Crosstalk Statistics via Collocation Method

A probabilistic model for the evaluation of transmission lines crosstalk is proposed. The geometrical parameters are assumed to be unknown and the exact solution is decomposed into two functions, one depending solely on the random parameters and the other on the frequency. The stochastic collocation method is used to estimate the crosstalk statistical moments. The results are obtained from a limited number of carefully-chosen values of the random geometrical parameters. The estimated statistical moments are then used to build the probability density function of the crosstalk parameters. A Monte Carlo validation demonstrates the accuracy and efficiency of the advocated method.\ud \u

Permanent Draft Genome Sequence of Rhizobium sp. Strain LCM 4573, a Salt-Tolerant, Nitrogen-Fixing Bacterium Isolated from Senegalese Soils

The genus Rhizobium contains many species that are able to form nitrogen-fixing nodules on plants of the legume family. Here, we report the 5.5-Mb draft genome sequence of the salt-tolerant Rhizobium sp. strain LCM 4573, which has a G+C content of 61.2% and 5,356 candidate protein-encoding genes

Permanent draft genome sequence of Ensifer sp. strain LCM 4579, a salt-tolerant, nitrogen-fixing bacterium isolated from Senegalese soil

The genus Ensifer (formerly Sinorhizobium) contains many species able to form nitrogen-fixing nodules on plants of the legume family. Here, we report the 6.1-Mb draft genome sequence of Ensifer sp. strain LCM 4579, with a G+C content of 62.4% and 5,613 candidate protein-encoding genes

Permanent Draft Genome Sequences for Mesorhizobium sp. Strains LCM 4576, LCM 4577, and ORS3428, Salt-Tolerant, Nitrogen-Fixing Bacteria Isolated from Senegalese Soils

The genus Mesorhizobium contains many species that are able to form nitrogen-fixing nodules on plants of the legume family. Here, we report the draft genome sequences for three Mesorhizobium strains. The genome sizes of strains LCM 4576, LCM 4577, and ORS3428 were 7.24, 7.02, and 6.55 Mbp, respectively

Does Strategically Aligned Investment in Cybersecurity Systems Reduce Data Breach?

Background: Firms face increased data breach threats nowadays, creating a lack of consumer confidence. Increased data breach incidents are a major concern for every firm. However, in hospitals, it is paramount to safeguard medical records. A slight change in patient records can result in a life-threatening medical condition for a patient. Existing literature claims that cybersecurity investment has indeed increased the instances of data breach incidents. The adoption of Health Information Exchange (HIE) has exacerbated this risk by increasing multiple channels for potential hackers. We, therefore, analyze the relationship between cybersecurity investment and possible data breaches in the presence of moderating variables: adoption of HIE and entrepreneurial orientation to find a model to help minimize data breach incidents. Method: We test our hypotheses based on strategic alignment and resource orchestration theories. We merge two different datasets (HIMSS and the HHS website) to create a panel dataset with 24,587 observations on U.S. hospitals over five years (2013-2017). We then run a regression using SAS to analyze our model. Results: We find that cybersecurity investment has no significance in the data breach threats. However, when a hospital joins HIE, cybersecurity investment tends to reduce the data breach threats. We also find that hospitals with higher entrepreneurial orientation face reduced data breach threats when joining HIE. Conclusion: Hospitals should align their cybersecurity investment with their cybersecurity policies to generate maximum benefit from their cybersecurity investment. Failure to do so might result in a situation in which hospitals are always likely to face higher data security risks regardless of the level of cybersecurity investment

The value relevance of an official press release of a security breach and complementarities between the content elements of the release

The importance of signaling to inform the public of a security incident occurrence at a firm through an official press release is discussed. The majority of prior research has discussed the impact of public knowledge of a security incident occurrence on the share prices of a firm. This study analyzes two competing models of the relationship between a firm’s reputation and the firm doing a press release, and the subsequent impact on the market valuation of the firm. Content of the press release that is specific to information security, overt CEO involvement and transparency in data affected, serves as an additional signal for the market. A switching regression model of 169 security incidents (with and without an official press release) versus a Heckman Sample Selection model of 111 security incidents (with an official press release) of publicly traded firms between 2014 and 2021 upholds the logic of the signaling characteristic of the decision to do an official press release with respect to the reputation of the firm. The roles of overt CEO involvement and transparency in data affected under this framework is statistically significant

Senegalia Senegal response to inoculation with rhizobial strains vary in relation to seed provenance and soil type

Aims: The focus of the study was to determine the symbiotic and growth response of three Senegalia Senegal (Syn. Acacia Senegal, gum arabic tree) provenances, namely Dahra (Senegal), Tera (Niger) and Makueni (Kenya) to inoculation with selected S. Senegal-nodulating rhizobia in soils from Dahra and Goudiry regions of Senegal, representing typical soil and enviromental conditions for establishing gum arabic production plantations. Methods: A greenhouse experiment was performed to evaluate the effect of 11 rhizobial strains on nodulation and growth of three S. Senegal provenances in two field soils, differing in nutrient status and indigenous rhizobia. After 4 months, plants were harvested for determination of nodulation, shoot and root dryweight. Results: Nodulation and growth of S. Senegal varied in relation to rhizobial strain, provenance, soil type, and their interactions. Generally, nodulation was higher in Dahra than Goudiry soils, while Makueni provenance was the most compatible host. Inoculation had a significant effect on all parameters measured in Dahra field soil. By contrast, inoculation had a significant effect on height (shoot length), and shoot, root and total dry matter but not on nodulation. In the two field soils, seed provenance effect was significant for all parameters measured. The interaction between inoculation and provenance showed a significant effect on all parameters measured except nodule number in Dahra field soil while in Goudiry, the interaction had a significant effect on seedling height and shoot, root, and total dry matter but this effect was not significant with nodulation parameters. Conclusions: S. Senegal is variable in its response to inoculation, it is therefore advantageous to select and match effective rhizobia-provenance symbionts for each site

Distribution and diversity of rhizobial populations associated with Acacia senegal (L.) willd. provenances in senegalese arid and semiarid regions

Distribution and diversity of rhizobial strains associated with Acacia senegal (L.) Willd. in relation to seed provenances in soils from arid (Dahra) and semiarid (Goudiry) zones of Senegal were investigated. PCR-RFLP performed on 16S-23S rDNA intergenic spacer (IGS) of nodule crude extracts revealed a high genetic diversity of rhizobial strains, which was higher in the semiarid region than in the arid region. The distribution of rhizobial populations was influenced by soil physical and chemical characteristics, and by A. senegal provenances as shown by the analysis of correspondence. In contrast, the phenotypic diversity of rhizobial strains was not correlated with the soil origin. The phylogenetic tree (performed by the maximum likelihood algorithm) of IGS 16S-23S sequences showed that most of the rhizobial strains nodulating A. senegal were closely related to Mesorhizobium plurifarium. Our results showed that rhizobial taxa associated with A. senegal were mainly distributed according to soil physical and chemical characteristics, and A. senegal provenances. A large subset of A. senegal root-nodulating bacteria had high diversity that correlated with the most favourable environmental conditions. Understanding the diversity and distribution of rhizobial strains may be exploited in the formulation of A. senegal inoculants for different seed provenances for resilience to soil stresses in various environmental conditions. (Résumé d'auteur

L'apport du microcrédit entrepreneurial dans l'émergence de l'entrepreneuriat féminin, pour l'amélioration des conditions de vie et pour le développement des capabilités des femmes entrepreneures au Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean et dans la Capitale-Nationale

Cette recherche porte sur l’apport du microcrédit dans l’émergence de l’entrepreneuriat féminin, de l'empowerment et les capabilités des femmes dans la lutte contre la pauvreté et pour l’amélioration des conditions de vie des femmes entrepreneures au Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean et dans la Capitale-Nationale. La problématique de la féminisation de la pauvreté est une réalité aussi bien dans les pays en développement que ceux développés, à l’instar de la province du Québec. Des initiatives comme la création d’activités et l’entrepreneuriat féminin grâce au microcrédit ont fait leurs preuves dans les pays du Sud. Cependant, selon certains auteurs, le microcrédit comporte des pièges auxquels des entrepreneurs doivent faire face. Au Québec, le microcrédit entrepreneurial offert par des organismes de crédit communautaire, bien que récent comparé au microcrédit classique, permet aux femmes entrepreneures de démarrer des microentreprises. Pour les besoins de cette étude, nous avons mené des entrevues avec 18 femmes entrepreneures du Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean et de la Capitale-Nationale, deux régions de la province de Québec. Comme cadre théorique, nous avons utilisé le développement économique et communautaire d’une part, et l’approche genre et développement, d’autre part. Ces assises théoriques ont permis de mettre les femmes au centre de l’analyse des rapports de pouvoir, du changement social et du développement par le bas. La présentation et l’analyse des données a permis de dégager cinq aspects principaux : le profil et les motivations des entrepreneures; la typologie et les retombées des microentreprises; l’empowerment des femmes; le fonctionnement et les offres de service des organismes de crédit communautaire; la perception des entrepreneures sur le crédit communautaire. La discussion a fait ressortir des éléments de réponse aux questions spécifiques. De façon unanime, les participantes ont confirmé avoir accès à une meilleure qualité de vie, car en plus de réaliser un rêve, elles ont saisi l’occasion de pouvoir bâtir leur carrière professionnelle. Le microcrédit entrepreneurial permet d’acquérir leur autonomie, de bâtir leur empowerment et de renforcer leurs capabilités en tant qu’entrepreneures. Leurs microentreprises génèrent des retombées sociales, économiques, culturelles et environnementales et participent au développement local et territorial au Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean et dans la Capitale-Nationale