Peering through the lens of high-reliability theory: A competencies driven security culture model of high-reliability organisations

To improve organisational safety and enhance security efficiency, organisations seek to establish a culture of security that provides a foundation for how employees should approach security. There are several frameworks and models that provide a set of requirements for forming security cultures; however, for many organisations, the requirements of the frameworks are difficult to meet, if not impossible. In this research, we take a different perspective and focus on the core underlying competencies that high-reliability organisations (HROs) have shown to be effective in achieving levels of risk tolerance consistent with the goals of a security culture. In doing so we draw on high-reliability theory to develop a Security Culture Model that explains how a firm's supportive and practical competencies form its organisational security culture. To refine and test the model, we conducted a developmental mixed-method study using interviews and survey data with professional managers involved in the information security (InfoSec) programs within their respective HROs. Our findings emphasise the importance of an organisation's supportive and practical competencies for developing a culture of security. Our results suggest that organisations' security cultures are a product of their InfoSec practices and that organisational mindfulness, top management involvement and organisational structure are key to the development of those practices.     

Inhibition of neuronal calcium channels by a novel peptide spider toxin, DW13.3

Peptide toxins have proved to be useful agents, both in discriminating between different components of native calcium channel currents and in the molecular isolation and designation of their cloned channel counterparts. Here, we describe the isolation and characterization of the biochemical and physiological properties of a novel 74-amino acid peptide toxin (DW13.3) extracted from the venom of the spider Filistata hibernalis. The subtype specificity of DW13.3 was investigated using calcium channel currents recorded from two separate expression systems and several different cultured mammalian cell preparations. Overall, DW13.3 potently blocked all native calcium channel currents studied, with the exception of T-type currents recorded from GH3 cells. Examination of transiently expressed calcium channels in oocytes showed that DW13.3 had the highest affinity for alpha1A, followed by alpha1B > alpha1C > alpha1E. The affinity of DW13.3 for alpha1B N-type currents varied by 10-fold between expressed channels and native currents. Although block occurred in a similar 1:1 manner for all subtypes, DW13.3 produced a partial block of both alpha1A currents and P-type currents in cerebellar Purkinje cells. Selective occlusion of the P/Q-type channel ligand omega-conotoxin MVIIC (but not omega-agatoxin IVA) from its binding site in Purkinje neurons suggests that DW13.3 binds to a site close to the pore of the channel. The inhibition of different subtypes of calcium channels by DW13.3 reflects a common "macro" binding site present on all calcium channels except T-type.     

Alcohol inhalation in asthma therapy

As part of the search for anticomplementary active components from natural products, the anticomplementary properties of methanolic extracts from the flower buds of Magnoliafargesii have been investigated. Bioassay-guided chromatographic separation of the active constituents led to the isolation of compound 1, whose structure was identified by spectroscopic methods to be kaempferol 3-O-beta-D-(6"-O-coumaroyl)glucopyranoside (tiliroside). Tiliroside showed very potent anti-complement activity (IC50=5.4 x 10(-5) M) on the classical pathway of the complement system, even higher than rosmarinic acid, which is a well-known inhibitor against the complement system. On the other hand, the hydrolysates of tiliroside, kaempferol, astragalin and p-coumaric acid showed very weak activity on this system.     

Infective endocarditis complicated with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis: a case report

Despite a general national decline in criminal activities in the 1990s, juvenile criminal offenses continue to increase, (including violent, property, and delinquency acts). In addition increased numbers of children are being held in juvenile jails. It is all but impossible for pediatric health providers to think that "their patients" and "their practices" are immune from the epidemic of crime that affects and is caused by "just kids."     

Particle swarm optimisation based AdaBoost for object detection

This paper proposes a new approach to using particle swarm optimisation (PSO) within an AdaBoost framework for object detection. Instead of using exhaustive search for finding good features to be used for constructing weak classifiers in AdaBoost, we propose two methods based on PSO. The first uses PSO to evolve and select good features only, and the weak classifiers use a simple decision stump. The second uses PSO for both selecting good features and evolving weak classifiers in parallel. These two methods are examined and compared on two challenging object detection tasks in images: detection of individual pasta pieces and detection of a face. The experimental results suggest that both approaches can successfully detect object positions and that using PSO for selecting good individual features and evolving associated weak classifiers in AdaBoost is more effective than for selecting features only. We also show that PSO can evolve and select meaningful features in the face detection task.     

Water,image, gesture and sound: composing and performing an interactive audiovisual work

Performing and composing for interactive audiovisual system presents many challenges to the performer. Working with visual, sonic and gestural components requires new skills and new ways of thinking about performance. However, there are few studies that focus on performer experience with interactive systems. We present the work Blue Space for oboe and interactive audiovisual system, highlighting the evolving process of the collaborative development of the work. We consider how musical and technical demands interact in this process, and outline the challenges of performing with interactive systems. Using the development of Blue Space as a self-reflective case study, we examine the role of gestures in interactive audiovisual works and identify new modes of performance.     

Magnetic properties of RE x Mo6Se8 compounds between 0.7 and 295 K

Magnetization measurements are reported for seven members of the series of compounds RE _x Mo ₆ Se ₈ (x1; RE=La, Ce, Pr, Eu, Gd, Yb, and Lu). These measurements establish that Ce, Pr, and Gd ions are trivalent in these compounds, but that Eu and Yb are primarily divalent, in agreement with crystallographic data. Large deviations of the susceptibilities for CeMo ₆ Se ₈ , PrMo ₆ Se ₈ , and YbMo ₆ Se ₈ from Curie-Weiss behavior above 10 K are attributed predominantly to crystal field effects, and quantitative agreement between crystal field theory and the experimental data was obtained for CeMo ₆ Se ₈ above 25 K. Further, we find for Gd _1.2 Mo ₆ Se ₈ an unusually small spin exchange interaction between the Gd ions and conduction electrons, consistent with previous estimates of this quantity based on superconductivity data. For the Gd, Eu, and Ce compounds, the low-temperature data indicate very small Curie-Weiss temperatures of –1.7, –0.6, and +0.4 K, respectively. No evidence for magnetic ordering of the RE ions in any of the above compounds was observed, with the exception of CeMo ₆ Se ₈ , for which the magnetization data at 0.7–1.3 K suggest the onset of ferromagnetic order.Research sponsored by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Air Force Systems Command, USAF, under AFOSR Contract No. AFOSR/F-44620-72-C-0017.     

Superconducting and normal state properties of Li1+x Ti2−x O4 spinel compounds. I. Preparation,crystallography, superconducting properties,electrical resistivity,dielectric behavior,and magnetic susceptibility

LiTi ₂ O ₄ is one end member of the homogeneity range of the spinel phase Li _1+x Ti _2–x O ₄ (0x1/3) and is superconducting at temperatures up to 13.7 K. Various measurements were carried out in order to characterize the superconducting and normal state properties of LiTi ₂ O ₄ and of other compositions within the homogeneity range of the spinel phase. These measurements establish LiTi ₂ O ₄ as ad-band superconductor and show thatT _c decreases to <1.5 K forx0.1. This disappearance of superconductivity with increasingx was found to be correlated with anomalous changes in the lattice parameter with composition, and, from electrical resistivity measurements, is tentatively attributed to the occurrence of a composition-induced metal-semiconductor transition atx0.1. The metallic character of LiTi ₂ O ₄ and the composition dependence of the observed electrical properties are shown to follow from crystallographic considerations.Research sponsored by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, Air Force Systems Command, USAF, under AFOSR Contract Number AFOSR/F-44620-C-0017.     

An educational strategy for occupational therapy community service

In response to the increasing trend toward community health care, a model of training that prepares students for community practice was incorporated into the occupational therapy curriculum at the University of Southern California. During academic training students are placed in a part-time community assignment where no occupational therapy services are offered. Training students for the role of community health specialist produces a dilemma for curriculum design. A balance must be achieved between providing traditional clinical content and providing the knowledge and expertise necessary for community practice. However, this training is considered necessary for maintaining the viability of the profession in a changing health system. Significantly, during the four-year period using this model, many graduates have sought employment in "nontraditional" community roles.