Privacy in the Post-NSA Era: Time for a Fundamental Revision?

Big Brother Watch and others have filed a complaint against the United Kingdom under the European Convention on Human Rights about a violation of Article 8, the right to privacy. It regards the NSA affair and UK-based surveillance activities operated by secret services. The question is whether it will be declared admissible and, if so, whether the European Court of Human Rights will find a violation. This article discusses three possible challenges for these types of complaints and analyses whether the current privacy paradigm is still adequate in view of the development known as Big Data.

The NSA: the impact of the wiretapping scandal on German-American relations. OSW Commentary No. 124, 14.01.2014

Edward Snowden revealed that America’s National Security Agency (NSA) had tapped Chancellor Angela Merkel’s mobile phone and had collected date en masse. This has caused the largest crisis of confidence in relations between Germany and the US since the Iraq war. Due to the technological advantage which American intelligence services have, Germany wishes to continue close co-operation with the US but is making efforts to change the legal basis of this co-operation dating back to Cold War times. Berlin would like to secure part of provisions similar to the Five Eyes alliance – agreements signed between the US, the UK, Canada, New Zealand and Australia in the second half of the 1940s, aimed at intelligence sharing and a ban mutual bugging. This could spell the end of the last (not including the military presence) relic of Germany’s dependence on the US which emerged following World War II and took shape in the shadow of the Cold War. The process of Germany’s emancipation in trans-Atlantic relations, which began after Germany’s reunification, would be complete. The US is however opposed to such far-reaching changes as it is interested in continued co-operation with Germany without limiting it. Were it not to sign agreements satisfactory for Berlin, this would lead to a protracted crisis of confidence in German-American relations.

Hādhihi Riḥlat al-faqīr ilá Allāh taʻālá Rifāʻah Badawī Rāfiʻ al-Ṭahṭāwī ilá diyār Farānsā al-musammāh bi-Takhlīṣ al-ibrīz ilá talkhīṣ Bārīz, aw, al-Diwān al-nafīs bi-iwān Bārīs /

Mode of access: Internet.

Frānsa Sharqda neler ghāʾib ıtdı ...

Translation into Turkish, by Feyyaḍ Mumtāz, of La mort de notre chère France en Orient, by Pierre Loti [pseud.]

Mi͡e︡tki russkago i inostrannago farfora, fai͡a︡nsa i maīolika = Marques des porcelaines, faiences et majoliques russes et étrangères /

Russian and French.

Direct support and general support maintenance repair parts and special tools list (including depot maintenance repair parts and special tools) for navigational sets, TACAN, AN/ARN-1031, (NSA 5826-00-1027) and AN/ARN-103(V)2, (NSN 5826-00-167-1026).

"Current as of 19 March 1980"--P. i.

A vigilância na internet: a circulação midiática brasileira do vazamento de dados da NSA por Edward Snowden

This research seeks to understand how the problem of information security is treated in Brazil by the public thematization and also how it can affect the political and economic aspects of both Brazilian companies and government by using a study case based on the document leak event of the National Security Agency by Snowden. For this, the study case of sites, blogs and news portal coverage was carried out from the perspective of evidential paradigm, studies of movement and event concept. We are interested in examining how the media handles the information security topic and what its impact on national and international political relations. The subject matter was considered the largest data leakage in history of the NSA, which ranks as the world's largest agency of expression intelligence. This leak caused great repercussions in Brazil since it was revealed that the country was the most watched by the United States of America, behind only USA itself. The consequences were: a big tension between Brazil and the US and a public discussion about privacy and freedom on Internet. The research analyzed 256 publications released by Brazilian media outlets in digital media, in the period between June and July 2013.

A vigilância na internet: a circulação midiática brasileira do vazamento de dados da NSA por Edward Snowden

This research seeks to understand how the problem of information security is treated in Brazil by the public thematization and also how it can affect the political and economic aspects of both Brazilian companies and government by using a study case based on the document leak event of the National Security Agency by Snowden. For this, the study case of sites, blogs and news portal coverage was carried out from the perspective of evidential paradigm, studies of movement and event concept. We are interested in examining how the media handles the information security topic and what its impact on national and international political relations. The subject matter was considered the largest data leakage in history of the NSA, which ranks as the world's largest agency of expression intelligence. This leak caused great repercussions in Brazil since it was revealed that the country was the most watched by the United States of America, behind only USA itself. The consequences were: a big tension between Brazil and the US and a public discussion about privacy and freedom on Internet. The research analyzed 256 publications released by Brazilian media outlets in digital media, in the period between June and July 2013.

Hyperfine interactions in silicon quantum dots

A fundamental interaction for electrons is their hyperfine interaction (HFI) with nuclear spins. HFI is well characterized in free atoms and molecules, and is crucial for purposes from chemical identification of atoms to trapped ion quantum computing. However, electron wave functions near atomic sites, therefore HFI, are often not accurately known in solids. Here we perform an all-electron calculation for conduction electrons in silicon and obtain reliable information on HFI. We verify the outstanding quantum spin coherence in Si, which is critical for fault-tolerant solid state quantum computing.

A Computational Study of Tetrafluoro-[2.2]Cyclophanes

A computational study of the isomers of tetrafluorinated [2.2]cyclophanes persubstituted in one ring, namely F-4-[2.2]paracyclophane (4), F-4-anti-[2.2]metacyclophane (5a), F-4-syn-[2.2]metacyclophane (5b), and F-4-[2.2]metaparacyclophane (6a and 6b), was carried out. The effects of fluorination on the geometries, relative energies, local and global aromaticity, and strain energies of the bridges and rings were investigated. An analysis of the electron density by B3PW91/6-31+G(d,p), B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p), and MP2/6-31+G(d,p) was carried out using the natural bond orbitals (NBO), natural steric analysis (NSA), and atoms in molecules (AIM) methods. The analysis of frontier molecular orbitals (MOs) was also employed. The results indicated that the molecular structure of [2.2]paracyclophane is the most affected by the fluorination. Isodesmic reactions showed that the fluorinated rings are more strained than the nonfluorinated ones. The NICS, HOMA, and PDI criteria evidenced that the fluorination affects the aromaticity of both the fluorinated and the nonfluorinated rings. The NBO and NSA analyses gave an indication that the fluorination increases not only the number of through-space interactions but also their magnitude. The AIM analysis suggested that the through-space interactions are restricted to the F-4-[2.2]metacyclophanes. In addition, the atomic properties, computed over the atomic basins, shave evidence that not only the substitution, but also the position of the bridges could affect the atomic charges. the first atomic moments, and the atomic volumes.

Sigilo da Correspondência e Privatizações

Estamos desde logo a falar de Direitos Fundamentais. De direitos, liberdades e garantias, também, mas não apenas, nos termos do art. 18º da CRP. Numa altura em que o ex-agente da CIA-Central Intelligence Agency e da NSA-National Security Agency, Sr. Snowden, revelou que é possível existir, e que existiu em efectivo, acesso a toda a correspondência privada em vários países do mundo, senão mesmo em todos, nomeadamente aquela que é feita por via electrónica e informática, cumpre recordar algumas notas do ponto de vista dos Direitos Fundamentais e do Direito Constitucional. § We are immediately talking about fundamental rights. Rights, freedoms and guarantees, too, but not only, in accordance with art. 18 of CRP. At a time when former CIA agent-Central Intelligence Agency and the NSA-National Security Agency, Mr. Snowden has revealed that it is possible to exist, and has existed in effective, access to all private correspondence in countries around the world, if not in all, including one that is made by electronic and computerized means, it is recalled some notes from the point of view of fundamental rights and constitutional law.

FIRST REPORT ON Cryptococcus neoformans IN PIGEON EXCRETA FROM PUBLIC AND RESIDENTIAL LOCATIONS IN THE METROPOLITAN AREA OF CUIABÁ, STATE OF MATO GROSSO, BRAZIL

SUMMARYCryptococcosis is a severe systemic mycosis caused by two species of Cryptococcus that affect humans and animals: C. neoformans and C. gattii. Cosmopolitan and emergent, the mycosis results from the interaction between a susceptible host and the environment. The occurrence of C. neoformanswas evaluated in 122 samples of dried pigeon excreta collected in 49 locations in the City of Cuiabá, State of Mato Grosso, Brazil, including public squares (n = 5), churches (n = 4), educational institutions (n = 3), health units (n = 8), open areas covered with asbestos (n = 4), residences (n = 23), factory (n = 1) and a prison (n = 1). Samples collected from July to December of 2010 were seeded on Niger seed agar (NSA). Dark brown colonies were identified by urease test, carbon source assimilation tests and canavanine-glycine-bromothymol blue medium. Polymerase chain reaction primer pairs specific for C. neoformans were also used for identification. Cryptococcus neoformans associated to pigeon excreta was isolated from eight (6.6%) samples corresponding to six (12.2%) locations.Cryptococcus neoformans was isolated from urban areas, predominantly in residences, constituting a risk of acquiring the disease by immunocompromised and immunocompetent individuals.

Different culture media containing methyldopa for melanin production by Cryptococcus species

INTRODUCTION: Melanin production by species of Cryptococcus is widely used to characterize C. neoformans complex in mycology laboratories. This study aims to test the efficacy of methyldopa from pharmaceutical tablet as a substrate for melanin production, to compare the production of melanin using different agar base added with methyldopa, and to compare the melanin produced in those media with that produced in Niger seed agar and sunflower seed agar by C. neoformans, C. laurentii, and C. albidus. Two isolates of each species, C. neoformans, C. laurentii, and C. albidus, and one of Candida albicans were used to experimentally detect conditions for melanin production. METHODS: The following media were tested: Mueller-Hinton agar (MHA), brain and heart infusion agar (BHIA), blood agar base (BAB), and minimal medium agar (MMA), all added with methyldopa, and the media Niger seed agar (NSA) and sunflower seed agar (SSA). RESULTS: All isolates grew in most of the culture media after 24h. Strains planted on media BAB and BHIA showed growth only after 48h. All isolates produced melanin in MMA, MHA, SSA, and NSA media. CONCLUSIONS: Methyldopa in the form pharmaceutical tablet can be used as a substrate for melanin production by Cryptococcus species; minimal medium plus methyldopa was more efficient than the BAB, MHA, and BHIA in the melanin production; and NSA and SSA, followed by MMA added with methyldopa, were more efficient than other media studied for melanin production by all strains studied.

Techniques for the detection of pathogenic Cryptococcus species in wood decay substrata and the evaluation of viability in stored samples

In this study, we evaluated several techniques for the detection of the yeast form of Cryptococcus in decaying wood and measured the viability of these fungi in environmental samples stored in the laboratory. Samples were collected from a tree known to be positive for Cryptococcus and were each inoculated on 10 Niger seed agar (NSA) plates. The conventional technique (CT) yielded a greater number of positive samples and indicated a higher fungal density [in colony forming units per gram of wood (CFU.g-1)] compared to the humid swab technique (ST). However, the difference in positive and false negative results between the CT-ST was not significant. The threshold of detection for the CT was 0.05.10³ CFU.g-1, while the threshold for the ST was greater than 0.1.10³ CFU-1. No colonies were recovered using the dry swab technique. We also determined the viability of Cryptococcus in wood samples stored for 45 days at 25ºC using the CT and ST and found that samples not only continued to yield a positive response, but also exhibited an increase in CFU.g-1, suggesting that Cryptococcus is able to grow in stored environmental samples. The ST.1, in which samples collected with swabs were immediately plated on NSA medium, was more efficient and less laborious than either the CT or ST and required approximately 10 min to perform; however, additional studies are needed to validate this technique.

Semi-selective medium for Fusarium graminearum detection in seed samples

Fungi of the genus Fusarium cause a variety of difficult to control diseases in different crops, including winter cereals and maize. Among the species of this genus Fusarium graminearum deserves attention. The aim of this work was to develop a semi-selective medium to study this fungus. In several experiments, substrates for fungal growth were tested, including fungicides and antibiotics such as iprodiona, nystatin and triadimenol, and the antibacterial agents streptomycin and neomycin sulfate. Five seed samples of wheat, barley, oat, black beans and soybeans for F. graminearum detection by using the media Nash and Snyder agar (NSA), Segalin & Reis agar (SRA) and one-quarter dextrose agar (1/4PDA; potato 50g; dextrose 5g and agar 20g), either unsupplemented or supplemented with various concentrations of the antimicrobial agents cited above. The selected components and concentrations (g.L-1) of the proposed medium, Segalin & Reis agar (SRA-FG), were: iprodiona 0.05; nystatin 0,025; triadimenol 0.015; neomycin sulfate 0.05; and streptomycin sulfate, 0.3 added of ¼ potato sucrose agar. In the isolation from seeds of cited plant species, the sensitivity of this medium was similar to that of NSA but with de advantage of maintaining the colony morphological aspects similar to those observed in potato-dextrose-agar medium.