Research Paper

MPDX:
An HTML Encryptor Decryptor
I- Introduction
Millions of ordinary citizens are using the electronic mail (e-mail) to conduct
business or send confidential letters. E-mail, as its many users know, has been around
for over two decades. The first e-mail system simply consisted of file transfer protocols,
with the convention that the first line of each message contains the recipient’s address.
As time went by, the limitations of this approach became more obvious.
The present e-mail systems support to protocols for transferring messages from
sender to recipient and vice versa. Within the internet, e-mail is delivered by having the
source machine establish a TCP (Transmission Control Protocol) connection to
destination machine. Listening to this port is e-mail daemon, a system program that’s
speaks SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol). This daemon accepts in coming
connections and copies messages from them into the appropriate mailboxes.
One of the most important automated tools for computer security is encryption.
Encryption is a process that conceals meaning by changing intelligible messages into
unintelligible messages. Encryption can be by means of either a code or a cipher (secret
message). A code system uses a predefined table or dictionary to substitute a
meaningless word or phrase for each message or part of the message. A cipher uses a
computable algorithm that can translate any stream or message bits into an
unintelligible cryptogram. Because cipher techniques lend themselves more readily to
automation, these are use in contemporary computer and network facilities.
The internet is a vast collection of interconnected networks. If one wants to send
e-mail to someone in the United States, the e-mail will not go directly to the e-mail
server but passes through several routes, gateways, or server along the way. Hackers or
even business rivals who are determined to read the message could setup wiretaps,
port listeners, or insert Trojan programs into servers. Hackers can also configure routers
and gateways to filter packets coming from other systems or filter for specific keywords.
Nevertheless, many people would like to send e-mail that can be read by the intended
recipient and no one else. This encouraged some people to develop a secure e-mail
system.

II- Review of Related

Cipher Lock, a program developed in 1996 by Frederick Vincent Tan, a student of
AMA Computer Collage in Makati City, is encryption software written using Turbo Pascal
that can encrypt both data and executable file. The software (a terminate stay- resident
module) monitors all the file operations being made, and it is the one responsible or the
encryption decryption of the users files. The TCR module also prevents attaches to view
the encrypted file using a debugger. In 1999, another AMA student, Jose Rhoniel P.
Espiritu, developed Alter mail. Alter mail is an E-mail client program that can perform
some of the most basic functions of commercially available e-mail client programs. It’s
written using Visual Basic 5.0.
Today, graphical users interface (GUI) is used instead of text-based interface. GUI
helps computer users to tasks easier.
III- Findings
The project was conducted using data gathering tools such as research
interviews, and survey method. The study is mainly done through interviews and use of
questionnaires. Two kind questionnaire were given to 100 respondents to determine
the efficiency of the software product and how effective is the study based on the
survey conducted.
Out of 100 respondents, 59 percent were 21 years old and below, 28 percent
belonged to the age 22-to-23 years-old bracket, and the remaining 13 percent were 31
years old and above. The respondents were 55 percent male and 45 percent female.
Respondents were survey regarding key issues on e-mail security: lack of privacy
over the Internet and lack of local e-mail encrypting utilities. Results were summarized
in Table 1.
Table 1. Respondents’ Assessment of Key Issues Pertaining to E-mail Security

Issues SA A UD D SD WM Interpretation

Lack of privacy over the internet 56 41 2 1 0 4.52 Strong Agree

Lack of local e-mail encrypting 61 31 6 2 0 4.51 Strong Agree

utilities

Mean ---- ---- ---- ---- ---- 4.52 Strongly Agree

----

Majority of the respondents (56) answered Strongly Agree on the issue of the
lack of privacy over the Net, as well as the lack of local e-mail encrypting utilities (61).
The software was evaluated by the respondents based on the criteria set (user-
friendliness, efficiency, and security). Results were summarized in Table 2.

Software Criteria SA A UD D SD Tota Weight Interpretation

l Mean
User Friendliness 70 22 8 0 0 100 4.62 Strong Agree
Efficiency 67 26 7 0 0 100 4.52 Strong Agree
Security 62 32 6 0 0 100 4.51 Strong Agree
Average Mean 4.59 Strongly Agree

The respondents answered favorably to the software based on the set criteria. Seventy
percent of the respondents strongly agreed that the software was user friendly; 67
percent that strongly agreed that the software was efficient; 62 percent strongly agreed
that the software was secure.
It can be seen that user-friendliness has the highest agreeable mean than the
other set criteria used in the survey. Collectively, the evaluation has an average mean of
4.59, which is equivalent to SA in the Lickert’s Scale.

IV- Conclusion
Based on the result and findings of the study, the following conclusions were
drawn.
1. The software will be an aid on privacy and security on e-mail over the
Internet.
2. The software evaluation of the respondents in terms of user-friendliness,
efficiency, and accuracy is highly acceptable to the user.
V- Recommendation
The following are recommended for future enhancement:
1. Virus detection capabilities can be included in the software package.
2. Let the software be converted into a terminate-stay-resident (TSR) module
that will remain in the system tray of the Windows task bar.
3. Multiple-file selection for encryption and/or decryption can also be provided.

VI- Bibliography
Alter mail, Jose Rhoniel P. Espiritu, AMACC
Makati, 1999, unpublished
Cipher Lock, Frederick Vincent Tan, AMACC
Makati, 1996, unpublished
Davis, Alan M. 1995. 201 Principle of
software Development. New York, USA:
McGraw- hill, Inc.
Jamsa, Kris and Klander Lars. 1997. 1001
Visual Basics TIPS. Nevada, USA: Pren-
Tice-Hall, PTR, Inc.
Lapin, Lawrence L. 1990. Statistics for Modern Business Decisions, 5th ed.
Florida, USA: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich,
Publishers.
Oliva, Erwin Lemuel.Computer firm say
Security is a necessary investment, Press
Release, INQ7.net, March 20, 2002.
 Research Paper

Mushroom Olympic
An Aesthetic and Economic Way of Growing
Mushroom in Your Garden
I- Introduction
Mushrooms are group of fungi that produce fruiting bodies visible to the naked
eye. They are considered as microorganisms; since most of the stages in their life cycle
are microscopic (that is the spore germination and hyphal formation). Most mushrooms
grow in the wild as saprophytes on decomposing leaf litters and fallen logs. Some are
mycorrhizal (in symbiotic relationship with roots of living trees).
In nature, mushrooms grow simultaneously within the same habitats but
different ecological niches. Some of this wild mushrooms have already been
domesticated. These include Agaricus bisporus, Lentinus edodes, Plerotus sajor-caju,
Auricularia polytriha, Volvariella volvacea, Ganoderma lucidum, and Collybia reinakeana
among others.

II- Review of Related

Long before the technology of mushroom production was introduced in the
Philippines, the Filipinos have been cultivating and eating mushrooms. They simply
prepared plots or beds of rice straw substrate without any spawn inoculation, believing
that inoculation would occur when lighting and thunder begins.
In 1980s, several government and non-government organizations in Nueva Ecija,
together with the Center for Tropical Mushroom Research and development (CTMRD) of
Central Luzon State University and the Department of Science and technology (DOST),
launched the mushroom production as a livelihood project in the province.

Mushroom Production
Technologies
Volvariella Volvacea
Volvariella, otherwise known as straw mushroom, is the most popular species in
the Philippines. The mushroom production technology for Volvariella in Nueva Ecija
includes the traditional (bed types) and indoor methods. This method has three salient
features: composing, pasteurization, and cultivation inside a mushroom house using
piles of wood and open water. Composting prepares the rice straw to be easily
colonized by the mycelia of Volvariella. Pasteurization eliminates the undesirable
microorganisms, which may compete with Volvariella during the production proper.
Cultivation of mushrooms inside the growing house controls the sudden fluctuation of
temperature and relative humidity, which may be hazardous to mycelial growth and
fruiting body production.

Pleurotus spp.
There are about three species of Pleurotus grown in the country: P. Ostreatus, P.
sajor-caju, and P. flabellatus. Pleurotus can be grown on a wide range of substrates rice
straw, rice bran, corn stalk and leaf, sugar cane leaf and bagasse, cogon, water lily, and
sawdust. Tobacco midrib can also be used as a substrate and was found to be in good
combination with sawdust. P. sajor-caju, popularly known as kabuting pamaypay, is the
only species of Pleurotus known to be adopted and commercially cultivated in Nueva
Ecija.
III- Findings
P. sajor-caju and V. volvacea were grown in the chamber. Both mushrooms
produced relatively bigger fruiting bodies in composted rice straw, sawdust, and rice
bran. P. sajor-caju was grown using the conventional method of cultivation (bag-type),
while V. volvacea was grown in a miniature cave-type technology. The environmental
parameters were favorable for the efficient production of fruiting bodies. The desirable
relative humidity (80 percent to 85 percent) and favorable temperature (28°C to 30°C)
were attained resulting in higher biological efficiency for both mushrooms with
relatively shorter incubation period.
The mushroom characteristics are summarized in table 1.

Mushroom Diameter of Pileus Length of Stipes Weight

(Inches) (Inches) (Grams)

P. sajor-caju 1 2 1 2 1 2

2.94 2.30 1.76 1.47 16.17 16.17

Statistical analysis (T-test) shows that the diameter of pileus (umbrella-like

fruiting structure), length or stipes, and weight of individual basidiocarps from each
flush (containment) were not significantly different. The insignificant difference
between the first and second flushes shows that it is feasible to grow Pleurotus sajor-
caju in the MOC, because the desired environmental parameters were attained.

IV- Conclusion
Based from the results of the study, the design is technically feasible, and
aesthetically acceptable.
Tropical mushrooms like Pleurotus sajor-caju and Volvariella Volvacea could be
grown in the designed mushroom Olympic chamber

V- Recommendation
Since only two kinds of tropical mushroom are tested in the mushroom Olympic
chamber, it is recommended that other tropical mushrooms be tested like Agaricus
bisporus, Auricularia polytricha, and Collybia reinakeana among other. In addition, semi
temperate mushrooms can be tested to determine the performance in lowlands as
compared to highlands.

VI- Bibliography
Bisht, N.S. and N. S. K. Harch 1984.
Utilization of Waste Tea Leaves:
Preparation of Spawn of Agricultural
Bisporus and Volvariella volvacea. Pp.
231-233.
Buot, I.E. 1994. Profile of the technology
of Mushrooms Production in the
Philippines, University of the Philippines,
Cebu.
Reyes, R.G. 2000. “Indoor Cultivation of
the Paddy Straw Mushroom, Volvariella
Colvacea in Crates,” Mycology Digest.
14: (4) 174-176.

Project
In
English
Submitted by:
Nove Lee A. Gadnanan

Submitted to:
Nanette Pedregosa