Spying and Privacy in American Society Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Spying and Privacy in American Society - Essay Example The lack of privacy in the United States is a direct violation of our freedom and needs to stop in order for the country to regain the ideals that were implement by our forefathers. In â€Å"Take My Privacy, Please!†, Ted Koppel presents the idea that the Patriot Act, while an invasion of privacy, is the least of our worries at this time. He looks at companies like OnStar, which have the power to monitor a subscriber’s every move. That idea can be taken even further, since many cell phones are now equipped with GPS, which can be activated by certain applications and even remotely from a computer. This makes it very difficult to stay away from corporate monitoring. Koppel states that corporate monitoring is even more dangerous than government monitoring because it can be used for marketing purposes. This, however, seems to oversimplify the influence of the Patriot Act. The idea that the government could have access to this essay and could interpret its thesis as being an ti-American and, therefore, terrorist in nature is much scarier than a corporate entity learning my television watching habits and sending spam to my inbox. Both privacy concerns are very real, but the Patriot Act is taking us towards an Orwellian society where we are watched 24/7 by Big Brother, which would eliminate freedom as we think we know it very quickly. Amitai Etzioni's article, "Less Privacy is Good for Us", takes more of a stance on the issue of privacy. Etzioni believes that we need to re-examine the idea of privacy and put it into a context that matches up with the problems in today’s society. Much of his argument focuses on immigrant, disease and crime and his argument would hold value if these were the only reasons for this surveillance. He states that countless illegal immigrants end up in the United States because of the government’s inability to track these people. The same can be said for criminals who end up escaping from prison because they can dis appear into society and never be found. If everyone was tracked 24/7, however, we could see the need for prison decreased or nearly eliminated. After all, the police would know where every criminal is at all times, so no one would have the chance to commit a crime. The problem is that this would apply to everyone else in society. If you want to walk to your neighbor’s house for a drink after work, you would be monitored. For freedom to truly exist, we need the ability to do things without anyone knowing about them. Under this type of society, the government could prevent you from going where you want to go at any time and would have the means to know if you have disobeyed. This does not make the country safer, but would rather force everyone to live in fear of the government. "The Myth of the 'Transparent Society'", by Bruce Schneier, refutes the idea that a completely transparent society could be the answer to the problem of surveillance. While transparency is a good thing i n some situations, it would not work on a wide scale because there are situations where information should be kept secret. Schneier's opinion is reasonable because there has to be a difference in the power between a police officer and a criminal, for example. Taking the privacy away from everyone at every level does not solve the problem because it could lead to a chaotic society. If an ordinary citizen could approach an undercover detective and begin questioning him or her, it could make

Organization changestrategy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

Organization changestrategy - Essay Example Some of the employees are even fearing for their jobs if they complain about the work environment. Employees are also concerned that management is not adhering to company policies, yet forcing the employees to follow company policies. Employees feel resentment over this . Because of the overwhelming production schedule, Frontline Supervisors are not training employees properly and they leave a lot of the decision- make up to the hourly employees. Some of the employees are voicing concerns that because of the lack of communication, professional development and leadership from management, they are concerned for their personal safety. However it comes to the attention that Frontline Supervisors are not happy, either. Their concerns are that no one from upper management will back them up when it comes to making technical or managerial decisions. Here the only solution to the problem that we can see is that there is no communication among the employers and the employees. There needs to be a communication between the employers and the employees so that the problems are solved and sorted out. In the case study we see that there are many issues among the employees that they are afraid to discuss with the higher authorities having the fear in there minds that they will get fired consequently. Here the authorities also seem to be in trouble. ... Decision making as a process is recognized all over the world for its importance. It is the process which is the result of thinking processes that go on which in the need leads to the final action implemented as the result of the thinking process. Every decision-making process always ends in a final selection. The output can be an action or a judgment of choice. In this case the upper authorities need to define and clarify the issue and need to see if they deserve any action or any implementation. If the implementation is needed than when is it needed. It deals with the urgency or not. By the upper management all the facts should be gathered and understand their causes. The higher authorities should be thinking about the options and solutions. The pros and cons of each option should be properly considered (Ullman, 2006, p.23). Proper consultation should be done in the case where it is necessary. After all the consultation process the best option should be selected. Any possible vagueness should be or 'foot in both camps' compromise. The authorities should make there employees aware of the decision that has been made as they are the stakeholders and they are the ones who ill be affected by the decision in the end. In any company the stakeholders are those who are the ones directly effected by the decisions that the authorities make so they are the ones who need to know the decisions that have been implemented in nay case that have been made by the authorities. In this case study we see that there is no communication between the employers and the employees which is basically leading to many problems ands confusions in the lower

Blog 2 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Blog 2 - Essay Example In their book, International Organizations: The Politics and Processes of Global Governance, Margaret and Mingst expounds on the nature of IGOs and their contribution towards global governance. To better understand their arguments, the paper incorporates the existing interstate conflict in Sudan and the efforts put by IGOs to end the conflict. Created through formal agreement between three or more states, IGOs may be established to serve a specific purpose such as in the case of OPEC or for multiple purposes such as in the case of UN. Among the many roles played by IGOs is the role of collecting and analyzing information so as to help build cooperation between states, solve interstates disputes and create a good foundation for operational activities (Margaret & Mingst, 2010). Such is the kind activities being done by IGOs in Sudan. These organizations include but are not limited to the United Nations (UN), Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), and Nonviolent Peaceforce (NP) which comprises of the Western Equatorial and Lake States. A major question here is the extent of success that these IGOs have registered in solving the existing conflict in Sudan. Notably, IGOs bargain and execute agreements that serve both the interests of individual states and the community as a whole. Through collective participatio n, IGOs usually strive to establish norms of behavior amongst the states while at the same time maintaining their sovereignty. By setting agendas both internationally and nationally, IGOs force state governments to decide on critical issues. Over the last few years, there has been an international outcry for international intervention to â€Å"Safe Darfur†. Given the nature of events and conflict in Sudan, and the creation of a new sovereign state that saw the division of the country into two, what role has IGOs played in the lose of

The differences between Christianity and Buddhism Essay Example for Free

The differences between Christianity and Buddhism Essay Basic Belief Systems Buddhism is different from Christianity in many ways. The Christian founder, Jesus Christ was the Son of The Father, God, while the founder of Buddhism, Siddhartha Gautama was a normal human being, who achieved enlightenment through meditation and later on was referred to as The Buddha(The Awakened). This brings us to the first major difference, the existence of the supernatural. While Buddhism does not completely reject the Hinduism Gods, it does not see them necessary. At the same time, Christianity has its one and only God, who comes in three faces, The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit. Christian meditations are also very different from Buddhism ones, while Christians have an open minded meditations, where the mind can wonder off freely, Buddhists have a closed ends meditations, in which there is only one goal to the meditation and your thoughts are limited to concentrate only on certain things. The perception of life differs very much in two religions. Buddhists state that Life Is Dukka, life is pain and suffering, while Christians treasure life in every way, and believe that life is the most important thing that God gave us. These are the major differences between the two religions belief systems. Main Rituals and Symbols While both religions use their own rituals and symbols, these are very different from each other. Christianity uses symbols such as the Crucifix, Icons, statues, etc, the Buddhism followers are more used to symbols like The Dharma wheel, The victory banner, The knot of eternity, The conch shell, The lotus, The vase, The fish and The umbrella, which are The Eight Auspicious Signs. Christians usually use these signs during their ceremonies and processions, while Buddhists apply the signs in their life, or during meditation and study. The Christian rituals include the celebration of Christmas, Easter, Sunday Masses and other similar rituals and ceremonies, and Buddhists have their rituals too. They include Offering of Light, Offering of Flowers and Offering of Incense. All these offerings are presented to Buddhas statues to show that people still follow his teachings. This would be strictly prohibited by any real Christian religion,  as it involves creating idols, and is prohibited by the Bibles Ten Commandments. Chanting verses on the Buddhas Teachings is believed to give protection to those who listen to them., which is different from Christian chanting which is only used in Masses and are simply used to praise The Lord, All-mighty. Sacred Texts The sacred texts of Buddhism and Christianity do not have much in common. The Christian main book, the Bible consists of passages and chapters written before and after Jesus death. It consists of two main parts, the Old Testament, and the New Testament. The Buddhists sacred text is called the Pali Canon, which consists of three groups of discourses, called the Tripitaka, which consists of Sutra saying of Buddha, Vinya discipline of the brotherhood and Abidharma a set of creeds based on essential teachings. The canon includes poetry and prose, Buddhas conversations with others and myths about the life of Buddha. While the Bible teaches us the words of God, the teachings of Christ, talks about the Afterlife and Creation, The Pali Canon simply talks about Buddhas life, what he did, his thoughts, and reminds me more of a Biography, rather then a sacred text of a religion. There are other sacred texts including stories, myths and teachings of Buddhas disciples, but those are not considered as major and important as the Pali Canon. Christianity concentrates on The Bible more then any other minor sacred texts, while Buddhism considers all the minor texts as important as each other. The Christian Religion answers all the lifes fundamental questions. If you search within Christianity, you will be able to find answers to questions like what is the meaning of life and how the world was created and why and is there life after death? Buddhism does not give these answers, it concentrates more on self-perfection of the soul and achieving awakening, only then one can understand the mysteries of the universe, but not many can achieve this, while in Christianity all and everyone is able to find answers to these questions. Christians believe that God created the world, he created hell and heaven, the two places where a human soul will spend its  afterlife. Some believe that the meaning of life is for God to decide whether a person was good or bad and where will he end up, some think its is simply to help others during our lives. While no-one knows the right answer to these fundamental questions for sure, we may speculate or try to understand the Bible more closely to fin d the answers we seek. The main difference between Buddhism and Christianity in these questions is that Buddhists believe in reincarnation, where a humans soul will be reborn in a different body after death, and this process is only stopped by reaching Nirvana, a stage of complete enlightenment. Christians however believe that after death, the human soul will travel and be judged and either sent to Heaven, closer to God, or Hell, where Satan is. It is believed that Buddha achieved Nirvana, and therefore will not be reborn again, although some believe that Dalai Lama is the reincarnation of Buddha, but their numbers are few. The teachings of Buddha help Buddhists understand their purpose in life, to achieve Nirvana, enlightenment. This is achieved through deep meditation and self control, including self-denial. Meditation performs an important role in achieving Nirvana. Buddhist monks sometimes go and spend years living by themselves and meditating for most of their time, believing that such deep devotion will help them reach enlightenment and perfection. Some strive to become Buddha themselves, this is achievable through attaining enlightenment on their own, without the help of anyone else. This is considered the highest stage of awakening, and these Buddha are then allowed to go and teach others, and become spiritual leaders. It is obvious that both religions help individuals to answer lifes fundamental questions, and one cannot say for sure, which one helps more or is more right, everyone chooses for themselves, but Christianity is closer to me, and that is the path I choose to walk upon.

Using Computer Forensics to Investigate Employee Data Theft

Using Computer Forensics to Investigate Employee Data Theft Introduction Over 25 percent of employees steal proprietary data when departing a company or organization.[1] To that end, our experience shows that departing employees have a sense of ownership over the data that they copy. Intellectual property commonly stolen includes customer lists, secret formulas, source code, strategy documents and other trade secrets. The information is often used against the organization when the former employee goes to work for a competitor or decides to start a new company.   Ã‚   When suspicions of employee data theft arise, it is important to engage a computer forensics expert to perform a theft of IP analysis in order to preserve electronic data and uncover important evidence. Using specialized software, the expert can reveal digital footprints such as: USB activity Files recently opened Cloud storage usage Files sent to personal email accounts Recently printed documents The results of the analysis can provide the foundation for legal action such as a temporary restraining order, permanent injunction, subpoena of personal devices, or other litigation to prevent the misappropriation of company data. When Employee Data Theft Is Suspected Employee data theft occurs most frequently just prior to, or immediately after, an individuals termination or resignation from an organization. Telltale signs that an investigation is warranted include unusual activity by the employee, such as: Plugging a personal USB thumb drive or hard drive into a computer Coming into work at odd hours or establishing remote desktop connections during off-hours Transferring large amounts of data on the company network Visiting file sharing sites like Dropbox or Google Drive Sending emails with attachments to personal accounts If there are concerns that a departing employee has stolen proprietary data, then it is important to take steps not to delete important electronic evidence located on his or her computer. If the computer is powered on, then leave it on, because important evidence may be stored on the computers random access memory and could be deleted if the computer is powered off. Also, ensure the computer cannot be accessed remotely by disconnecting it from the network. If the computer is already turned off, then place it in secure storage. Furthermore, confirm the employees login credentials are disabled or have been changed, but do not let the IT staff reinstall the operating system or reassign the computer to another employee. Such actions could destroy or overwrite any evidence of wrongdoing. Finally, resist the temptation to take a peek at what is stored on the computer by turning it on and accessing files because this could alter the data, thereby making the investigation more complex. If the suspected employee had a company-issued cell phone, then place it in secure storage as well. Smartphones hold an abundance of useful information such as text messages, emails, call logs, internet activity and more. The simple act of resetting the phone, however, can permanently destroy this data. IP Theft Investigations Preserving and Analyzing Electronic Evidence The first step in a theft of IP investigation is to forensically preserve the data on the employees device(s). The computer forensics expert will create chain of custody documentation, photograph the hardware, and verify the integrity of the preserved data, among other things. These steps ensure that the electronic evidence will be admissible in court. Once the data is preserved, the next step in the investigation is to perform an analysis to identify software and artifacts that may be indicative of IP theft. These areas on a typical Windows installation include: USB activity Files recently opened or deleted Cloud storage Personal email accounts Internet history report Printed documents USB Activity Analysis Many of todays USB devices, such as thumb drives and external hard drives, have enough storage capacity to save an entire copy of a users hard drive. As such, they are one of the most common tools used to steal data. The good news is that using a USB device leaves behind a trail of digital evidence that can prove invaluable to an investigation. Analyzing a users USB activity can reveal several key facts regarding what was connected to the computer and when. In most cases, forensic experts can determine the serial number and/or brand of the USB device, as well as the first and last time the device was connected to the computer. In some instances, they may also be able to verify each time a specific USB device was connected. Oftentimes, the analysis will reveal that an external USB hard drive or flash drive was connected for the first time during an employees last week of employment. While most analyses reveal a new USB connection, it is also possible that a device used throughout the duration of the suspects employment was never returned. A device such as this would likely contain numerous documents and files that were related to the employees day-to-day activities and could contain value to a competitor. If it is a requirement that employees return company-owned USB drives at the end of their employment, forensic experts have the ability to verify whether or not that policy was upheld. Files Recently Opened While confirming that a USB device was connected to a computer is significant, it is even more important to know what files were accessed and potentially transferred to the device. The Microsoft Windows operating system creates various artifacts when a user opens a file or folder. These artifacts indicate what was opened, when it was opened and where it was opened from. A classic red flag is if the employee was opening files during the last week of employment that were not related to the work being performing during that time. Another consideration is the organizations data access policy. If data access restrictions are not in place, then the employee may be able to access company files unrelated to current work that are stored on the network. The existence of these artifacts when combined with a USB activity timeline can indicate a high probability that data was copied off the system. Lastly, the artifacts can also contain specific information about where the file existed. If a file was opened from a USB drive, the artifact will indicate this, providing factual evidence that the suspect is in possession of a USB drive that contains specific files. For example, combining a USB analysis and files recently opened analysis could show that on October 7, 2016, at 7:22:08 a.m., a non-company-issued SanDisk thumb drive with serial number 851450 was plugged into the computer for the first time and a file titled Client Contact List.xlsx was opened. Cloud Storage If the analysis shows that certain files were accessed but no USB activity was detected, the next step in the investigation is to identify evidence that a cloud storage provider such as Dropbox, Google Drive or Microsoft OneDrive was accessed. The purpose of these applications is to share and sync data across multiple computers. For example, Dropbox may have been surreptitiously installed on the employees work computer as well as his or her home computer. Consequently, the simple act of syncing a company file to Dropbox will instantaneously also make that file available on the employees home computer. The good news is that cloud storage applications often have corresponding log files and databases that record what files the user accesses and what activities are performed. These logs can signify files have been uploaded to the cloud in the past even if they have already been deleted from the shared folder. Some of these applications even save deleted data in a separate hidden folder on the computer itself that users typically are not aware of. As a result, a theft of IP analysis may show that Dropbox was installed on the users work computer and that early in the morning on October 7, 2016, fifty files were deleted and the hidden folder reveals these were company files. Personal Email Accounts Some individuals may use their company email to send attachments to their personal email account such as Yahoo or Gmail. In these cases, forensic experts are able to perform a preservation of the employees work email to identify and document the evidence of misconduct. Internet History Report An Internet history report can be generated that shows, inter alia, recent Internet searches, web sites and pages visited, cookies from websites, and Internet downloads that occurred. Such information is helpful in establishing what an individual thought was important or even their state of mind. For example, analysts have discovered that individuals have searched on how to delete data or copy data surreptitiously and that they reviewed websites that were in essence how to manuals to perform certain deleterious acts. Paper Documents Finally, individuals who are a little less aware of more modern techniques to copy data will simply print the documents they wish to take out the door. In these cases, forensic experts are able determine the last known print date of Microsoft Office documents. Deliverables and Project Timeframe The turnaround time for a theft of IP analysis performed by an analyst is typically one week. Deliverables provided will be easy to understand in the form of spreadsheets, html reports, and written reports containing the findings of the analysis. A forensic expert should also spend time with the client either over the phone or in person to discuss the reports in detail so that they know exactly what a report contains and the assumptions and opinions of the forensic expert. If necessary, an expert will also provide depositions or expert witness testimony regarding the authenticity of the evidence and their findings. Authors Timothy M. Opsitnick, President, JURINNOV, LLC, Joseph M. Anguilano, Director of Operations, and Trevor B. Tucker, Forensic Analyst. JURINNOV, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Technology Concepts Design, Inc. (TCDI), is a technology company that provides cybersecurity and eDiscovery services. Cybersecurity consulting includes investigating accidental or malicious data breaches as well as providing security strategies and assessments to prevent such occurrences. eDiscovery consulting includes computer forensic investigations and ASP ESI hosting. JurInnov news and information is available at www.jurinnov.com. For over 25 years, TCDI has been providing technology solutions through partnerships with large corporations and law firms. These solutions include advanced litigation support software and services for electronic discovery, hosted review and production, and large-scale litigation case file management. TCDI news and information is available at www.tcdi.com. [1] Biscom, Employee Departure Creates Gaping Security Hole Says New Data, December 23, 2015; https://www.biscom.com/employee-departure-creates-gaping-security-hole-says-new-data/.

Bedside Index for Severity in Acute Pancreatitis (BISAP)

Bedside Index for Severity in Acute Pancreatitis (BISAP) Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance of Bedside Index for Severity in Acute Pancreatitis (BISAP) score for predicting severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) in the early phase. Method The PubMed, Cochrane library and EMBASE databases were searched until May 2014. The strict selection criteria and exclusion criteria were determined, and we applied hierarchic summary receiver operating characteristic (HSROC) model and bivariate random effects models to assess thediagnosibility of the BISAP score for predicting SAP. We obtained pooled summary statistics for sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) and calculated the area under the HSROC curve (AUC). The 95% confidence intervals (CI) for each diagnostic test measure were also calculated. Publication bias was assessed using Deek’s funnel plot asymmetry test. Statistical analyses were performed using the STATA12.0 software. Results The pooled sensitivity, specificity, PLR, NLR, and DOR were 64.82%, 83.62%, 3.96, 0.42 and 9.41, respectively. The AUC was 0.77 and the HSROC curve for individual studies was generated and analyzed to explore the influence of threshold effects. Conclusion We confirmed that BISAP score is an accurate means to predict SAP in the early phase. Keywords: BISAP, HSROC curve, severe acute pancreatitis, acute pancreatitis Introduction Acute pancreatitis (AP) is an inflammatory condition of the pancreas with a clinical course that varies from mild to severe and characterized by activation of pancreatic enzymes to cause self-digestion of the pancreas 1. Generally, AP is mild, self-limiting, and requires no special treatment and ranges about 80-90% of patients with only minimal or transitional systemic manifestations, but about 20%-30% of patients develop a severe disease that can progress to systemic inflammation and cause pancreatic necrosis, multi-organ failure, and potentially death 1-4. So it is important to have an early, quick, and accurate risk stratification of AP patients, which would permit evidence-based early initiation of intensive care therapy for patients with severe AP (SAP) to prevent adverse outcomes and allow treatment of mild AP (MAP) on the common ward. Early identification of patients with SAP would allow the clinician to consider more aggressive interventions within a time frame that could pre vent possible complications. Currently, there are a variety of score systems developed for the early detection of SAP, such as Ranson’s score 5, acute physiology and chronic health examination (APACHE) II 6, 7 and computed tomography severity index (CTSI) 8. Also there are many inflammation markers such as C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6) and others 9, 10. Several studies show that cytokines play an important role in the cascading inflammatory responses 11 and it may act as mediators of distant organ complications in SAP. So the levels of cytokine in serum may also reflect the degree of the inflammatory response 12. In 2008, Wu et al. 13 proposed a new prognostic scoring system, the bedside index of severity in acute pancreatitis (BISAP), is a simple and accurateà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã¢â‚¬Å¾ method that can predict the clinical severity of AP within 24 h of presentation. BISAP incorporates five parameters: blood urea nitrogen > 25 mg/dL, impaired mental status, systemic inflammatory response syndrome ( SIRS), age > 60 years, and detection of pleural effusion by imaging 14. Unfortunately there has been no systematic or meta-analytic review of cross-sectional studies of this scoring system. The purpose of this study was to aggregate the reported data across the different studies and to assess the ability of the BISAP score to predict SAP. Materials and methods 2.1 Literature search The search was performed on three databases: PubMed, Cochrane library and EMBASE. These databases were searched from the first date available in each database up to May 2014, using the search terms ‘acute pancreatitis’ AND (‘BISAP’ OR ‘bedside index of severity in acute pancreatitis’). Once articles had been collected, bibliographies were then hand-searched for additional references. 2.2 Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria To be included in this meta-analysis, studies must meet the following criteria: (1) studies evaluate the BISAP score for predicting SAP; (2) the subjects were diagnosed with AP; (3) prospective study; (4) the absolute numbers of true positive (TP), false negative (FN), false positive (FP), and true negative (TN) test results were available or derivable from the article; (5) the clinical result of patients was indicated as SAP. Studies were excluded if one of the following existed: (1) the numbers of TP, FN, FP, and TN test results were not derivable from the article; (2) cross-sectional study; (3) non-original articles, such as review, meeting abstract, case report and comment; (4) duplicate of previous publications and data description is not clear. 2.3 Data extraction and quality assessment All data were extracted independently by two authors according to the inclusion criteria listed above. Disagreements were resolved by discussion or solved by consultation of a third reviewer. The following characteristics were collected from each study: the first author, year of publication, source, experiment design, sample size, the reference standard (gold standard), the numbers of TP, FN, FP, and TN and others. The QADAS (Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies) criteria were used to assess the quality of diagnostic accuracy studies included in this meta-analysis 15. Statistical analyses Hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic (HSROC) modeland bivariate random effects model were performed in STATA 12.0 (StataCorp, College Station, TX, USA) software using the program ‘metandi’ to generate pooled accuracy estimates of sensitivity, specificity, positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) and calculated the area under the HSROC curve (AUC) 16. The HSROC curve for individual studies was generated and analyzed to explore the influence of threshold effects. The 95% confidence intervals (CI) for each diagnostic test measure were also calculated. Publication bias was assessed using Deek’s funnel plot asymmetry test 17. Results 3.1 Eligible Studies The process of selecting studies for the meta-analysis was shown in Fig. 1. There were 32 studies potentially eligible studies identified. Of these, 14 studies were excluded after screening based on abstracts or titles to avoid obvious irrelevance. Finally, 9 studies 14, 18-25 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the meta-analysis. The data collected from the related studies was summarized in Table 1. Among these studies, kim et al. 20 reported the results of the meta-analysis with the cutoff values set at 2and 3, respectively. All patients were recruited within 24 h from the time of admission or transfer and used for the calculation of the BISAP scores. All included citations were prospective cohort studies. The absolute numbers of TP, FN, FP, and TN were calculated by sample size and the degree of sensitivity and specific. A summary of the quality of the studies was displayed in table 2. The included studies were not descript the tenth quality indicator (were the index test results interpreted without knowledge of the results of the reference?) and the eleventh quality indicator (were the reference standard results interpreted without knowledge of the results of the index test?) 15. At the same time, there are some studies not described in detail for eliminate and exit objects. 3.2 Meta-analysis The results of the HSROC model were show in Table 3. The pooled sensitivity of BISAP testing for the diagnosis of SAP was 64.82% (95% CI: 54.47%-73.74%), and the specificity was 83.62% (95%CI: 70.03%-91.77%). The pooled DOR was 9.41 (95%CI: 5.38-16.45), the PLR was 3.96 (95%CI: 2.27-6.89), and the NLR was 0.42 (95%CI: 0.34-0.52). The AUC of the HSROC was 0.77 (95%CI: 0.73-0.80) (Fig. 2). The I2 index of heterogeneity was 95% (95% CI, 91%-99%). 3.3 Subgroup Analyses There was a negative correlation between the logits of sensitivity and specificity (Spearman correlation coefficient, 20.09), indicating the present of an importanteffect of the diagnostic threshold (cutoff level) on the performance of BISAP score. The following cutoffs were selected for subgroups analysis (Table 4). Analysis of studies that set the BISAP cutoff point at 2, the pooled sensitivity, specificity, PLR, NLR, and DOR were 67.30% (95%CI: 60.53%-73.42%), 78.28% (95%CI: 68.86%-85.46%), 3.10 (95%CI: 2.12-4.52), 0.42 (95%CI: 0.34-0.51) and 7.42 (95%CI: 4.39-12.54), respectively. The AUC of the HSROC was 0.70(95%CI: 0.66-0.74). Analysis of studies that set the BISAP cutoff point at 3, the pooled sensitivity, specificity, PLR, NLR, and DOR were 61.18% (95%CI: 41.20%-78.00%), 88.64% (95%CI: 88%-97.18%), 5.39 (95%CI: 1.80-16.12), 0.44 (95%CI: 0.30-0.64), and (95%CI: 4.44-34.03), respectively. The AUC of the HSROC was 0.78 (95%CI: 0.75-0.82). 3.4 Publication Bias Deeks’ Funnel Plot Asymmetry Test for the overall analysis showed that no significant publication bias was found (P = 0.359, Fig. 3). Discussion Generally, Ranson, APACHE II, and CTSI scoring systems have been used to evaluate the severity of AP 22, 23. However, these techniques all have their inherent strengths and weaknesses. For example, the Ranson’s score 5 is relatively accurate at classifying the severity of AP, but the evaluation cannot be completed until 48 h, which will miss the potential for early treatment and increase mortality. The APACHE II system 6, 7 allows the determination of disease on the first day of admission and is more accurate than Ranson’s score, but complexity is its major drawback. CTSI 26, 27 is calculated based on CT findings of some local complications and cannot reflect the systemic inflammatory response. Recently, the BISAP score has been proposed as an accurate method for early identification of patients at risk for in hospital mortality 13. Several studies showed that BISAP score is a reliable and accurate means for predicting the severity of AP in the early phase 18, 22, 23. B ut these studies are not systematic, so we collect the reported data across the different studies and apply HSROC model and bivariate random effects model to assess the ability of the BISAP score to predict SAP. The pooled sensitivity, specificity, PLR, NLR, and DOR were 64.82%, 83.62%, 3.96, 0.42 and 9.41, respectively. The AUC of the HSROC was 0.77. Our meta-analysis indicated that BISAP score is a reliable and accurate means to predict SAP. This meta-analysis assessed the diagnostic performance of BISAP in 1972 individuals from 9 research studies 14, 18-25. The results show that the performance of BISAP to predict the severity of AP has a good specificity, but moderate sensitivity in predicting SAP. In addition, compared with other scoring systems in predicting SAP, BISAP has a higher specificity but a lower sensitivity 21-23, 28. The low sensitivity may be caused by these factors. First, the characteristics of study participants are differences (cultural and geographical differences), such as lifestyle, race, and genetic basis. Second, etiologic distribution may also explain the noted differences. Third, the different definitions of SAP may also be a reason for these variations. The HSROC curve presents a global summary of test performance and shows the tradeoff between sensitivity and specificity. The summary DOR and the AUC of the HSROC were 9.41 and 0.77, respectively.The predictive accuracy of BISAP scoring system was measured by AUC. An AUC of 1.0 represents a perfect test, whereas an AUC of 0.5 represents a test that performs no better than chance 29. The result revealed that the discrimination of disease severity was good in our study, which is similar to other reports. DOR is a single indicator of test accuracy that combines the sensitivity and specificity data into a single number. The DOR of a test is the ratio of the odds of positive test results in the patient with disease relative to the odds of positive test results in the patient without disease. The value of a DOR ranges from 0 to infinity, with higher values indicating better discriminatory test performance (higher accuracy).A DOR of 1.0 indicates that a test does not discriminate between pa tients with the disorder and those without it 30. In the present meta-analysis, we found that the pooled DOR was 9.41, also indicated a high level of overall accuracy. Since the HSROC curve and theDOR are not easy to interpret or use in clinical practice, and likelihood ratios are considered to be more clinically meaningful, we also presented both PLR and NLR as our measures of diagnostic accuracy. Likelihood ratios of > 10 or 31. The PLR and NLR value were 3.96 and 0.42, respectively. This result performed similar to traditional scoring systems in predicting SAP and suggested that the accuracy of still need to improve. But BISAP is relatively simple and had greater accuracy than other scoring systems, making it a promising method of predicting SAP 14, 19, 21, 28. Furthermore,it may be combined in medical decision-making at the extreme of the prediction range, such as enrollment criteria for clinical trials, and as triaging intensive care unit admission 32, 33. We also explored systematically the issue of heterogeneity by use of subgroup analysis. In our analysis, the diagnostic threshold presented an important effect on the performance of BISAP score. The results demonstrated that a BISAP score of 3 had greater accuracy and high predictive value than a score of 2 for predicting SAP. Our meta-analysis had several limitations. First, when the BISAP scoring system converts continuous variables into binary values of equal weight, it fails to capture synergistic or multiplicative effects based on the interactions of interdependent systems 21. Future research could focus on comprehensive reassessment of the pathologic mechanisms of AP with attention to the effects of preexisting risk factors (e.g. age, obesity, genetic) and well-defined end points, identification of accurate biomarkers to assess activity on these pathways, and mathematical models that have strong predictive accuracy. Second, the exclusion of conference abstracts, letters to the editor, and non-English-language studies might have led to publication bias, which was not found in the present review. However, a review of these abstracts and letters suggested that the overall results were similar to the results in the English language studies included. Third, there is a risk for publication bias in which positive results or results with ‘expected’ findings are more likely to be published. We made every possible effort to minimize this type of bias by contacting investigators in the field of BISAP. If editors were more likely to publish manuscripts showing the ‘expected’ results of a good diagnostic performance for BISAP, then our results may be overestimating the real diagnostic performance of BISAP. In conclusion, we confirmed that BISAP score is an accurate means to predict SAP in the early phase. Due to simplicity and easily obtained parameters, BISAP score should gain broad acceptance in routine use not by replacing clinical assessment, but rather by complementing and objectifying it.

Piracy in the Media Essay -- Technology Music Entertainment Papers

Piracy in the Media In today’s technological age and consumer-driven economy, it is not a surprise that media piracy is a big business. It is estimated that in one year $12.4 billion worth of business is stolen from original manufacturers by media pirating. Piracy, the illegal copying or counterfeiting of copyrighted material, is a major problem for a vast range of industries (Ang, 2001). For example, just in the recorded music industry, â€Å"music pirates account for almost $300 million in lost record sales annually in the United States† (Gray Zone, 2002), and that is just in the U.S. More is lost in foreign markets. This not only affects the media manufacturers but also the consumers of the media. They become the victims of piracy that ultimately result in the driving up of prices of legitimate products. Distributors and retailers have been affected, too. Nearly forty percent of the retail market’s business has been stolen (Gray Zone, 2002). Before we begin discussing the piracy of music, television, and motion pictures, it is important to understand what exactly piracy and counterfeiting is and the laws that prohibit them. Counterfeits, referred to as pirated media, are defined as â€Å"reproduced copies that are identical to the legitimate articles including packaging, trademarks, and labeling† (Ang, 2001). To protect the creators of original material from being pirated, laws were formed known as copyright laws. A copyright is â€Å"a protection that covers published and published literary, scientific and artistic works, whatever the form of expression, provided such works are fixed in a tangible or material form† (Copyright, 2002), and with copyright protection, the creator of the original material has the â€Å"ex... ...ilable online: http://www.cable.mediapiracy/hawkins/cablemonthly/2000/7845332.html (accessed October 24, 2002). Gray Zone (2002). The Federal Anti-Piracy and Bootleg FAQ. Available online: http://www.grayzone.com/faqindex.htm (accessed September 26, 2002). Gross, Lynne, and Schafer (1995). The International World of Electronic Media. McGraw-Hill, Inc. Internet News (2000). Artists Against Piracy Launches National Media Campaign. July 11. Available online: http://www.internetnews.com/ec-news/ (accessed October 30, 2002). Newsweek (October 21, 2002). Heard on the Street. Rodmen, George (2001). Making Sense of Media: An Introduction to Mass Communication. Needham Heights, Ma: Alyn & Bacon. What is Copyright Protection? (2002). What is Copyright Protection? Available online: http://www.whatiscopyright.org/copyright.html (accessed October 31, 2002).