Public relations and corporate social responsibility

This study analyses trends and patterns in public relations literature about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) through a content analysis of articles published between 1998 and 2007. The current status of the literature suggests that public relations scholars have broadened their approach to CSR from one solely encompassing communication management, as proposed by Clark (2000), to one that incorporates the management function and relationship management components of contemporary public relations thinking. The findings of the literature review suggest that there are opportunities for social responsibility to be incorporated into public relations through a process approach, which would foster stronger links between organizations, stakeholders and society.

A general model for MAC generation using direct injection

This paper presents a model for generating a MAC tag by injecting the input message directly into the internal state of a nonlinear filter generator. This model generalises a similar model for unkeyed hash functions proposed by Nakano et al. We develop a matrix representation for the accumulation phase of our model and use it to analyse the security of the model against man-in-the-middle forgery attacks based on collisions in the final register contents. The results of this analysis show that some conclusions of Nakano et al regarding the security of their model are incorrect. We also use our results to comment on several recent MAC proposals which can be considered as instances of our model and specify choices of options within the model which should prevent the type of forgery discussed here. In particular, suitable initialisation of the register and active use of a secure nonlinear filter will prevent an attacker from finding a collision in the final register contents which could result in a forged MAC.

Slide attacks on the Sfinks stream cipher

Sfinks is a shift register based stream cipher designed for hardware implementation and submitted to the eSTREAM project. In this paper, we analyse the initialisation process of Sfinks. We demonstrate a slid property of the loaded state of the Sfinks cipher, where multiple key-IV pairs may produce phase shifted keystream sequences. The state update functions of both the initialisation process and keystream generation and also the pattern of the padding affect generation of the slid pairs.

State convergence in bit-based stream ciphers

Well-designed initialisation and keystream generation processes for stream ciphers should ensure that each key-IV pair generates a distinct keystream. In this paper, we analyse some ciphers where this does not happen due to state convergence occurring either during initialisation, keystream generation or both. We show how state convergence occurs in each case and identify two mechanisms which can cause state convergence.

Slid pairs in the initialisation of the A5/1 stream cipher

A5/1 is a shift register based stream cipher which uses a majority clocking rule to update its registers. It is designed to provide privacy for the GSM system. In this paper, we analyse the initialisation process of A5/1. We demonstrate a sliding property of the A5/1 cipher, where every valid internal state is also a legitimate loaded state and multiple key-IV pairs produce phase shifted keystream sequences. We describe a possible ciphertext only attack based on this property.

Tenofovir-associated proteinuria

Proteinuria was observed in 27% of 153 patients taking tenofovir for more than 1 year. Concomitant protease inhibitor therapy and cumulative tenofovir exposure were independently associated with proteinuria in this cohort. Proteinuria was reversible in 11 of 12 patients who ceased tenofovir because of proteinuria without altering other medications. Clinicians should be aware that tenofovir can cause reversible proteinuria in patients with HIV.

Timed Up and Go Tests in cardiac rehabilitation : reliability and comparison with the 6-minute walk test

PURPOSE: To test the reliability of Timed Up and Go Tests (TUGTs) in cardiac rehabilitation (CR) and compare TUGTs to the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) for outcome measurement. METHODS: Sixty-one of 154 consecutive community-based CR patients were prospectively recruited. Subjects undertook repeated TUGTs and 6MWTs at the start of CR (start-CR), postdischarge from CR (post-CR), and 6 months postdischarge from CR (6 months post-CR). The main outcome measurements were TUGT time (TUGTT) and 6MWT distance (6MWD). RESULTS: Mean (SD) TUGTT1 and TUGTT2 at the 3 assessments were 6.29 (1.30) and 5.94 (1.20); 5.81 (1.22) and 5.53 (1.09); and 5.39 (1.60) and 5.01 (1.28) seconds, respectively. A reduction in TUGTT occurred between each outcome point (P ≤ .002). Repeated TUGTTs were strongly correlated at each assessment, intraclass correlation (95% CI) = 0.85 (0.76–0.91), 0.84 (0.73–0.91), and 0.90 (0.83–0.94), despite a reduction between TUGTT1 and TUGTT2 of 5%, 5%, and 7%, respectively (P ≤ .006). Relative decreases in TUGTT1 (TUGTT2) occurred from start-CR to post-CR and from start-CR to 6 months post-CR of −7.5% (−6.9%) and −14.2% (−15.5%), respectively, while relative increases in 6MWD1 (6MWD2) occurred, 5.1% (7.2%) and 8.4% (10.2%), respectively (P < .001 in all cases). Pearson correlation coefficients for 6MWD1 to TUGTT1 and TUGTT2 across all times were −0.60 and −0.68 (P < .001) and the intraclass correlations (95% CI) for the speeds derived from averaged 6MWDs and TUGTTs were 0.65 (0.54, 0.73) (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Similar relative changes occurred for the TUGT and the 6MWT in CR. A significant correlation between the TUGTT and 6MWD was demonstrated, and we suggest that the TUGT may provide a related or a supplementary measurement of functional capacity in CR.

Sport biomechanics

Biomechanics involves research and analysis of the mechanisms of living organisms. This can be conducted on multiple levels and represents a continuum from the molecular, wherein biomaterials such as collagen and elastin are considered, to the tissue, organ and whole body level. Some simple applications of Newtonian mechanics can supply correct approximations on each level, but precise details demand the use of continuum mechanics. Sport biomechanics uses the scientific methods of mechanics to study the effects of forces on the sports performer and considers aspects of the behaviour of sports implements, equipment, footwear and surfaces. There are two main aims of sport biomechanics, that is, the reduction of injury and the improvement of performance (Bartlett, 1999). Aristotle (384-322 BC) wrote the first book on biomechanics, De Motu Animalium, translated as On the Movement of Animals. He saw animals' bodies as mechanical systems, but also pursued questions that might explain the physiological difference between imagining the performance of an action and actually doing it. Some simple examples of biomechanics research include the investigation of the forces that act on limbs, the aerodynamics of animals in flight, the hydrodynamics of objects moving through water and locomotion in general across all forms of life, from individual cells to whole organisms...

Algebraic analysis of Trivium-like ciphers

Trivium is a bit-based stream cipher in the final portfolio of the eSTREAM project. In this paper, we apply the approach of Berbain et al. to Trivium-like ciphers and perform new algebraic analyses on them, namely Trivium and its reduced versions: Trivium-N, Bivium-A and Bivium-B. In doing so, we answer an open question in the literature. We demonstrate a new algebraic attack on Bivium-A. This attack requires less time and memory than previous techniques which use the F4 algorithm to recover Bivium-A's initial state. Though our attacks on Bivium-B, Trivium and Trivium-N are worse than exhaustive keysearch, the systems of equations which are constructed are smaller and less complex compared to previous algebraic analysis. Factors which can affect the complexity of our attack on Trivium-like ciphers are discussed in detail.

Integrated genomic characterization of endometrial carcinoma

We performed an integrated genomic, transcriptomic and proteomic characterization of 373 endometrial carcinomas using array- and sequencing-based technologies. Uterine serous tumours and ∼25% of high-grade endometrioid tumours had extensive copy number alterations, few DNA methylation changes, low oestrogen receptor/progesterone receptor levels, and frequent TP53 mutations. Most endometrioid tumours had few copy number alterations or TP53 mutations, but frequent mutations in PTEN, CTNNB1, PIK3CA, ARID1A and KRAS and novel mutations in the SWI/SNF chromatin remodelling complex gene ARID5B. A subset of endometrioid tumours that we identified had a markedly increased transversion mutation frequency and newly identified hotspot mutations in POLE. Our results classified endometrial cancers into four categories: POLE ultramutated, microsatellite instability hypermutated, copy-number low, and copy-number high. Uterine serous carcinomas share genomic features with ovarian serous and basal-like breast carcinomas. We demonstrated that the genomic features of endometrial carcinomas permit a reclassification that may affect post-surgical adjuvant treatment for women with aggressive tumours.

Fresh frozen cadavers as a tool to educate student paramedics in procedural skills

Objectives – To describe the development of an educational workshop to develop procedural skills in undergraduate Paramedic students using fresh frozen cadavers and to report the student’s assessment of the program. Methods – A six-hour anatomy based workshop was developed using fresh frozen cadavers to teach a range of airway and invasive procedural skills to second year undergraduate paramedic students. Embedded QUAN (qual) methodology will be utilised to evaluate the student’s satisfaction, perception and quality of teaching as compared to other existing clinical teaching techniques such as high fidelity simulation. Students will be asked to complete an anonymous validated survey (10 questions formulated on a 5 point Likert scale) and provide a qualitative feedback pre and post the six-hour workshop. Results – This is a prospective study planned for September 2013. Low-risk human research ethics are being sought. Teaching evaluation results from the inaugural 2012 workshop (undergraduate and postgraduate Paramedic students) and interim results for 2013 will be presented. Conclusions – Clinical teaching using fresh frozen cadavers thus far has predominately been used in the education of medical and surgical trainees. A number of studies have found them to be effective and in some cases superior to traditional high fidelity simulation teaching strategies. Fresh frozen cadavers are said to provide perfect anatomy, normal tissue consistency and a realistic operative training experience (Lloyd, Maxwell-Armstrong et al. 2011). The authors believe that this study will show that the use of fresh frozen cadavers offers a safe and effective mode to teach procedural skills to student paramedics that will help bridge the skills gap and increase confidence prior to students undertaking such interventions on living patients. A modified training program may be formulated for general practitioners undertaking Emergency Medicine Advanced Rural Skills.

Weak key-IV pairs in the A5/1 stream cipher

A5/1 is a shift register based stream cipher which provides privacy for the GSM system. In this paper, we analyse the loading of the secret key and IV during the initialisation process of A5/1. We demonstrate the existence of weak key-IV pairs in the A5/1 cipher due to this loading process; these weak key-IV pairs may generate one, two or three registers containing all-zero values, which may lead in turn to weak keystream sequences. In the case where two or three registers contain only zeros, we describe a distinguisher which leads to a complete decryption of the affected messages.

Reputation and Legitimacy : accreditation and rankings to assess organizations

A key perspective on reputation is that of assessment. Much of the communication literature focuses on the influence organizations have on impression formation. This chapter however suggests that in order to understand reputation assessment, it is also important to understand the related concept of legitimacy. It addresses two approaches to understanding reputation namely accreditation and ranking. Accreditation alludes to concepts of legitimacy in which firms may acquire credibility by meeting formalized standards of certification. Ranking deals with categorizing and rating organizational reputations so that they may be assessed relative to one another. The chapter explores the various ways in which the mechanisms of accreditation and ranking operate and the role of social actors in developing and applying them. Ranking systems that provide the mechanism for comparing organizations and assessing their relative value are also explored.