Web application protection against SQL injection attack

SQL injection vulnerabilities poses a severe threat to web applications as an SQL Injection Attack (SQLIA) could adopt new obfuscation techniques to evade and thwart countermeasures such as Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS). SQLIA gains access to the back-end database of vulnerable websites, allowing hackers to execute SQL commands in a web application resulting in financial fraud and website defacement. The lack of existing models in providing protections against SQL injection has motivated this paper to present a new and enhanced model against web database intrusions that use SQLIA techniques. In this paper, we propose a novel concept of negative tainting along with SQL keyword analysis for preventing SQLIA and described our that we implemented. We have tested our proposed model on all types of SQLIA techniques by generating SQL queries containing legitimate SQL commands and SQL Injection Attack. Evaluations have been performed using three different applications. The results show that our model protects against 100% of tested attacks before even reaching the database layer.

Investing in knowledge, communications and training/extension for responsible aquaculture

Knowledge has always been critically important to the development of aquaculture whether we are talking about the earliest aquaculture innovations starting in Asia or the more recent challenges confronting the sector worldwide. This panel reviewed selected national and regional case studies. Key topics for discussion include knowledge production and its communication and use (e.g. in new training and extension approaches) among the changing audiences (as aquaculture continues to attract an increasing variety of new stakeholders), and dealing with a widening set of change processes in recent times, often involving a complex mix of governance and social change challenges. We go on to suggest that aquaculture policy-makers, and stakeholders in general, need to better understand knowledge processes such as knowledge translation (implementation), knowledge networks (e.g. the role of farmers’ associations) and the use of knowledge platforms and brokers, all aimed at more effective dissemination and adoption of knowledge. Knowledge management by most stakeholders will become increasingly critical to the sustainable development of aquaculture and its movement towards attaining the goals set out in the Bangkok Declaration a decade back.

First-principles based force-field for the interaction of proteins with Au(100)(5 x 1): an extension of GolP-CHARMM

Noncovalent recognition between peptides and inorganic materials is an established phenomenon. Key to exploiting these interactions in a wide range of materials self-assembly applications would be to harness the facet-selective control of peptide binding onto these materials. Fundamental understanding of what drives facet-selectivity in peptide binding is developing, but as yet is not sufficient to enable design of predictable facet-specific sequences. Computational simulation of the aqueous peptide-gold interface, commonly used to understand the mechanisms driving adsorption at an atomic level, has thus far neglected the role that surface reconstruction might play in facet specificity. Here the polarizable GolP-CHARMM suite of force fields is extended to include the reconstructed Au(100) surface. The force field, compatible with the bio-organic force field CHARMM, is parametrized using first-principles data. Our extended force field is tailored to reproduce the heterogeneity of weak chemisorbing N and S species to specific locations in the Au(100)(5 × 1) surface identified from the first-principles calculations. We apply our new model to predict and compare the three-dimensional structure of liquid water at Au(111), Au(100)(1 × 1), and Au(100)(5 × 1) interfaces. Using molecular dynamics simulations, we predict an increased likelihood for water-mediated peptide adsorption at the aqueous-Au(100)(1 × 1) interface compared with the Au(100)(5 × 1) interface. Therefore, our findings suggest that peptide binding can discriminate between the native and reconstructed Au(100) interfaces and that the role of reconstruction on binding at the Au(100) interface should not be neglected. © 2013 American Chemical Society.

Theoretical extension of elastic-perfectly plastic deformation length in roll forming of a channel section

In this paper, the Young’s modulus and the yield strength of the strip are considered in order to modify the deformation length analysis proposed by Bhattacharyya et al. New analytical equations are developed assuming an elastic-perfectly plastic material behaviour and the deformation length analysed for the simple case of roll forming a U-channel; the analytical results are verified by comparison with experimental data found in the literature. The proposed elastic-plastic deformation length is shorter than Bhattacharyya’s which is rigid-perfectly plastic. It is observed that the influence of elastic properties on the deformation length is not as significant as the plastic properties; however, the authors believe that the elastic effects become more important under conditions where a major area of the strip is under elastic deformation such as when the flange length is long.

The dimensional salience solution to the expectancy - value muddle : an extension

The theory of reasoned action (TRA) specifies a set of expectancy-value, belief-based frameworks that underpin attitude (behavioural beliefs × outcome evaluations) and subjective norm (normative beliefs × motivation to comply). Unfortunately, the most common method for analysing these frameworks generates statistically uninterpretable findings, resulting in what has been termed the ‘expectancy-value muddle’. Recently, however, a dimensional salience approach was found to resolve this muddle for the belief-based framework underpinning attitude. An online survey of 262 participants was therefore conducted to determine whether the dimensional salience approach could also be applied to the belief-based framework underpinning subjective norm. Results revealed that motivations to comply were greater for salient, as opposed to non-salient, social referents. The belief-based framework underpinning subjective norm was therefore represented by evaluating normative belief ratings for salient social referents. This modified framework was found to predict subjective norm, although predictions were greater when participants were forced to select five salient social referents rather than being free to select any number of social referents. These findings validate the use of the dimensional salience approach for examining the belief-based frameworks underpinning subjective norm. As such, this approach provides a complete solution to addressing the expectancy-value muddle in the TRA.

Comparing kinematic changes between a finger-tapping task and unconstrained finger flexion-extension task in patients with Parkinson's disease.

Repetitive finger tapping is a well-established clinical test for the evaluation of parkinsonian bradykinesia, but few studies have investigated other finger movement modalities. We compared the kinematic changes (movement rate and amplitude) and response to levodopa during a conventional index finger-thumb-tapping task and an unconstrained index finger flexion-extension task performed at maximal voluntary rate (MVR) for 20 s in 11 individuals with levodopa-responsive Parkinson's disease (OFF and ON) and 10 healthy age-matched controls. Between-task comparisons showed that for all conditions, the initial movement rate was greater for the unconstrained flexion-extension task than the tapping task. Movement rate in the OFF state was slower than in controls for both tasks and normalized in the ON state. The movement amplitude was also reduced for both tasks in OFF and increased in the ON state but did not reach control levels. The rate and amplitude of movement declined significantly for both tasks under all conditions (OFF/ON and controls). The time course of rate decline was comparable for both tasks and was similar in OFF/ON and controls, whereas the tapping task was associated with a greater decline in MA, both in controls and ON, but not OFF. The findings indicate that both finger movement tasks show similar kinematic changes during a 20-s sustained MVR, but that movement amplitude is less well sustained during the tapping task than the unconstrained finger movement task. Both movement rate and amplitude improved with levodopa; however, movement rate was more levodopa responsive than amplitude.

An extension of the flower pattern diagram for roll forming

The initial process design of a roll forming system is often based on the traditional ‘flower pattern diagram’. In this diagram, the cross sections of the strip at each roll stand are superimposed on a single plane; the diagram is a 2D representation of the 3D process. In the present work, the flower pattern is extended into three dimensions. To demonstrate the method, the forming path or trajectory of a point at the edge of the strip during forming a V-section is considered. The forming path is a surface curve that lies on a cylindrical surface having its axis along the machine axis. This surface is unwrapped to give its plane development and important features of the forming process can be determined and are readily interpreted from this plane curve. It is shown that at any stage in the process, the axial strain and the curvature of the sheet adjacent to the point are dependent on the slope of the trajectory in this plane projection. This new diagram, which apparently has not been used previously, provides a useful initial method of examining the roll forming process and optimising the flower pattern. The model is purely geometric, as is the original flower pattern approach, and does not include the effect of material behaviour. The concept is applied to several cases available in the literature. It shows that the lowest level of shape defect in the part is achieved when the trajectory of the strip edge follows the shortest line length between the start and finish of forming, leading to the least longitudinal strain introduced in the flange. This trend is in agreement with previous experimental observations, suggesting that the analytical model proposed may be applied for early process design and optimisation before time-consuming numerical analysis is performed.

Job embeddedness: a multifoci theoretical extension

Integrating the expanding job embeddedness (JE) literature, in this article we advance a multifoci model of JE that is theoretically grounded in conservation of resources (COR) theory. From COR theory, we posit that employees' motivation to acquire and protect resources explains why they become embedded and how they behave once embedded. Our COR-based JE model highlights contextual antecedents that clarify how employees become embedded within different foci. Its multifoci theoretical lens also illustrates how different forms of work-focused embeddedness differentially affect work outcomes and how they interact with nonwork foci to influence those outcomes. Along with directions for further research, we further discuss theoretical and practical implications of our integrative formulation.