Predicting employee information security policy compliance on a daily basis: The interplay of security-related stress,emotions, and neutralization

We conceptualized security-related stress (SRS) and proposed a theoretical model linking SRS, discrete emotions, coping response, and information security policy (ISP) compliance. We used an experience sampling design, wherein 138 professionals completed surveys. We observed that SRS had a positive association with frustration and fatigue, and these negative emotions were associated with neutralization of ISP violations. Additionally, frustration and fatigue make employees more likely to follow through on their rationalizations of ISP violations by decreased ISP compliance. Our findings provide evidence that neutralization is not a completely stable phenomenon but can vary within individuals from one time point to another.     

Regulation of TRAIL-Receptor Expression by the Ubiquitin-Proteasome System

The tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand- receptor (TRAIL-R) family has emerged as a key mediator of cell fate and survival. Ligation of TRAIL ligand to TRAIL-R1 or TRAIL-R2 initiates the extrinsic apoptotic pathway characterized by the recruitment of death domains, assembly of the death-inducing signaling complex (DISC), caspase activation and ultimately apoptosis. Conversely the decoy receptors TRAIL-R3 and TRAIL-R4, which lack the pro-apoptotic death domain, function to dampen the apoptotic response by competing for TRAIL ligand. The tissue restricted expression of the decoy receptors on normal but not cancer cells provides a therapeutic rational for the development of selective TRAIL-mediated anti-tumor therapies. Recent clinical trials using agonistic antibodies against the apoptosis-inducing TRAIL receptors or recombinant TRAIL have been promising; however the number of patients in complete remission remains stubbornly low. The mechanisms of TRAIL resistance are relatively unexplored but may in part be due to TRAIL-R down-regulation or shedding of TRAIL-R by tumor cells. Therefore a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying TRAIL resistance is required. The ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) has been shown to regulate TRAIL-R members suggesting that pharmacological inhibition of the UPS may be a novel strategy to augment TRAIL-based therapies and increase efficacies. We recently identified b-AP15 as an inhibitor of proteasome deubiquitinase (DUB) activity. Interestingly, exposure of tumor cell lines to b-AP15 resulted in increased TRAIL-R2 expression and enhanced sensitivity to TRAIL-mediated apoptosis and cell death in vitro and in vivo. In conclusion, targeting the UPS may represent a novel strategy to increase the cell surface expression of pro-apoptotic TRAIL-R on cancer cells and should be considered in clinical trials targeting TRAIL-receptors in cancer patients.     

Filtration in artificial porous media and natural sands under microgravity conditions

The goal of the present paper is to investigate experimentally and theoretically the capillary driven filtration in porous media with homogeneous and inhomogeneous porosity and permeability under microgravity conditions. The motivation having determined the choice of the environment was to study nonequilibrium phenomena in two-phase filtration in porous media. The paper contains the results illustrating the sensitivity of capillary forces to variations of porous media characteristics. The experimental results obtained for fluid imbibition into unsaturated artificial and natural porous media are compared. Theoretical and experimental results on determination of mixing fluxes in two-phase filtration are discussed.     

Level of natural hepatotoxin (Indospicine) contamination in Australian camel meat

Camel meat production for human consumption and pet food manufacture accounts for a relatively small part of overall red meat production in Australia. Reliable statistical data for the Australian production and consumption of camel meat are not available; however, it is estimated that 300,000 feral camels roam within the desert of central Australia, with an annual usage of more than 3000 camels for human consumption, 2000 for pet food manufacture and a smaller number for live export. Despite a small Australian camel meat production level, the usage of camel meat for pet food has been restricted in recent years due to reports of serious liver disease and death in dogs consuming camel meat. This camel meat was found to contain residues of indospicine, a non-proteinogenic amino acid found in certain Indigofera spp., and associated with mild to severe liver disease in diverse animals after dietary exposure to this hepatotoxin. The extent of indospicine-contaminated Australian camel meat was previously unknown, and this study ascertains the prevalence of such residue in Australian camel meat. In this study, indospicine levels in ex situ (95 samples collected from an abattoir in Queensland) and in situ (197 samples collected from camels after field culling in central Australia) camel meat samples were quantitated using a validated ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). The quantitation results showed 46.7% of the in situ- and 20.0% of the ex situ-collected camel meat samples were contaminated by indospicine (more than the limit of detection (LOD) of 0.05 mg kg^–1 fresh weight). The overall indospicine concentration was higher (p < 0.05) in the in situ-collected samples. Indospicine levels detected in the present study are considered to be low; however, a degree of caution must still be exercised, since the tolerable daily intake for indospicine is currently not available for risk estimation.     

Pre-Treatment of Platinum Resistant Ovarian Cancer Cells with an MMP-9/MMP-2 Inhibitor Prior to Cisplatin Enhances Cytotoxicity as Determined by High Content Screening

Platinum resistance is a major cause of treatment failure in ovarian cancer. We previously identified matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP-9) as a potential therapeutic target of chemoresistant disease. A2780cis (cisplatin-resistant) and A2780 (cisplatin-sensitive) ovarian carcinoma cell lines were used. The cytotoxic effect of MMP-9/MMP-2 inhibitor, (2R)-2-[(4-Biphenylsulfonyl) amino]-3 phenylpropionic acid (C21H19NO4S) alone or in combination with cisplatin was determined using high content screening. Protein expression was examined using immunohistochemistry and ELISA. Co-incubation of cisplatin and an MMP-9/MMP-2 inhibitor, (2R)-2-[(4-Biphenylsulfonyl) amino]-3 phenylpropionic acid (C21H19NO4S) resulted in significantly greater cytotoxicity as compared to either treatment alone in a cisplatin resistant MMP-9 overexpressing cell line; A2780cis. In addition, pre-incubating with MMP-9i prior to cisplatin further enhances the cytotoxic effect. No significant difference was observed in MMP-9 protein in tissue but a trend towards increased MMP-9 was observed in recurrent serum. We propose that MMP-9/MMP-2i may be utilized in the treatment of recurrent/chemoresistant ovarian cancers that overexpress MMP-9 mRNA but its role in vivo remains to be evaluated.     

The impact of scripts on blended and online socially shared regulation of learning: A role-playing game theory perspective

International Journal of Computer-Supported Collaborative Learning - Self-regulated learning theory is central to computer supported collaborative learning (CSCL) and depends on learner autonomy to...     

Organizational information security policies: a review and research framework

A major stream of research within the field of information systems security examines the use of organizational policies that specify how users of information and technology resources should behave in order to prevent, detect, and respond to security incidents. However, this growing (and at times, conflicting) body of research has made it challenging for researchers and practitioners to comprehend the current state of knowledge on the formation, implementation, and effectiveness of security policies in organizations. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is to synthesize what we know and what remains to be learned about organizational information security policies, with an eye toward a holistic understanding of this research stream and the identification of promising paths for future study. We review 114 influential security policy-related journal articles and identify five core relationships examined in the literature. Based on these relationships, we outline a research framework that synthesizes the construct linkages within the current literature. Building on our analysis of these results, we identify a series of gaps and draw on additional theoretical perspectives to propose a revised framework that can be used as a basis for future research.     

Phenolic compound profiles in selected Queensland red wines at all stages of the wine-making process

The phenolic profiles of Queensland red wines (two Cabernet Sauvignons and one Shiraz) from different stages of wine-making were studied. Samples were taken at crush, after the primary and malolactic fermentations, post-oaking, and post-bottling, and then extracted and separated into aqueous and organic fractions using liquid–liquid extraction and solid-phase extraction, and analysed by HPLC-DAD-MS. About 75% of the phenolic compounds were extracted into the aqueous fraction, with malvidin-3-glucoside and derivatives as the main components. The major non-anthocyanin phenolic compounds (∼25%) included gallic acid, syringic acid, ethyl gallate, caftaric acid, coutaric acid, caffeic acid, coumaric acid, catechin, and quercetin. The polymerisation of anthocyanins was shown to occur progressively throughout the wine-making process. Most of the 25 identified phenolic compounds had highest concentrations during the fermentation stage, and stabilised or slowly decreased thereafter. There were weak and insignificant correlations (P > 0.05) between individual phenolic compounds and the total antioxidant activities (ORAC). Four groups of phenolic compounds (anthocyanins, hydroxybenzoic acids, flavanols and hydroxycinnamic acids) each showed some correlation with the total antioxidant activity, as did the total polyphenol content, suggesting that the antioxidant properties of red wine are due to a complex mixture of phenolic compounds that vary in composition throughout the wine-making process.