Scenario driven optimal sequencing under deep uncertainty

Abstract not availableEva H.Y. Beh, Holger R. Maier, Graeme C. Dand

Policy measures and cyber insurance: a framework

The role of the insurance industry in driving improvements in cyber security has been identified as mutually beneficial for both insurers and policy-makers. To date, there has been no consideration of the roles governments and the insurance industry should pursue in support of this public–private partnership. This paper rectifies this omission and presents a framework to help underpin such a partnership, giving particular consideration to possible government interventions that might affect the cyber insurance market. We have undertaken a qualitative analysis of reports published by policy-making institutions and organisations working in the cyber insurance domain; we have also conducted interviews with cyber insurance professionals. Together, these constitute a stakeholder analysis upon which we build our framework. In addition, we present a research roadmap to demonstrate how the ideas described might be taken forward

Adaptive, multiobjective optimal sequencing approach for urban water supply augmentation under deep uncertainty

Optimal long-term sequencing and scheduling play an important role in many water resources problems. The optimal sequencing of urban water supply augmentation options is one example of this. In this paper, an adaptive, multiobjective optimal sequencing approach for urban water supply augmentation under deep uncertainty is introduced. As part of the approach, optimal long-term sequence plans are updated at regular intervals and trade-offs between the robustness and flexibility of the solutions that have to be fixed at the current time and objectives over the entire planning horizon are considered when selecting the most appropriate course of action. The approach is demonstrated for the sequencing of urban water supply augmentation options for the southern Adelaide water supply system for two assumed future realities. The results demonstrate the utility of the proposed approach, as it is able to identify optimal sequences that perform better than those obtained using static approaches.Eva H.Y. Beh, Holger R. Maier, and Graeme C. Dand

Time Course and Cellular Localization of SARS-CoV Nucleoprotein and RNA in Lungs from Fatal Cases of SARS

BACKGROUND: Cellular localization of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV) in the lungs of patients with SARS is important in confirming the etiological association of the virus with disease as well as in understanding the pathogenesis of the disease. To our knowledge, there have been no comprehensive studies investigating viral infection at the cellular level in humans. METHODS AND FINDINGS: We collected the largest series of fatal cases of SARS with autopsy material to date by merging the pathological material from two regions involved in the 2003 worldwide SARS outbreak in Hong Kong, China, and Toronto, Canada. We developed a monoclonal antibody against the SARS-CoV nucleoprotein and used it together with in situ hybridization (ISH) to analyze the autopsy lung tissues of 32 patients with SARS from Hong Kong and Toronto. We compared the results of these assays with the pulmonary pathologies and the clinical course of illness for each patient. SARS-CoV nucleoprotein and RNA were detected by immunohistochemistry and ISH, respectively, primarily in alveolar pneumocytes and, less frequently, in macrophages. Such localization was detected in four of the seven patients who died within two weeks of illness onset, and in none of the 25 patients who died later than two weeks after symptom onset. CONCLUSIONS: The pulmonary alveolar epithelium is the chief target of SARS-CoV, with macrophages infected subsequently. Viral replication appears to be limited to the first two weeks after symptom onset, with little evidence of continued widespread replication after this period. If antiviral therapy is considered for future treatment, it should be focused on this two-week period of acute clinical disease

Valuable components of bambangan fruit (Mangifera pajang) and its coproducts: a review

Fruits are important food commodities that can be consumed either raw or processed and are valued for their taste, nutrients, and healthy compounds. Mangifera pajang Kosterm (bambangan) is an underutilized fruit found in Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak), Brunei, and Indonesia (Kalimantan). It is highly fibrous and juicy with an aromatic flavour and strong smell. In recent years, bambangan fruit has been gaining more attention due to its high fibre, carotenoid content, antioxidant properties, phytochemicals, and medicinal usages. Therefore, the production, trade, and consumption of bambangan fruit could be increased significantly, both domestically and internationally, because of its nutritional value. The identification and quantification of bioactive compounds in bambangan fruit has led to considerable interest among scientists. Bambangan fruit and its waste, especially its seeds and peels, are considered cheap sources of valuable food and are considered nutraceutical ingredients that could be used to prevent various diseases. The use of bambangan fruit waste co-products for the production of bioactive components is an important step towards sustainable development. This is an updated report on the nutritional composition and health-promoting phytochemicals of bambangan fruit and its co-products that explores their potential utilization. This review reveals that bambangan fruit and its co-products could be used as ingredients of dietary fibre powder or could be incorporated into food products (biscuits and macaroni) to enhance their nutraceutical properties

Replication and Meta-analysis of the Association between BDNF Val66Met Polymorphism and Cognitive Impairment in Patients Receiving Chemotherapy.

Cancer-related cognitive impairment (CRCI) adversely affects cancer patients. We had previously demonstrated that the BDNF Val66Met genetic polymorphism is associated with lower odds of subjective CRCI in the multitasking and verbal ability domains among breast cancer patients receiving chemotherapy. To further assess our previous findings, we evaluated the association of BDNF Val66Met polymorphism with subjective and objective CRCI in a temporally separate cohort of patients and pooled findings from both the original (n = 145) and current (n = 193) cohorts in a meta-analysis. Subjective CRCI was assessed using FACT-Cog. Objective CRCI was evaluated using computerized neuropsychological tests. Genotyping was carried out using Sanger sequencing. The association of BDNF Val66Met genotypes and CRCI was examined with logistic regression. A fixed-effect meta-analysis was conducted using the inverse variance method. In the meta-analysis (n = 338), significantly lower odds of CRCI were associated with Met allele carriers based on the global FACT-Cog score (OR = 0.52, 95% CI 0.29-0.94). Furthermore, Met allele carriers were at lower odds of developing impairment in the domains of memory (OR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.17-0.70), multitasking (OR = 0.33, 95% CI: 0.18-0.59), and verbal ability (OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.24-0.88). Consistent with the previous study, lower odds of subjective CRCI among patients with the BDNF Met allele was observed after adjusting for potential confounders in the multitasking (OR = 0.30, 95% CI: 0.14-0.67) domain. In conclusion, carriers of the BDNF Met allele were protected against global subjective CRCI, particularly in the domains of memory, multitasking, and verbal ability. Our findings further contribute to the understanding of CRCI pathophysiology

Reconstruction of Cortical and Cancellous Bone in Tibia with Osteogenesis Imperfecta

Osteogenesis Imperfecta (OI) is the bone fragility disorder that leads to long bone bowing. Finite Element Analysis (FEA) has become the tool of choice to assess behaviour structural within bones. Currently, the FEA performed on the tibia is based on the bone constructed without considering different components of the bone, where the bone was created as a single material. In an attempt to further investigate the bone with OI, the present study was conducted to investigate the mechanical stress distribution using finite element model of the OI affected tibia. The model was reconstructed from the CT images composed of cortical and cancellous bones obtained from Osirix database. The segmentation of the cortical and cancellous of the tibia was performed on 346 images using two different methods which are global thresholding and the selection of the binary object. The segmented images were used to develop a three-dimensional model of the tibia using VOXELCON software. The boundary conditions were set to the meshed model in preparation for the finite element analysis using the same software. Displacements ranging from 5 mm to 35 mm were assigned to a point in between the proximal and distal of the tibia model. In the coronal plane, the highest stress levels were recorded on the medial side of the cortical bone, whereas in the sagittal plane, the highest stress levels were recorded on the anterior side of the cortical bone when the model was subjected to 35 mm displacement. The cancellous bone, however, showed lower stress levels on both planes when subjected to similar displacement. With each increment of displacement, the model experienced more stress and caused the higher percentage volume of individual cortical and cancellous that exceed critical stress of 115 MPa. There were no significant differences in the percentage volume of voxels affected between the cortical and cancellous bones for both coronal and sagittal planes with the pvalue of 0.29 and 0.32 respectively (p > 0.05). There was no significant difference obtained for the percentage volume of voxels affected between the coronal and sagittal planes with the p-value is 0.13 (p > 0.05)

The Land-Potential Knowledge System (LandPKS): mobile apps and collaboration for optimizing climate change investments

Massive investments in climate change mitigation and adaptation are projected during coming decades. Many of these investments will seek to modify how land is managed. The return on both types of investments can be increased through an understanding of land potential: the potential of the land to support primary production and ecosystem services, and its resilience. A Land-Potential Knowledge System (LandPKS) is being developed and implemented to provide individual users with point-based estimates of land potential based on the integration of simple, geo-tagged user inputs with cloud-based information and knowledge. This system will rely on mobile phones for knowledge and information exchange, and use cloud computing to integrate, interpret, and access relevant knowledge and information, including local knowledge about land with similar potential. The system will initially provide management options based on long-term land potential, which depends on climate, topography, and relatively static soil properties, such as soil texture, depth, and mineralogy. Future modules will provide more specific management information based on the status of relatively dynamic soil properties such as organic matter and nutrient content, and of weather. The paper includes a discussion of how this system can be used to help distinguish between meteorological and edaphic drought