Proper Incentives for Proper IT Security Management – A System Dynamics Approach

Abstract \ It has been known for many years that security failures are caused at least as often by bad incentives as by bad design. However, the regulatory correction of bad incentives is not easy in practice and it is still lacking. In the meantime, system dynamics models of security systems can improve the situation by increasing the awareness that misaligned incentives can backfire as long-term consequences of security failures hit back the principal. We illustrate our argument using system archetypes and concept simulation models revealing the impact of two different security strategies, viz. misaligned incentives (the customer having the burden of proof in case of alleged fraud) vs the bank having the burden of proof. From this we argue that online system dynamics could be used in eGovernment to educate principals and the public. Also, legal measures could become more effective when supported with forensic evidence from simulation models.

Monitoring of Gene Expression in Bacteria during Infections Using an Adaptable Set of Bioluminescent, Fluorescent and Colorigenic Fusion Vectors

A family of versatile promoter-probe plasmids for gene expression analysis was developed based on a modular expression plasmid system (pZ). The vectors contain different replicons with exchangeable antibiotic cassettes to allow compatibility and expression analysis on a low-, midi- and high-copy number basis. Suicide vector variants also permit chromosomal integration of the reporter fusion and stable vector derivatives can be used for in vivo or in situ expression studies under non-selective conditions. Transcriptional and translational fusions to the reporter genes gfpmut3.1, amCyan, dsRed2, luxCDABE, phoA or lacZ can be constructed, and presence of identical multiple cloning sites in the vector system facilitates the interchange of promoters or reporter genes between the plasmids of the series. The promoter of the constitutively expressed gapA gene of Escherichia coli was included to obtain fluorescent and bioluminescent expression constructs. A combination of the plasmids allows simultaneous detection and gene expression analysis in individual bacteria, e.g. in bacterial communities or during mouse infections. To test our vector system, we analyzed and quantified expression of Yersinia pseudotuberculosis virulence genes under laboratory conditions, in association with cells and during the infection process

Cell-Cycle Dependence of Transcription Dominates Noise in Gene Expression

The large variability in mRNA and protein levels found from both static and dynamic measurements in single cells has been largely attributed to random periods of transcription, often occurring in bursts. The cell cycle has a pronounced global role in affecting transcriptional and translational output, but how this influences transcriptional statistics from noisy promoters is unknown and generally ignored by current stochastic models. Here we show that variable transcription from the synthetic tetO promoter in S. cerevisiae is dominated by its dependence on the cell cycle. Real-time measurements of fluorescent protein at high expression levels indicate tetO promoters increase transcription rate ~2-fold in S/G2/M similar to constitutive genes. At low expression levels, where tetO promoters are thought to generate infrequent bursts of transcription, we observe random pulses of expression restricted to S/G2/M, which are correlated between homologous promoters present in the same cell. The analysis of static, single-cell mRNA measurements at different points along the cell cycle corroborates these findings. Our results demonstrate that highly variable mRNA distributions in yeast are not solely the result of randomly switching between periods of active and inactive gene expression, but instead largely driven by differences in transcriptional activity between G1 and S/G2/M.GM095733BBBE 103316MIT Startup Fun

Persistent Gastric Colonization with Burkholderia pseudomallei and Dissemination from the Gastrointestinal Tract following Mucosal Inoculation of Mice

Melioidosis is a disease of humans caused by opportunistic infection with the soil and water bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei. Melioidosis can manifest as an acute, overwhelming infection or as a chronic, recurrent infection. At present, it is not clear where B. pseudomallei resides in the mammalian host during the chronic, recurrent phase of infection. To address this question, we developed a mouse low-dose mucosal challenge model of chronic B. pseudomallei infection and investigated sites of bacterial persistence over 60 days. Sensitive culture techniques and selective media were used to quantitate bacterial burden in major organs, including the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. We found that the GI tract was the primary site of bacterial persistence during the chronic infection phase, and was the only site from which the organism could be consistently cultured during a 60-day infection period. The organism could be repeatedly recovered from all levels of the GI tract, and chronic infection was accompanied by sustained low-level fecal shedding. The stomach was identified as the primary site of GI colonization as determined by fluorescent in situ hybridization. Organisms in the stomach were associated with the gastric mucosal surface, and the propensity to colonize the gastric mucosa was observed with 4 different B. pseudomallei isolates. In contrast, B. pseudomallei organisms were present at low numbers within luminal contents in the small and large intestine and cecum relative to the stomach. Notably, inflammatory lesions were not detected in any GI tissue examined in chronically-infected mice. Only low-dose oral or intranasal inoculation led to GI colonization and development of chronic infection of the spleen and liver. Thus, we concluded that in a mouse model of melioidosis B. pseudomallei preferentially colonizes the stomach following oral inoculation, and that the chronically colonized GI tract likely serves as a reservoir for dissemination of infection to extra-intestinal sites

Rapid molecular methods for enumeration and taxonomical identification of acetic acid bacteria responsible for submerged vinegar production

The aim of the present study was to search for a rapid and reliable method to enumerate viable acetic acid bacteria (AAB) and to identify to genera and species level AAB isolates from vinegars in full acetic fermentation elaborated by the submerged method from cider, wine and spirit ethanol in industrial bioreactors. Results showed that the rapid epifluorescence staining method using the LIVE/DEAD BacLight bacterial viability kit and direct counts in Neubauer chamber rendered consistent and reliable data for viable cell counts of bacteria in all the studied vinegars. A linear correlation was shown between viable cell counts and fermentation rates. The highest fermentation rates and viable cell counts were found in cider vinegars, whereas spirit vinegars showed the lowest values for both parameters. Eighty-four AAB pure isolates were recovered from 41 different vinegar samples and were submitted to DNA extraction. PCR amplification of the 16S-23S intergenic spacer region of rDNA and subsequent sequencing were carried out to identify isolates to species level. Results showed that Gluconacetobacter europaeus was the predominant cultivable species, appearing in 79% of the total isolates. This was the unique species found in spirit vinegars, and this is the first time that AAB from spirit vinegars are taxonomically identified. Ga. europaeus was as well the predominant cultivable species in white wine vinegars. Cider vinegars presented the highest variability of species: Ga. europaeus (35.3% appearance among cultivable isolates), Ga. xylinus (35.3%), Acetobacter pasteurianus (17.6%) and Ga. hansenii (11.8%). Red wine vinegars showed cultivable isolates of the species Ga. xylinus (71.4%) and Ga. europaeus (28.6%). Summarising, both described methods for AAB enumeration and taxonomical identification proved to be fast and reliable methods, and results revealed Ga. europaeus as the cultivable major species in vinegars in full fermentation conducted by the submerged method, suggesting that Ga. europaeus strains can constitute excellent starter cultures for the elaboration of vinegars by the submerged method. © 2010 Springer-Verlag

Gluconacetobacter medellinensis sp. nov., cellulose- and non-cellulose-producing acetic acid bacteria isolated from vinegar

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Dielectric permittivity enhancement and large electrocaloric effect in the lead free (Ba0.8Ca0.2)(1-x)La2x/3TiO3 ferroelectric ceramics

International audienceLanthanum (La) incorporation in the (Ba(0.8)Ca(0.)2)TiO3 (BCT) matrix induces enhancement of electrocaloric effect, decrease of Curie temperature and increase of dielectric permittivity. We studied the influence of La substitution ceramics on grain size and electrocaloric effect (ECE) in BCT matrix using both indirect and direct methods. From ferroelectric polarization and pyroelectric measurements, we calculate ECE response versus temperature for all the (Ba0.8Ca0.2)(1-x)La2x/3TiO3 (xBCTL) ceramics compositions ranging from x = 0 to 0.05. The results showed good agreement between the two methods at the same applied electric field. A maximal value of electrocaloric (EC) temperature change Delta T = 0.30 K was obtained at 25 kV/cm corresponding to an EC responsivity xi = 0.120 x 10(-6) K m/V, in a wide temperature region in the vicinity of the ferroelectric phase transition temperature (250 K-400 K) for x = 0.05 that places this family as very promising materials for electrocaloric applications near room temperature. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved