Ransomware in local government: Risk factors, vulnerabilities, and exploitation during a global pandemic

This research concentrates on ransomware attacks and their effects in local government. With attacks dating back to the late 1980's, this classification of malware has shifted its focus from end-users to a more lucrative high-profile, big-game hunting style. This resurgence in recent years has proven that the size and variety of threats faced today needs solutions to efficiently identify and examine more comprehensive ransomware security strategies. In this research, the evidence dictates that it is necessary to broaden current security methods to protect local government and municipality systems as well as data from the ever-increasing number of ransomware attacks. In favor of this assertion, the beginning of the research will examine the evolution of ransomware, its damaging characteristics, and its advancements. Furthermore, the financial and economic impacts these attacks have on local governments is outlined. This will be fol-lowed by methodologies with results and findings to outline a wireless audit and a survey of government employees. Finally, defense-in-depth measures to mitigate the proliferation of ransomware outbreaks will be defined. © International Association for Computer Information Systems. All Rights Reserved.

Neutralising antibodies (NAbs) against SARS-CoV-2 in BNT162b2 vaccine recipients with a history of advanced HIV infection: cPass as a simpler alternative to gold-standard tests

Background: Established SARS-CoV-2 NAb tests are labor-intensive. We prospectively measured NAbs vs Wuhan-1 and Omicron BA.2 using the novel GenScript cPass assay and examined correlations with responses measured by gold-standard plaque reduction neutralisation test (PRNT) (Cotugno, Ruggiero et al. Cell Rep 2021) and with anti-Spike IgG quantified by Roche Elecsys. Given the paucity of data, we selected BNT162b2 vaccine recipients with a history of advanced HIV infection (prior AIDS-defining conditions and/or nadir CD4 <200 cells). Method(s): In Mar 2021-Apr 2022, 55 PWH received 2 vaccine doses median 3 weeks apart [IQR 3-3] and a 3rd dose 27 weeks later [23-31]. Plasma samples (n=147) were stored immediately before dose-1 (T0), median 4 weeks [3-5] after dose-2 (T1) and median 13 weeks [9-19] after dose-3 (T2) for batch testing. Result(s): Participants' characteristics: 74% male, 85% white, all on ART, 82% HIV-RNA <50 cps/ml;median age 55 years, ART duration 7 years, nadir CD4 83 cells [36-211], current CD4 440 cells [270-710], CD4:CD8 ratio 0.6 [0.4-1.0];73% had a history of advanced HIV infection;15% received a COVID-19 diagnosis during the study. At T0, T1 and T2, proportions with quantifiable anti-S IgG (>0.8 U/ml) were 11/49 (22%), 50/54 (93%) and 43/43 (100%), respectively;their median anti-S IgG titres were 30 [15-124], 15949 [596-3389] and 8527 [3146-17190] U/ml. Proportions showing Wuhan-1 neutralisation by cPass were 6/50 (12%), 45/53 (85%) and 40/43 (93%), with median neutralisations of 67% [47-70], 97% [91-98] and 98% [98-98] and corresponding NAb titres of 1332 [792-1436], 5354 [3529-6187] and 6242 [5765-6766] U/ml. At T2, 25/28 (89%) showed BA.2 neutralisation by cPass (median 83% [68-93];NAb titre 7836 [3172-12173] U/ml) (Fig 1A). Two participants lacking NAbs at T2 had a history of advanced HIV infection. cPass data were highly correlated with anti-S IgG titres (rho 0.82;p<0.0001) and with PRNT data for both Wuhan-1 (n=27, Fig 1B) and Omicron BA.2 (n=28, Fig 1C). Conclusion(s): cPAss offers a simple methodology for measuring SARS-CoV-2 NAbs. Despite prior advanced HIV infection, neutralising activity improved with successive vaccinations and most participants showed NAbs against both Wuhan-1 and Omicron BA.2 after 3 vaccine doses. (Figure Presented).

Complementary role of conversational agents in e-health services

In recent years, business environments are undergoing disruptive changes across sectors [1]. Globalization and technological advances, such as artificial intelligence and the internet of things, have completely redesigned business activities, bringing to light an ever-increasing interest and attention towards the customer [2], especially in healthcare sector. In this context, researchers is paying more and more attention to the introduction of new technologies capable of meeting the patients' needs [3, 4] and the Covid-19 pandemic has contributed and still contributes to accelerate this phenomenon [5]. Therefore, emerging technologies (i.e., AI-enabled solutions, service robots, conversational agents) are proving to be effective partners in improving medical care and quality of life [6]. Conversational agents, often identified in other ways as 'chatbots', are AI-enabled service robots based on the use of text [7] and capable of interpreting natural language and ensuring automation of responses by emulating human behavior [8, 9, 10]. Their introduction is linked to help institutions and doctors in the management of their patients [11, 12], at the same time maintaining the negligible incremental costs thanks to their virtual aspect [13-14]. However, while the utilization of these tools has significantly increased during the pandemic [15, 16, 17], it is unclear what benefits they bring to service delivery. In order to identify their contributions, there is a need to find out which activities can be supported by conversational agents.This paper takes a grounded approach [18] to achieve contextual understanding design and to effectively interpret the context and meanings related to conversational agents in healthcare interactions. The study context concerns six chatbots adopted in the healthcare sector through semi-structured interviews conducted in the health ecosystem. Secondary data relating to these tools under consideration are also used to complete the picture on them. Observation, interviewing and archival documents [19] could be used in qualitative research to make comparisons and obtain enriched results due to the opportunity to bridge the weaknesses of one source by compensating it with the strengths of others. Conversational agents automate customer interactions with smart meaningful interactions powered by Artificial Intelligence, making support, information provision and contextual understanding scalable. They help doctors to conduct the conversations that matter with their patients. In this context, conversational agents play a critical role in making relevant healthcare information accessible to the right stakeholders at the right time, defining an ever-present accessible solution for patients' needs. In summary, conversational agents cannot replace the role of doctors but help them to manage patients. By conveying constant presence and fast information, they help doctors to build close relationships and trust with patients. © 2022 IEEE.

Prevalence of COVID-19 among patients with rheumatic diseases: An observational survey during the two waves in Italy

Background: The new coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a source of concern for the management of patients suffering from rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) treated with immunomodulatory therapies (1). Objectives: We aimed to analyze the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with RMDs living in Italy. Methods: During the first wave (March-May 2020) and during the second wave (October-December 2020) of COVID-19, we conducted a survey to investigate the incidence of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with RMDs followed at the Rheumatology Unit of the University of Campania, Italy. The demographic data, medication use, the frequency of respiratory symptoms and the incidence of COVID-19 confirmed by nasopharyngeal swab were collected with questionnaires administered by phone. The prevalence of COVID-19 of our cohort was compared to that of the general population (2). Results: During the first wave, we collected data from 900 patients with RMDs (Table 1): 320 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 295 patients with spondyloarthropathies (SpA), 283 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), 2 patients with vasculitis. 546 (60%) were treated with bDMARD/tsDMARDs. Overall, a total of 11/900 (1%) cases were tested for COVID-19 due to compatible symptoms. 2 (0.2%) adult patients treated with bDMARDs were registered as swab test positive by PCR for COVID-19. 2 patients without confirmed COVID-19 developed pneumonia that required admission to hospital. No deaths occurred among the patients with confirmed COVID-19. During the second wave, data were collected from 470 patients who accepted to take part of the study (Table 1). 49 presented with symptoms that were compatible with COVID-19. 139 patients were tested whereas 30 patients (6%) had a swab confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Among them, 16 (53%) were treated with bDMARDs and a patient was treated with tofacitinib. we found no increase in COVID-19 prevalence in patients treated with bDMARD/tsDMARDs (p≥0.05). A patient with SLE developed pneumonia that required admission to hospital and died. Lacking distinct prevalence data between first and second waves, we found no differences in total COVID-19 prevalence between general population living in Campania (215.752/5.802.000;3.7%) and patients with RMDs (32/900;3.5%). However, we had a significant increase in COVID-19 prevalence in our cohort during the second wave compared to the first. Nevertheless, no increase in mortality or hospitalization was recorded, confirming the safety of immunomodulatory therapies in patients with RMDs. Conclusion: In this cohort of patients with RMDs in a geographical region with a high prevalence of COVID-19, the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection does not appear different from that observed in the general population.

Characterisation of SARS-CoV-2-infected children developing neutralising antibodies

Background: Further knowledge on adaptive immunity to SARS-CoV-2 (CoV-2) in children is needed in order to define possible immunization strategies and reconsider pandemic control measures. We analyzed anti-CoV-2 antibodies (Ab) and their neutralizing activity (PRNT), alongside antigen (Ag) specific cellular response, in relation to virus load in nasopharyngeal swabs. Methods: We analysed 42 CoV-2 patients at 7 days after symptoms onset. CoV-2 viral load (VL) was measured by RT-PCR and digital droplet PCR on longitudinal samples of nasopharyngeal swabs (NP). Virus infectivity (FFU) was tested by virus focus forming assay. CoV-2 antibodies were investigated by Diasorin (CoV-2 Ab) and neutralization assay (PRNT). CoV-2-specific CD4-CD40L+ T-cells and Spike specific B-cells were analysed by flow cytometry. Plasma proteomic profiling was measured by 2 Olink panels. We calculated the area under the curve (AUC) of the viral load from NP collected every 48 hours up to undetectable VL. Mann-Whitney was used to compare means in individuals with neutralizing activity (PRNT+) or not (PRNT-);linear regression was used to evaluate the associations between virus load and infectivity over time. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to analyse proteomic data. Results: Higher VL was found in seronegative patients expressed in terms of both CoV-2 Ab (p=0.003) and PRNT (p=0.0007). Similarly, lower FFU was associated with higher CoV-2 Ab (p=0.003;rho=-0.67) and PRNT (p=0.023;rho=-0.46). Further, the AUC of the viral load in NP showed an inverse correlation with CoV-2 Ab (p=0.031;rho=-0.54). Development of humoral response was associated with the presence of CoV-2 specific IgD-CD27+ B cells, with a higher frequency of CoV-2 specific B cells found in seropositive compared to seronegative (p=0.001). Besides, individuals developing neutralizing Ab had higher frequency CD4-CD40L+ T-cells compared to PRNT- (p=0.03). The plasma proteome confirmed the association between cellular and humoral CoV-2 immunity, with PRNT+ showing higher viral signal transduction molecules (SLAMF1, CD244, CLEC4G). Conclusion: This work provides a virological and immunological characterization of SARS-CoV-2 infected children presenting a differential Abmediated neutralizing activity. It demonstrates that children with neutralizing antibodies present reduced viral load, faster virus clearance and lower in vitro infectivity. These data provide information that can drive vaccination endpoints and quarantine measures policies.

Asymptomatic sars-cov-2 children have lower infectivity and intact memory responses

Background: SARS-CoV-2 (CoV-2) infected children often range from being paucysymptomatic to fully asymptomatic. The impact of this population on the epidemics due to their ability to transmit the virus and achieve protective immunity has been poorly defined. We explored CoV-2 infectivity potential and anti-CoV-2 cellular (CD8, NK and B) and humoral response in symptomatic (SY) and asymptomatic (AS) CoV-2 infected children, screened for a family member resulted infected. Methods: CoV-2 viral load was measured by RT-PCR and digital droplet PCR (ddPCR) on longitudinal samples of nasopharyngeal swabs in 9 AS and 33 SY (samples were paired according to symptoms'onset for SY and first family contact for AS). Virus infectivity was tested by Virus focus forming assay (FFA). CoV-2 antibodies were investigated by Diasorin (CoV-2 Ab) and Ab-mediated neutralization activity (PRNT) at diagnosis, (samples collected >5 days from symptoms onset in SY, or from first family contact in AS were excluded from this timepoint), and in the convalescent phase (CP) (10-14 days after infection). Cellular response was analyzed by flow cytometry: 1) Ag-specific B cells, by a S1+S2 CoV2-R-PE probe;2) Ag-specific CD8+T cells by ICAM+;3) natural-killer (NK) phenotype. Mann-Whitney was used for comparison;linear regression was used to evaluate the associations between virus load and infectivity. Results: AS showed lower viral load (p=0.004) and faster virus clearance (p=0.0002) compared to SY. Virus infectivity was associated with ddPCR (rho=0.66;p=0.002). ASY and SY showed similar levels of CoV-2 Ab and PRNT, at both diagnosis and at follow up. During the CP, the proportion of CoV-2 Ab negative was 33,3% for both groups and PRNT was negative in 16,6% and 15,7% of AS and SY respectively. Anti-CoV-2 cellular immunity was comparable between ASY and SY. Indeed Ag-specific B cells and CD8 T cells were detectable despite symptomatology and no major differences were found between the groups. Total NK frequency was similar between the groups, while a regulatory NK subset (CD56bright NK cells) was higher in AS compared to SY (p=0.01). Conclusion: These data show that AS have a lower infectivity potential compared to SY suggesting that mitigated restrictive measures or alternative screening may be considered for this population. In addition, these patients showed an intact ability to produce humoral and cellular CoV-2 specific responses hence contributing to achieve herd immunity as much as SY.