Tumor-suppressor gene promoter hypermethylation in saliva of head and neck cancer patients

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) accounts for a bulk of the oral and laryngeal cancers, the majority (70%) of which are associated with smoking and excessive drinking, major known risk factors for the development of HNSCC. In contrast to reports that suggest an inverse relationship between smoking and global DNA CpG methylation, hypermethylation of promoters of a number of genes was detected in saliva collected from patients with HNSCC. Using a sensitive methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction (MSP) assay to determine specific methylation events in the promoters of RASSF1A, DAPK1, and p16 genes, we demonstrate that we can detect tumor presence with an overall accuracy of 81% in the DNA isolated from saliva of patients with HNSCC (n = 143) when compared with the DNA isolated from the saliva of healthy nonsmoker controls (n = 31). The specificity for this MSP panel was 87% and the sensitivity was 80%(with a Fisher exact test P < .0001). In addition, the test panel performed extremely well in the detection of the early stages of HNSCCs, with a sensitivity of 94% and a specificity of 87%, and a high. concordance value of 0.8, indicating an excellent overall agreement between the presence of HNSCC and a positive MSP panel result. In conclusion, we demonstrate that the promoter methylation of RASSF1A, DAPK1, and p16 MSP panel is useful in detecting hypermethylation events in a noninvasive manner in patients with HNSCC.

Brandis' leaked anti-piracy proposal is unrealistic

The Australian Government has proposed Internet Service Providers (ISPs) monitor and punish Australians who download and infringe copyright. In a discussion paper circulated by Attorney-General George Brandis, and leaked by Crikey last Friday, the government proposes a sweeping change to Australian copyright law. If implemented, it would force ISPs to take steps to prevent Australians from infringing copyright. What these steps might be is very vague. They could include blocking peer-to-peer traffic, slowing down internet connections, passing on warnings from industry groups, and handing over subscriber details to copyright owners.

Current status and future trends of school counseling in Australia

School counselling in Australia is presently in a state of flux and adaptation. Within this period of change and adjustment, three key points are acknowledged. First structural and organisational change is a constant in the field of school counselling in the Australian context. Second, despite this, the nature of the school counselling role tends to remain the same but with new areas of need being added, such as self harm and cyberbullying. Third, each state and territory in Australia has differing role statements and training requirements for its school counsellors. This paper initially reviews the historical context of school counselling in Australia, including changes and developments in qualifications and training programs. A description is then provided of the current status of school counselling including the differences among the state systems. Issues such as work intensification, uncertainty of tenure, supervision, ethical issues and online counselling are discussed. The scant research into the effectiveness of the profession is outlined, followed by future recommendations.

Indigenous livelihoods policy reference group: Research priorities identified from the first meeting, 28th April 2010

The CSIRO Indigenous Livelihoods Project sought to work with Indigenous communities, government and non-government stakeholders to bring together western science and Indigenous knowledge in order to understand the potential livelihood benefits of enterprises based on natural resource management. The research focus was to enhance livelihood opportunities for Indigenous communities derived from new enterprises and activities based on natural resource management in regional and remote Australia. Underpinning outcomes were: · Identification of effective policy and institutional arrangements required to establish and maintain sustainable livelihoods; · Improved systems understanding of factors that enhance or inhibit sustainable livelihoods based on natural resource management; · Tools and methods for measuring the livelihood benefits of natural resource management; · Education, training, employment and capacity building for Indigenous communities and researchers.

Real-time and interactive attacks on DNP3 critical infrastructure using Scapy

The Distributed Network Protocol v3.0 (DNP3) is one of the most widely used protocols, to control national infrastructure. Widely used interactive packet manipulation tools, such as Scapy, have not yet been augmented to parse and create DNP3 frames (Biondi 2014). In this paper we extend Scapy to include DNP3, thus allowing us to perform attacks on DNP3 in real-time. Our contribution builds on East et al. (2009), who proposed a range of possible attacks on DNP3. We implement several of these attacks to validate our DNP3 extension to Scapy, then executed the attacks on real world equipment. We present our results, showing that many of these theoretical attacks would be unsuccessful in an Ethernet-based network.

Internet-wide scanning taxonomy and framework

Industrial control systems (ICS) have been moving from dedicated communications to switched and routed corporate networks, making it probable that these devices are being exposed to the Internet. Many ICS have been designed with poor or little security features, making them vulnerable to potential attack. Recently, several tools have been developed that can scan the internet, including ZMap, Masscan and Shodan. However, little in-depth analysis has been done to compare these Internet-wide scanning techniques, and few Internet-wide scans have been conducted targeting ICS and protocols. In this paper we present a Taxonomy of Internet-wide scanning with a comparison of three popular network scanning tools, and a framework for conducting Internet-wide scans.

Spatial incidence of dengue infections in Queensland, Australia - reply

This study aimed to investigate the spatial clustering and dynamic dispersion of dengue incidence in Queensland, Australia. We used Moran's I statistic to assess the spatial autocorrelation of reported dengue cases. Spatial empirical Bayes smoothing estimates were used to display the spatial distribution of dengue in postal areas throughout Queensland. Local indicators of spatial association (LISA) maps and logistic regression models were used to identify spatial clusters and examine the spatio-temporal patterns of the spread of dengue. The results indicate that the spatial distribution of dengue was clustered during each of the three periods of 1993–1996, 1997–2000 and 2001–2004. The high-incidence clusters of dengue were primarily concentrated in the north of Queensland and low-incidence clusters occurred in the south-east of Queensland. The study concludes that the geographical range of notified dengue cases has significantly expanded in Queensland over recent years.

Developing creative services industries in Hangzhou, China

Creativity is changing the People’s Republic of China according to Li Wuwei (2011), a leading Chinese economist and policy advisor. The nation is learning to embrace a “third industrial revolution” (Rifkin, 2011) while banking the economic capital of the carbon-dependent manufacturing economy. Urbanisation is also driving change and consumer culture (Gerth, 2010). Most of China’s high-value creative service industries are found in the large urban centres of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen in the coastal provinces. China’s second-tier cities, including Hangzhou in Zhejiang province, are also seeking to make capital out of culture, albeit with different strategies than the coastal hubs. The Hangzhou metropolitan area is the fourth largest in China, with 8.8 million residents. Zhejiang province was once known as the “land of rice and fish.” However, with the increased emphasis on productivity in China’s economic reforms since 1978, the province became an economic heavyweight, characterised by small and medium-sized enterprises often working together to produce complementary products...

The provision of visitable housing in Australia: Down to the detail

In response to the ratification of the United Nations Convention of the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD), Australian housing industry leaders, supported by the Australian Government, committed to transform their practices voluntarily through the adoption of a national guideline, called Livable Housing Design. They set a target in 2010 that all new housing would be visitable by 2020. Research in this area suggests that the anticipated voluntary transformation is unrealistic and that mandatory regulation will be necessary for any lasting transformation to occur. It also suggests that the assumptions underpinning the Livable Housing Design agreement are unfounded. This paper reports on a study that problematised these assumptions. The study used eleven newly-constructed dwellings in three housing contexts in Brisbane, Australia. It sought to understand the logics-of-practice in providing, and not providing, visitable housing. By examining the specific details that make a dwelling visitable, and interpreting the accounts of builders, designers and developers, the study identified three logics-of-practice which challenged the assumptions underpinning the Livable Housing Design agreement: focus on the point of sale; an aversion to change and deference to external regulators on matters of social inclusion. These were evident in all housing contexts indicating a dominant industry culture regardless of housing context or policy intention. The paper suggests that financial incentives for both the builder and the buyer, demonstration by industry leaders and, ultimately, national regulation is a possible pathway for the Livable Housing Design agreement to reach the 2020 goal. The paper concludes that the Australian Government has three options: to ignore its obligations under the CRPD; to revisit the Livable Housing Design agreement in the hope that it works; or to regulate the housing industry through the National Construction Code to ensure the 2020 target is reached.

Personally significant learning: The challenge

The article explores the importance for young individuals to have a powerful disposition to be self-managing learners after completing their schooling. It presents several propositions which aim to unlearn the best educational experience a school principal can give for young people and their teachers. The use of digital technologies is mentioned.

Applying digital product memories in industrial production

Industrial production and supply chains face increased demands for mass customization and tightening regulations on the traceability of goods, leading to higher requirements concerning flexibility, adaptability, and transparency of processes. Technologies for the ’Internet of Things' such as smart products and semantic representations pave the way for future factories and supply chains to fulfill these challenging market demands. In this chapter a backend-independent approach for information exchange in open-loop production processes based on Digital Product Memories DPMs is presented. By storing order-related data directly on the item, relevant lifecycle information is attached to the product itself. In this way, information handover between several stages of the value chain with focus on the manufacturing phase of a product has been realized. In order to report best practices regarding the application of DPM in the domain of industrial production, system prototype implementations focusing on the use case of producing and handling a smart drug case are illustrated.

Electronic medical record systems in Saudi Arabia: Knowledge and preferences of healthcare professionals

Background The use of Electronic Medical Record (EMR) systems is increasing internationally, though developing countries, such as Saudi Arabia, have tended to lag behind in the adoption and implementation of EMR systems due to several barriers. The literature shows that the main barriers to EMR in Saudi Arabia are lack of knowledge or experience using EMR systems and staff resistance to using the implemented EMR system. Methods A quantitative methodology was used to examine health personnel knowledge and acceptance of and preference for EMR systems in seven Saudi public hospitals in Jeddah, Makkah and Taif cities. Results Both English literacy and education levels were significantly correlated with computer literacy and EMR literacy. Participants whose first language was not Arabic were more likely to prefer using an EMR system compared to those whose first language was Arabic. Conclusion This study suggests that as computer literacy levels increase, so too do staff preferences for using EMR systems. Thus, it would be beneficial for hospitals to assess English language proficiency and computer literacy levels of staff prior to implementing an EMR system. It is recommended that hospitals need to offer training and targeted educational programs to the potential users of the EMR system. This would help to increase English language proficiency and computer literacy levels of staff as well as staff acceptance of the system.

The ghost in the machine: Legal challenges of neural interface devices

Neural interface devices and the melding of mind and machine, challenge the law in determining where civil liability for injury, damage or loss should lie. The ability of the human mind to instruct and control these devices means that in a negligence action against a person with a neural interface device, determining the standard of care owed by him or her will be of paramount importance. This article considers some of the factors that may influence the court’s determination of the appropriate standard of care to be applied in this situation, leading to the conclusion that a new standard of care might evolve.

Changes in mood, depression and suicidal ideation after commencing pregabalin for neuropathic pain

Background Pregabalin is a treatment option for patients with persistent neuropathic pain. Its use has been associated with changes in mood and the development of depression and/or suicidal ideation. Objective Case presentations were reviewed of five patients reporting changes in mood, depression and suicidal ideation from the first 50 (approximately) patients commenced on pregabalin at the clinic. Discussion Although these patients had a history of depression, their mood had been stable before commencing pregabalin. Soon after commencement they reported changes in mood, and development of depression and/or suicidal ideation, which improved with dose reduction or cessation of pregabalin. Ultimately, all five patients ceased pregabalin treatment. Suicidal ideation is a recog-nised adverse effect of pregabalin. Patients should be warned of and monitored for deterioration in mood.

Modal parameters identification of heavy-haul railway RC bridges: Experience acquired

Traditionally, it is not easy to carry out tests to identify modal parameters from existing railway bridges because of the testing conditions and complicated nature of civil structures. A six year (2007-2012) research program was conducted to monitor a group of 25 railway bridges. One of the tasks was to devise guidelines for identifying their modal parameters. This paper presents the experience acquired from such identification. The modal analysis of four representative bridges of this group is reported, which include B5, B15, B20 and B58A, crossing the Carajás railway in northern Brazil using three different excitations sources: drop weight, free vibration after train passage, and ambient conditions. To extract the dynamic parameters from the recorded data, Stochastic Subspace Identification and Frequency Domain Decomposition methods were used. Finite-element models were constructed to facilitate the dynamic measurements. The results show good agreement between the measured and computed natural frequencies and mode shapes. The findings provide some guidelines on methods of excitation, record length of time, methods of modal analysis including the use of projected channel and harmonic detection, helping researchers and maintenance teams obtain good dynamic characteristics from measurement data.