Software transformations to improve malware detection

Malware is code designed for a malicious purpose, such as obtaining root privilege on a host. A malware detector identifies malware and thus prevents it from adversely affecting a host. In order to evade detection, malware writers use various obfuscation techniques to transform their malware. There is strong evidence that commercial malware detectors are susceptible to these evasion tactics. In this paper, we describe the design and implementation of a malware transformer that reverses the obfuscations performed by a malware writer. Our experimental evaluation demonstrates that this malware transformer can drastically improve the detection rates of commercial malware detectors.     

The simulation of crack opening–closing and aggregate interlock behaviour in finite element concrete models

The ability to model crack‐closure behaviour and aggregate interlock in finite element concrete models is extremely important. Both of these phenomena arise from the same contact mechanisms, and the advantages of modelling them in a unified manner are highlighted. An example illustrating the numerical difficulties that arise when abrupt crack closure is modelled is presented, and the benefits of smoothing this behaviour are discussed. We present a new crack‐plane model that uses an effective contact surface derived directly from experimental data and which is described by a signed‐distance function in relative‐displacement space. The introduction of a crack‐closure transition function into the formulation improves its accuracy and enhances its robustness. The characteristic behaviour of the new smoothed crack‐plane model is illustrated for a series of relative‐displacement paths. We describe a method for incorporating the model into continuum elements using a crack‐band approach and address a previously overlooked issue associated with scaling the inelastic shear response of a crack band. A consistent algorithmic tangent and associated stress recovery procedure are derived. Finally, a series of examples are presented, demonstrating that the new model is able to represent a range of cracked concrete behaviour with good accuracy and robustness. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Indoor Radio Propagation and Interference in 2.4 GHz Wireless Sensor Networks: Measurements and Analysis

In wireless sensor networks (WSNs), the performance and lifetime are significantly affected by the indoor propagation and the interference from other technologies using the 2.4 GHz band. Next to an overview of the propagation and coexistence issues in the literature, we present a model for analysing these effects in WSNs. We also present our measurements results on the indoor propagation, the interference of the microwave oven (MWO) and their impact on the performance of the WSN. The propagation measurements reveal significant influence of the multipath: changing a node position with a few centimetres or changing the communication channel can lead up to 30 dB difference in the received power. The power leakage of MWO has been observed around $-$ 20 dBm at 1 m distances to the oven. This leads to extra retries of the 802.15.4 messages which matches our simulation results: the packet success ratio at first try decreases to 30–40 %, which increases the average active time of the sensor, closely located to the MWO. We observe that the ON–OFF pattern of the MWO could be exploited by WSNs to improve the performance.     

Impact of Nutrition,Microbiota Transplant and Weight Loss Surgery on Dopaminergic Alterations in Parkinson’s Disease and Obesity

Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second most common neurodegenerative disorder worldwide, is characterized by dopaminergic neuron degeneration and α-synuclein aggregation in the substantia nigra pars compacta of the midbrain. Emerging evidence has shown that dietary intake affects the microbial composition in the gut, which in turn contributes to, or protects against, the degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in affected regions of the brain. More specifically, the Mediterranean diet and Western diet, composed of varying amounts of proteins, carbohydrates, and fats, exert contrasting effects on PD pathophysiology via alterations in the gut microbiota and dopamine levels. Interestingly, the negative changes in the gut microbiota of patients with PD parallel changes that are seen in individuals that consume a Western diet, and are opposite to those that adhere to a Mediterranean diet. In this review, we first examine the role of prominent food groups on dopamine bioavailability, how they modulate the composition and function of the gut microbiota and the subsequent effects on PD and obesity pathophysiology. We then highlight evidence on how microbiota transplant and weight loss surgery can be used as therapeutic tools to restore dopaminergic deficits through optimizing gut microbial composition. In the process, we revisit dietary metabolites and their role in therapeutic approaches involving dopaminergic pathways. Overall, understanding the role of nutrition on dopamine bioavailability and gut microbiota in dopamine-related pathologies such as PD will help develop more precise therapeutic targets to rescue dopaminergic deficits in neurologic and metabolic disorders.     

Borrowing the Features of Biopolymers for Emerging Wound Healing Dressings: A Review

Wound dressing design is a dynamic and rapidly growing field of the medical wound-care market worldwide. Advances in technology have resulted in the development of a wide range of wound dressings that treat different types of wounds by targeting the four phases of healing. The ideal wound dressing should perform rapid healing; preserve the body’s water content; be oxygen permeable, non-adherent on the wound and hypoallergenic; and provide a barrier against external contaminants—at a reasonable cost and with minimal inconvenience to the patient. Therefore, choosing the best dressing should be based on what the wound needs and what the dressing does to achieve complete regeneration and restoration of the skin’s structure and function. Biopolymers, such as alginate (ALG), chitosan (Cs), collagen (Col), hyaluronic acid (HA) and silk fibroin (SF), are extensively used in wound management due to their biocompatibility, biodegradability and similarity to macromolecules recognized by the human body. However, most of the formulations based on biopolymers still show various issues; thus, strategies to combine them with molecular biology approaches represent the future of wound healing. Therefore, this article provides an overview of biopolymers’ roles in wound physiology as a perspective on the development of a new generation of enhanced, naturally inspired, smart wound dressings based on blood products, stem cells and growth factors.     

Surface Chemistry Dictates the Osteogenic and Antimicrobial Properties of Palladium-, Platinum-, and Titanium-Based Bulk Metallic Glasses

Titanium alloys are commonly used as biomaterials in musculoskeletal applications, but their long-term efficacy can be limited by wear and corrosion, stress shielding, and bacterial colonization. As a promising alternative, bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) offer superior strength and corrosion resistance, but the influence of their chemical composition on their bioactivity remains largely unexplored. This study, therefore, aims to examine how the surface chemistry of palladium (Pd)-, platinum (Pt)-, and titanium (Ti)-based BMGs can steer their response to biological systems. The chemical composition of BMGs governs their thermophysical and mechanical properties, with Pd-based BMGs showing exceptional glass-forming ability suitable for larger implants, and all BMGs exhibiting a significantly lower Young's modulus than Ti-6Al-4 V (Ti64), suggesting a potential to reduce stress shielding. Although BMGs feature copper depletion at the near surface, their surface chemistry remains more stable than that of Ti64 and supports blood biocompatibility. Fibrin network formation is heavily dependent on BMGs’ chemical composition and Ti-based BMGs support thicker fibrin network formation than Ti64. Furthermore, BMGs outperform Ti64 in promoting mineralization of human bone progenitor cells and demonstrate antimicrobial properties against Staphylococcus aureus in a surface chemistry-dependent manner, thereby indicating their great potential as biomaterials for musculoskeletal applications.     

Skin-Mountable Vibrotactile Stimulator Based on Laterally Multilayered Dielectric Elastomer Actuators

Skin-stimulation technology has attracted intense attention for virtual/augmented reality applications and tactile-feedback systems. However, bulky, heavy, and stiff characteristics of existing skin-stimulating devices limit their wearability and comfort, thus disturbing the immersive experience of users. This study presents a new type of thin and lightweight dielectric elastomer actuator for developing a skin-mountable vibrotactile stimulator. A new methodology is suggested to enhance the operating efficiency of dielectric elastomer actuators based on a laterally aligned dielectric multilayer structure (≈900 layer) with short dielectric distance (≈10 µm) and a soft elastomer/ionic liquid composite with low modulus and high dielectric constant. With the improved structural/material properties, the flexible actuator exhibits high displacements at low operating voltage (<200 V) over a wide frequency range (≈800 Hz). Therefore, the finger-band type vibrotactile stimulator based on the laterally multilayered dielectric elastomer actuators can exert indentations that have the ability of stimulating all mechanoreceptors in human skin over the full perception frequency/amplitude range. In addition, the actuator shows a high electromechanical stability for long-term operation due to time-efficient and precise fabrication process using sophisticated photolithography and secondary sputtering. Therefore, this vibrotactile stimulator shows high promise for use in tactile-assistive devices, tactile communications, haptic feedback, and beyond.     

Mitigating Jahn–Teller Effect in Layered Cathode Material Via Interstitial Doping for High-Performance Sodium-Ion Batteries

Layered transition metal oxides are promising cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries due to their high energy density and appropriate operating potential. However, the poor structural stability is a major drawback to their widespread application. To address this issue, B³⁺ is successfully introduced into the tetrahedral site of Na_0.67Fe_0.5Mn_0.5O₂, demonstrating the effectiveness of small-radius ion doping in improving electrochemical performance. The obtained Na_0.67Fe_0.5Mn_0.5B_0.04O₂ exhibits excellent cycling performance with 88.8% capacity retention after 100 cycles at 1 C and prominent rate performance. The structure-property relationship is constructed subsequently by neutron powder diffraction, in situ X-ray diffraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy, which reveal that the Jahn–Teller distortion and the consequent P2-P2' phase transformation are effectively mitigated because of the occupancy of B³⁺ at the interstitial site. Furthermore, it is found that the transition metal layers are stabilized and the transition metal dissolution are suppressed, resulting in excellent cycling performance. Besides, the prominent rate performance is attributed to the enhanced diffusion kinetics associated with the rearrangement of Na⁺. This work provides novel insight into the action mechanism of interstitial site doping and demonstrates a universal approach to improve the electrochemical properties of P2-type manganese-based sodium cathode materials.