmatics.

Diminished AdipoR1/APPL1 Interaction Mediates Reduced Cardioprotective Actions of Adiponectin against Myocardial Ischemia/Reperfusion Injury in Type-2 Diabetic Mice.

Obesity-related diseases have important implications for the occurrence, severity, and outcome of ischemic heart disease. Patients with obesity, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes mellitus (metabolic syndrome) are at increased risk of heart attack with decreased plasma lipocalin levels, and lipocalin is negatively correlated with heart attack incidence. APPL1 is a signaling protein with multiple functional structural domains and plays an important role in the APN signaling pathway. There are two known subtypes of lipocalin membrane receptors, AdipoR1 and AdipoR2. AdioR1 is mainly distributed in skeletal muscle while AdipoR2 is mainly distributed in the liver. To clarify whether the AdipoR1-APPL1 signaling pathway mediates the effect of lipocalin in reducing myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury and its mechanism will provide us with a new approach to treat myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury using lipocalin as an intervention and therapeutic target. (1) Induction of hypoxia/reoxygenation in SD mammary rat cardiomyocytes to simulate myocardial ischemia/reperfusion; (2) downregulation of APPL1 expression in cardiomyocytes to observe the effect of lipocalin on myocardial ischemia/reperfusion and its mechanism of action. (1) Primary mammary rat cardiomyocytes were isolated and cultured and induced to simulate MI/R by hypoxia/reoxygenation; (2) lipocalin inhibited H/R-induced apoptosis in cardiomyocytes; and (3) APN attenuated MI/R injury through AdipoR1-APPL1 and the possible mechanism. This study demonstrates for the first time that lipocalin can attenuate myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury through the AdipoR1-APPL1 signaling pathway and that the reduction of AdipoR1/APPL1 interaction plays an important role in cardiac APN resistance to MI/R injury in diabetic mice.

Influenza Vaccination as Prevention Therapy for Stable Coronary Artery Disease and Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Meta-Analysis of Randomized Trials

BackgroundInfluenza can cause a significant burden on patients with coronary artery disease. This meta-analysis assessed the effectiveness of influenza vaccination in patients with acute coronary syndrome and stable coronary artery disease. MethodsWe searched the Cochrane Controlled Register of Trials (CENTRAL), Embase, MEDLINE, www.ClinicalTrials.gov, and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform from inception to September 2021. Estimates were summarized using the Mantel-Haenzel method and a random-effects model. To assess heterogeneity the I² statistic was used. ResultsFive randomized trials, comprising 4187 patients, were included, 2 of which included patients with acute coronary syndrome and 3 that included patients with stable coronary artery disease and acute coronary syndrome. Influenza vaccination significantly reduced the risk for all-cause mortality (relative risk [RR] = 0.56; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.38-0.84), cardiovascular mortality (RR = 0.54; 95% CI, 0.37-0.80), major acute cardiovascular events (RR = 0.66; 95% CI, 0.49-0.88), and acute coronary syndrome (RR = 0.63; 95% CI, 0.44-0.89). On subgroup analysis, influenza vaccination remained effective for these outcomes in acute coronary syndrome but did not meet statistical significance in coronary artery disease. Furthermore, influenza vaccination did not reduce the risk for revascularization (RR = 0.89; 95% CI, 0.54-1.45), stroke or transient ischemic attack (RR = 0.85; 95% CI, 0.31-2.32), or heart failure hospitalization (RR = 0.91; 95% CI, 0.21-4.00). ConclusionsInfluenza vaccine is a cheap and effective intervention to reduce the risk for all-cause mortality, cardiovascular mortality, major acute cardiovascular events, and acute coronary syndrome among coronary artery disease patients, especially in those with acute coronary syndrome.

Maritime piracy risk assessment and policy implications: A two-step approach

Maritime piracy is a serious threat to the safety of cargo, ships, and crews, which can cause enormous losses to stakeholders, highlighting the significance of piracy risk assessment and prevention to the maritime industry. In this study, we propose a two-step analytical framework based on a Random Forest (RF) model, Generative Adversarial Nets (GANs), and Matrix Completion (MC) algorithm to assess the risks of successful piracy attacks. We consider different decision-makers in each step, namely, pirates first select which ships to attack and then ship operators determine the probability of a (un)successful attack. We propose different influencing factors for each step and, in the meantime, solving the problems of incomplete and imbalanced data. A case study in Southeast Asia is then conducted based on the proposed approach. The results show that, in mild wind weather, the likelihood of a piracy attack on a ship with a DWT not exceeding 50,000 tons is up to 90 %. Further, if the attack occurs between 0 and 6 a.m., the probability of success is over 90 %. These results provide more specific information for ship operators and local authorities to develop efficient anti-piracy strategies and policies.

Risk of gout attack not increased in patients with thalassemia: a population-based cohort study

The incidence of gout arthritis in patients with thalassemia and the association between them was indefinite. We aimed to give epidemiological evidence regarding the association between thalassemia and gout arthritis. This retrospective cohort study extracted data relating to the risk of gout arthritis from patients diagnosed with thalassemia between 2000 and 2013. We selected the control group at a ratio of 1:4 by propensity score matching (PSM). Univariable and multivariable Cox proportional hazard regression models were performed to analyze the association between thalassemia and gout arthritis and to evaluate the hazard ratio (HR) of gout arthritis after exposure with thalassemia. The sensitivity analysis was performed to avoid the mislabeled thalassemia disease, the transfusion-dependent thalassemia was classified to compare the risk of gout arthritis. The secondary outcome for the risk of gout arthritis with antigout drugs treatment was also evaluated between study groups. In the age and sex matched cohort, the majority of thalassemia patients were women (62.03%) and aged younger than 30 years old (44.79%). There were 138 (4.2%) and 500 (3.8%) incident cases of gout arthritis in the thalassemia and non-thalassemia group. After PSM, the incidence rate, per 100 person-years, of gout arthritis was 0.48 (95% CI 0.42 to 0.56) and 0.60 (95% CI 0.51 to 0.72) in non-thalassemia individuals and patients with thalassemia, respectively. In the Cox proportional hazard regression, patients with thalassemia had no significant increase in the risk of gout arthritis (adjusted HR, 1.00; 95%CI: 0.80 to 1.25) after adjusting demographic variables and comorbidities. The Kaplan–Meier curve showed that the cumulative incidence of gout arthritis was not a significant difference in the thalassemia group than in the comparison group (p > 0.05). The sensitivity analysis showed the consistent results about the risk of gout arthritis in patients with thalassemia. Our study indicated that there was no significant increase in the risk of gout arthritis in subjects with thalassemia.Future research needs to clarify the biological mechanisms behind this connection.

Thwarting Instant Messaging Phishing Attacks: The Role of Self-Efficacy and the Mediating Effect of Attitude towards Online Sharing of Personal Information.

The cause of cybercrime phishing threats in Malaysia is a lack of knowledge and awareness of phishing. The effects of self-efficacy (the ability to gain anti-phishing knowledge) and protection motivation (attitude toward sharing personal information online) on the risk of instant messaging phishing attacks (phishing susceptibility) are investigated in this study. The protection motivation theory (PMT) was tested in the context of attitudes toward sharing personal information online with a view to improving interventions to reduce the risk of phishing victimisation. Data were collected using non-probability purposive sampling. An online survey of 328 Malaysian active instant messaging users was collected and analysed in SmartPLS version 4.0.8.6 using partial least squares structural equation modelling. The results showed that a person's cognitive factor (either high or low self-efficacy) affected their chance of being a victim of instant message phishing. A higher level of self-efficacy and a negative attitude towards sharing personal information online were significant predictors of phishing susceptibility. A negative attitude towards sharing personal information online mediated the relationship between high levels of self-efficacy and phishing susceptibility. A higher level of self-efficacy led to the formation of negative attitudes among internet users. Attitudes toward the sharing of personal information online are critical because they allow phishing attempts to exist and succeed. The findings give government agencies more information on how to organise anti-phishing campaigns and awareness programmes; awareness and education can improve one's ability to acquire anti-phishing knowledge (self-efficacy).

Retrospective cohort study of thromboembolic events in systemic lupus erythematosus with or without secondary antiphospholipid syndrome and their correlation to lupus activity and dyslipidemia

BackgroundAntiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is one of the most frequent forms of acquired thrombophilia and is associated with an increased risk of stroke, heart attack, pulmonary embolism, and miscarriage in young women. Thirty to 40% of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients have associated APS. Patients with SLE often have abnormal plasma lipid concentrations. The study aimed to assess the prevalence of thromboembolic insults in SLE patients, with or without APS, and its correlation with disease activity and dyslipidemia. This study included one hundred three patients, seventy-five of whom had SLE without associated APS and twenty-eight had SLE associated with APS.ResultsVascular affection, neurological affection, and abortion were significantly higher in SLE patients associated with APS than SLE patients without APS (39.3% vs 6.7%, 46.4% vs 14.7%, 28.6% vs 5.3%, respectively; P < 0.001). Thromboembolic insults were present in 20% of SLE patients without APS, and those patients with thromboembolism demonstrated significantly higher SLEDAI (median = 15 vs 10, P < 0.001) and TG (median = 27.5 vs 18.2, P = 0.007), respectively, than other patients of the same group. The SLEDAI score was significantly higher in SLE patients associated with APS than in SLE patients without APS (P < 0.001). Serum cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) were significantly higher in SLE patients associated with APS (93.8 ± 25.3 mg/dl) than in SLE patients without APS (82.3 ± 19.6 mg/dl, P = 0.018; 50 ± 15.9 mg/dl, P = 0.048, respectively).ConclusionsSLE patients are at significantly high risk for accelerated atherosclerosis, thromboembolism, and pregnancy loss which is multifactorial. Active disease should be well controlled. Lupus patients should be screened for aPL antibodies, and positive cases must be treated according to international guidelines. All patients with SLE should undergo lipid profile screening, and any abnormalities should be managed promptly.

Wolf attacks on hunting dogs are negatively related to prey abundance in Finland: an analysis at the wolf territory level

Attacks by wolves (Canis lupus) on dogs (C. familiaris) presumably are motivated both by preying and elimination of potential competitors. Regardless of these alternative motivations in wolves, the risk of attacks might be higher when the density of primary prey is low. We examined how many dogs do territorial wolves in Finland kill in relation to the population density of the most abundant ungulates, moose (Alces alces), white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). Most attacks by wolves on dogs take place in hunting with dogs. The number of wolf-killed dogs was in highly significant negative relationship to the population density of white-tailed deer and to total ungulate biomass per unit area which is largely determined by the density of white-tailed deer. Our results indicate that abundant wild prey would decrease the risk at which wolves attack dogs. On the other side of the coin prevail two hard facts which wildlife managers had to take a notice. White-tailed deer, although a potential mitigator of wolf–human conflict, is an alien species and a partner in > 6000 traffic collisions annually in Finland. One factor that seemed to increase the risk of wolf attacks on dogs is the low ungulate density in regions where moose is the only remarkable ungulate prey. Higher moose densities could decrease the risk of attacks, but on the other hand, higher densities could increase the risk of serious traffic collisions and browsing damages in forests.

To assess the role of HDL to triglycerides ratio VS LDL to triglycerides ratio as an indicator in coronary artery disease

Coronary artery disease is the buildup of plaque in the arteries that supply oxygen-rich blood to your heart. Plaque causes a narrowing or blockage that could result in a heart attack. Symptoms include chest pain or discomfort and shortness of breath. Treatment includes lifestyle changes and medication that target your risk factors and or possible surgery. Coronary artery disease is caused by atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is the buildup of plaque inside your arteries. Plaque consists of cholesterol fatty substance, waste products, calcium and the clot making substance fibrin. As plaque continues to collect on your artery walls, your arteries narrow and stiffen. Plaque can clog or damage your arteries, which limits or stops blood flow to your muscle. If your heart does not get enough blood, it can’t get the oxygen and nutrients it needs to work properly. This condition is called ischemia. Not getting enough blood supply to your heart muscle can lead to chest discomfort or chest pain called angina. It puts you at risk for a heart attack. The present study aims to assess the role of HDL to triglycerides Vs LDL to triglycerides as an indicator in coronary artery disease. Quantitative experimental research was conducted among 60 coronary artery disease. A Purposive sampling technique was used to select the samples. Self-structured questionnaires were used to collect demographic data. The study results show, LDL to triglyceride had significant role as an indicator in coronary artery disease., p&lt;0.001. Thereby, this indicates that this ratio of LDL to triglycerides as an indicator of coronary artery disease.

Is terrorism a spoilsport for the sustainability of economic development?: evidence from the economic community of West African states

PurposeThe objective of this paper is to determine the impact of terrorism on the sustainability of the development of West African countries, highlighting the role and interactions of income inequality and the level of education in this relationship for the period 2000–2019.Design/methodology/approachThe appropriate tests indicated that the dynamic ordinary least squares (DOLS) model is the most suited to analyze the terrorism phenomenon in the study area.FindingsThe results confirm the critical challenge to sustain economic development in a context marked by a high risk of terrorist attacks. Fortunately, the negative effect of terrorism on economic development is not a fatality. Ways do exist to limit the magnitude of the phenomenon impacts since the results also revealed that countries with higher percentages of educated people experience a lower magnitude of terrorism impact. Similarly, reducing inequalities is another way of controlling the magnitude of terrorism's impact on development sustainability.Originality/valueThis paper aims to contribute to the economic literature on the economic effects of terrorism in two main ways. First, to the author's knowledge, this is the first attempt to establish terrorism implications in terms of development sustainability in the ECOWAS region. The second contribution is that the author tries to find an empirical validation of the hypothesis according to which an increase in the level of education and improvement in income distribution could reduce the impact of terrorism on development sustainability.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-08-2022-0565.

LPWAN Cyber Security Risk Analysis: Building a Secure IQRF Solution.

Low-power wide area network (LPWAN) technologies such as IQRF are becoming increasingly popular for a variety of Internet of Things (IoT) applications, including smart cities, industrial control, and home automation. However, LPWANs are vulnerable to cyber attacks that can disrupt the normal operation of the network or compromise sensitive information. Therefore, analyzing cybersecurity risks before deploying an LPWAN is essential, as it helps identify potential vulnerabilities and threats as well as allowing for proactive measures to be taken to secure the network and protect against potential attacks. In this paper, a security risk analysis of IQRF technology is conducted utilizing the failure mode effects analysis (FMEA) method. The results of this study indicate that the highest risk corresponds to four failure modes, namely compromised end nodes, a compromised coordinator, a compromised gateway and a compromised communication between nodes. Moreover, through this methodology, a qualitative risk evaluation is performed to identify potential security threats in the IQRF network and propose countermeasures to mitigate the risk of cyber attacks on IQRF networks.

Infection-Induced Immunity Is Associated With Protection Against Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Infection and Decreased Infectivity.

The impact of infection-induced immunity on severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission has not been well established. Here we estimate the effects of prior infection induced immunity in adults and children on SARS-CoV-2 transmission in households. We conducted a household cohort study from March 2020-November 2022 in Managua, Nicaragua; following a housheold SARS-CoV-2 infection, household members are closely monitored for infection. We estimate the association of time period, age, symptoms, and prior infection with secondary attack risk. Overall, transmission occurred in 70.2% of households, 40.9% of household contacts were infected, and the secondary attack risk ranged from 8.1% to 13.9% depending on the time period. Symptomatic infected individuals were more infectious (rate ratio [RR] 21.2, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.4-60.7) and participants with a prior infection were half as likely to be infected compared to naïve individuals (RR 0.52, 95% CI:.38-.70). In models stratified by age, prior infection was associated with decreased infectivity in adults and adolescents (secondary attack risk [SAR] 12.3, 95% CI: 10.3, 14.8 vs 17.5, 95% CI: 14.8, 20.7). However, although young children were less likely to transmit, neither prior infection nor symptom presentation was associated with infectivity. During the Omicron era, infection-induced immunity remained protective against infection. Infection-induced immunity is associated with decreased infectivity for adults and adolescents. Although young children are less infectious, prior infection and asymptomatic presentation did not reduce their infectivity as was seen in adults. As SARS-CoV-2 transitions to endemicity, children may become more important in transmission dynamics.

Effect of dietary antioxidant supplements (selenium forms, alpha-tocopherol, and coenzyme Q10) on growth performance, immunity, and physiological responses in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) using orthogonal array design

Dietary supplements containing antioxidants play an important role in reducing the risk of peroxidative attack in aquatic animals. In this work, an orthogonal array design (L9: 34) was used to evaluate the effect of four dietary antioxidant supplements on the physiological responses of rainbow trout at three levels. The supplements included different (A) selenium (Se) forms (inorganic, organic, and nanoparticle), (B) Se content (0, 0.3, & 0.5 mg/kg feed), (C) vitamin E (VE) content (0, 100, & 150 mg/kg feed), and (D) coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) content (0, 10, & 20 mg/kg feed). Fish with an average body weight of 8.35 ± 0.33 g were randomly allocated to different experimental groups. According to the results, the antioxidant supplements included in the diet had no significant effects on the growth performance of fish (P > 0.05). Immunological and antioxidant parameters were mainly improved by the Se form (Nano-Se) and dietary CoQ10 supplementation. In addition, Se form and VE were more effective in digestive enzyme activities and hematology indices in comparison to other dietary antioxidants. Additionally, diets supplemented with nano-Se along with CoQ10 and VE improved fish resistance/stamina against stress. In conclusion, a more effective combination of the four antioxidant supplements was A2/3B2/3C3D3 (i.e., 0.5 mg/kg organic/nano-Se, 150 mg/kg VE, and 20 mg/kg CoQ10), which could mainly improve the physiological responses of rainbow trout.

Effects of Percutaneous Coronary Intervention and Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting on Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Reduced Ejection Fraction Heart Failure and Coronary Heart Disease: A Meta-Analysis.

To clarify the effects of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) on the clinical outcomes of patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) complicated with reduced ejection fraction heart failure (HFrEF) through meta-analysis. Three major literature databases - PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane - were searched by search terms and the literature retrieval time was publications dating from January 2007 to December 2021. To search for observational studies and randomized controlled trials (RCT) comparing the efficacy of PCI and CABG in patients with CHD and HFrEF, the abstract or full text of the literature was read and the final included literature was determined, according to inclusion and exclusion criteria. The quality of the included literature was evaluated using the Ottawa scale and data extraction was further completed. Data analysis was made using RevMan5.4 and R4.1 software; relevant forest plots and funnel plots were made, according to the extracted data. Egger's test was used to evaluate whether the data had publication bias. Outcomes were the major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE). A total of 10 studies were included and 11,032 subjects were included, made up of 5,521 cases of PCI and 5,511 cases of CABG. The results showed no significant difference between the two groups in cardiac mortality (CM) (RR=1.13, 95% CI 0.98-1.30, P = 0.10) and in overall all-cause mortality (ACM) (RR=1.12, 95% CI 0.92-1.37, P = 0.25). In the subgroup analysis of ACM, in the subgroups with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) less than 35% and exceeding 35% and less than 50% (RR=1.12, 95% CI 0.92-1.37, P = 0.25) between the two groups, there was no statistical difference. However, among other MACE, compared with the PCI group, the CABG group had a lower risk of MACE (RR=1.58, 95%CI 1.49-1.70, P < 0.00001), myocardial infarction (MI) (RR=1.99, 95% CI 1.02-3.88, P = 0.04), heart failure (HF) (RR=1.29, 95% CI 1.17-1.43, P < 0.00001) and revascularization (RR=2.74, 95% CI 1.93-3.90, P < 0.00001). Finally in the CABG group, the risk of stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) was higher (RR=0.71, 95% CI 0.58-0.86, P = 0.0006) than the PCI group. The mortality rates of PCI and CABG were similar in patients with CHD complicated with HFrEF. Compared with PCI, CABG had a lower incidence of MACE, MI, HF, and revascularization, and a higher incidence of stroke or TIA.