Search

Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) deals with a patient-data-rich segment, which makes security and privacy a severe concern for patients. Therefore, access control is a significant aspect of ensuring trust in the IoMT. However, deploying existing authentication and authorization solutions to the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) is not straightforward because of highly dynamic and possibly unprotected environments and untrusted supply chain for the IoT devices. In this article, we propose Soter, a Zero-Trust based authentication system for the IoMT. Soter Incorporates trust negotiation mechanisms within the Zero Trust framework to enable dynamic trust establishment. When a user or device seeks access to a resource, initiate a trust negotiation process. During this process, credentials, attributes, and contextual information are exchanged between the requester and the resource owner. Soter defines access rules based on various factors, including user identity, device health, and location. Access is granted or denied based on these conditions.

The study focuses on the tension between recognizing the significance of ethnicity and culture for individual and group identities while avoiding essentializing them in multicultural education theory and practice. The aim is to highlight the importance of a critical approach that combines sociological understandings of identity with an analysis of structural inequalities and power differentials faced by minority groups. The research employs a critical analysis of existing multicultural and intercultural education programs over the past two decades, emphasizing their focus on cultural knowledge acquisition and harmonious relationships. The study reveals that these programs often neglect to address power inequalities related to cultural diversity, race, and racism, and that they can reinforce prejudices without proper critical frameworks. The implications are significant, as these programs often lack consideration of the local context, relying on migrating models. The study underscores the need for more comprehensive, context-specific, and critical approaches in multicultural education to ensure a deeper understanding of cultural diversity, racism, and power dynamics, ultimately leading to more effective and inclusive educational outcomes.

We explored the self-reported antibiotic stewardship (AS), and infection prevention and control (IPC) activities in intensive care units (ICUs) of different income settings. A cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire to collect data about IPC and AS measures in participating ICUs. The study participants were Infectious Diseases–International Research Initiative (IDI-IR) members, committed as per their institutional agreement form. We analyzed responses from 57 ICUs in 24 countries (Lower-middle income (LMI), n = 13; Upper-middle income (UMI), n = 33; High-income (HI), n = 11). This represented (~5%) of centers represented in the ID-IRI. Surveillance programs were implemented in (76.9%−90.9%) of ICUs with fewer contact precaution measures in LMI ones (p = 0.02); (LMI:69.2%, UMI:97%, HI:100%). Participation in regional antimicrobial resistance programs was more significantly applied in HI (p = 0.02) (LMI:38.4%,UMI:81.8%,HI:72.2%). AS programs are implemented in 77.2% of institutions with AS champions in 66.7%. Infectious diseases physicians and microbiologists are members of many AS teams (59%&50%) respectively. Unqualified healthcare professionals(42.1%), and deficient incentives(28.1%) are the main barriers to implementing AS. We underscore the existing differences in IPC and AS programs’ implementation, team composition, and faced barriers. Continuous collaboration and sharing best practices on APM is needed. The role of regional and international organizations should be encouraged. Global support for capacity building of healthcare practitioners is warranted., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

Maha Ali Al Mohaya,1 Mansour M Almaziad,2 Khalid A Al-Hamad,3 Mohammad Mustafa4 1Oral Medicine & Special Care Dentistry, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 2Oral Medicine and Pathology, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; 3Oral and Maxillofacial Department, Majmaah University, Majmaah, Saudi Arabia; 4Scientific Research Center, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaCorrespondence: Maha Ali Al MohayaOral Medicine and Special Care Dentistry, Prince Sultan Military Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi ArabiaEmail malmohaya2013@gmail.comBackground: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic necessitated widespread changes in delivery of dental care. Telemedicine utilization increased overnight during this pandemic because of its ability to enhance access to oral healthcare, easily link to remote area, time management, low cost, etc. We aimed to identify the utilization of telemedicine among oral medicine practitioners in Saudi Arabia during COVID-19 pandemic and identify future impacts, potential challenges and barriers hindering the implementation of telemedicine.Methods: The present cross-sectional electronically self-administered supplement-based survey Supplement Based Survey study was conducted among different professional levels of oral medicine involving consultants, specialists, and residents. The supplement includes demographic data, the current use of telemedicine, participant’s perspective on future implications, and potential barriers and limitations of telemedicine. Internal consistency was measured using Cronbach’s alpha (α) to assess how closely related a set of items in our study.Results: Of the total (N = 75) oral healthcare professionals, 52% were male, 70.7% were Saudi, 45.3% were consultant, 42.7% had 1– 5 years of experience, 82.7% were practicing in urban areas, 93.3% stated COVID-19 affected their clinics, consultation was the major reason for the use of telemedicine before

In this work, we defined an attack vector for networks utilizing the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) devices and compute the probability distribution of IoMT security threats based on Markov chain and Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS). IoMT is an emerging technology that improves patients' quality of life by permitting personalized e-health services without restrictions on time and site. The IoMT consists of embedded objects, sensors, and actuators that transmit and receive medical data. These Medical devices are vulnerable to different types of security threats, and thus, they pose a significant risk to patient's privacy and safety. Because security is a critical factor for successfully merging IoMT into pervasive healthcare systems, there is an urgent need for new security mechanisms to prevent threats on the IoMT edge network. Toward this direction, the first step is defining an attack vector that an attacker or unauthorized user can take advantage of to penetrate and tamper with medical data. In this article, we specify a threat model for the IoMT edge network. We identify any vulnerabilities or weaknesses within the IoMT network that allow unauthorized privileges and threats that can utilize these weaknesses to compromise the IoMT edge network. Finally, we compute the probability distribution of IoMT threats based on the Markov transition probability matrix.

Evaluating trends in antibiotic resistance is a requisite. The study aimed to analyze the profile of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) among hospitalized patients with bacteremia in intensive care units (ICUs) in a large geographical area. This is a 1-month cross-sectional survey for blood-borne pathogens in 57 ICUs from 24 countries with different income levels: lower-middle-income (LMI), upper-middle-income (UMI), and high-income (HI) countries. Multidrug-resistant (MDR), extensively drug-resistant (XDR), or pan-drug-resistant isolates were searched. Logistic regression analysis determined resistance predictors among MDROs. Community-acquired infections were comparable to hospital-acquired infections particularly in LMI (94/202; 46.5% vs 108/202; 53.5%). Although MDR (65.1%; 502/771) and XDR (4.9%; 38/771) were common, no pan-drug-resistant isolate was recovered. In total, 32.1% of MDR were Klebsiella pneumoniae, and 55.3% of XDR were Acinetobacter baumannii. The highest MDR and XDR rates were in UMI and LMI, respectively, with no XDR revealed from HI. Predictors of MDR acquisition were male gender (OR, 12.11; 95% CI, 3.025–15.585) and the hospital-acquired origin of bacteremia (OR, 2.643; 95%CI, 1.462–3.894), and XDR acquisition was due to bacteremia in UMI (OR, 3.344; 95%CI, 1.189–5.626) and admission to medical-surgical ICUs (OR, 1.481; 95% CI, 1.076–2.037). We confirm the urgent need to expand stewardship activities to community settings especially in LMI, with more paid attention to the drugs with a higher potential for resistance. Empowering microbiology laboratories and reports to direct prescribing decisions should be prioritized. Supporting stewardship in ICUs, the mixed medical-surgical ones in particular, is warranted., SCOPUS: ar.j, info:eu-repo/semantics/published

A spherical cap harmonic analysis (SCHA) model has been used to derive a high-resolution regional model of the geomagnetic field in the southwest Pacific region over the past 400 years. Two different methods, a self-consistent and the gufm1 dipole method, have been used to fill in gaps in the available data. The data used in the analysis were largely measurements of the magnetic field recorded in ships logs on voyages of exploration in the region. The method chosen for the investigation used a spherical cap of radius ₀ = 50° centered at co-latitude and longitude of (115°, 160°). The results of each method used for SCHA are presented as contour plots of magnetic field declination, inclination and intensity and are compared with similar plots for a global model, gufm1. The root mean square misfit of the self- consistent and gufm1 dipole model to the actual data were around 2900 nT and 23000 nT respectively. Overall, the results suggest that the self-consistent model produces a more reliable model of the geomagnetic field within the area of interest than does the gufm1 dipole model. With more data included the self-consistent model could be further improved and used to develop a high-resolution mathematical model of the geomagnetic field in the southwest Pacific region.

Natural compounds are known to possess protective effects against the genotoxicity of drugs and chemicals. Green tea is the most widely used beverage in the world, contains bioactive compounds. Hydrocortisone is a corticosteroid hormonal drug widely used for treatment of a variety of inflammatory, asthma, allergic and immune diseases. The widespread use of this drug is of great concern to human health problems. Therefore, the genotoxic potential of hydrocortisone was evaluated using different mutagenic endpoints including sister chromatid exchanges (SCE′s) in bone marrow cells and chromosomal aberrations in mouse spermatocytes. The modulatory effect of the methanol extract of green tea (MEGT) was also studied. Hydrocortisone was given intraperitoneally (i.p) at three doses 26, 39 and 52 mg/kg b.w. MEGT was given orally at dose 390 mg/kg. Mice were simultaneously treated with hydrocortisone and MEGT in single treatment and repeated treatment. The results showed that all doses of hydrocortisone induced significant increase in the frequency of SCE′s with a dose dependent manner. Both Single and repeated treatment of hydrocortisone induced a statistically significant in the incidence of chromosomal aberration in mouse spermatocytes excepting the dose 26 mg∕ kg b.wt in single treatment regimen. These findings suggested that hydrocortisone has genotoxic activity in bone marrow and spermatocytes. On the other hand, MEGT suppressed the frequency of SCE′s and chromosomal aberrations induced by hydrocortisone however such suppression was not reached to the normal control values.

A spherical cap harmonic analysis (SCHA) model has been used to derive a high-resolution regional model of the geomagnetic field in the southwest Pacific region over the past 400 years. Two different methods, a self-consistent and the gufm1 dipole method, have been used to fill in gaps in the available data. The data used in the analysis were largely measurements of the magnetic field recorded in ships logs on voyages of exploration in the region. The method chosen for the investigation used a spherical cap of radius ₀ = 50° centered at co-latitude and longitude of (115°, 160°). The results of each method used for SCHA are presented as contour plots of magnetic field declination, inclination and intensity and are compared with similar plots for a global model, gufm1. The root mean square misfit of the self- consistent and gufm1 dipole model to the actual data were around 2900 nT and 23000 nT respectively. Overall, the results suggest that the self-consistent model produces a more reliable model of the geomagnetic field within the area of interest than does the gufm1 dipole model. With more data included the self-consistent model could be further improved and used to develop a high-resolution mathematical model of the geomagnetic field in the southwest Pacific region.

A spherical cap harmonic analysis (SCHA) model has been used to derive a high-resolution regional model of the geomagnetic field in the southwest Pacific region over the past 400 years. Two different methods, a self-consistent and the gufm1 dipole method, have been used to fill in gaps in the available data. The data used in the analysis were largely measurements of the magnetic field recorded in ships logs on voyages of exploration in the region. The method chosen for the investigation used a spherical cap of radius ₀ = 50° centered at co-latitude and longitude of (115°, 160°). The results of each method used for SCHA are presented as contour plots of magnetic field declination, inclination and intensity and are compared with similar plots for a global model, gufm1. The root mean square misfit of the self- consistent and gufm1 dipole model to the actual data were around 2900 nT and 23000 nT respectively. Overall, the results suggest that the self-consistent model produces a more reliable model of the geomagnetic field within the area of interest than does the gufm1 dipole model. With more data included the self-consistent model could be further improved and used to develop a high-resolution mathematical model of the geomagnetic field in the southwest Pacific region.

A spherical cap harmonic analysis (SCHA) model has been used to derive a high-resolution regional model of the geomagnetic field in the southwest Pacific region over the past 400 years. Two different methods, a self-consistent and the gufm1 dipole method, have been used to fill in gaps in the available data. The data used in the analysis were largely measurements of the magnetic field recorded in ships logs on voyages of exploration in the region. The method chosen for the investigation used a spherical cap of radius ₀ = 50° centered at co-latitude and longitude of (115°, 160°). The results of each method used for SCHA are presented as contour plots of magnetic field declination, inclination and intensity and are compared with similar plots for a global model, gufm1. The root mean square misfit of the self- consistent and gufm1 dipole model to the actual data were around 2900 nT and 23000 nT respectively. Overall, the results suggest that the self-consistent model produces a more reliable model of the geomagnetic field within the area of interest than does the gufm1 dipole model. With more data included the self-consistent model could be further improved and used to develop a high-resolution mathematical model of the geomagnetic field in the southwest Pacific region.

A spherical cap harmonic analysis (SCHA) model has been used to derive a high-resolution regional model of the geomagnetic field in the southwest Pacific region over the past 400 years. Two different methods, a self-consistent and the gufm1 dipole method, have been used to fill in gaps in the available data. The data used in the analysis were largely measurements of the magnetic field recorded in ships logs on voyages of exploration in the region. The method chosen for the investigation used a spherical cap of radius ₀ = 50° centered at co-latitude and longitude of (115°, 160°). The results of each method used for SCHA are presented as contour plots of magnetic field declination, inclination and intensity and are compared with similar plots for a global model, gufm1. The root mean square misfit of the self- consistent and gufm1 dipole model to the actual data were around 2900 nT and 23000 nT respectively. Overall, the results suggest that the self-consistent model produces a more reliable model of the geomagnetic field within the area of interest than does the gufm1 dipole model. With more data included the self-consistent model could be further improved and used to develop a high-resolution mathematical model of the geomagnetic field in the southwest Pacific region.

Natural compounds are known to possess protective effects against the genotoxicity of drugs and chemicals. Green tea is the most widely used beverage in the world, contains bioactive compounds. Hydrocortisone is a corticosteroid hormonal drug widely used for treatment of a variety of inflammatory, asthma, allergic and immune diseases. The widespread use of this drug is of great concern to human health problems. Therefore, the genotoxic potential of hydrocortisone was evaluated using different mutagenic endpoints including sister chromatid exchanges (SCE′s) in bone marrow cells and chromosomal aberrations in mouse spermatocytes. The modulatory effect of the methanol extract of green tea (MEGT) was also studied. Hydrocortisone was given intraperitoneally (i.p) at three doses 26, 39 and 52 mg/kg b.w. MEGT was given orally at dose 390 mg/kg. Mice were simultaneously treated with hydrocortisone and MEGT in single treatment and repeated treatment. The results showed that all doses of hydrocortisone induced significant increase in the frequency of SCE′s with a dose dependent manner. Both Single and repeated treatment of hydrocortisone induced a statistically significant in the incidence of chromosomal aberration in mouse spermatocytes excepting the dose 26 mg∕ kg b.wt in single treatment regimen. These findings suggested that hydrocortisone has genotoxic activity in bone marrow and spermatocytes. On the other hand, MEGT suppressed the frequency of SCE′s and chromosomal aberrations induced by hydrocortisone however such suppression was not reached to the normal control values.