Large extinctions in an evolutionary model: The role of innovation and keystone species

The causes of major and rapid transitions observed in biological macroevolution as well as in the evolution of social systems are a subject of much debate. Here we identify the proximate causes of crashes and recoveries that arise dynamically in a model system in which populations of (molecular) species co-evolve with their network of chemical interactions. Crashes are events that involve the rapid extinction of many species and recoveries the assimilation of new ones. These are analyzed and classified in terms of the structural properties of the network. We find that in the absence of large external perturbation, `innovation' is a major cause of large extinctions and the prime cause of recoveries. Another major cause of crashes is the extinction of a `keystone species'. Different classes of causes produce crashes of different characteristic sizes.Comment: 8 pages, 3 figures (14 ps files

Business Continuity for Critical Infrastructure Operators

Critical infrastructures often lack resilience and easily lose critical functionalities if hit by adverse events. Continuity management strategies for critical infrastructure operators and the networks that they form, rely also on the functionality of other interrelated networks. Disruptions in operations may affect society and for this reason, securing the operations of critical infrastructure operators is important. The technological impacts of CPS become evident to the resilience of all fields of critical infrastructure, but there is also human elements to take into account. The research question of this study is: How to enhance business continuity of critical infrastructure? This case study research uses qualitative methods collected by conducting interviews of resilience and continuity professionals who work with Finnish critical infrastructure. Resilience and continuity management are key for critical infrastructure operators. Important factors identified were identifying risks, critical activities, key personnel, creating guidelines and procedures, and open communication, which themes were recognised as important to improve resilience and manage continuity.</p

Cybersecurity in Skills Development and Leadership

Information and Communications Technology (ICT) enables organisations absorb state-ofthe- art knowledge from external sources, and develop skills that promote productivity, competitiveness and organizational learning. This study, completed as part of project ECHO efforts, aims to understand how cybersecurity is seen by PhD students specializing in it. The participants (n = 25) were asked to discuss what is cybersecurity, its elements, and users. The Typeform survey tool was used to collect, store, and analyse this data. The results indicate that successful cybersecurity provides multi-level protection of organisational infrastructures, personal and organisational data, and financial interests of organisations. Failure to protect these may result in negative reputation, financial, ethical, and operational impacts. Human users may be the weakest link in the system, which should be seriously taken into account when deploying cybersecurity measures and administrative user privileges. Users need to be educated in cybersecurity and be aware of threats and new developments and attacker tactics, in particular in the case of social engineering attacks. Basic technical knowledge and capabilities to detect and appropriately report attacks are needed for all levels of ICT users

Cloning of mouse integrin alphaV cDNA and role of the alphaV-related matrix receptors in metanephric development.

Metanephrogenesis has been a long-standing model to study cell-matrix interactions. A number of adhesion molecules, including matrix receptors (i.e., integrins), are believed to be involved in such interactions. The integrins contain alpha and beta s ubunits and are present in various tissues in different heterodimeric forms. In this study, one of the members of the integrin superfamily, alphaV, was characterized, and its relevance in murine nephrogenesis was investigated. Mouse embryonic renal cDNA libraries were prepared and screened for alphaV, and multiple clones were isolated and sequenced. The deduced amino acid sequence of the alpha-v cDNA clones and hydropathic analysis revealed that it has a typical signal sequence and extracellular, transmembrane, and cytoplasmic domains, with multiple Ca2+ binding sites. No A(U)nA mRNA instability motifs were present. Conformational analysis revealed no rigid long-range-ordered structure in murine alphaV. The alphaV was expressed in the embryonic kidney at day 13 of the gestation, with a transcript size of approximately 7 kb. Its expression increased progressively during the later gestational stages and in the neonatal period. It was distributed in the epithelial elements of developing nephrons and was absent in the uninduced mesenchyme. In mature metanephroi, the expression was relatively high in the glomeruli and blood vessels, as compared to the tubules. Various heterodimeric associations of alphaV, i.e., with beta1, beta3, beta5, and beta6, were observed in metanephric tissues. Inclusion of alphaV-antisense-oligodeoxynucleotide or -antibody in metanephric culture induced dysmorphogenesis of the kidney with reduced population of the nephrons, disorganization of the ureteric bud branches, and reduction of mRNA and protein expressions of alphaV. The expressions of integrin beta3, beta5, and beta6 were unaltered. These findings suggest that the integrin alphaV is developmentally regulated, has a distinct spatio-temporal expression, and is relevant in the mammalian organogenesis

Immunogene therapy with fusogenic nanoparticles modulates macrophage response to Staphylococcus aureus.

The incidence of adverse effects and pathogen resistance encountered with small molecule antibiotics is increasing. As such, there is mounting focus on immunogene therapy to augment the immune system's response to infection and accelerate healing. A major obstacle to in vivo gene delivery is that the primary uptake pathway, cellular endocytosis, results in extracellular excretion and lysosomal degradation of genetic material. Here we show a nanosystem that bypasses endocytosis and achieves potent gene knockdown efficacy. Porous silicon nanoparticles containing an outer sheath of homing peptides and fusogenic liposome selectively target macrophages and directly introduce an oligonucleotide payload into the cytosol. Highly effective knockdown of the proinflammatory macrophage marker IRF5 enhances the clearance capability of macrophages and improves survival in a mouse model of Staphyloccocus aureus pneumonia

Piloting the ECHO e-Skills and Training Toolkit

Besides many benefits, ICT technologies are faced with cyber threats. Organ-izations of today, therefore, face many challenges that require technical, sit-uation awareness, and problem-solving related e-skills from a wide level of organizational actors. Business survival depends on how well an organization can implement new IT and take advantage of the opportunities offered by this new IT. Cybersecurity is a pressing issue in modern society. It affects busi-nesses, personal lives, and critical infrastructures. There is a growing need for proficiently cyber-trained personnel to protect society and its organizations and systems. The ECHO E-skills and Training Toolkit was piloted with a team of higher education business ICT teachers. First, the team supervisors chose and valued the most relevant Technical, Situation awareness, and Problem-solving re-lated e-skills. These choices were then given to the pilot test group to discuss and adjust. This pilot study shows that the ECHO E-skills and Training Toolkit can be used to benefit any organization that wishes to assess the e-skills of its personnel and training gaps

A monkey antigen crossreacting with carcinoembryonic antigen, CEA.

Normal monkey tissues were found to contain an antigen which crossreacts immunologically with the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) of the human digestive tract. The monkey antigen reacted with complete or partial identity to the normal crossreacting antigen (NCA) in humans when tested in immunodiffusion against anti-CEA or anti-NCA. Extracts of monkey tissues inhibited in radioimmunoassays measuring human NCA. It is possible that monkey foetuses and colonic tumours contain CEA