Awareness of secure coding guidelines in the industry - A first data analysis

Software needs to be secure, in particular when deployed to critical infrastructures. Secure coding guidelines capture practices in industrial software engineering to ensure the security of code. This study aims at assessing the level of awareness of secure coding in industrial software engineering, the skills of software developers to spot weaknesses in software code, and avoid them, as well as the organizational support to adhere to coding guidelines. The approach draws not only on well-established theories of policy compliance, neutralization theory, and security-related stress but also on the authors’ many years of experience in industrial software engineering and on lessons identified from training secure coding in the industry. The paper presents the design of the questionnaire for the online survey and the first analysis of data from the pilot study.info:eu-repo/semantics/acceptedVersio

Interaction strength between different grazers and macroalgae mediated by ocean acidification over warming gradients

Since the past century, rising CO2 levels have led to global changes (ocean warming and acidification) with subsequent effects on marine ecosystems and organisms. Macroalgae-herbivore interactions have a main role in the regulation of marine community structure (top-down control). Gradients of warming prompt complex non-linear effects on organism metabolism, cascading into altered trophic interactions and community dynamics. However, not much is known on how will acidification and grazer assemblage composition shape these effects. Within this context, we aimed to assess the combined effects of warming gradients and acidification on macroalgae-herbivore interactions, using three cosmopolitan species, abundant in the Iberian Peninsula and closely associated in nature: the amphipod Melita palmata, the gastropod Gibbula umbilicalis, and the green macroalga Ulva rigida. Under two CO2 treatments (triangle CO2 similar or equal to 450 mu atm) across a temperature gradient (13.5, 16.6, 19.9 and 22.1 degrees C), two mesocosm experiments were performed to assess grazer consumption rates and macroalgae-herbivore interaction, respectively. Warming (Experiment I and II) and acidification (Experiment II) prompted negative effects in grazer's survival and species-specific differences in consumption rates. M. palmata was shown to be the stronger grazer per biomass (but not per capita), and also the most affected by climate stressors. Macroalgae-herbivore interaction strength was markedly shaped by the temperature gradient, while simultaneous acidification lowered thermal optimal threshold. In the near future, warming and acidification are likely to strengthen top-down control, but further increases in disturbances may lead to bottom-up regulated communities. Finally, our results suggest that grazer assemblage composition may modulate future macroalgae-herbivore interactions. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Peer reviewe

Brightness variations in totally-eclipsing binary GSC4589-2999

We present multi-colour CCD photometry of GSC4589-2999 obtained in 2008 and 2009. The observations indicate that the system is an active Algol binary. Based on the new data, the mean brightness of the system is decreasing through the years 2007-2009. The light curves obtained in 2008-2009 are modelled using the Wilson-Devinney code. We also discussed the light and colour variations of the system at different orbital phases. Evidence suggests that these brightness and colour variations are due to the rotation of unevenly distributed starspots on two components of the system.Comment: 17 pages, 3 figures, 3 table

Estrogen-like activity of seafood related to environmental chemical contaminants

BACKGROUND: A wide variety of environmental pollutants occur in surface waters, including estuarine and marine waters. Many of these contaminants are recognised as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) which can adversely affect the male and female reproductive system by binding the estrogen receptor and exhibiting hormone-like activities. In this study the estrogenic activity of extracts of edible marine organisms for human consumption from the Mediterranean Sea was assayed. METHODS: Marine organisms were collected in two different areas of the Mediterranean Sea. The estrogenic activity of tissues was assessed using an in vitro yeast reporter gene assay (S. cerevisiae RMY 326 ER-ERE). Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) (congeners 28, 52, 101, 118, 138, 153, 180) in fish tissue was also evaluated. RESULTS: Thirty-eight percent of extracts showed a hormone-like activity higher than 10% of the activity elicited by 10 nM 17b-estradiol (E2) used as control. Total PCB concentrations ranged from 0.002 up to 1.785 ng/g wet weight. Chemical analyses detected different levels of contamination among the species collected in the two areas, with the ones collected in the Adriatic Sea showing concentrations significantly higher than those collected in the Tyrrhenian Sea (p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The more frequent combination of chemicals in the samples that showed higher estrogenic activity was PCB 28, PCB 101, PCB 153, PCB 180. The content of PCBs and estrogenic activity did not reveal any significant correlation

Medicinal herb use among asthmatic patients attending a specialty care facility in Trinidad

BACKGROUND: There is an increasing prevalence of asthma in the Caribbean and patients remain non-compliant to therapy despite the development of guidelines for management and prevention. Some patients may self-medicate with medicinal herbs for symptomatic relief, as there is a long tradition of use for a variety of ailments. The study assessed the prevalence of use and the factors affecting the decision to use herbs in asthmatic patients attending a public specialty care clinic in Trinidad. METHODS: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted at the Chest Clinic in Trinidad using a de novo, pilot-tested, researcher-administered questionnaire between June and July 2003. RESULTS: Fifty-eight out of 191 patients (30.4%) reported using herbal remedies for symptomatic relief. Gender, age, ethnicity, and asthma severity did not influence the decision to use herbs; however, 62.5% of patients with tertiary level schooling used herbs, p = 0.025. Thirty-four of these 58 patients (58.6%) obtained herbs from their backyards or the supermarket; only 14 patients (24.1%) obtained herbs from an herbalist, herbal shop or pharmacy. Relatives and friends were the sole source of information for most patients (70.7%), and only 10.3% consulted an herbalist. Ginger, garlic, aloes, shandileer, wild onion, pepper and black sage were the most commonly used herbs. CONCLUSIONS: Among patients attending the Chest Clinic in Trinidad the use of herbal remedies in asthma is relatively common on the advice of relatives and friends. It is therefore becoming imperative for healthcare providers to become more knowledgeable on this modality and to keep abreast with the latest developments

The 2013 face recognition evaluation in mobile environment

Automatic face recognition in unconstrained environments is a challenging task. To test current trends in face recognition algorithms, we organized an evaluation on face recognition in mobile environment. This paper presents the results of 8 different participants using two verification metrics. Most submitted algorithms rely on one or more of three types of features: local binary patterns, Gabor wavelet responses including Gabor phases, and color information. The best results are obtained from UNILJ-ALP, which fused several image representations and feature types, and UC-HU, which learns optimal features with a convolutional neural network. Additionally, we assess the usability of the algorithms in mobile devices with limited resources. © 2013 IEEE

The impact of decision tools during oncological consultation with lung cancer patients: A systematic review within the I3LUNG project

IntroductionTo date, lung cancer is one of the most lethal diagnoses worldwide. A variety of lung cancer treatments and modalities are available, which are generally presented during the patient and doctor consultation. The implementation of decision tools to facilitate patient's decision-making and the management of their healthcare process during medical consultation is fundamental. Studies have demonstrated that decision tools are helpful to promote health management and decision-making of lung cancer patients during consultations. The main aim of the present work within the I3LUNG project is to systematically review the implementation of decision tools to facilitate medical consultation about oncological treatments for lung cancer patients.MethodsIn the present study, we conducted a systematic review following the PRISMA guidelines. We used an electronic computer-based search involving three databases, as follows: Embase, PubMed, and Scopus. 10 articles met the inclusion criteria and were included. They explicitly refer to decision tools in the oncological context, with lung cancer patients.ResultsThe discussion highlights the most encouraging results about the positive role of decision aids during medical consultations about oncological treatments, especially regarding anxiety, decision-making, and patient knowledge. However, no one main decision aid tool emerged as essential. Opting for a more recent timeframe to select eligible articles might shed light on the current array of decision aid tools available.ConclusionFuture review efforts could utilize alternative search strategies to explore other lung cancer-specific outcomes during medical consultations for treatment decisions and the implementation of decision aid tools. Engaging with experts in the fields of oncology, patient decision-making, or health communication could provide valuable insights and recommendations for relevant literature or research directions that may not be readily accessible through traditional search methods. The development of guidelines for future research were provided with the aim to promote decision aids focused on patients' needs

A genome-wide scan for common alleles affecting risk for autism

Although autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) have a substantial genetic basis, most of the known genetic risk has been traced to rare variants, principally copy number variants (CNVs). To identify common risk variation, the Autism Genome Project (AGP) Consortium genotyped 1558 rigorously defined ASD families for 1 million single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and analyzed these SNP genotypes for association with ASD. In one of four primary association analyses, the association signal for marker rs4141463, located within MACROD2, crossed the genome-wide association significance threshold of P < 5 × 10−8. When a smaller replication sample was analyzed, the risk allele at rs4141463 was again over-transmitted; yet, consistent with the winner's curse, its effect size in the replication sample was much smaller; and, for the combined samples, the association signal barely fell below the P < 5 × 10−8 threshold. Exploratory analyses of phenotypic subtypes yielded no significant associations after correction for multiple testing. They did, however, yield strong signals within several genes, KIAA0564, PLD5, POU6F2, ST8SIA2 and TAF1C

USP30 sets a trigger threshold for PINK1–PARKIN amplification of mitochondrial ubiquitylation

The mitochondrial deubiquitylase USP30 negatively regulates the selective autophagy of damaged mitochondria. We present the characterisation of an N-cyano pyrrolidine compound, FT3967385, with high selectivity for USP30. We demonstrate that ubiquitylation of TOM20, a component of the outer mitochondrial membrane import machinery, represents a robust biomarker for both USP30 loss and inhibition. A proteomics analysis, on a SHSY5Y neuroblastoma cell line model, directly compares the effects of genetic loss of USP30 with chemical inhibition. We have thereby identified a subset of ubiquitylation events consequent to mitochondrial depolarisation that are USP30 sensitive. Within responsive elements of the ubiquitylome, several components of the outer mitochondrial membrane transport (TOM) complex are prominent. Thus, our data support a model whereby USP30 can regulate the availability of ubiquitin at the specific site of mitochondrial PINK1 accumulation following membrane depolarisation. USP30 deubiquitylation of TOM complex components dampens the trigger for the Parkin-dependent amplification of mitochondrial ubiquitylation leading to mitophagy. Accordingly, PINK1 generation of phospho-Ser65 ubiquitin proceeds more rapidly in cells either lacking USP30 or subject to USP30 inhibition