Radiology response in the emergency department during a mass casualty incident: a retrospective study of the two terrorist attacks on 22 July 2011 in Norway.

PubMed

Young, Victoria Solveig; Eggesbø, Heidi B; Gaarder, Christine; Næss, Pål Aksel; Enden, Tone

2017-07-01

To describe the use of radiology in the emergency department (ED) in a trauma centre during a mass casualty incident, using a minimum acceptable care (MAC) strategy in which CT was restricted to potentially severe head injuries. We retrospectively studied the initial use of imaging on patients triaged to the trauma centre following the twin terrorist attacks in Norway on 22 July 2011. Nine patients from the explosion and 15 from the shooting were included. Fourteen patients had an Injury Severity Score >15. During the first 15 h, 22/24 patients underwent imaging in the ED. All 15 gunshot patients had plain films taken in the ED, compared to three from the explosion. A CT was performed in 18/24 patients; ten of these were completed in the ED and included five non-head CTs, the latter representing deviations from the MAC strategy. No CT referrals were delayed or declined. Mobilisation of radiology personnel resulted in a tripling of the staff. Plain film and CT capacity was never exceeded despite deviations from the MAC strategy. An updated disaster management plan will require the radiologist to cancel non-head CTs performed in the ED until no additional MCI patients are expected. • Minimum acceptable care (MAC) should replace normal routines in mass casualty incidents. • MAC implied reduced use of imaging in the emergency department (ED). • CT in ED was restricted to suspected severe head injuries during MAC. • The radiologist should cancel all non-head CTs in the ED during MAC.

Induction of passive Heymann nephritis in complement component 6-deficient PVG rats.

PubMed

Spicer, S Timothy; Tran, Giang T; Killingsworth, Murray C; Carter, Nicole; Power, David A; Paizis, Kathy; Boyd, Rochelle; Hodgkinson, Suzanne J; Hall, Bruce M

2007-07-01

Passive Heymann nephritis (PHN), a model of human membranous nephritis, is induced in susceptible rat strains by injection of heterologous antisera to rat renal tubular Ag extract. PHN is currently considered the archetypal complement-dependent form of nephritis, with the proteinuria resulting from sublytic glomerular epithelial cell injury induced by the complement membrane attack complex (MAC) of C5b-9. This study examined whether C6 and MAC are essential to the development of proteinuria in PHN by comparing the effect of injection of anti-Fx1A antisera into PVG rats deficient in C6 (PVG/C6(-)) and normal PVG rats (PVG/c). PVG/c and PVG/C6(-) rats developed similar levels of proteinuria at 3, 7, 14, and 28 days following injection of antisera. Isolated whole glomeruli showed similar deposition of rat Ig and C3 staining in PVG/c and PVG/C6(-) rats. C9 deposition was abundant in PVG/c but was not detected in PVG/C6(-) glomeruli, indicating C5b-9/MAC had not formed in PVG/C6(-) rats. There was also no difference in the glomerular cellular infiltrate of T cells and macrophages nor the size of glomerular basement membrane deposits measured on electron micrographs. To examine whether T cells effect injury, rats were depleted of CD8+ T cells which did not affect proteinuria in the early heterologous phase but prevented the increase in proteinuria associated with the later autologous phase. These studies showed proteinuria in PHN occurs without MAC and that other mechanisms, such as immune complex size, early complement components, CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, disrupt glomerular integrity and lead to proteinuria.

Functional implications of an intermeshing cogwheel-like interaction between TolC and MacA in the action of macrolide-specific efflux pump MacAB-TolC.

PubMed

Xu, Yongbin; Song, Saemee; Moeller, Arne; Kim, Nahee; Piao, Shunfu; Sim, Se-Hoon; Kang, Mooseok; Yu, Wookyung; Cho, Hyun-Soo; Chang, Iksoo; Lee, Kangseok; Ha, Nam-Chul

2011-04-15

Macrolide-specific efflux pump MacAB-TolC has been identified in diverse gram-negative bacteria including Escherichia coli. The inner membrane transporter MacB requires the outer membrane factor TolC and the periplasmic adaptor protein MacA to form a functional tripartite complex. In this study, we used a chimeric protein containing the tip region of the TolC α-barrel to investigate the role of the TolC α-barrel tip region with regard to its interaction with MacA. The chimeric protein formed a stable complex with MacA, and the complex formation was abolished by substitution at the functionally essential residues located at the MacA α-helical tip region. Electron microscopic study delineated that this complex was made by tip-to-tip interaction between the tip regions of the α-barrels of TolC and MacA, which correlated well with the TolC and MacA complex calculated by molecular dynamics. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the MacA hexamer interacts with TolC in a tip-to-tip manner, and implies the manner by which MacA induces opening of the TolC channel.

Functional Implications of an Intermeshing Cogwheel-like Interaction between TolC and MacA in the Action of Macrolide-specific Efflux Pump MacAB-TolC*

PubMed Central

Xu, Yongbin; Song, Saemee; Moeller, Arne; Kim, Nahee; Piao, Shunfu; Sim, Se-Hoon; Kang, Mooseok; Yu, Wookyung; Cho, Hyun-Soo; Chang, Iksoo; Lee, Kangseok; Ha, Nam-Chul

2011-01-01

Macrolide-specific efflux pump MacAB-TolC has been identified in diverse Gram-negative bacteria including Escherichia coli. The inner membrane transporter MacB requires the outer membrane factor TolC and the periplasmic adaptor protein MacA to form a functional tripartite complex. In this study, we used a chimeric protein containing the tip region of the TolC α-barrel to investigate the role of the TolC α-barrel tip region with regard to its interaction with MacA. The chimeric protein formed a stable complex with MacA, and the complex formation was abolished by substitution at the functionally essential residues located at the MacA α-helical tip region. Electron microscopic study delineated that this complex was made by tip-to-tip interaction between the tip regions of the α-barrels of TolC and MacA, which correlated well with the TolC and MacA complex calculated by molecular dynamics. Taken together, our results demonstrate that the MacA hexamer interacts with TolC in a tip-to-tip manner, and implies the manner by which MacA induces opening of the TolC channel. PMID:21325274

Distinguishing attack and second-preimage attack on encrypted message authentication codes (EMAC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ariwibowo, Sigit; Windarta, Susila

2016-02-01

In this paper we show that distinguisher on CBC-MAC can be applied to Encrypted Message Authentication Code (EMAC) scheme. EMAC scheme in general is vulnerable to distinguishing attack and second preimage attack. Distinguishing attack simulation on AES-EMAC using 225 message modifications, no collision have been found. According to second preimage attack simulation on AES-EMAC no collision found between EMAC value of S1 and S2, i.e. no second preimage found for messages that have been tested. Based on distinguishing attack simulation on truncated AES-EMAC we found collision in every message therefore we cannot distinguish truncated AES-EMAC with random function. Second-preimage attack is successfully performed on truncated AES-EMAC.

Identification of a central role for complement in osteoarthritis

PubMed Central

Wang, Qian; Rozelle, Andrew L.; Lepus, Christin M.; Scanzello, Carla R.; Song, Jason J.; Larsen, D. Meegan; Crish, James F.; Bebek, Gurkan; Ritter, Susan Y.; Lindstrom, Tamsin M.; Hwang, Inyong; Wong, Heidi H.; Punzi, Leonardo; Encarnacion, Angelo; Shamloo, Mehrdad; Goodman, Stuart B.; Wyss-Coray, Tony; Goldring, Steven R.; Banda, Nirmal K.; Thurman, Joshua M.; Gobezie, Reuben; Crow, Mary K.; Holers, V. Michael; Lee, David M.; Robinson, William H.

2011-01-01

Osteoarthritis, characterized by the breakdown of articular cartilage in synovial joints, has long been viewed as the result of “wear and tear”1. Although low-grade inflammation is detected in osteoarthritis, its role is unclear2–4. Here we identify a central role for the inflammatory complement system in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. Through proteomic and transcriptomic analyses of synovial fluids and membranes from individuals with osteoarthritis, we find that expression and activation of complement is abnormally high in human osteoarthritic joints. Using mice genetically deficient in C5, C6, or CD59a, we show that complement, and specifically the membrane attack complex (MAC)-mediated arm of complement, is critical to the development of arthritis in three different mouse models of osteoarthritis. Pharmacological modulation of complement in wild-type mice confirmed the results obtained with genetically deficient mice. Expression of inflammatory and degradative molecules was lower in chondrocytes from destabilized joints of C5-deficient mice than C5-sufficient mice, and MAC induced production of these molecules in cultured chondrocytes. Furthermore, MAC co-localized with matrix metalloprotease (MMP)-13 and with activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) around chondrocytes in human osteoarthritic cartilage. Our findings indicate that dysregulation of complement in synovial joints plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis. PMID:22057346

GENETIC FINGERPRINTING OF MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM COMPLEX (MAC) ORGANISMS ISOLATED FROM HOSPITAL PATIENTS AND THE ENVIRONMENT

EPA Science Inventory

A particularly pathogenic group of mycobacteria belong to the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), which includes M. avium and M. intracellulare. MAC organisms cause disease in children, the elderly, and immuno-compromised individuals. A critical step in preventing MAC infections...

Role of ATP binding and hydrolysis in assembly of MacAB-TolC macrolide transporter

PubMed Central

Lu, Shuo; Zgurskaya, Helen I.

2012-01-01

Summary MacB is a founding member of the Macrolide Exporter family of transporters belonging to the ATP-Binding Cassette superfamily. These proteins are broadly represented in genomes of both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria and are implicated in virulence and protection against antibiotics and peptide toxins. MacB transporter functions together with MacA, a periplasmic membrane fusion protein, which stimulates MacB ATPase. In gram-negative bacteria, MacA is believed to couple ATP hydrolysis to transport of substrates across the outer membrane through a TolC-like channel. In this study, we report a real-time analysis of concurrent ATP hydrolysis and assembly of MacAB-TolC complex. MacB binds nucleotides with a low millimolar affinity and fast on- and off-rates. In contrast, MacA-MacB complex is formed with a nanomolar affinity, which further increases in the presence of ATP. Our results strongly suggest that association between MacA and MacB is stimulated by ATP binding to MacB but remains unchanged during ATP hydrolysis cycle. We also found that the large periplasmic loop of MacB plays the major role in coupling reactions separated in two different membranes. This loop is required for MacA-dependent stimulation of MacB ATPase and at the same time, contributes to recruitment of TolC into a trans-envelope complex. PMID:23057817

Complement Activation in Arterial and Venous Thrombosis is Mediated by Plasmin

PubMed Central

Foley, Jonathan H.; Walton, Bethany L.; Aleman, Maria M.; O'Byrne, Alice M.; Lei, Victor; Harrasser, Micaela; Foley, Kimberley A.; Wolberg, Alisa S.; Conway, Edward M.

2016-01-01

Thrombus formation leading to vaso-occlusive events is a major cause of death, and involves complex interactions between coagulation, fibrinolytic and innate immune systems. Leukocyte recruitment is a key step, mediated partly by chemotactic complement activation factors C3a and C5a. However, mechanisms mediating C3a/C5a generation during thrombosis have not been studied. In a murine venous thrombosis model, levels of thrombin–antithrombin complexes poorly correlated with C3a and C5a, excluding a central role for thrombin in C3a/C5a production. However, clot weight strongly correlated with C5a, suggesting processes triggered during thrombosis promote C5a generation. Since thrombosis elicits fibrinolysis, we hypothesized that plasmin activates C5 during thrombosis. In vitro, the catalytic efficiency of plasmin-mediated C5a generation greatly exceeded that of thrombin or factor Xa, but was similar to the recognized complement C5 convertases. Plasmin-activated C5 yielded a functional membrane attack complex (MAC). In an arterial thrombosis model, plasminogen activator administration increased C5a levels. Overall, these findings suggest plasmin bridges thrombosis and the immune response by liberating C5a and inducing MAC assembly. These new insights may lead to the development of strategies to limit thrombus formation and/or enhance resolution. PMID:27077125

The periplasmic membrane proximal domain of MacA acts as a switch in stimulation of ATP hydrolysis by MacB transporter.

PubMed

Modali, Sita D; Zgurskaya, Helen I

2011-08-01

Escherichia coli MacAB-TolC is a tripartite macrolide efflux transporter driven by hydrolysis of ATP. In this complex, MacA is the periplasmic membrane fusion protein that stimulates the activity of MacB transporter and establishes the link with the outer membrane channel TolC. The molecular mechanism by which MacA stimulates MacB remains unknown. Here, we report that the periplasmic membrane proximal domain of MacA plays a critical role in functional MacA-MacB interactions and stimulation of MacB ATPase activity. Binding of MacA to MacB stabilizes the ATP-bound conformation of MacB, whereas interactions with both MacB and TolC affect the conformation of MacA. A single G353A substitution in the C-terminus of MacA inactivates MacAB-TolC function by changing the conformation of the membrane proximal domain of MacA and disrupting the proper assembly of the MacA-MacB complex. We propose that MacA acts in transport by promoting MacB transition into the closed ATP-bound conformation and in this respect, is similar to the periplasmic solute-binding proteins. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The periplasmic membrane proximal domain of MacA acts as a switch in stimulation of ATP hydrolysis by MacB transporter

PubMed Central

Modali, Sita D.; Zgurskaya, Helen I.

2011-01-01

Escherichia coli MacAB-TolC is a tri-partite macrolide efflux transporter driven by hydrolysis of ATP. In this complex, MacA is the periplasmic membrane fusion protein that stimulates the activity of MacB transporter and establishes the link with the outer membrane channel TolC. The molecular mechanism by which MacA stimulates MacB remains unknown. Here, we report that the periplasmic membrane proximal domain of MacA plays a critical role in functional MacA-MacB interactions and stimulation of MacB ATPase activity. Binding of MacA to MacB stabilizes the ATP-bound conformation of MacB, whereas interactions with both MacB and TolC affect the conformation of MacA. A single G353A substitution in the C-terminus of MacA inactivates MacAB-TolC function by changing the conformation of the membrane proximal domain of MacA and disrupting the proper assembly of the MacA-MacB complex. We propose that MacA acts in transport by promoting MacB transition into the closed ATP-bound conformation and in this respect, is similar to the periplasmic solute-binding proteins. PMID:21696464

In Situ complement activation and T-cell immunity in leprosy spectrum: An immunohistological study on leprosy lesional skin.

PubMed

Bahia El Idrissi, Nawal; Iyer, Anand M; Ramaglia, Valeria; Rosa, Patricia S; Soares, Cleverson T; Baas, Frank; Das, Pranab K

2017-01-01

Mycobacterium leprae (M. leprae) infection causes nerve damage and the condition worsens often during and long after treatment. Clearance of bacterial antigens including lipoarabinomannan (LAM) during and after treatment in leprosy patients is slow. We previously demonstrated that M. leprae LAM damages peripheral nerves by in situ generation of the membrane attack complex (MAC). Investigating the role of complement activation in skin lesions of leprosy patients might provide insight into the dynamics of in situ immune reactivity and the destructive pathology of M. leprae. In this study, we analyzed in skin lesions of leprosy patients, whether M. leprae antigen LAM deposition correlates with the deposition of complement activation products MAC and C3d on nerves and cells in the surrounding tissue. Skin biopsies of paucibacillary (n = 7), multibacillary leprosy patients (n = 7), and patients with erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) (n = 6) or reversal reaction (RR) (n = 4) and controls (n = 5) were analyzed. The percentage of C3d, MAC and LAM deposition was significantly higher in the skin biopsies of multibacillary compared to paucibacillary patients (p = <0.05, p = <0.001 and p = <0.001 respectively), with a significant association between LAM and C3d or MAC in the skin biopsies of leprosy patients (r = 0.9578, p< 0.0001 and r = 0.8585, p<0.0001 respectively). In skin lesions of multibacillary patients, MAC deposition was found on axons and co-localizing with LAM. In skin lesions of paucibacillary patients, we found C3d positive T-cells in and surrounding granulomas, but hardly any MAC deposition. In addition, MAC immunoreactivity was increased in both ENL and RR skin lesions compared to non-reactional leprosy patients (p = <0.01 and p = <0.01 respectively). The present findings demonstrate that complement is deposited in skin lesions of leprosy patients, suggesting that inflammation driven by complement activation might contribute to nerve damage in the lesions of these patients. This should be regarded as an important factor in M. leprae nerve damage pathology.

Prothrombotic mechanisms in patients with congenital p.Cys89Tyr mutation in CD59.

PubMed

Tabib, Adi; Hindi, Issam; Karbian, Netanel; Zelig, Orly; Falach, Batla; Mevorach, Dror

2018-06-11

Thrombosis is the prognostic factor with the greatest effect on survival in patients with paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH), who lack dozens of membrane surface proteins. We recently described a primary homozygous Cys89Tyr congenital nonfunctioning CD59 in humans with clinical manifestation in infancy, associated with chronic hemolysis, recurrent strokes, and relapsing peripheral demyelinating neuropathy. Here we investigated hypercoagulability mechanisms characterizing the syndrome. Membrane attack complex (MAC) deposition (anti-SC5b-9) and free hemoglobin (colorimetric assay) were assessed. Platelet activation was identified (anti-CD61, anti-CD62P), and microparticles (MPs) of 0.5-0.9 μm, were characterized (Annexin V, anti-human GlyA, anti-CD15, anti-CD14, anti-CD61). Platelet-monocyte aggregation was assessed with FlowSight. 2/7 patients (29%) with homozygosity for Cys89Tyr and 6/12 (50%) with any of four described CD59 mutations had recurrent strokes. In plasma samples from four patients carrying identical mutations, MAC deposition was increased on RBCs (p < 0.0003), neutrophils (p < 0.009), and platelets (p < 0.0003). Free-plasma hemoglobin levels were abnormally high, up to 100 mg/dl. Patients with CD59 mutation had RBC-derived MP levels 9-fold higher than those in healthy controls (p < 0.01), and 2-2.5 fold higher than PNH patients (p < 0.09). Leukocyte-activated platelet aggregation was increased (p < 0.0062). Loss of CD59 was shown in the endothelium of these patients. Nonfunctioning CD59 is a major risk factor for stroke and hypercoagulability. Uncontrolled hemolysis causes massive MP release and endothelial heme damage. MAC attack on unprotected endothelium and platelet activation and aggregation with leukocytes mediate additional mechanisms leading to vascular occlusion. It is suggested that CD59 loss represents a major arterial prothrombotic factor in PNH and additional diseases. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Distributed Denial of Service Attack Source Detection Using Efficient Traceback Technique (ETT) in Cloud-Assisted Healthcare Environment.

PubMed

Latif, Rabia; Abbas, Haider; Latif, Seemab; Masood, Ashraf

2016-07-01

Security and privacy are the first and foremost concerns that should be given special attention when dealing with Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs). As WBAN sensors operate in an unattended environment and carry critical patient health information, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attack is one of the major attacks in WBAN environment that not only exhausts the available resources but also influence the reliability of information being transmitted. This research work is an extension of our previous work in which a machine learning based attack detection algorithm is proposed to detect DDoS attack in WBAN environment. However, in order to avoid complexity, no consideration was given to the traceback mechanism. During traceback, the challenge lies in reconstructing the attack path leading to identify the attack source. Among existing traceback techniques, Probabilistic Packet Marking (PPM) approach is the most commonly used technique in conventional IP- based networks. However, since marking probability assignment has significant effect on both the convergence time and performance of a scheme, it is not directly applicable in WBAN environment due to high convergence time and overhead on intermediate nodes. Therefore, in this paper we have proposed a new scheme called Efficient Traceback Technique (ETT) based on Dynamic Probability Packet Marking (DPPM) approach and uses MAC header in place of IP header. Instead of using fixed marking probability, the proposed scheme uses variable marking probability based on the number of hops travelled by a packet to reach the target node. Finally, path reconstruction algorithms are proposed to traceback an attacker. Evaluation and simulation results indicate that the proposed solution outperforms fixed PPM in terms of convergence time and computational overhead on nodes.

The Battle for Popular Support: An Analysis of America’s Efforts in the Struggle Against ISIS

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-01

University of Virginia and a MA in Administrative Leadership from the University of Oklahoma. iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I have to start by...were ripe for revolution. Huk guerrilla attacks increased ten-fold. Quirino responded by openly endorsing terrorist- style attacks in Huk...His strong leadership skills attracted attention, and he was named military governor of a Filipino province after Douglas MacArthur reestablished

THE ISOLATION AND IDENTIFICATION OF MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM COMPLEX (MAC) RECOVERED FROM LOS ANGELES POTABLE WATER, A POSSIBLE SOURCE OF INFECTION IN AIDS PATIENTS

EPA Science Inventory

Los Angeles water was investigated as a possible source of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection in patients with AIDS. MAC consists of M.avium (MA), M. intracellulare (MI) and Mycobacterium X (MX)(positive for MAC by DNA probe but not MA or MI). The study included 13 reser...

Experimental Validation of a Resilient Monitoring and Control System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wen-Chiao Lin; Kris R. E. Villez; Humberto E. Garcia

2014-05-01

Complex, high performance, engineering systems have to be closely monitored and controlled to ensure safe operation and protect public from potential hazards. One of the main challenges in designing monitoring and control algorithms for these systems is that sensors and actuators may be malfunctioning due to malicious or natural causes. To address this challenge, this paper addresses a resilient monitoring and control (ReMAC) system by expanding previously developed resilient condition assessment monitoring systems and Kalman filter-based diagnostic methods and integrating them with a supervisory controller developed here. While the monitoring and diagnostic algorithms assess plant cyber and physical health conditions,more » the supervisory controller selects, from a set of candidates, the best controller based on the current plant health assessments. To experimentally demonstrate its enhanced performance, the developed ReMAC system is then used for monitoring and control of a chemical reactor with a water cooling system in a hardware-in-the-loop setting, where the reactor is computer simulated and the water cooling system is implemented by a machine condition monitoring testbed at Idaho National Laboratory. Results show that the ReMAC system is able to make correct plant health assessments despite sensor malfunctioning due to cyber attacks and make decisions that achieve best control actions despite possible actuator malfunctioning. Monitoring challenges caused by mismatches between assumed system component models and actual measurements are also identified for future work.« less

Comprehensive Proteoform Characterization of Plasma Complement Component C8αβγ by Hybrid Mass Spectrometry Approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franc, Vojtech; Zhu, Jing; Heck, Albert J. R.

2018-03-01

The human complement hetero-trimeric C8αβγ (C8) protein assembly ( 150 kDa) is an important component of the membrane attack complex (MAC). C8 initiates membrane penetration and coordinates MAC pore formation. Here, we charted in detail the structural micro-heterogeneity within C8, purified from human plasma, combining high-resolution native mass spectrometry and (glyco)peptide-centric proteomics. The intact C8 proteoform profile revealed at least 20 co-occurring MS signals. Additionally, we employed ion exchange chromatography to separate purified C8 into four distinct fractions. Their native MS analysis revealed even more detailed structural micro-heterogeneity on C8. Subsequent peptide-centric analysis, by proteolytic digestion of C8 and LC-MS/MS, provided site-specific quantitative profiles of different types of C8 glycosylation. Combining all this data provides a detailed specification of co-occurring C8 proteoforms, including experimental evidence on N-glycosylation, C-mannosylation, and O-glycosylation. In addition to the known N-glycosylation sites, two more N-glycosylation sites were detected on C8. Additionally, we elucidated the stoichiometry of all C-mannosylation sites in all the thrombospondin-like (TSP) domains of C8α and C8β. Lastly, our data contain the first experimental evidence of O-linked glycans located on C8γ. Albeit low abundant, these O-glycans are the first PTMs ever detected on this subunit. By placing the observed PTMs in structural models of free C8 and C8 embedded in the MAC, it may be speculated that some of the newly identified modifications may play a role in the MAC formation. [Figure not available: see fulltext.

Moringa isothiocyanate complexed with α-cyclodextrin: a new perspective in neuroblastoma treatment.

PubMed

Giacoppo, Sabrina; Iori, Renato; Rollin, Patrick; Bramanti, Placido; Mazzon, Emanuela

2017-07-14

Several lines of evidence suggest the consume of natural products for cancer prevention or treatment. In particular, isothiocyanates (ITCs) exerting anti-cancer properties, have received great interest as potential chemotherapeutic agents. This study was designed to assess the anti-proliferative activities of a new preparation of Moringa oleifera-derived 4-(α-L-rhamnopyranosyloxy)benzyl ITC (moringin) complexed with alpha-cyclodextrin (moringin + α-CD; MAC) on SH-SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. This new formulation arises in the attempt to overcome the poor solubility and stability of moringin alone in aqueous media. SH-SY5Y cells were cultured and exposed to increasing concentrations of MAC (1.0, 2.5 and 5.0 μg). Cell proliferation was examined by MTT and cell count assays. The cytotoxic activity of the MAC complex was assessed by lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) assay and trypan blue exclusion test. In addition, western blotting analyses for the main apoptosis-related proteins were performed. Treatment of SH-SY5Y cells with the MAC complex reduced cell growth in concentration dependent manner. Specifically, MAC exhibited a potent action in inhibiting the PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway, whose aberrant activation was found in many types of cancer. MAC was also found to induce the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) p65 activation by phosphorylation and its translocation into the nucleus. Moreover, treatment with MAC was able to down-regulate MAPK pathway (results focused on JNK and p38 expression). Finally, MAC was found to trigger apoptotic death pathway (based on expression levels of cleaved-caspase 3, Bax/Bcl-2 balance, p53 and p21). These findings suggest that use of MAC complex may open novel perspectives to improve the poor prognosis of patients with neuroblastoma.

Sero-Diagnosis of Mycobacterium avium Complex Lung Disease Using Serum Immunoglobulin A Antibody against Glycopeptidolipid Antigen in Taiwan

PubMed Central

Wang, Jann-Tay; Jou, Ruwen; Wang, Jann-Yuan; Kobayashi, Kazuo; Lai, Hsin-Chih; Yu, Chong-Jen; Lee, Li-Na; Luh, Kwen-Tay

2013-01-01

Background Lung disease (LD) due to non-tuberculous mycobacteria is an important clinical concern. Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is one of the most common causative agents but the diagnosis of MAC-LD remains challenging. Detection of serum IgA antibody against MAC glycopeptidolipid (GPL) has recently been shown to improve the diagnosis of MAC-LD, but has yet to be validated worldwide. Methods This prospective study was conducted in a tertiary referral center in northern Taiwan and enrolled patients with MAC-LD, MAC contamination, other lung diseases, and control subjects. Serum immunoglobulin A (IgA) antibody against MAC-GPL was detected in the participants and its specificity and sensitivity was assessed. Results There were 56 patients with MAC-LD, 11 with MAC contamination, 13 M. kansasii-LD, 26 LD due to rapidly-growing mycobacteria (RGM), 48 pulmonary tuberculosis, and 42 household contacts of patients with TB. Patients with MAC-LD were older and 32% of them had an underlying co-morbidity. By logistic regression, serum MAC-GPL IgA level was an independent predictor of MAC-LD among the study subjects and those with culture-positive specimens for MAC. By the receiver operating characteristic curve, serum MAC-GPL IgA had a good power to discriminate MAC-LD from MAC contamination. Under the optimal cut-off value of 0.73 U/mL, its sensitivity and specificity were 60% and 91%, respectively. Among MAC-LD patients, presence of co-morbidity was associated with MAC-GPL <0.73 U/ml in logistic regression analysis. Conclusions Measurement of serum anti-MAC-GPL IgA level is useful for the diagnosis of MAC-LD. However, its implement in clinical practice for immuno-compromised hosts needs careful consideration. PMID:24260398

Activity of Picolinic Acid in Combination with the Antiprotozoal Drug Quinacrine against Mycobacterium avium Complex

PubMed Central

Shimizu, Toshiaki; Tomioka, Haruaki

2006-01-01

We studied the in vitro and in vivo antimicrobial activities of picolinic acid (PA) in combination with the antiprotozoal drug quinacrine against intramacrophage Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). Quinacrine significantly potentiated the anti-MAC activity of PA, suggesting the usefulness of this combination in the clinical control of MAC infection. PMID:16940126

DHCP Origin Traceback

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majumdar, Saugat; Kulkarni, Dhananjay; Ravishankar, Chinya V.

Imagine that the DHCP server is under attack from malicious hosts in your network. How would you know where these DHCP packets are coming from, or which path they took in the network? This paper investigates the problem of determining the origin of a DHCP packet in a network. We propose a practical method for adding a new option field that does not violate any RFC's, which we believe should be a crucial requirement while proposing any related solution. The new DHCP option will contain the ingress port and the switch MAC address. We recommend that this new option be added at the edge so that we can use the recorded value for performing traceback. The computational overhead of our solution is low, and the related network management tasks are low as well. We also address issues related to securing the field in order to maintain privacy of switch MAC addresses, fragmentation of packets, and possible attack scenarios. Our study shows that the traceback scheme is effective and practical to use in most network environments.

Multi-Layer Approach for the Detection of Selective Forwarding Attacks

PubMed Central

Alajmi, Naser; Elleithy, Khaled

2015-01-01

Security breaches are a major threat in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). WSNs are increasingly used due to their broad range of important applications in both military and civilian domains. WSNs are prone to several types of security attacks. Sensor nodes have limited capacities and are often deployed in dangerous locations; therefore, they are vulnerable to different types of attacks, including wormhole, sinkhole, and selective forwarding attacks. Security attacks are classified as data traffic and routing attacks. These security attacks could affect the most significant applications of WSNs, namely, military surveillance, traffic monitoring, and healthcare. Therefore, there are different approaches to detecting security attacks on the network layer in WSNs. Reliability, energy efficiency, and scalability are strong constraints on sensor nodes that affect the security of WSNs. Because sensor nodes have limited capabilities in most of these areas, selective forwarding attacks cannot be easily detected in networks. In this paper, we propose an approach to selective forwarding detection (SFD). The approach has three layers: MAC pool IDs, rule-based processing, and anomaly detection. It maintains the safety of data transmission between a source node and base station while detecting selective forwarding attacks. Furthermore, the approach is reliable, energy efficient, and scalable. PMID:26610499

Multi-Layer Approach for the Detection of Selective Forwarding Attacks.

PubMed

Alajmi, Naser; Elleithy, Khaled

2015-11-19

Security breaches are a major threat in wireless sensor networks (WSNs). WSNs are increasingly used due to their broad range of important applications in both military and civilian domains. WSNs are prone to several types of security attacks. Sensor nodes have limited capacities and are often deployed in dangerous locations; therefore, they are vulnerable to different types of attacks, including wormhole, sinkhole, and selective forwarding attacks. Security attacks are classified as data traffic and routing attacks. These security attacks could affect the most significant applications of WSNs, namely, military surveillance, traffic monitoring, and healthcare. Therefore, there are different approaches to detecting security attacks on the network layer in WSNs. Reliability, energy efficiency, and scalability are strong constraints on sensor nodes that affect the security of WSNs. Because sensor nodes have limited capabilities in most of these areas, selective forwarding attacks cannot be easily detected in networks. In this paper, we propose an approach to selective forwarding detection (SFD). The approach has three layers: MAC pool IDs, rule-based processing, and anomaly detection. It maintains the safety of data transmission between a source node and base station while detecting selective forwarding attacks. Furthermore, the approach is reliable, energy efficient, and scalable.

The Big Mac Attack.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bushweller, Kevin

1995-01-01

Schools are increasingly turning to fast-food restaurants such as Taco Bell, McDonald's, and Pizza Hut to fill the stomachs of kids turned off by standard school lunches. Kids are delighted, but critics say fast-food infiltration of school cafeterias encourages poor nutrition. Schools might consider adopting lighter fast-food fare or starting…

Identity of the segment of human complement C8 recognized by complement regulatory protein CD59.

PubMed

Lockert, D H; Kaufman, K M; Chang, C P; Hüsler, T; Sodetz, J M; Sims, P J

1995-08-25

CD59 antigen is a membrane glycoprotein that inhibits the activity of the C5b-9 membrane attack complex (MAC), thereby protecting human cells from lysis by human complement. The inhibitory function of CD59 derives from its capacity to interact with both the C8 and C9 components of MAC, preventing assembly of membrane-inserted C9 polymer. MAC-inhibitory activity of CD59 is species-selective and is most effective when both C8 and C9 derive from human or other primate plasma. Rabbit C8 and C9, which can substitute for human C8 and C9 in MAC, mediate virtually unrestricted lysis of human cells expressing CD59. In order to identify the segment of human C8 that is recognized by CD59, recombinant peptides containing human or rabbit C8 sequence were expressed in Escherichia coli and purified. CD59 was found to specifically bind to a peptide corresponding to residues 334-385 of the human C8 alpha-subunit, and to require a disulfide bond between Cys345 and Cys369. No specific binding was observed to the corresponding sequence from rabbit C8 alpha (residues 334-386). To obtain functional evidence that this segment of human C8 alpha is selectively recognized by CD59, recombinant C8 proteins were prepared by co-transfecting COS-7 cells with human/rabbit chimeras of the C8 alpha cDNA, and cDNAs encoding the C8 beta and C8 gamma chains. Hemolytic activity of MAC formed with chimeric C8 was analyzed using target cells reconstituted with CD59. These experiments confirmed that CD59 recognizes a conformationally sensitive epitope that is within a segment of human C8 alpha internal to residues 320-415. Our data also suggest that optimal interaction of CD59 with this segment of human C8 alpha is influenced by N-terminal flanking sequence in C8 alpha and by human C8 beta, but is unaffected by C8 gamma.

Trichinella spiralis Paramyosin Binds to C8 and C9 and Protects the Tissue-Dwelling Nematode from Being Attacked by Host Complement

PubMed Central

Zhang, Zhifei; Yang, Jing; Wei, Junfei; Yang, Yaping; Chen, Xiaoqin; Zhao, Xi; Gu, Yuan; Cui, Shijuan; Zhu, Xinping

2011-01-01

Background Paramyosin is a thick myofibrillar protein found exclusively in invertebrates. Evidence suggested that paramyosin from helminths serves not only as a structural protein but also as an immunomodulatory agent. We previously reported that recombinant Trichinella spiralis paramyosin (Ts-Pmy) elicited a partial protective immunity in mice. In this study, the ability of Ts-Pmy to bind host complement components and protect against host complement attack was investigated. Methods and Findings In this study, the transcriptional and protein expression levels of Ts-Pmy were determined in T. spiralis newborn larva (NBL), muscle larva (ML) and adult worm developmental stages by RT-PCR and western blot analysis. Expression of Ts-Pmy at the outer membrane was observed in NBL and adult worms using immunogold electron microscopy and immunofluorescence staining. Functional analysis revealed that recombinant Ts-Pmy(rTs-Pmy) strongly bound to complement components C8 and C9 and inhibited the polymerization of C9 during the formation of the membrane attack complex (MAC). rTs-Pmy also inhibited the lysis of rabbit erythrocytes (ER) elicited by an alternative pathway-activated complement from guinea pig serum. Inhibition of native Ts-Pmy on the surface of NBL with a specific antiserum reduced larvae viability when under the attack of complement in vitro. In vivo passive transfer of anti-Ts-Pmy antiserum and complement-treated larvae into mice also significantly reduced the number of larvae that developed to ML. Conclusion These studies suggest that the outer membrane form of T. spiralis paramyosin plays an important role in the evasion of the host complement attack. PMID:21750743

Role of a disulfide-bonded peptide loop within human complement C9 in the species-selectivity of complement inhibitor CD59.

PubMed

Husler, T; Lockert, D H; Sims, P J

1996-03-12

CD59 antigen is a membrane glycoprotein that inhibits the activity of the C9 component of the C5b-9 membrane attack complex (MAC), thereby protecting human cells from lysis by human complement. The complement-inhibitory activity of CD59 is species-selective, and is most effective toward C9 derived from human or other primate plasma. The species-selective activity of CD59 was recently used to map the segment of human C9 that is recognized by this MAC inhibitor, using recombinant rabbit/human C9 chimeras that retain lytic function within the MAC [Husler, T., Lockert, D. H., Kaufman, K. M., Sodetz, J. M., & Sims, P. J. (1995) J. Biol. Chem. 270,3483-3486]. These experiments suggested that the CD59 recognition domain was contained between residues 334 and 415 in human C9. By analyzing the species-selective lytic activity of recombinant C9 with chimeric substitutions internal to this segment, we now demonstrate that the site in human C9 uniquely recognized by CD59 is centered on those residues contained between C9 Cys359/Cys384, with an additional contribution by residues C-terminal to this segment. Consistent with its role as a CD59 recognition domain, CD59 specifically bound a human C9-derived peptide corresponding to residues 359-384, and antibody (Fab) raised against this C9-derived peptide inhibited the lytic activity of human MAC. Mutant human C9 in which Ala was substituted for Cys359/384 was found to express normal lytic activity and to be fully inhibited by CD59. This suggests that the intrachain Cys359/Cys384 disulfide bond within C9 is not required to maintain the conformation of this segment of C9 for interaction with CD59.

DETECTION,QUANTIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM COMPLEX (MAC) ORGANISMS IN DRINKING WATER.

EPA Science Inventory

Bacteria belonging to the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), including Mycobacterium avium and M. intracellulare, are clinically relevant and cause a myriad of opportunistic infections. Children, the elderly, and persons with previous lung conditions or immune system dysfunction...

Clinical efficacy of anti-glycopeptidolipid-core IgA test for diagnosing Mycobacterium avium complex infection in lung.

PubMed

Numata, Takanori; Araya, Jun; Yoshii, Yutaka; Shimizu, Kenichiro; Hara, Hiromichi; Nakayama, Katsutoshi; Kuwano, Kazuyoshi

2015-11-01

It is difficult to verify the bacteriological diagnosis of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection. The anti-glycopeptidolipid (GPL)-core IgA antibody test was recently developed as a diagnostic method for MAC pulmonary disease. Only a few studies evaluate its clinical efficacy. We conducted retrospective evaluations of clinical characteristics of patients suspected of MAC infection to explore the usefulness of the anti-GPL-core IgA antibody test. We retrospectively evaluated 296 patients who were suspected to have MAC infection and underwent anti-GPL-core IgA antibody test between March 2013 and July 2014 in Jikei University hospital. A total of 29 patients were diagnosed with 'definite MAC' based on the American Thoracic Society (ATS) criteria with multiple identifications of MAC. On the other hand, 106 patients were diagnosed with other pulmonary diseases than MAC. The sensitivity and specificity of anti-GPL-core IgA antibody test for MAC diagnosis were 58.6% and 98.1%, respectively. The definite MAC group showed no significant differences in strains, treatment history or number of segments involved. The duration of MAC disease in the positive-antibody group was significantly longer than in the negative-antibody group (P = 0.046). A significant increase in the false-negative rate was observed in patients with malignant disease (P = 0.029). The anti-GPL-core IgA antibody test demonstrated high sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of MAC infection especially in patients without malignant diseases. © 2015 Asian Pacific Society of Respirology.

REAL-TIME QUANTITATIVE PCR DETECTION OF MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM COMPLEX ORGANISMS IN DRINKING WATER

EPA Science Inventory

The Mycobacterium avium Complex (MAC) includes the species M. avium (MA), M. intracellulare (MI), and others. MAC are listed on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Contaminant Candidate List (CCL) due to their association with human disease and occurrence in public drinkin...

THE EFFECT OF TEMPERATURE ON THE GROWTH OF MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM COMPLEX (MAC) ORGANISMS

EPA Science Inventory

MAC organisms are able to grow, persist, and colonize in water distribution systems and may amplify in hospital hot water systems. This study examined the response of MAC organisms (M. avium, M. intracellulare, and MX) to a range of temperatures commonly associated with drinking...

The innate immune repertoire in cnidaria--ancestral complexity and stochastic gene loss.

PubMed

Miller, David J; Hemmrich, Georg; Ball, Eldon E; Hayward, David C; Khalturin, Konstantin; Funayama, Noriko; Agata, Kiyokazu; Bosch, Thomas C G

2007-01-01

Characterization of the innate immune repertoire of extant cnidarians is of both fundamental and applied interest--it not only provides insights into the basic immunological 'tool kit' of the common ancestor of all animals, but is also likely to be important in understanding the global decline of coral reefs that is presently occurring. Recently, whole genome sequences became available for two cnidarians, Hydra magnipapillata and Nematostella vectensis, and large expressed sequence tag (EST) datasets are available for these and for the coral Acropora millepora. To better understand the basis of innate immunity in cnidarians, we scanned the available EST and genomic resources for some of the key components of the vertebrate innate immune repertoire, focusing on the Toll/Toll-like receptor (TLR) and complement pathways. A canonical Toll/TLR pathway is present in representatives of the basal cnidarian class Anthozoa, but neither a classic Toll/TLR receptor nor a conventional nuclear factor (NF)-kappaB could be identified in the anthozoan Hydra. Moreover, the detection of complement C3 and several membrane attack complex/perforin domain (MAC/PF) proteins suggests that a prototypic complement effector pathway may exist in anthozoans, but not in hydrozoans. Together with data for several other gene families, this implies that Hydra may have undergone substantial secondary gene loss during evolution. Such losses are not confined to Hydra, however, and at least one MAC/PF gene appears to have been lost from Nematostella. Consideration of these patterns of gene distribution underscores the likely significance of gene loss during animal evolution whilst indicating ancient origins for many components of the vertebrate innate immune system.

Detection of quantification of Mycobacterium avium complex organisms in drinking water

EPA Science Inventory

The Mycobacterium avium Complex (MAC) includes the species M. avium (MA), M. intracellulare (MI), and others. MAC are listed on the U. S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Contaminant Candidate List 2 (CCL2) due to their association with human disease and occurrence in public dr...

Assessing the effectiveness of low-pressure ultraviolet light for inactivating Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) micro-organisms

EPA Science Inventory

Aims: To assess low-pressure ultraviolet light (LP-UV) inactivation kinetics of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) strains in a water matrix using collimated beam apparatus. Methods and Results: Strains of M. avium (n = 3) and Mycobacterium intracellulare (n = 2) were exposed t...

Mycobacterium avium complex--the role of potable water in disease transmission.

PubMed

Whiley, H; Keegan, A; Giglio, S; Bentham, R

2012-08-01

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is a group of opportunistic pathogens of major public health concern. It is responsible for a wide spectrum of disease dependent on subspecies, route of infection and patients pre-existing conditions. Presently, there is limited research on the incidence of MAC infection that considers both pulmonary and other clinical manifestations. MAC has been isolated from various terrestrial and aquatic environments including natural waters, engineered water systems and soils. Identifying the specific environmental sources responsible for human infection is essential in minimizing disease prevalence. This paper reviews current literature and case studies regarding the wide spectrum of disease caused by MAC and the role of potable water in disease transmission. Potable water was recognized as a putative pathway for MAC infection. Contaminated potable water sources associated with human infection included warm water distribution systems, showers, faucets, household drinking water, swimming pools and hot tub spas. MAC can maintain long-term contamination of potable water sources through its high resistance to disinfectants, association with biofilms and intracellular parasitism of free-living protozoa. Further research is required to investigate the efficiency of water treatment processes against MAC and into construction and maintenance of warm water distribution systems and the role they play in MAC proliferation. No claim to Australian Government works Journal of Applied Microbiology © 2012 The Society for Applied Microbiology.

Utilization of Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Mass Spectrometry (MALDI-MS) to Identify environmental Strains of Mycobacterium Complex

EPA Science Inventory

Species within the Mycobacterium avium Complex (MAC) group are found to be both prevalent and persistent in drinking water distribution systems. The MAC is composed of two predominant species: M. avium and M. intracellulare. These species have the ability to survive drinking ...

Molecular and expression analysis of complement component C5 in the nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) and its predicted functional role.

PubMed

Graham, Matthew; Shin, Dong-Ho; Smith, Sylvia L

2009-07-01

We present the complete cDNA sequence of shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) pro-C5 and its molecular characterization with a descriptive analysis of the structural elements necessary for its potential functional role as a potent mediator of inflammation (fragment C5a) and initiator molecule (fragment C5b) for the assembly of the membrane attack complex (MAC) upon activation by C5 convertase. In mammals the three complement activation cascades, the classical, alternative and lectin pathways, converge at the activation of C3, a pivotal complement protein. It is, however, the subsequent activation of the next complement component, C5, which is the focal point at which the initiation of the terminal lytic pathway takes place and involves the stepwise assembly of the MAC. The effector cytolytic function of complement occurs with the insertion of MAC into target membranes causing dough-nut like holes and cell leakage. The lytic activity of shark complement results in structurally similar holes in target membranes suggesting the assembly of a shark MAC that likely involves a functional analogue of C5. The composition of shark MAC remains unresolved and to date conclusive evidence has been lacking for shark C5. The gene has not been cloned nor has the serum protein been characterized for any elasmobranch species. This report is the first to confirm the presence of C5 homologue in the shark. GcC5 is remarkably similar to human C5 in overall structure and domain arrangement. The GcC5 cDNA measured 5160-bp with 5' and 3' UTRs of 35 bp and 79 bp, respectively. Structural analysis of the derived protein sequence predicts a molecule that is a two-chain structure which lacks a thiolester bond and contains a C5 convertase cleavage site indicating that activation will generate two peptides, akin to C5b and C5a. The putative GcC5 molecule also contains the C-terminal C345C/Netrin module that characterizes C3, C4 and C5. Multiple alignment of deduced amino acid sequences shows that GcC5 shares more amino acid identities/similarities with mammals than that with bony fish. We conclude that at the time of emergence of sharks the elaborate mosaic structure of C5 had already evolved.

Molecular and expression analysis of complement component C5 in the nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) and its predicted functional role

PubMed Central

Graham, Matthew; Shin, Dong-Ho; Smith, Sylvia L.

2009-01-01

We present the complete cDNA sequence of shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum) pro-C5 and its molecular characterization with a descriptive analysis of the structural elements necessary for its potential functional role as a potent mediator of inflammation (fragment C5a) and initiator molecule (fragment C5b) for the assembly of the membrane attack complex (MAC) upon activation by C5 convertase. In mammals the three complement activation cascades, the classical, alternative and lectin pathways, converge at the activation of C3, a pivotal complement protein. It is, however, the subsequent activation of the next complement component, C5, which is the focal point at which the initiation of the terminal lytic pathway takes place and involves the stepwise assembly of the MAC. The effector cytolytic function of complement occurs with the insertion of MAC into target membranes causing dough-nut like holes and cell leakage. The lytic activity of shark complement results in structurally similar holes in target membranes suggesting the assembly of a shark MAC that likely involves a functional analogue of C5. The composition of shark MAC remains unresolved and to date conclusive evidence has been lacking for shark C5. The gene has not been cloned nor has the serum protein been characterized for any elasmobranch species. This report is the first to confirm the presence of C5 homologue in the shark. GcC5 is remarkably similar to human C5 in overall structure and domain arrangement. The GcC5 cDNA measured 5160-bp with 5′ and 3′ UTRs of 35bp and 79bp, respectively. Structural analysis of the derived protein sequence predicts a molecule that is a two-chain structure which lacks a thiolester bond and contains a C5 convertase cleavage site indicating that activation will generate two peptides, akin to C5b and C5a. The putative GcC5 molecule also contains the C-terminal C345C/Netrin module that characterizes C3, C4 and C5. Multiple alignment of deduced amino acid sequences show that GcC5 shares more amino acid identities/similarities with mammals than that with bony fish. We conclude that at the time of emergence of sharks the elaborate mosaic structure of C5 had already evolved. PMID:19410004

Optimization on microwave absorbing properties of carbon nanotubes and magnetic oxide composite materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mingdong, Chen; Huangzhong, Yu; Xiaohua, Jie; Yigang, Lu

2018-03-01

Based on the physical principle of interaction between electromagnetic field and the electromagnetic medium, the relationship between microwave absorbing coefficient (MAC) and the electromagnetic parameters of materials was established. With the composite materials of nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4), carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and paraffin as an example, optimization on absorbing properties of CNTs/magnetic oxide composite materials was studied at the frequency range of 2-18 GHz, and a conclusion is drawn that the MAC is the biggest at the same frequency, when the CNTs is 10 wt% in the composite materials. Through study on the relationship between complex permeability and MAC, another interesting conclusion is drawn that MAC is obviously affected by the real part of complex permeability, and increasing real part of complex permeability is beneficial for improving absorbing properties. The conclusion of this paper can provide a useful reference for the optimization research on the microwave absorbing properties of CNTs/ferrite composite materials.

Bio-inspired diversity for increasing attacker workload

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuhn, Stephen

2014-05-01

Much of the traffic in modern computer networks is conducted between clients and servers, rather than client-toclient. As a result, servers represent a high-value target for collection and analysis of network traffic. As they reside at a single network location (i.e. IP/MAC address) for long periods of time. Servers present a static target for surveillance, and a unique opportunity to observe the network traffic. Although servers present a heightened value for attackers, the security community as a whole has shifted more towards protecting clients in recent years leaving a gap in coverage. In addition, servers typically remain active on networks for years, potentially decades. This paper builds on previous work that demonstrated a proof of concept leveraging existing technology for increasing attacker workload. Here we present our clean slate approach to increasing attacker workload through a novel hypervisor and micro-kernel, utilizing next generation virtualization technology to create synthetic diversity of the server's presence including the hardware components.

Finding of No Significant Impact and Finding of No Practicable Alternative Construction of a Warehouse Complex MacDill Air Force Base, Florida

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-05-31

that Federal agencies identify and assess environmental health and safety risks that might disproportionately affect children. The Proposed Action...extra water is sent to one irrigation field near Golf Course Avenue and Affected Environment Environmental Assessment for Warehouse Complex...the area . Environmental Consequences Environmental Assessment for Warehouse Complex MacDill AFB, Florida FEBRUARY 2010 4-15 FINAL Figure

Evaluation of GenoType NTM-DR Assay for Identification of Mycobacterium chimaera.

PubMed

Mok, Simone; Rogers, Thomas R; Fitzgibbon, Margaret

2017-06-01

Identification of species within the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is difficult, and most current diagnostic laboratory tests cannot distinguish between species included in the complex. Differentiation of species within the MAC is important, as Mycobacterium chimaera has recently emerged as a major cause of invasive cardiovascular infections following open heart surgery. A new commercial diagnostic assay, GenoType NTM-DR ver. 1.0, is intended to differentiate between three species within the MAC, namely, Mycobacterium avium , Mycobacterium intracellulare , and Mycobacterium chimaera In this study, we investigated an archival collection of 173 MAC isolates using 16S rRNA and 16S-23S internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene sequencing, and GenoType NTM-DR was evaluated for identifying M. chimaera and other species belonging to the MAC. Species identification of 157/173 (91%) isolates with the GenoType NTM-DR assay was in agreement with 16S rRNA and 16S-23S ITS gene sequencing results. Misidentification occurred with 16 isolates which belonged to four species included in the MAC that are rarely encountered in clinical specimens. Despite some limitations of this assay, GenoType NTM-DR had 100% specificity for identifying M. chimaera This novel assay will enable diagnostic laboratories to differentiate species belonging to the Mycobacterium avium complex and to accurately identify M. chimaera It can produce rapid results and is also more cost efficient than gene sequencing methods. Copyright © 2017 American Society for Microbiology.

The innate immune repertoire in Cnidaria - ancestral complexity and stochastic gene loss

PubMed Central

Miller, David J; Hemmrich, Georg; Ball, Eldon E; Hayward, David C; Khalturin, Konstantin; Funayama, Noriko; Agata, Kiyokazu; Bosch, Thomas CG

2007-01-01

Background Characterization of the innate immune repertoire of extant cnidarians is of both fundamental and applied interest - it not only provides insights into the basic immunological 'tool kit' of the common ancestor of all animals, but is also likely to be important in understanding the global decline of coral reefs that is presently occurring. Recently, whole genome sequences became available for two cnidarians, Hydra magnipapillata and Nematostella vectensis, and large expressed sequence tag (EST) datasets are available for these and for the coral Acropora millepora. Results To better understand the basis of innate immunity in cnidarians, we scanned the available EST and genomic resources for some of the key components of the vertebrate innate immune repertoire, focusing on the Toll/Toll-like receptor (TLR) and complement pathways. A canonical Toll/TLR pathway is present in representatives of the basal cnidarian class Anthozoa, but neither a classic Toll/TLR receptor nor a conventional nuclear factor (NF)-κB could be identified in the anthozoan Hydra. Moreover, the detection of complement C3 and several membrane attack complex/perforin domain (MAC/PF) proteins suggests that a prototypic complement effector pathway may exist in anthozoans, but not in hydrozoans. Together with data for several other gene families, this implies that Hydra may have undergone substantial secondary gene loss during evolution. Such losses are not confined to Hydra, however, and at least one MAC/PF gene appears to have been lost from Nematostella. Conclusion Consideration of these patterns of gene distribution underscores the likely significance of gene loss during animal evolution whilst indicating ancient origins for many components of the vertebrate innate immune system. PMID:17437634

A sestrin-dependent Erk/Jnk/p38 MAPK activation complex inhibits immunity during ageing

PubMed Central

Lanna, Alessio; Gomes, Daniel C O; Muller-Durovic, Bojana; McDonnell, Thomas; Escors, David; Gilroy, Derek W; Lee, Jun Hee; Karin, Michael; Akbar, Arne N

2016-01-01

Mitogen activated protein kinases (MAPKs) including Erk, Jnk and p38 regulate diverse cellular functions, and are thought to be controlled by independent upstream activation cascades. Here we show that the sestrins bind to and co-ordinate simultaneous Erk, Jnk and p38 MAPK activation in T lymphocytes within a new immune-inhibitory complex (sestrin-MAPK Activation Complex; sMAC). Whereas sestrin ablation resulted in broad reconstitution of immune function in stressed T cells, inhibition of individual MAPKs only allowed partial functional recovery. T cells from old humans and mice were more likely to form the sMAC, and disruption of this complex restored antigen-specific functional responses in these cells. Correspondingly, sestrin deficiency or simultaneous inhibition of all three MAPKs enhanced vaccine responsiveness in old mice. Thus, disruption of sMAC provides a foundation for rejuvenating immunity during ageing. PMID:28114291

Wireless Networks under a Backoff Attack: A Game Theoretical Perspective.

PubMed

Parras, Juan; Zazo, Santiago

2018-01-30

We study a wireless sensor network using CSMA/CA in the MAC layer under a backoff attack: some of the sensors of the network are malicious and deviate from the defined contention mechanism. We use Bianchi's network model to study the impact of the malicious sensors on the total network throughput, showing that it causes the throughput to be unfairly distributed among sensors. We model this conflict using game theory tools, where each sensor is a player. We obtain analytical solutions and propose an algorithm, based on Regret Matching, to learn the equilibrium of the game with an arbitrary number of players. Our approach is validated via simulations, showing that our theoretical predictions adjust to reality.

Implementation of a Cross-Layer Sensing Medium-Access Control Scheme.

PubMed

Su, Yishan; Fu, Xiaomei; Han, Guangyao; Xu, Naishen; Jin, Zhigang

2017-04-10

In this paper, compressed sensing (CS) theory is utilized in a medium-access control (MAC) scheme for wireless sensor networks (WSNs). We propose a new, cross-layer compressed sensing medium-access control (CL CS-MAC) scheme, combining the physical layer and data link layer, where the wireless transmission in physical layer is considered as a compress process of requested packets in a data link layer according to compressed sensing (CS) theory. We first introduced using compressive complex requests to identify the exact active sensor nodes, which makes the scheme more efficient. Moreover, because the reconstruction process is executed in a complex field of a physical layer, where no bit and frame synchronizations are needed, the asynchronous and random requests scheme can be implemented without synchronization payload. We set up a testbed based on software-defined radio (SDR) to implement the proposed CL CS-MAC scheme practically and to demonstrate the validation. For large-scale WSNs, the simulation results show that the proposed CL CS-MAC scheme provides higher throughput and robustness than the carrier sense multiple access (CSMA) and compressed sensing medium-access control (CS-MAC) schemes.

Persimmon-derived tannin has bacteriostatic and anti-inflammatory activity in a murine model of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) disease

PubMed Central

Matsumura, Yoko; Kitabatake, Masahiro; Ouji-Sageshima, Noriko; Yasui, Satsuki; Mochida, Naoko; Nakano, Ryuichi; Kasahara, Kei; Tomoda, Koichi; Yano, Hisakazu; Kayano, Shin-ichi

2017-01-01

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), including Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), cause opportunistic chronic pulmonary infections. Notably, MAC susceptibility is regulated by various factors, including the host immune system. Persimmon (Ebenaceae Diospyros kaki Thunb.) tannin is a condensed tannin composed of a polymer of catechin groups. It is well known that condensed tannins have high antioxidant activity and bacteriostatic properties. However, it is hypothesized that condensed tannins might need to be digested and/or fermented into smaller molecules in vivo prior to being absorbed into the body to perform beneficial functions. In this study, we evaluated the effects of soluble persimmon-derived tannins on opportunistic MAC disease. Soluble tannins were hydrolyzed and evaluated by the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) method. The ORAC value of soluble tannin hydrolysate was approximately five times greater than that of soluble tannin powder. In addition, soluble tannin hydrolysate exhibited high bacteriostatic activity against MAC in vitro. Furthermore, in an in vivo study, MAC infected mice fed a soluble tannin-containing diet showed significantly higher anti-bacterial activity against MAC and less pulmonary granuloma formation compared with those fed a control diet. Tumor necrosis factor α and inducible nitric oxide synthase levels were significantly lower in lungs of the soluble tannin diet group compared with the control diet group. Moreover, proinflammatory cytokines induced by MAC stimulation of bone marrow-derived macrophages were significantly decreased by addition of soluble tannin hydrolysate. These data suggest that soluble tannin from persimmons might attenuate the pathogenesis of pulmonary NTM infection. PMID:28827842

Persimmon-derived tannin has bacteriostatic and anti-inflammatory activity in a murine model of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) disease.

PubMed

Matsumura, Yoko; Kitabatake, Masahiro; Ouji-Sageshima, Noriko; Yasui, Satsuki; Mochida, Naoko; Nakano, Ryuichi; Kasahara, Kei; Tomoda, Koichi; Yano, Hisakazu; Kayano, Shin-Ichi; Ito, Toshihiro

2017-01-01

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), including Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), cause opportunistic chronic pulmonary infections. Notably, MAC susceptibility is regulated by various factors, including the host immune system. Persimmon (Ebenaceae Diospyros kaki Thunb.) tannin is a condensed tannin composed of a polymer of catechin groups. It is well known that condensed tannins have high antioxidant activity and bacteriostatic properties. However, it is hypothesized that condensed tannins might need to be digested and/or fermented into smaller molecules in vivo prior to being absorbed into the body to perform beneficial functions. In this study, we evaluated the effects of soluble persimmon-derived tannins on opportunistic MAC disease. Soluble tannins were hydrolyzed and evaluated by the oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) method. The ORAC value of soluble tannin hydrolysate was approximately five times greater than that of soluble tannin powder. In addition, soluble tannin hydrolysate exhibited high bacteriostatic activity against MAC in vitro. Furthermore, in an in vivo study, MAC infected mice fed a soluble tannin-containing diet showed significantly higher anti-bacterial activity against MAC and less pulmonary granuloma formation compared with those fed a control diet. Tumor necrosis factor α and inducible nitric oxide synthase levels were significantly lower in lungs of the soluble tannin diet group compared with the control diet group. Moreover, proinflammatory cytokines induced by MAC stimulation of bone marrow-derived macrophages were significantly decreased by addition of soluble tannin hydrolysate. These data suggest that soluble tannin from persimmons might attenuate the pathogenesis of pulmonary NTM infection.

A CyberCIEGE Traffic Analysis Extension for Teaching Network Security

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-12-01

Information Technology LAN Local Area Network MAADNET Military Academy Attack/Defense Network MAC Media Access Control MMORPG Massively...ready to launch its latest massively multiplayer online role-playing game ( MMORPG ) “SyberSIEGE”! The product is currently in the final stages of...achieve his goal, this approach will still allow Tina to meet her goals and avoid disruptions to existing operations, which is also what would have

Finding Effective Responses Against Cyber Attacks for Divided Nations

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

Coordination Center LTE Long Term Evolution MAC Media Access Control MCRC Master Control and Reporting Center MEI Ministry of Electronics...satellites that aid Internet connections. Individual users can access the Internet via not only a wired connection up to 1 Gbps, but also by 4G LTE ...operate air-gapped intranets with security measures such as cryptographic modules that correspond to security levels. The MND does maintain the public

Clinical and Prognostic Importance of Serotyping Mycobacterium avium-Mycobacterium intracellulare Complex Isolates in Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Negative Patients

PubMed Central

Maekura, Ryoji; Okuda, Yoshinari; Hirotani, Atsusi; Kitada, Seigo; Hiraga, Touru; Yoshimura, Kenji; Yano, Ikuya; Kobayashi, Kazuo; Ito, Masami

2005-01-01

We studied whether the serotypes of Mycobacterium avium-Mycobacterium intracellulare complex (MAC) isolates determine the prognosis for pulmonary MAC disease. We prospectively monitored a cohort of 68 patients with pulmonary MAC disease for whom the serotype-specific glycopeptidolipids in isolates were identified using thin-layer chromatography and fast atom bombardment mass-spectrometry in 1990 and 1995. Serovar 4 Mycobacterium avium was detected in 40/68 patients (58.8%). Other serotypes were serotypes 1 (five cases), 6 (three cases), 8 (seven cases), 9 (three cases), 14 (four cases), and 16 (six cases). Patients with serovar 4 were significantly (P < 0.01) younger (63.0 ± 9.8 years) than patients with other serotypes (71.8 ± 10.3). Patients who failed treatment had a significantly poorer prognosis than other patients. There were no cases of MAC-related death in the cured group. Chest radiographic findings progressively worsened in 36 (90%) of patients with serotype 4, and 14/36 died from respiratory failure caused by pulmonary Mycobacterium avium disease. The patients with serotype 4 had a significantly poorer prognosis than patients with other serotypes. These results show that both the outcome of chemotherapy and the serotypes of MAC isolates are important for assessing the prognosis of pulmonary MAC disease. PMID:16000428

EVIDENCE FOR THE MACROPHAGE INDUCING GENE IN MYCOBACTERIUM INTRACELLULARE

EPA Science Inventory

Background: The Mycobacterium avium Complex (MAC) includes the species M. avium (MA), M. intracellulare (MI), and possibly others. Organisms belonging to the MAC are phylogenetically closely related, opportunistic pathogens. The macrophage inducing gene (mig) is the only well-des...

Wireless Networks under a Backoff Attack: A Game Theoretical Perspective

PubMed Central

Zazo, Santiago

2018-01-01

We study a wireless sensor network using CSMA/CA in the MAC layer under a backoff attack: some of the sensors of the network are malicious and deviate from the defined contention mechanism. We use Bianchi’s network model to study the impact of the malicious sensors on the total network throughput, showing that it causes the throughput to be unfairly distributed among sensors. We model this conflict using game theory tools, where each sensor is a player. We obtain analytical solutions and propose an algorithm, based on Regret Matching, to learn the equilibrium of the game with an arbitrary number of players. Our approach is validated via simulations, showing that our theoretical predictions adjust to reality. PMID:29385752

Computer-Assisted Literacy Instruction in Phonics,

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-04-01

below 4.5, as measured on the Gates-MacGinitie reading test and poor word attack skills , as measured by the Wide Range Achievement Test (WRAT), Level...see and hear the words they were to pronouce, (2) to request that the synthesizer repronounce words, and (3) to sound out words in isolation and in...continued with the remaining 3 weeks of the ART Program, which covered vocabulary development, reading comprehension, and study skills . The RGLs of both

Swept Source OCT Angiography of Neovascular Macular Telangiectasia Type 2

PubMed Central

Zhang, Qinqin; Wang, Ruikang K.; Chen, Chieh-Li; Legarreta, Andrew D.; Durbin, Mary K.; An, Lin; Sharma, Utkarsh; Stetson, Paul F.; Legarreta, John E.; Roisman, Luiz; Gregori, Giovanni; Rosenfeld, Philip J.

2015-01-01

Objective To image subretinal neovascularization in proliferative macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel2) using swept source optical coherence tomography based microangiography (OMAG). Study Design Patients with MacTel2 were enrolled in a prospective, observational study known as the MacTel Project and evaluated using a high-speed 1050nm swept-source OCT (SS-OCT) prototype system. The OMAG algorithm generated en face flow images from three retinal layers, as well as the region bounded by the outer retina and Bruch’s membrane, the choriocapillaris, and the remaining choroidal vasculature. The en face OMAG images were compared to images from fluorescein angiography (FA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA). Results Three eyes with neovascular MacTel2 were imaged. The neovascularization was best identified from the en face OMAG images that included a layer between the outer retinal boundary and Bruch’s membrane. OMAG images identified these abnormal vessels better than FA and were comparable to the images obtained using ICGA. In all three cases, OMAG identified choroidal vessels communicating with the neovascularization, and these choroidal vessels were evident in the two cases with ICGA imaging. In one case, monthly injections of bevacizumab reduced the microvascular complexity of the neovascularization, as well as the telangiectatic changes within the retinal microvasculature. In another case, less frequent bevacizumab therapy was associated with growth of the subretinal neovascular complex. Conclusions OMAG imaging provided detailed, depth-resolved information about subretinal neovascularization in MacTel2 eyes demonstrating superiority to FA imaging and similarities to ICGA imaging for documenting the retinal microvascular changes, the size and extent of the neovascular complex, the communications between the neovascular complex and the choroidal circulation, and the response to monthly bevacizumab therapy. PMID:26457402

Decisively Avoiding Defeat: Strategy, the Operational Artist, and Limited War

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-26

Allan R. Millett, The War For Korea , 1950 – 1951: They Came from the North (Lawrence, KS: University of Kansas Press, 2010), 60. 10 Communist...security, but could not attack the Communist North and upset the balance.86 The US limited policy toward Korea to support European commitments. This...78. 105 Millett, The War for Korea , 132. 30 action by the 24th Infantry Division failed to stop the North Koreans. MacArthur understood the

The role of Mycobacterium avium complex fibronectin attachment protein in adherence to the human respiratory mucosa.

PubMed

Middleton, A M; Chadwick, M V; Nicholson, A G; Dewar, A; Groger, R K; Brown, E J; Wilson, R

2000-10-01

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) are opportunistic respiratory pathogens that infect non-immunocompromised patients with established lung disease, although they can also cause primary infections. The ability to bind fibronectin is conserved among many mycobacterial species. We have investigated the adherence of a sputum isolate of MAC to the mucosa of organ cultures constructed with human tissue and the contribution of M. avium fibronectin attachment protein (FAP) to the process. MAC adhered to fibrous, but not globular mucus, and to extracellular matrix (ECM) in areas of epithelial damage, but not to intact extruded cells and collagen fibres. Bacteria occasionally adhered to healthy unciliated epithelium and to cells that had degenerated exposing their contents, but never to ciliated cells. The results obtained with different respiratory tissues were similar. Two ATCC strains of MAC gave similar results. There was a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in the number of bacteria adhering to ECM after preincubation of bacteria with fibronectin and after preincubation of the tissue with M. avium FAP in a concentration-dependant manner. The number of bacteria adhering to fibrous mucus was unchanged. Immunogold labelling demonstrated fibronectin in ECM as well as in other areas of epithelial damage, but only ECM bound FAP. A Mycobacterium smegmatis strain had the same pattern of adherence to the mucosa as MAC. When the FAP gene was deleted, the strain demonstrated reduced adherence to ECM, and adherence was restored when the strain was transfected with an M. avium FAP expression construct. We conclude that MAC adheres to ECM in areas of epithelial damage via FAP and to mucus with a fibrous appearance via another adhesin. Epithelial damage exposing ECM and poor mucus clearance will predispose to MAC airway infection.

Absence of Mycobacterium intracellulare and presence of Mycobacterium chimaera in household water and biofilm samples of patients in the United States with Mycobacterium avium complex respiratory disease.

PubMed

Wallace, Richard J; Iakhiaeva, Elena; Williams, Myra D; Brown-Elliott, Barbara A; Vasireddy, Sruthi; Vasireddy, Ravikiran; Lande, Leah; Peterson, Donald D; Sawicki, Janet; Kwait, Rebecca; Tichenor, Wellington S; Turenne, Christine; Falkinham, Joseph O

2013-06-01

Recent studies have shown that respiratory isolates from pulmonary disease patients and household water/biofilm isolates of Mycobacterium avium could be matched by DNA fingerprinting. To determine if this is true for Mycobacterium intracellulare, household water sources for 36 patients with Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) lung disease were evaluated. MAC household water isolates from three published studies that included 37 additional MAC respiratory disease patients were also evaluated. Species identification was done initially using nonsequencing methods with confirmation by internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and/or partial 16S rRNA gene sequencing. M. intracellulare was identified by nonsequencing methods in 54 respiratory cultures and 41 household water/biofilm samples. By ITS sequencing, 49 (90.7%) respiratory isolates were M. intracellulare and 4 (7.4%) were Mycobacterium chimaera. In contrast, 30 (73%) household water samples were M. chimaera, 8 (20%) were other MAC X species (i.e., isolates positive with a MAC probe but negative with species-specific M. avium and M. intracellulare probes), and 3 (7%) were M. avium; none were M. intracellulare. In comparison, M. avium was recovered from 141 water/biofilm samples. These results indicate that M. intracellulare lung disease in the United States is acquired from environmental sources other than household water. Nonsequencing methods for identification of nontuberculous mycobacteria (including those of the MAC) might fail to distinguish closely related species (such as M. intracellulare and M. chimaera). This is the first report of M. chimaera recovery from household water. The study underscores the importance of taxonomy and distinguishing the many species and subspecies of the MAC.

Robustness and structure of complex networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Shuai

This dissertation covers the two major parts of my PhD research on statistical physics and complex networks: i) modeling a new type of attack -- localized attack, and investigating robustness of complex networks under this type of attack; ii) discovering the clustering structure in complex networks and its influence on the robustness of coupled networks. Complex networks appear in every aspect of our daily life and are widely studied in Physics, Mathematics, Biology, and Computer Science. One important property of complex networks is their robustness under attacks, which depends crucially on the nature of attacks and the structure of the networks themselves. Previous studies have focused on two types of attack: random attack and targeted attack, which, however, are insufficient to describe many real-world damages. Here we propose a new type of attack -- localized attack, and study the robustness of complex networks under this type of attack, both analytically and via simulation. On the other hand, we also study the clustering structure in the network, and its influence on the robustness of a complex network system. In the first part, we propose a theoretical framework to study the robustness of complex networks under localized attack based on percolation theory and generating function method. We investigate the percolation properties, including the critical threshold of the phase transition pc and the size of the giant component Pinfinity. We compare localized attack with random attack and find that while random regular (RR) networks are more robust against localized attack, Erdoḧs-Renyi (ER) networks are equally robust under both types of attacks. As for scale-free (SF) networks, their robustness depends crucially on the degree exponent lambda. The simulation results show perfect agreement with theoretical predictions. We also test our model on two real-world networks: a peer-to-peer computer network and an airline network, and find that the real-world networks are much more vulnerable to localized attack compared with random attack. In the second part, we extend the tree-like generating function method to incorporating clustering structure in complex networks. We study the robustness of a complex network system, especially a network of networks (NON) with clustering structure in each network. We find that the system becomes less robust as we increase the clustering coefficient of each network. For a partially dependent network system, we also find that the influence of the clustering coefficient on network robustness decreases as we decrease the coupling strength, and the critical coupling strength qc, at which the first-order phase transition changes to second-order, increases as we increase the clustering coefficient.

The Leishmania donovani histidine acid ecto-phosphatase LdMAcP: insight into its structure and function.

PubMed

Papadaki, Amalia; Politou, Anastasia S; Smirlis, Despina; Kotini, Maria P; Kourou, Konstadina; Papamarcaki, Thomais; Boleti, Haralabia

2015-05-01

Acid ecto-phosphatase activity has been implicated in Leishmania donovani promastigote virulence. In the present study, we report data contributing to the molecular/structural and functional characterization of the L. donovani LdMAcP (L. donovani membrane acid phosphatase), member of the histidine acid phosphatase (HAcP) family. LdMAcP is membrane-anchored and shares high sequence identity with the major secreted L. donovani acid phosphatases (LdSAcPs). Sequence comparison of the LdMAcP orthologues in Leishmania sp. revealed strain polymorphism and species specificity for the L. donovani complex, responsible for visceral leishmaniasis (Khala azar), proposing thus a potential value of LdMAcP as an epidemiological or diagnostic tool. The extracellular orientation of the LdMAcP catalytic domain was confirmed in L. donovani promastigotes, wild-type (wt) and transgenic overexpressing a recombinant LdMAcP-mRFP1 (monomeric RFP1) chimera, as well as in transiently transfected mammalian cells expressing rLdMAcP-His. For the first time it is demonstrated in the present study that LdMAcP confers tartrate resistant acid ecto-phosphatase activity in live L. donovani promastigotes. The latter confirmed the long sought molecular identity of at least one enzyme contributing to this activity. Interestingly, the L. donovani rLdMAcP-mRFP1 promastigotes generated in this study, showed significantly higher infectivity and virulence indexes than control parasites in the infection of J774 mouse macrophages highlighting thereby a role for LdMAcP in the parasite's virulence.

Deformation, Failure, and Fatigue Life of SiC/Ti-15-3 Laminates Accurately Predicted by MAC/GMC

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bednarcyk, Brett A.; Arnold, Steven M.

2002-01-01

NASA Glenn Research Center's Micromechanics Analysis Code with Generalized Method of Cells (MAC/GMC) (ref.1) has been extended to enable fully coupled macro-micro deformation, failure, and fatigue life predictions for advanced metal matrix, ceramic matrix, and polymer matrix composites. Because of the multiaxial nature of the code's underlying micromechanics model, GMC--which allows the incorporation of complex local inelastic constitutive models--MAC/GMC finds its most important application in metal matrix composites, like the SiC/Ti-15-3 composite examined here. Furthermore, since GMC predicts the microscale fields within each constituent of the composite material, submodels for local effects such as fiber breakage, interfacial debonding, and matrix fatigue damage can and have been built into MAC/GMC. The present application of MAC/GMC highlights the combination of these features, which has enabled the accurate modeling of the deformation, failure, and life of titanium matrix composites.

Frontier Fields Clusters: Deep Chandra Observations of the Complex Merger MACS J1149.6+2223

DOE PAGES

Ogrean, G. A.; Weeren, R. J. van; Jones, C.; ...

2016-03-04

The Hubble Space Telescope Frontier Fields cluster MACS J1149.6+2223 is one of the most complex merging clusters, believed to consist of four dark matter halos. Here, we present results from deep (365 ks) Chandra observations of the cluster, which reveal the most distant cold front (z = 0.544) discovered to date. In the cluster outskirts, we also detect hints of a surface brightness edge that could be the bow shock preceding the cold front. The substructure analysis of the cluster identified several components with large relative radial velocities, thus indicating that at least some collisions occur almost along the linemore » of sight. The inclination of the mergers with respect to the plane of the sky poses significant observational challenges at X-ray wavelengths. MACS J1149.6+2223 possibly hosts a steep-spectrum radio halo. Lastly, if the steepness of the radio halo is confirmed, then the radio spectrum, combined with the relatively regular ICM morphology, could indicate that MACS J1149.6+2223 is an old merging cluster.« less

Comparison of ZigBee Replay Attacks Using a Universal Software Radio Peripheral and USB Radio

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-03-27

authentication code (CBC-MAC) CPU central processing unit CUT component under test db decibel dbm decibel referenced to one milliwatt FFD full- fuction ...categorized into two different types: full- fuction devices (FFDs) and reduced-function devices (RFDs). The difference between an FFD and an RFD is that...KillerBee Hardware. Although KillerBee can be used with any hardware that can interact with 802.15.4 networks, the primary development hardware is the

Lucrative Targets: The U.S. Air Force in the Kuwaiti Theater of Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2001-01-01

led initially by Brig. Gen. Frederic N. Buckingham and, after November 11, by Brig. Gen. Edwin E. Tenoso—had the same responsibility for MAC/Commander...117s destroying vital C2 centers and the Navy’s Tomahawk Land Attack Missiles (TLAMs) hitting electrical powerplants, the presidential palace , the Ba‘ath...By the opening of the Iran-Iraq War in September 1980, the Iraqi dictator had increased his elite force to two brigades of palace guards, and during

The United States Army and Large Cities Prior to the Global War on Terror

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-05-23

great conflagrations of the western world—London, 1666 . . . Moscow, 1812. . . Chicago, 1871. . . San Francisco, 1906. No other air attack of the war...population centers rather than occupying them. As such, while MacArthur set the conditions for 89Louis A. DiMarco, Concrete Hell: Urban Warfare from... concrete floors and roofs. . .” could serve as not only pathways, but shelter and defensible positions as well.107 The 1952 FM 31-50 also specified the

Novel Mutations Causing C5 Deficiency in Three North-African Families.

PubMed

Colobran, Roger; Franco-Jarava, Clara; Martín-Nalda, Andrea; Baena, Neus; Gabau, Elisabeth; Padilla, Natàlia; de la Cruz, Xavier; Pujol-Borrell, Ricardo; Comas, David; Soler-Palacín, Pere; Hernández-González, Manuel

2016-05-01

The complement system plays a central role in defense to encapsulated bacteria through opsonization and membrane attack complex (MAC) dependent lysis. The three activation pathways (classical, lectin, and alternative) converge in the cleavage of C5, which initiates MAC formation and target lysis. C5 deficiency is associated to recurrent infections by Neisseria spp. In the present study, complement deficiency was suspected in three families of North-African origin after one episode of invasive meningitis due to a non-groupable and two uncommon Meningococcal serotypes (E29, Y). Activity of alternative and classical pathways of complement were markedly reduced and the measurement of terminal complement components revealed total C5 absence. C5 gene analysis revealed two novel mutations as causative of the deficiency: Family A propositus carried a homozygous deletion of two adenines in the exon 21 of C5 gene, resulting in a frameshift and a truncated protein (c.2607_2608del/p.Ser870ProfsX3 mutation). Families B and C probands carried the same homozygous deletion of three consecutive nucleotides (CAA) in exon 9 of the C5 gene, leading to the deletion of asparagine 320 (c.960_962del/p.Asn320del mutation). Family studies confirmed an autosomal recessive inheritance pattern. Although sharing the same geographical origin, families B and C were unrelated. This prompted us to investigate this mutation prevalence in a cohort of 768 North-African healthy individuals. We identified one heterozygous carrier of the p.Asn320del mutation (allelic frequency = 0.065 %), indicating that this mutation is present at low frequency in North-African population.

Increasing lanthanide luminescence by use of the RETEL effect.

PubMed

Leif, Robert C; Vallarino, Lidia M; Becker, Margie C; Yang, Sean

2006-08-01

Luminescent lanthanide complexes produce emissions with the narrowest-known width at half maximum; however, their significant use in cytometry required an increase in luminescence intensity. The companion review, Leif et al., Cytometry 2006;69A:767-778, described a new technique for the enhancement of lanthanide luminescence, the Resonance Energy Transfer Enhanced Luminescence (RETEL) effect, which increases luminescence and is compatible with standard slide microscopy. The luminescence of the europium ion macrocyclic complex, EuMac, was increased by employing the RETEL effect. After adding the nonluminescent gadolinium ion complex of the thenoyltrifluoroacetonate (TTFA) ligand or the sodium salt of TTFA in ethanol solution, the EuMac-labeled sample was allowed to dry. Both a conventional arc lamp and a time-gated UV LED served as light sources for microscopic imaging. The emission intensity was measured with a CCD camera. Multiple time-gated images were summed with special software to permit analysis and effective presentation of the final image. With the RETEL effect, the luminescence of the EuMac-streptavidin conjugate increased at least six-fold upon drying. Nuclei of apoptotic cells were stained with DAPI and tailed with 5BrdUrd to which a EuMac-anti-5BrdU conjugate was subsequently attached. Time-gated images showed the long-lived EuMac luminescence but did not show the short-lived DAPI fluorescence. Imaging of DNA-synthesizing cells with an arc lamp showed that both S phase and apoptotic cells were labeled, and that their labeling patterns were different. The images of the luminescent EuMac and fluorescent DAPI were combined to produce a color image on a white background. This combination of simple chemistry, instrumentation, and presentation should make possible the inexpensive use of the lanthanide macrocycles, Quantum Dyes, as molecular diagnostics for cytological and histopathological microscopic imaging. (c) 2006 International Society for Analytical Cytology.

Isolated Cerebellar Spindle Cell Pseudotumor Caused by Mycobacterium Avium-Intracellulare Complex in a Patient without AIDS.

PubMed

Lim, Ming-Sheng; Bermingham, Niamh; O'Broin, Cathal; Khalil, Ayman; Keohane, Catherine; Lim, Chris

2016-06-01

Spindle cell pseudotumors are formed by histiocytes in response to infection by Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex (MAC) and are rare in patients without AIDS. A 66-year-old man presented with neck pain, ataxia, and a history of sarcoidosis. A cerebellar lesion was identified on magnetic resonance imaging and surgically excised. Histopathology revealed this to be a spindle cell pseudotumor and MAC was isolated by bacterial culture of cerebrospinal fluid. Hematology revealed cluster of differentiation 4 lymphocytopenia but human immunodeficiency virus serology was negative. The patient was commenced on antimicrobial treatment that included a macrolide and remained well at 1 year follow-up. This rare presentation of isolated intracranial MAC was treated with surgical excision and antimicrobials with a good outcome. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Robustness of non-interdependent and interdependent networks against dependent and adaptive attacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tyra, Adam; Li, Jingtao; Shang, Yilun; Jiang, Shuo; Zhao, Yanjun; Xu, Shouhuai

2017-09-01

Robustness of complex networks has been extensively studied via the notion of site percolation, which typically models independent and non-adaptive attacks (or disruptions). However, real-life attacks are often dependent and/or adaptive. This motivates us to characterize the robustness of complex networks, including non-interdependent and interdependent ones, against dependent and adaptive attacks. For this purpose, dependent attacks are accommodated by L-hop percolation where the nodes within some L-hop (L ≥ 0) distance of a chosen node are all deleted during one attack (with L = 0 degenerating to site percolation). Whereas, adaptive attacks are launched by attackers who can make node-selection decisions based on the network state in the beginning of each attack. The resulting characterization enriches the body of knowledge with new insights, such as: (i) the Achilles' Heel phenomenon is only valid for independent attacks, but not for dependent attacks; (ii) powerful attack strategies (e.g., targeted attacks and dependent attacks, dependent attacks and adaptive attacks) are not compatible and cannot help the attacker when used collectively. Our results shed some light on the design of robust complex networks.

Planning for MacArthur: Harnessing the Complexity of Postwar Japan

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-05-22

change in Japan’s education system, facilitated religious tolerance and strictly controlled information through censorship and targeted information...system, facilitated religious tolerance and strictly controlled information through censorship and targeted information operations. Although many...Supreme Commander for the Allied Powers, it is clear that operational planners on MacArthur’s staff used the principles of understanding the

POD/MAC-Based Modal Basis Selection for a Reduced Order Nonlinear Response Analysis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rizzi, Stephen A.; Przekop, Adam

2007-01-01

A feasibility study was conducted to explore the applicability of a POD/MAC basis selection technique to a nonlinear structural response analysis. For the case studied the application of the POD/MAC technique resulted in a substantial improvement of the reduced order simulation when compared to a classic approach utilizing only low frequency modes present in the excitation bandwidth. Further studies are aimed to expand application of the presented technique to more complex structures including non-planar and two-dimensional configurations. For non-planar structures the separation of different displacement components may not be necessary or desirable.

[Pulmonary Mycobacterium Avium-Complex (MAC) Disease Differentially Diagnosed from Metastasis of Testicular Cancer : A Case Report].

PubMed

Mori, Kohei; Teranishi, Jyn-Ichi; Yoneyama, Shuko; Ishida, Hiroaki; Hattori, Yusuke; Yumura, Yasushi; Miyoshi, Yasuhide; Kondo, Keiichi; Uemura, Hiroji; Noguchi, Kazumi

2017-01-01

A 45 year-old-man was admitted to our hospital because of discomfort in his left scrotum. He had a left testicular tumor. We performed high orchiectomy and pathological findings revealed testicular cancer. He was treated with bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin. Computed tomography showed a new mass in the left lung after 3 cycles of the chemotherapy. Because of its rapid growth, the tumor was thought to be a metastasis lesion of testicular cancer or pulmonary infection. Transbronchial lung biopsy showed an invasion of multinucleated giant cells and granuloma. The culture and polymerase chain reaction of the bronchial sputum were positive for myobacterium avium-complex (MAC). From these findings, the left lung tumor was diagnosed as pulmonary MAC disease. He received partial resection of the left lung and the lesion was diagnosed as granuloma. There was no recurrence of testicular cancer or pulmonary disease after the surgery.

The MAC aerosol climatology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinne, S.

2015-12-01

Aerosol is highly diverse in space and time. And many different aerosol optical properties are needed (consistent to each other) for the determination of radiative effects. To sidestep a complex (and uncertain) aerosol treatment (emission to mass to optics) a monthly gridded climatology for aerosol properties has been developed. This MPI Aerosol Climatology (MAC) is strongly tied to observational statistics for aerosol column optical properties by AERONET (over land) and by MAN (over oceans). To fill spatial gaps, to address decadal change and to address vertical variability, these sparsely distributed local data are extended with central data of an ensemble of output from global models with complex aerosol modules. This data merging in performed for aerosol column amount (AOD), for aerosol size (AOD,fine) and for aerosol absorption (AAOD). The resulting MAC aerosol climatology is an example for the combination of high quality local observations with spatial, temporal and vertical context from model simulations.

Concentration of clarithromycin and 14-R-hydroxy-clarithromycin in plasma of patients with Mycobacterium avium complex infection, before and after the addition of rifampicin.

PubMed

Yamamoto, F; Harada, S; Mitsuyama, T; Harada, Y; Kitahara, Y; Yoshida, M; Nakanishi, Y

2004-02-01

Clarithromycin (CAM) and rifampicin (RFP) have both been recognized to be effective antibiotic agents against Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection. Rifamycin derivatives including RFP and rifabutin modulate the CAM metabolism by inducing the hepatic cytochrome p-450 3A4. To clarify the effect of RFP on the CAM metabolism, we measured the plasma concentration of CAM and 14-R-hydroxyclarithromycin (M-5), the major metabolite of CAM, in 9 patients suffering from MAC infection before and after the addition of RFP. After the addition of RFP, the mean plasma concentration of CAM significantly decreased, while that of M-5 did not. In addition, the amount of CAM + M-5 concentration also significantly decreased. As M-5 is less effective against MAC infection than CAM, more attention should thus be paid to the plasma CAM concentration in patients administered CAM and RFP concomitantly.

Recruitment of Mediator Complex by Cell Type and Stage-Specific Factors Required for Tissue-Specific TAF Dependent Gene Activation in an Adult Stem Cell Lineage.

PubMed

Lu, Chenggang; Fuller, Margaret T

2015-12-01

Onset of terminal differentiation in adult stem cell lineages is commonly marked by robust activation of new transcriptional programs required to make the appropriate differentiated cell type(s). In the Drosophila male germ line stem cell lineage, the switch from proliferating spermatogonia to spermatocyte is accompanied by one of the most dramatic transcriptional changes in the fly, as over 1000 new transcripts turn on in preparation for meiosis and spermatid differentiation. Here we show that function of the coactivator complex Mediator is required for activation of hundreds of new transcripts in the spermatocyte program. Mediator appears to act in a sequential hierarchy, with the testis activating Complex (tMAC), a cell type specific form of the Mip/dREAM general repressor, required to recruit Mediator subunits to the chromatin, and Mediator function required to recruit the testis TAFs (tTAFs), spermatocyte specific homologs of subunits of TFIID. Mediator, tMAC and the tTAFs co-regulate expression of a major set of spermatid differentiation genes. The Mediator subunit Med22 binds the tMAC component Topi when the two are coexpressed in S2 cells, suggesting direct recruitment. Loss of Med22 function in spermatocytes causes meiosis I maturation arrest male infertility, similar to loss of function of the tMAC subunits or the tTAFs. Our results illuminate how cell type specific versions of the Mip/dREAM complex and the general transcription machinery cooperate to drive selective gene activation during differentiation in stem cell lineages.

Effect of Tween 80 on formation of the superficial L1 layer of the Mycobacterium avium-Mycobacterium intracellulare complex.

PubMed Central

Masaki, S; Sugimori, G; Okamoto, A; Imose, J; Hayashi, Y

1991-01-01

The effects of Tween 80 supplementation of liquid culture medium on the formation of the superficial L1 layer of the Mycobacterium avium-Mycobacterium intracellulare complex (MAC) were examined by serological and scanning electron microscopic experiments. Specific antiserum to the glycopeptidolipids on the L1 layer of M. avium S-139, made in a rabbit, was used for seroagglutination reactions with antigens prepared from strain S-139 grown in medium supplemented with various levels of Tween 80 (0, 0.05, 0.5, 5, and 50 mg/ml). The agglutination titers gradually decreased as the concentration of Tween 80 rose. Scanning electron microscopy showed that the fibrillar materials consisting mainly of glycopeptidolipids on the L1 layer of strain S-139 also disappeared with increases in the concentration of Tween 80. In addition, there was no obvious correlation between (i) the plasmid DNAs and serotypes of MAC and (ii) formation of the L1 layer of MAC. It is therefore concluded that Tween 80 used to supplement liquid culture medium affects formation of the L1 layer, which has been considered to be one of the pathogenic factors of MAC. Images PMID:1885740

A multilevel trait-based approach to the ecological performance of Microcystis aeruginosa complex from headwaters to the ocean.

PubMed

Kruk, Carla; Segura, Angel M; Nogueira, Lucía; Alcántara, Ignacio; Calliari, Danilo; Martínez de la Escalera, Gabriela; Carballo, Carmela; Cabrera, Carolina; Sarthou, Florencia; Scavone, Paola; Piccini, Claudia

2017-12-01

The Microcystis aeruginosa complex (MAC) clusters cosmopolitan and conspicuous harmful bloom-forming cyanobacteria able to produce cyanotoxins. It is hypothesized that low temperatures and brackish salinities are the main barriers to MAC proliferation. Here, patterns at multiple levels of organization irrespective of taxonomic identity (i.e. a trait-based approach) were analyzed. MAC responses from the intracellular (e.g. respiratory activity) to the ecosystem level (e.g. blooms) were evaluated in wide environmental gradients. Experimental results on buoyancy and respiratory activity in response to increased salinity (0-35) and a literature review of maximum growth rates under different temperatures and salinities were combined with field sampling from headwaters (800km upstream) to the marine end of the Rio de la Plata estuary (Uruguay-South America). Salinity and temperature were the major variables affecting MAC responses. Experimentally, freshwater MAC cells remained active for 24h in brackish waters (salinity=15) while colonies increased their flotation velocity. At the population level, maximum growth rate decreased with salinity and presented a unimodal exponential response with temperature, showing an optimum at 27.5°C and a rapid decrease thereafter. At the community and ecosystem levels, MAC occurred from fresh to marine waters (salinity 30) with a sustained relative increase of large mucilaginous colonies biovolume with respect to individual cells. Similarly, total biomass and, specific and morphological richness decreased with salinity while blooms were only detected in freshwater both at high (33°C) and low (11°C) temperatures. In brackish waters, large mucilaginous colonies presented advantages under osmotic restrictive conditions. These traits values have also been associated with higher toxicity potential. This suggest salinity or low temperatures would not represent effective barriers for the survival and transport of potentially toxic MAC under likely near future scenarios of increasing human impacts (i.e. eutrophication, dam construction and climate change). Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Chaotic Image Encryption of Regions of Interest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Di; Fu, Qingqing; Xiang, Tao; Zhang, Yushu

Since different regions of an image have different importance, therefore only the important information of the image regions, which the users are really interested in, needs to be encrypted and protected emphatically in some special multimedia applications. However, the regions of interest (ROI) are always some irregular parts, such as the face and the eyes. Assuming the bulk data in transmission without being damaged, we propose a chaotic image encryption algorithm for ROI. ROI with irregular shapes are chosen and detected arbitrarily. Then the chaos-based image encryption algorithm with scrambling, S-box and diffusion parts is used to encrypt the ROI. Further, the whole image is compressed with Huffman coding. At last, a message authentication code (MAC) of the compressed image is generated based on chaotic maps. The simulation results show that the encryption algorithm has a good security level and can resist various attacks. Moreover, the compression method improves the storage and transmission efficiency to some extent, and the MAC ensures the integrity of the transmission data.

Dose response models and a quantitative microbial risk assessment framework for the Mycobacterium avium complex that account for recent developments in molecular biology, taxonomy, and epidemiology.

PubMed

Hamilton, Kerry A; Weir, Mark H; Haas, Charles N

2017-02-01

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is a group of environmentally-transmitted pathogens of great public health importance. This group is known to be harbored, amplified, and selected for more human-virulent characteristics by amoeba species in aquatic biofilms. However, a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) has not been performed due to the lack of dose response models resulting from significant heterogeneity within even a single species or subspecies of MAC, as well as the range of human susceptibilities to mycobacterial disease. The primary human-relevant species and subspecies responsible for the majority of the human disease burden and present in drinking water, biofilms, and soil are M. avium subsp. hominissuis, M. intracellulare, and M. chimaera. A critical review of the published literature identified important health endpoints, exposure routes, and susceptible populations for MAC risk assessment. In addition, data sets for quantitative dose-response functions were extracted from published in vivo animal dosing experiments. As a result, seven new exponential dose response models for human-relevant species of MAC with endpoints of lung lesions, death, disseminated infection, liver infection, and lymph node lesions are proposed. Although current physical and biochemical tests used in clinical settings do not differentiate between M. avium and M. intracellulare, differentiating between environmental species and subspecies of the MAC can aid in the assessment of health risks and control of MAC sources. A framework is proposed for incorporating the proposed dose response models into susceptible population- and exposure route-specific QMRA models. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Analysis of Windward Side Hypersonic Boundary Layer Transition on Blunted Cones at Angle of Attack

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-01-09

AIAA-95-2294 , 1995. 6Wadhams, T. P., MacLean, M. G., Holden, M. S., and Mundy, E., “ Pre -Flight Ground Testing of the Full-Scale FRESH FX-1 at...correlated with PSE/LST N-Factors. 15. SUBJECT TERMS boundary layer transition, hypersonic, ground test 16. SECURITY CLASSIFICATION OF: 17. LIMITATION...movement of the windward transition front on a sharp and 6% blunt cones, but upstream movement for a 21% blunt cone at M = 11 and 13. Tests of the HIFiRE

Basal ganglia systems in ritualistic social displays: reptiles and humans; function and illness.

PubMed

Baxter, Lewis R

2003-08-01

Complex, situation-specific territorial maintenance routines are similar across living terrestrial vertebrates (=amniotes). Decades ago, Paul MacLean et al., at the Laboratory of Brain Evolution and Behavior of the National Institute of Mental Health, postulated that these are evolutionarily conserved behaviors whose expression is mediated by the similarly conserved amniote basal ganglia and related brain systems (BG systems). Therefore, they undertook studies in nonhuman primates and in small social lizards (the common green anole, Anolis carolinensis) to examine this idea. MacLean et al. also postulated that when BG systems misfunction in humans, behavioral abnormalities result, some of them under the rubric of psychiatric illnesses. Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) was singled out as one likely candidate. In the last dozen years, functional brain imaging studies of OCD patients have validated the contention that this is, in fact, a condition involving dysfunctioning BG systems. Inspired by the MacLean group's original investigations, my colleagues and I have now applied related functional imaging techniques in naturalistic experiments using Anolis to better understand BG systems' roles in the mediation of complex behavioral routines in healthy amniotes. Here, I will review this functional imaging work in primates (man, and a little in monkey) and in lizards. I believe the literature not only supports MacLean et al.'s contentions about BG systems and behavior in general, but also validates Paul MacLean's life-long contention that human behavioral medicine can profit from a broad comparative approach.

The research and application of the NDP protocol vulnerability attack and the defense technology based on SEND

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xi, Huixing

2017-05-01

Neighbor discovery protocol (NDP) is the underlying protocol in the IPv6 protocol, which is mainly used to solve the problem of interconnection between nodes on the same link. But with wide use of IPV6, NDP becomes the main objects of a variety of attacks due to a lack of security mechanism. The paper introduces the working principle of the NDP and methods of how the SEND protocol to enhance NDP security defense. It also analyzes and summarizes the security threats caused by the defects of the protocol itself. On the basis of the SEND protocol, the NDP data packet structure is modified to enhance the security of the SEND. An improved NDP cheating defense technology is put forward to make up the defects of the SEND protocol which can't verify the correctness of the public key and cannot bind the MAC address.

Wound Healing in Mac-1 Deficient Mice

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-05-01

36. Rosenkranz AR, Coxon A, Maurer M, Gurish MF, Austen KF, Friend DS, Galli SJ, Mayadas TN. Impaired mast cell development and innate immunity in Mac...genetically deficient mice. 3 INTRODUCTION Wound healing is a complex yet well-regulated process in which multiple resident cells ...recruited inflammatory cells , and stem cells interact to create an environment that supports the healing process. An optimal inflammatory response is a

Complete Genome Sequence of Mycobacterium chimaera SJ42, a Nonoutbreak Strain from an Immunocompromised Patient with Pulmonary Disease.

PubMed

Hasan, Nabeeh A; Warren, René L; Epperson, L Elaine; Malecha, Allyson; Alexander, David C; Turenne, Christine Y; MacMillan, Daniel; Birol, Inanc; Pleasance, Stephen; Coope, Robin; Jones, Steven J M; Romney, Marc G; Ng, Monica; Chan, Tracy; Rodrigues, Mabel; Tang, Patrick; Gardy, Jennifer L; Strong, Michael

2017-09-14

Mycobacterium chimaera , a nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) belonging to the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause respiratory and disseminated disease. We report the complete genome sequence of a strain, SJ42, isolated from an immunocompromised male presenting with MAC pneumonia, assembled from Illumina and Oxford Nanopore data. Copyright © 2017 Hasan et al.

Percolation of localized attack on complex networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Shuai; Huang, Xuqing; Stanley, H. Eugene; Havlin, Shlomo

2015-02-01

The robustness of complex networks against node failure and malicious attack has been of interest for decades, while most of the research has focused on random attack or hub-targeted attack. In many real-world scenarios, however, attacks are neither random nor hub-targeted, but localized, where a group of neighboring nodes in a network are attacked and fail. In this paper we develop a percolation framework to analytically and numerically study the robustness of complex networks against such localized attack. In particular, we investigate this robustness in Erdős-Rényi networks, random-regular networks, and scale-free networks. Our results provide insight into how to better protect networks, enhance cybersecurity, and facilitate the design of more robust infrastructures.

On Patarin's Attack against the lIC Scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogura, Naoki; Uchiyama, Shigenori

In 2007, Ding et al. proposed an attractive scheme, which is called the l-Invertible Cycles (lIC) scheme. lIC is one of the most efficient multivariate public-key cryptosystems (MPKC); these schemes would be suitable for using under limited computational resources. In 2008, an efficient attack against lIC using Gröbner basis algorithms was proposed by Fouque et al. However, they only estimated the complexity of their attack based on their experimental results. On the other hand, Patarin had proposed an efficient attack against some multivariate public-key cryptosystems. We call this attack Patarin's attack. The complexity of Patarin's attack can be estimated by finding relations corresponding to each scheme. In this paper, we propose an another practical attack against the lIC encryption/signature scheme. We estimate the complexity of our attack (not experimentally) by adapting Patarin's attack. The attack can be also applied to the lIC- scheme. Moreover, we show some experimental results of a practical attack against the lIC/lIC- schemes. This is the first implementation of both our proposed attack and an attack based on Gröbner basis algorithm for the even case, that is, a parameter l is even.

Crystal structure of human complement protein C8{gamma} at 1.2 {Angstrom} resolution reveals a lipocalin fold and a distinct ligand binding site.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ortlund, E.; Parker, C. L.; Schreck, A. F.

2002-01-01

C8gamma is a 22-kDa subunit of human C8, which is one of five components of the cytolytic membrane attack complex of complement (MAC). C8gamma is disulfide-linked to a C8alpha subunit that is noncovalently associated with a C8beta chain. In the present study, the three-dimensional structure of recombinant C8gamma was determined by X-ray diffraction to 1.2 A resolution. The structure displays a typical lipocalin fold forming a calyx with a distinct binding pocket that is indicative of a ligand-binding function for C8gamma. When compared to other lipocalins, the overall structure is most similar to neutrophil gelatinase associated lipocalin (NGAL), a proteinmore » released from granules of activated neutrophils. Notable differences include a much deeper binding pocket in C8gamma as well as variation in the identity and position of residues lining the pocket. In C8gamma, these residues allow ligand access to a large hydrophobic cavity at the base of the calyx, whereas corresponding residues in NGAL restrict access. This suggests the natural ligands for C8gamma and NGAL are significantly different in size. Cys40 in C8gamma, which forms the disulfide bond to C8alpha, is located in a partially disordered loop (loop 1, residues 38-52) near the opening of the calyx. Access to the calyx may be regulated by movement of this loop in response to conformational changes in C8alpha during MAC formation.« less

Markers of immune-mediated inflammation in the brains of young adults and adolescents with type 1 diabetes and fatal diabetic ketoacidosis. Is there a difference?

PubMed

Hoffman, William H; Artlett, Carol M; Boodhoo, Dallas; Gilliland, Mary G F; Ortiz, Luis; Mulder, Dries; Tjan, David H T; Martin, Alvaro; Tatomir, Alexandru; Rus, Horea

2017-06-01

Due to the limited data on diabetic ketoacidosis and brain edema (DKA/BE) in children/adolescents and the lack of recent data on adults with type 1 diabetes (T1D), we addressed the question of whether neuroinflammation was present in the fatal DKA of adults. We performed immunohistochemistry (IHC) studies on the brains of two young adults with T1D and fatal DKA and compared them with two teenagers with poorly controlled diabetes and fatal DKA. C5b-9, the membrane attack complex (MAC) had significantly greater deposits in the grey and white matter of the teenagers than the young adults (p=0.03). CD59, a MAC assembly inhibitory protein was absent, possibly suppressed by the hyperglycemia in the teenagers but was expressed in the young adults despite comparable average levels of hyperglycemia. The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) had an average expression in the young adults significantly greater than in the teenagers (p=0.02). The autophagy marker Light Chain 3 (LC3) A/B was the predominant form of programmed cell death (PCD) in the teenage brains. The young adults had high expressions of both LC3A/B and TUNEL, an apoptotic cell marker for DNA fragmentation. BE was present in the newly diagnosed young adult with hyperglycemic hyperosmolar DKA and also in the two teenagers. Our data indicate that significant differences in neuroinflammatory components, initiated by the dysregulation of DKA and interrelated metabolic and immunologic milieu, are likely present in the brains of fatal DKA of teenagers when compared with young adults. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Virulence and Immune Response Induced by Mycobacterium avium Complex Strains in a Model of Progressive Pulmonary Tuberculosis and Subcutaneous Infection in BALB/c Mice

PubMed Central

González-Pérez, Mónica; Mariño-Ramírez, Leonardo; Parra-López, Carlos Alberto; Murcia, Martha Isabel; Marquina, Brenda; Mata-Espinoza, Dulce; Rodriguez-Míguez, Yadira; Baay-Guzman, Guillermina J.; Huerta-Yepez, Sara

2013-01-01

The genus Mycobacterium comprises more than 150 species, including important pathogens for humans which cause major public health problems. The vast majority of efforts to understand the genus have been addressed in studies with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The biological differentiation between M. tuberculosis and nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) is important because there are distinctions in the sources of infection, treatments, and the course of disease. Likewise, the importance of studying NTM is not only due to its clinical significance but also due to the mechanisms by which some species are pathogenic while others are not. Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is the most important group of NTM opportunistic pathogens, since it is the second largest medical complex in the genus after the M. tuberculosis complex. Here, we evaluated the virulence and immune response of M. avium subsp. avium and Mycobacterium colombiense, using experimental models of progressive pulmonary tuberculosis and subcutaneous infection in BALB/c mice. Mice infected intratracheally with a high dose of MAC strains showed high expression of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) and inducible nitric oxide synthase with rapid bacillus elimination and numerous granulomas, but without lung consolidation during late infection in coexistence with high expression of anti-inflammatory cytokines. In contrast, subcutaneous infection showed high production of the proinflammatory cytokines TNF-α and gamma interferon with relatively low production of anti-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-10 (IL-10) or IL-4, which efficiently eliminate the bacilli but maintain extensive inflammation and fibrosis. Thus, MAC infection evokes different immune and inflammatory responses depending on the MAC species and affected tissue. PMID:23959717

The RNA Export Factor, Nxt1, Is Required for Tissue Specific Transcriptional Regulation

PubMed Central

Jiang, Jianqiao; White-Cooper, Helen

2013-01-01

The highly conserved, Nxf/Nxt (TAP/p15) RNA nuclear export pathway is important for export of most mRNAs from the nucleus, by interacting with mRNAs and promoting their passage through nuclear pores. Nxt1 is essential for viability; using a partial loss of function allele, we reveal a role for this gene in tissue specific transcription. We show that many Drosophila melanogaster testis-specific mRNAs require Nxt1 for their accumulation. The transcripts that require Nxt1 also depend on a testis-specific transcription complex, tMAC. We show that loss of Nxt1 leads to reduced transcription of tMAC targets. A reporter transcript from a tMAC-dependent promoter is under-expressed in Nxt1 mutants, however the same transcript accumulates in mutants if driven by a tMAC-independent promoter. Thus, in Drosophila primary spermatocytes, the transcription factor used to activate expression of a transcript, rather than the RNA sequence itself or the core transcription machinery, determines whether this expression requires Nxt1. We additionally find that transcripts from intron-less genes are more sensitive to loss of Nxt1 function than those from intron-containing genes and propose a mechanism in which transcript processing feeds back to increase activity of a tissue specific transcription complex. PMID:23754955

Improved biovolume estimation of Microcystis aeruginosa colonies: A statistical approach.

PubMed

Alcántara, I; Piccini, C; Segura, A M; Deus, S; González, C; Martínez de la Escalera, G; Kruk, C

2018-05-27

The Microcystis aeruginosa complex (MAC) clusters many of the most common freshwater and brackish bloom-forming cyanobacteria. In monitoring protocols, biovolume estimation is a common approach to determine MAC colonies biomass and useful for prediction purposes. Biovolume (μm 3 mL -1 ) is calculated multiplying organism abundance (orgL -1 ) by colonial volume (μm 3 org -1 ). Colonial volume is estimated based on geometric shapes and requires accurate measurements of dimensions using optical microscopy. A trade-off between easy-to-measure but low-accuracy simple shapes (e.g. sphere) and time costly but high-accuracy complex shapes (e.g. ellipsoid) volume estimation is posed. Overestimations effects in ecological studies and management decisions associated to harmful blooms are significant due to the large sizes of MAC colonies. In this work, we aimed to increase the precision of MAC biovolume estimations by developing a statistical model based on two easy-to-measure dimensions. We analyzed field data from a wide environmental gradient (800 km) spanning freshwater to estuarine and seawater. We measured length, width and depth from ca. 5700 colonies under an inverted microscope and estimated colonial volume using three different recommended geometrical shapes (sphere, prolate spheroid and ellipsoid). Because of the non-spherical shape of MAC the ellipsoid resulted in the most accurate approximation, whereas the sphere overestimated colonial volume (3-80) especially for large colonies (MLD higher than 300 μm). Ellipsoid requires measuring three dimensions and is time-consuming. Therefore, we constructed different statistical models to predict organisms depth based on length and width. Splitting the data into training (2/3) and test (1/3) sets, all models resulted in low training (1.41-1.44%) and testing average error (1.3-2.0%). The models were also evaluated using three other independent datasets. The multiple linear model was finally selected to calculate MAC volume as an ellipsoid based on length and width. This work contributes to achieve a better estimation of MAC volume applicable to monitoring programs as well as to ecological research. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Press touch code: A finger press based screen size independent authentication scheme for smart devices.

PubMed

Ranak, M S A Noman; Azad, Saiful; Nor, Nur Nadiah Hanim Binti Mohd; Zamli, Kamal Z

2017-01-01

Due to recent advancements and appealing applications, the purchase rate of smart devices is increasing at a higher rate. Parallely, the security related threats and attacks are also increasing at a greater ratio on these devices. As a result, a considerable number of attacks have been noted in the recent past. To resist these attacks, many password-based authentication schemes are proposed. However, most of these schemes are not screen size independent; whereas, smart devices come in different sizes. Specifically, they are not suitable for miniature smart devices due to the small screen size and/or lack of full sized keyboards. In this paper, we propose a new screen size independent password-based authentication scheme, which also offers an affordable defense against shoulder surfing, brute force, and smudge attacks. In the proposed scheme, the Press Touch (PT)-a.k.a., Force Touch in Apple's MacBook, Apple Watch, ZTE's Axon 7 phone; 3D Touch in iPhone 6 and 7; and so on-is transformed into a new type of code, named Press Touch Code (PTC). We design and implement three variants of it, namely mono-PTC, multi-PTC, and multi-PTC with Grid, on the Android Operating System. An in-lab experiment and a comprehensive survey have been conducted on 105 participants to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.

Press touch code: A finger press based screen size independent authentication scheme for smart devices

PubMed Central

Ranak, M. S. A. Noman; Nor, Nur Nadiah Hanim Binti Mohd; Zamli, Kamal Z.

2017-01-01

Due to recent advancements and appealing applications, the purchase rate of smart devices is increasing at a higher rate. Parallely, the security related threats and attacks are also increasing at a greater ratio on these devices. As a result, a considerable number of attacks have been noted in the recent past. To resist these attacks, many password-based authentication schemes are proposed. However, most of these schemes are not screen size independent; whereas, smart devices come in different sizes. Specifically, they are not suitable for miniature smart devices due to the small screen size and/or lack of full sized keyboards. In this paper, we propose a new screen size independent password-based authentication scheme, which also offers an affordable defense against shoulder surfing, brute force, and smudge attacks. In the proposed scheme, the Press Touch (PT)—a.k.a., Force Touch in Apple’s MacBook, Apple Watch, ZTE’s Axon 7 phone; 3D Touch in iPhone 6 and 7; and so on—is transformed into a new type of code, named Press Touch Code (PTC). We design and implement three variants of it, namely mono-PTC, multi-PTC, and multi-PTC with Grid, on the Android Operating System. An in-lab experiment and a comprehensive survey have been conducted on 105 participants to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed scheme. PMID:29084262

Numerical computation of viscous flow around bodies and wings moving at supersonic speeds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tannehill, J. C.

1984-01-01

Research in aerodynamics is discussed. The development of equilibrium air curve fits; computation of hypersonic rarefield leading edge flows; computation of 2-D and 3-D blunt body laminar flows with an impinging shock; development of a two-dimensional or axisymmetric real gas blunt body code; a study of an over-relaxation procedure forthe MacCormack finite-difference scheme; computation of 2-D blunt body turbulent flows with an impinging shock; computation of supersonic viscous flow over delta wings at high angles of attack; and computation of the Space Shuttle Orbiter flowfield are discussed.

A study of IEEE 802.15.4 security framework for wireless body area networks.

PubMed

Saleem, Shahnaz; Ullah, Sana; Kwak, Kyung Sup

2011-01-01

A Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN) is a collection of low-power and lightweight wireless sensor nodes that are used to monitor the human body functions and the surrounding environment. It supports a number of innovative and interesting applications, including ubiquitous healthcare and Consumer Electronics (CE) applications. Since WBAN nodes are used to collect sensitive (life-critical) information and may operate in hostile environments, they require strict security mechanisms to prevent malicious interaction with the system. In this paper, we first highlight major security requirements and Denial of Service (DoS) attacks in WBAN at Physical, Medium Access Control (MAC), Network, and Transport layers. Then we discuss the IEEE 802.15.4 security framework and identify the security vulnerabilities and major attacks in the context of WBAN. Different types of attacks on the Contention Access Period (CAP) and Contention Free Period (CFP) parts of the superframe are analyzed and discussed. It is observed that a smart attacker can successfully corrupt an increasing number of GTS slots in the CFP period and can considerably affect the Quality of Service (QoS) in WBAN (since most of the data is carried in CFP period). As we increase the number of smart attackers the corrupted GTS slots are eventually increased, which prevents the legitimate nodes to utilize the bandwidth efficiently. This means that the direct adaptation of IEEE 802.15.4 security framework for WBAN is not totally secure for certain WBAN applications. New solutions are required to integrate high level security in WBAN.

A Study of IEEE 802.15.4 Security Framework for Wireless Body Area Networks

PubMed Central

Saleem, Shahnaz; Ullah, Sana; Kwak, Kyung Sup

2011-01-01

A Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN) is a collection of low-power and lightweight wireless sensor nodes that are used to monitor the human body functions and the surrounding environment. It supports a number of innovative and interesting applications, including ubiquitous healthcare and Consumer Electronics (CE) applications. Since WBAN nodes are used to collect sensitive (life-critical) information and may operate in hostile environments, they require strict security mechanisms to prevent malicious interaction with the system. In this paper, we first highlight major security requirements and Denial of Service (DoS) attacks in WBAN at Physical, Medium Access Control (MAC), Network, and Transport layers. Then we discuss the IEEE 802.15.4 security framework and identify the security vulnerabilities and major attacks in the context of WBAN. Different types of attacks on the Contention Access Period (CAP) and Contention Free Period (CFP) parts of the superframe are analyzed and discussed. It is observed that a smart attacker can successfully corrupt an increasing number of GTS slots in the CFP period and can considerably affect the Quality of Service (QoS) in WBAN (since most of the data is carried in CFP period). As we increase the number of smart attackers the corrupted GTS slots are eventually increased, which prevents the legitimate nodes to utilize the bandwidth efficiently. This means that the direct adaptation of IEEE 802.15.4 security framework for WBAN is not totally secure for certain WBAN applications. New solutions are required to integrate high level security in WBAN. PMID:22319358

Membrane Fusion Proteins of Type I Secretion System and Tripartite Efflux Pumps Share a Binding Motif for TolC in Gram-Negative Bacteria

PubMed Central

Yoon, Bo-Young; Song, Saemee; Lee, Kangseok; Ha, Nam-Chul

2012-01-01

The Hly translocator complex of Escherichia coli catalyzes type I secretion of the toxin hemolysin A (HlyA). In this complex, HlyB is an inner membrane ABC (ATP Binding Cassette)-type transporter, TolC is an outer membrane channel protein, and HlyD is a periplasmic adaptor anchored in the inner membrane that bridges HlyB to TolC. This tripartite organization is reminiscent of that of drug efflux systems such as AcrA-AcrB-TolC and MacA-MacB-TolC of E. coli. We have previously shown the crucial role of conserved residues located at the hairpin tip region of AcrA and MacA adaptors during assembly of their cognate systems. In this study, we investigated the role of the putative tip region of HlyD using HlyD mutants with single amino acid substitutions at the conserved positions. In vivo and in vitro data show that all mutations abolished HlyD binding to TolC and resulted in the absence of HlyA secretion. Together, our results suggest that, similarly to AcrA and MacA, HlyD interacts with TolC in a tip-to-tip manner. A general model in which these conserved interactions induce opening of TolC during drug efflux and type I secretion is discussed. PMID:22792337

The cognitive based approach of capacity assessment in psychiatry: a philosophical critique of the MacCAT-T.

PubMed

Breden, Torsten Marcus; Vollmann, Jochen

2004-12-01

This article gives a brief introduction to the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool-Treatment (MacCAT-T) and critically examines its theoretical presuppositions. On the basis of empirical, methodological and ethical critique it is emphasised that the cognitive bias that underlies the MacCAT-T assessment needs to be modified. On the one hand it has to be admitted that the operationalisation of competence in terms of value-free categories, e.g. rational decision abilities, guarantees objectivity to a great extent; but on the other hand it bears severe problems. Firstly, the cognitive focus is in itself a normative convention in the process of anthropological value-attribution. Secondly, it misses the complexity of the decision process in real life. It is therefore suggested that values, emotions and other biographic and context specific aspects should be considered when interpreting the cognitive standards according to the MacArthur model. To fill the gap between cognitive and non-cognitive approaches the phenomenological theory of personal constructs is briefly introduced. In conclusion some main demands for further research to develop a multi-step model of competence assessment are outlined.

Sparking Fire Under the Skin? Answers From the Association of Complement Genes With Pemphigus Foliaceus

PubMed Central

Bumiller-Bini, Valéria; Cipolla, Gabriel Adelman; de Almeida, Rodrigo Coutinho; Petzl-Erler, Maria Luiza; Augusto, Danillo Gardenal; Boldt, Angelica Beate Winter

2018-01-01

Skin blisters of pemphigus foliaceus (PF) present concomitant deposition of autoantibodies and components of the complement system (CS), whose gene polymorphisms are associated with susceptibility to different autoimmune diseases. To investigate these in PF, we evaluated 992 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of 44 CS genes, genotyped through microarray hybridization in 229 PF patients and 194 controls. After excluding SNPs with minor allele frequency <1%, out of Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium in controls or in strong linkage disequilibrium (r2 ≥ 0.8), 201 SNPs remained for logistic regression. Polymorphisms of 11 genes were associated with PF. MASP1 encodes a crucial serine protease of the lectin pathway (rs13094773: OR = 0.5, p = 0.0316; rs850309: OR = 0.23, p = 0.03; rs3864098: OR = 1.53, p = 0.0383; rs698104: OR = 1.52, p = 0.0424; rs72549154: OR = 0.55, p = 0.0453). C9 (rs187875: OR = 1.46, p = 0.0189; rs700218: OR = 0.12, p = 0.0471) and C8A (rs11206934: OR = 4.02, p = 0.0323) encode proteins of the membrane attack complex (MAC) and C5AR1 (rs10404456: OR = 1.43, p = 0.0155), a potent anaphylatoxin-receptor. Two encode complement regulators: MAC-blocking CD59 (rs1047581: OR = 0.62, p = 0.0152) and alternative pathway-blocking CFH (rs34388368: OR = 2.57, p = 0.0195). One encodes opsonin: C3 (rs4807895: OR = 2.52, p = 0.0239), whereas four encode receptors for C3 fragments: CR1 (haplotype with rs6656401: OR = 1.37, p = 0.0382), CR2 (rs2182911: OR = 0.23, p = 0.0263), ITGAM (CR3, rs12928810: OR = 0.66, p = 0.0435), and ITGAX (CR4, rs11574637: OR = 0.63, p = 0.0056). Associations reinforced former findings, regarding differential gene expression, serum levels, C3, and MAC deposition on lesions. Deregulation of previously barely noticed processes, e.g., the lectin and alternative pathways and opsonization-mediated phagocytosis, also modulate PF susceptibility. The results open new crucial avenues for understanding disease etiology and may improve PF treatment through additional therapeutic targets. PMID:29686679

Syntactic Complexity Effects in Sentence Production: A Reply to MacDonald, Montag, and Gennari (2016)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Scontras, Gregory; Badecker, William; Fedorenko, Evelina

2017-01-01

In our article, "Syntactic complexity effects in sentence production" [Scontras, Badecker, Shank, Lim, & Fedorenko, 2015 (EJ1057757)], we reported two elicited production experiments and argued that there is a cost associated with planning and uttering syntactically complex, object-extracted structures that contain a non-local…

Molecular characterization of the alpha subunit of complement component C8 (GcC8α) in the nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum)

PubMed Central

Aybar, Lydia; Shin, Dong-Ho; Smith, Sylvia L.

2009-01-01

Target cell lysis by complement is achieved by the assembly and insertion of the membrane attack complex (MAC) composed of glycoproteins C5b through C9. The lytic activity of shark complement involves functional analogues of mammalian C8 and C9. Mammalian C8 is composed of α, β, and γ subunits. The subunit structure of shark C8 is not known. This report describes a 2341 nucleotide sequence that translates into a polypeptide of 589 amino acid residues, orthologue to mammalian C8α and has the same modular architecture with conserved cysteines forming the peptide bond backbone. The C8γ-binding cysteine is conserved in the perforin-like domain. Hydrophobicity profile indicates the presence of hydrophobic residues essential for membrane insertion. It shares 41.1% and 47.4 % identity with human and Xenopus C8α respectively. Southern blot analysis showed GcC8α exists as a single copy gene expressed in most tissues except the spleen with the liver being the main site of synthesis. Phylogenetic analysis places it in a clade with C8α orthologs and as a sister taxa to the Xenopus. PMID:19524681

Environmental Assessment for Construction at US Central Command Headquarters Complex MacDill AFB, Florida

DTIC Science & Technology

2005-12-01

facility would cover approximately 85,000 square-feet, which would include an approximately 15,000 square-foot auditorium wing . The entire JICCENT...1992. US Air Force, 1986. From the 1940s to Now … A Historical Synopsis of the 56th Tactical Training Wing … and MacDill Air Force Base, Florida...leucocephalus T T Wood stork Mycteria americana E E Brown pelican Pelecanus occidentalis - sse Least tern Sterna antillarum - T Roseate tern Sterna dou!{alii

Sequential defense against random and intentional attacks in complex networks.

PubMed

Chen, Pin-Yu; Cheng, Shin-Ming

2015-02-01

Network robustness against attacks is one of the most fundamental researches in network science as it is closely associated with the reliability and functionality of various networking paradigms. However, despite the study on intrinsic topological vulnerabilities to node removals, little is known on the network robustness when network defense mechanisms are implemented, especially for networked engineering systems equipped with detection capabilities. In this paper, a sequential defense mechanism is first proposed in complex networks for attack inference and vulnerability assessment, where the data fusion center sequentially infers the presence of an attack based on the binary attack status reported from the nodes in the network. The network robustness is evaluated in terms of the ability to identify the attack prior to network disruption under two major attack schemes, i.e., random and intentional attacks. We provide a parametric plug-in model for performance evaluation on the proposed mechanism and validate its effectiveness and reliability via canonical complex network models and real-world large-scale network topology. The results show that the sequential defense mechanism greatly improves the network robustness and mitigates the possibility of network disruption by acquiring limited attack status information from a small subset of nodes in the network.

Gallium metal affinity capture tandem mass spectrometry for the selective detection of phosphopeptides in complex mixtures

PubMed Central

Blacken, Grady R.; Sadílek, Martin; Tureček, František

2008-01-01

Metal affinity capture tandem mass spectrometry (MAC-MSMS) is evaluated in a comparative study of a lysine-derived nitrilotriacetic acid (Nα, Nα-bis-(carboxymethyl)lysine, LysNTA) and an aspartic-acid-related iminodiacetic acid (N-(4-aminobutyl)aspartic acid, AspIDA) as selective phosphopeptide detection reagents. Both LysNTA and AspIDA spontaneously form ternary complexes with GaIII and phosphorylated amino acids and phosphopeptides upon mixing in solution. Collision-induced dissociation of positive complex ions produced by electrospray produces common fragments (LysNTA + H)+ or (AspIDA + H)+ at m/z 263 and 205, respectively. MSMS precursor scans using these fragments as reporter ions allow one to selectively detect multiple charge states of phosphopeptides in mixtures. It follows from this comparative study that LysNTA is superior to AspIDA in detecting phosphopeptides, possibly because of the higher coordination number and greater stability constant for GaIII – phosphopeptide complexation of the former reagent. In a continuing development of MAC-MSMS for proteomics applications, we demonstrate its utility in a post-column reaction format. Using a simple post-column-reaction ‘T’ and syringe pump to deliver our chelating reagents, α-casein tryptic phosphopeptides can be selectively analyzed from a solution containing a twofold molar excess of bovine serum albumin. The MAC-MSMS method is shown to be superior to the commonly used neutral loss scan for the common loss of phosphoric acid. PMID:18265438

Mycobacterium Avium Complex (MAC)

MedlinePlus

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Rapid susceptibility testing of Mycobacterium avium complex and Mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from AIDS patients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dhople, Arvind M.

1994-01-01

In ominous projections issued by both U.S. Public Health Service and the World Health Organization, the epidemic of HIV infection will continue to rise more rapidly worldwide than predicted earlier. The AIDS patients are susceptible to diseases called opportunistic infections of which tuberculosis and Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection are most common. This has created an urgent need to uncover new drugs for the treatment of these infections. In the seventies, NASA scientists at Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, had adopted a biochemical indicator, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), to detect presence of life in extraterrestrial space. We proposed to develop ATP assay technique to determine sensitivity of antibacterial compounds against MAC and M. tuberculosis.

AMPLIFIED FRAGMENT LENGTH POLYMORPHISM ANALYSIS OF MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM COMPLEX ISOLATES RECOVERED FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

EPA Science Inventory

Fine-scale genotyping methods are necessary in order to identify possible sources of human exposure to opportunistic pathogens belonging to the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). In this study, amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis was evaluated for fingerprintin...

Pollution Emissions, Environmental Policy, and Marginal Abatement Costs.

PubMed

He, Ling-Yun; Ou, Jia-Jia

2017-12-05

Pollution emissions impose serious social negative externalities, especially in terms of public health. To reduce pollution emissions cost-effectively, the marginal abatement costs (MACs) of pollution emissions must be determined. Since the industrial sectors are the essential pillars of China's economic growth, as well as leading energy consumers and sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emitters, estimating MACs of SO₂ emissions at the industrial level can provide valuable information for all abatement efforts. This paper tries to address the critical and essential issue in pollution abatement: How do we determine the MACs of pollution emissions in China? This paper first quantifies the SO₂ emission contribution of different industrial sectors in the Chinese economy by an Input-Output method and then estimates MACs of SO₂ for industrial sectors at the national level, provincial level, and sectoral level by the shadow price theory. Our results show that six sectors (e.g., the Mining and Washing of Coal sector) should be covered in the Chinese pollution emission trading system. We have also found that the lowest SO₂ shadow price is 2000 Yuan/ton at the national level, and that shadow prices should be set differently at the provincial level. Our empirical study has several important policy implications, e.g., the estimated MACs may be used as a pricing benchmark through emission allowance allocation. In this paper, the MACs of industrial sectors are calculated from the national, provincial and sectoral levels; therefore, we provide an efficient framework to track the complex relationship between sectors and provinces.

Tissue phosphoproteomics with PolyMAC identifies potential therapeutic targets in a transgenic mouse model of HER2 positive breast cancer

PubMed Central

Searleman, Adam C.; Iliuk, Anton B.; Collier, Timothy S.; Chodosh, Lewis A.; Tao, W. Andy; Bose, Ron

2014-01-01

Altered protein phosphorylation is a feature of many human cancers that can be targeted therapeutically. Phosphopeptide enrichment is a critical step for maximizing the depth of phosphoproteome coverage by MS, but remains challenging for tissue specimens because of their high complexity. We describe the first analysis of a tissue phosphoproteome using polymer-based metal ion affinity capture (PolyMAC), a nanopolymer that has excellent yield and specificity for phosphopeptide enrichment, on a transgenic mouse model of HER2-driven breast cancer. By combining phosphotyrosine immunoprecipitation with PolyMAC, 411 unique peptides with 139 phosphotyrosine, 45 phosphoserine, and 29 phosphothreonine sites were identified from five LC-MS/MS runs. Combining reverse phase liquid chromatography fractionation at pH 8.0 with PolyMAC identified 1571 unique peptides with 1279 phosphoserine, 213 phosphothreonine, and 21 phosphotyrosine sites from eight LC-MS/MS runs. Linear motif analysis indicated that many of the phosphosites correspond to well-known phosphorylation motifs. Analysis of the tyrosine phosphoproteome with the Drug Gene Interaction database uncovered a network of potential therapeutic targets centered on Src family kinases with inhibitors that are either FDA-approved or in clinical development. These results demonstrate that PolyMAC is well suited for phosphoproteomic analysis of tissue specimens. PMID:24723360

Clinical Relevance of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Isolated from Sputum in a Gold Mining Workforce in South Africa: An Observational, Clinical Study.

PubMed

van Halsema, Clare L; Chihota, Violet N; Gey van Pittius, Nicolaas C; Fielding, Katherine L; Lewis, James J; van Helden, Paul D; Churchyard, Gavin J; Grant, Alison D

2015-01-01

The clinical relevance of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), detected by liquid more than solid culture in sputum specimens from a South African mining workforce, is uncertain. We aimed to describe the current spectrum and relevance of NTM in this population. An observational study including individuals with sputum NTM isolates, recruited at workforce tuberculosis screening and routine clinics. Symptom questionnaires were administered at the time of sputum collection and clinical records and chest radiographs reviewed retrospectively. Of 232 individuals included (228 (98%) male, median age 44 years), M. gordonae (60 individuals), M. kansasii (50), and M. avium complex (MAC: 38) were the commonest species. Of 38 MAC isolates, only 2 (5.3%) were from smear-positive sputum specimens and 30/38 grew in liquid but not solid culture. MAC was especially prevalent among symptomatic, HIV-positive individuals. HIV prevalence was high: 57/74 (77%) among those tested. No differences were found in probability of death or medical separation by NTM species. M. gordonae, M. kansasii, and MAC were the commonest NTM among miners with suspected tuberculosis, with most MAC from smear-negative specimens in liquid culture only. HIV testing and identification of key pathogenic NTM in this setting are essential to ensure optimal treatment.

Clinical Relevance of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria Isolated from Sputum in a Gold Mining Workforce in South Africa: An Observational, Clinical Study

PubMed Central

van Halsema, Clare L.; Chihota, Violet N.; Gey van Pittius, Nicolaas C.; Fielding, Katherine L.; Lewis, James J.; van Helden, Paul D.; Churchyard, Gavin J.; Grant, Alison D.

2015-01-01

Background. The clinical relevance of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), detected by liquid more than solid culture in sputum specimens from a South African mining workforce, is uncertain. We aimed to describe the current spectrum and relevance of NTM in this population. Methods. An observational study including individuals with sputum NTM isolates, recruited at workforce tuberculosis screening and routine clinics. Symptom questionnaires were administered at the time of sputum collection and clinical records and chest radiographs reviewed retrospectively. Results. Of 232 individuals included (228 (98%) male, median age 44 years), M. gordonae (60 individuals), M. kansasii (50), and M. avium complex (MAC: 38) were the commonest species. Of 38 MAC isolates, only 2 (5.3%) were from smear-positive sputum specimens and 30/38 grew in liquid but not solid culture. MAC was especially prevalent among symptomatic, HIV-positive individuals. HIV prevalence was high: 57/74 (77%) among those tested. No differences were found in probability of death or medical separation by NTM species. Conclusions. M. gordonae, M. kansasii, and MAC were the commonest NTM among miners with suspected tuberculosis, with most MAC from smear-negative specimens in liquid culture only. HIV testing and identification of key pathogenic NTM in this setting are essential to ensure optimal treatment. PMID:26180817

Low-temperature MIR to submillimeter mass absorption coefficient of interstellar dust analogues. II. Mg and Fe-rich amorphous silicates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demyk, K.; Meny, C.; Leroux, H.; Depecker, C.; Brubach, J.-B.; Roy, P.; Nayral, C.; Ojo, W.-S.; Delpech, F.

2017-10-01

Context. To model the cold dust emission observed in the diffuse interstellar medium, in dense molecular clouds or in cold clumps that could eventually form new stars, it is mandatory to know the physical and spectroscopic properties of this dust and to understand its emission. Aims: This work is a continuation of previous studies aiming at providing astronomers with spectroscopic data of realistic cosmic dust analogues for the interpretation of observations. The aim of the present work is to extend the range of studied analogues to iron-rich silicate dust analogues. Methods: Ferromagnesium amorphous silicate dust analogues were produced by a sol-gel method with a mean composition close to Mg1-xFexSiO3 with x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4. Part of each sample was annealed at 500 °C for two hours in a reducing atmosphere to modify the oxidation state of iron. We have measured the mass absorption coefficient (MAC) of these eight ferromagnesium amorphous silicate dust analogues in the spectral domain 30-1000 μm for grain temperature in the range 10-300 K and at room temperature in the 5-40 μm range. Results: The MAC of ferromagnesium samples behaves in the same way as the MAC of pure Mg-rich amorphous silicate samples. In the 30-300 K range, the MAC increases with increasing grain temperature whereas in the range 10-30 K, we do not see any change of the MAC. The MAC cannot be described by a single power law in λ- β. The MAC of the samples does not show any clear trend with the iron content. However the annealing process has, on average, an effect on the MAC that we explain by the evolution of the structure of the samples induced by the processing. The MAC of all the samples is much higher than the MAC calculated by dust models. Conclusions: The complex behavior of the MAC of amorphous silicates with wavelength and temperature is observed whatever the exact silicate composition (Mg vs. Fe amount). It is a universal characteristic of amorphous materials, and therefore of amorphous cosmic silicates, that should be taken into account in astronomical modeling. The enhanced MAC of the measured samples compared to the MAC calculated for cosmic dust model implies that dust masses are overestimated by the models. The tabulated mass absorption coefficients are only available at the CDS via anonymous ftp to http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr (http://130.79.128.5) or via http://cdsarc.u-strasbg.fr/viz-bin/qcat?J/A+A/606/A50

Blind Data Attack on BGP Routers

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-03-01

implement blind attack protection, leaving long -standing connections, such as Border Gateway Protocol (BGP) sessions, vulnerable to exploitation. This...protection measures should a discovered vulnerability reduce attack complexity. 14. SUBJECT TERMS BGP, TCP, blind attack, blind data attack 15. NUMBER OF...implementations may not properly implement blind attack protection, leaving long -standing connections, such as BorderGateway Protocol (BGP) sessions

Assessment of mental capacity to consent to treatment in anorexia nervosa: A comparison of clinical judgment and MacCAT-T and consequences for clinical practice.

PubMed

Elzakkers, Isis F F M; Danner, Unna N; Grisso, Thomas; Hoek, Hans W; van Elburg, Annemarie A

Informed consent requires adequate mental capacity to consent to treatment. Mental capacity (MC) to consent to treatment refers to the ability to make medical decisions. MC is assessed in a general psychiatric interview, but this clinical assessment is known to overestimate mental capacity in patients and the inter rater reliability is low. The MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T) has emerged as the gold standard to assess mental capacity to consent to treatment. The MacCAT-T is a semi-structured interview designed to aid clinicians in this assessment and has shown good inter rater reliability in patients with schizophrenia and other mental disorders, but has hardly been studied in patients with anorexia nervosa. Patients with anorexia nervosa (AN) regularly avoid treatment, even when severely ill and discussion includes assessing MC to consent to treatment. The aim of this study is to compare clinical judgment and the MacCAT-T in evaluating MC in patients with AN which in turn may influence use of the MacCAT-T in daily practice. In a sample of 70 consecutively referred severely ill patients with AN with a mean BMI of 15.5 kg/m 2 and a mean duration of illness of 8.6 years, clinical assessment of MC by experienced psychiatrists and the outcome of the MacCAT-T interview were compared. Agreement (κ-value) was calculated. Agreement between clinical assessment and outcome of the MacCAT-T was questionable (κ 0.23). Unlike in other psychiatric populations, clinicians judged a high proportion of patients with AN as having diminished MC. The MacCAT-T can be useful in assessing MC in AN when used in addition to clinical judgment to aid clinicians in complex cases. Why clinicians judge a relatively high proportion of patients with AN as having diminished MC, in contrast to lower proportions in other psychiatric disorders, is an area in need of further research. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The MacGyver effect: alive and well in health services research?

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background In a manner similar to the television action hero MacGyver, health services researchers need to respond to the pressure of unpredictable demands and constrained time frames. The results are often both innovative and functional, with the creation of outputs that could not have been anticipated in the initial planning and design of the research. Discussion In the conduct of health services research many challenges to robust research processes are generated as a result of the interface between academic research, health policy and implementation agendas. Within a complex and rapidly evolving environment the task of the health services researcher is, therefore, to juggle sometimes contradictory pressures to produce valid results. Summary This paper identifies the MacGyver-type dilemmas which arise in health services research, wherein innovation may be called for, to maintain the intended scientific method and rigour. These 'MacGyver drivers' are framed as opposing issues from the perspective of both academic and public policy communities. The ideas expressed in this paper are illustrated by four examples from research projects positioned at the interface between public policy strategy and academia. PMID:21929826

ELECTROPHORETIC MOBILITY OF MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM COMPLEX ORGANISMS

EPA Science Inventory

The electrophoretic mobilities (EPMs) of thirty Mycobacterium avium Complex (MAC) organisms isolated from clinical and environmental sources were measured in 9.15 mM KH2PO4 buffered water. The EPMs of fifteen clinical isolates ranged from -1.9 to -5.0 µm cm V^-1 ...

ELECTROPHORETIC MOBILITY OF MYCOBACTERIUM AVIUM COMPLEX ORGANISMS

EPA Science Inventory

The electrophoretic mobilities (EPMs) of thirty Mycobacterium avium Complex (MAC) organisms were measured. The EPMs of fifteen clinical isolates ranged from -1.9 to -5.0 µm cm V^-1s^-1, and the EPMs of fifteen environmental isolates ranged from -1...

Rapid susceptibility testing of mycobacterium avium complex and mycobacterium tuberculosis isolated from AIDS patients

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dhople, Arvind M.

1993-01-01

In ominous projections issued by both U.S. Public Health Service and the World Health Organization, the epidemic of the Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection will continue to rise more rapidly worldwide than predicted earlier. The Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) patients are susceptible to diseases called opportunistic infections of which tuberculosis and M. avium Complex (MAC) infection are most common. This has created an urgent need to uncover new drugs for the treatment of these infections. In the seventies, NASA scientists at Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, had adopted a biochemical indicator, adenosine triphosphate (ATP), to detect presence of life in extraterrestrial space. Therefore, we proposed to develop ATP assay technique to determine sensitivity of antibacterial compounds against MAC and M. tuberculosis. The work was initiated in June 1992. In the last report, we described our efforts in developing ATP assay method using MAC. Studies were continued further, and during the period of this report, we established the relationship between colony forming units and ATP levels of these organisms during the growth cycle. Also, we evaluated the effects of standard antimycobacterial drugs using ATP assay technique and compared the results with those obtained with conventional tube dilution proportional method.

The Lectin Complement Pathway Is Involved in Protection Against Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli Infection.

PubMed

Adler Sørensen, Camilla; Rosbjerg, Anne; Hebbelstrup Jensen, Betina; Krogfelt, Karen Angeliki; Garred, Peter

2018-01-01

Enteroaggregative Escherichia coli (EAEC) causes acute and persistent diarrhea worldwide. Still, the involvement of host factors in EAEC infections is unresolved. Binding of recognition molecules from the lectin pathway of complement to EAEC strains have been observed, but the importance is not known. Our aim was to uncover the involvement of these molecules in innate complement dependent immune protection toward EAEC. Binding of mannose-binding lectin, ficolin-1, -2, and -3 to four prototypic EAEC strains, and ficolin-2 binding to 56 clinical EAEC isolates were screened by a consumption-based ELISA method. Flow cytometry was used to determine deposition of C4b, C3b, and the bactericidal C5b-9 membrane attack complex (MAC) on the bacteria in combination with different complement inhibitors. In addition, the direct serum bactericidal effect was assessed. Screening of the prototypic EAEC strains revealed that ficolin-2 was the major binder among the lectin pathway recognition molecules. However, among the clinical EAEC isolates only a restricted number ( n  = 5) of the isolates bound ficolin-2. Using the ficolin-2 binding isolate C322-17 as a model, we found that incubation with normal human serum led to deposition of C4b, C3b, and to MAC formation. No inhibition of complement deposition was observed when a C1q inhibitor was added, while partial inhibition was observed when ficolin-2 or factor D inhibitors were used separately. Combining the inhibitors against ficolin-2 and factor D led to virtually complete inhibition of complement deposition and protection against direct bacterial killing. These results demonstrate that ficolin-2 may play an important role in innate immune protection against EAEC when an appropriate ligand is exposed, but many EAEC strains evade lectin pathway recognition and may, therefore, circumvent this strategy of innate host immune protection.

The characteristics of patients with pulmonary Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex disease diagnosed by bronchial lavage culture compared to those diagnosed by sputum culture.

PubMed

Maekawa, Koichi; Naka, Megumi; Shuto, Saki; Harada, Yuka; Ikegami, Yumiko

2017-09-01

The utility of bronchoscopy for the diagnosis of pulmonary Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex (MAC) disease has been reported; however, which patients require bronchoscopy remains unclear. Our objective was to identify the characteristics of the patients in whom bronchoscopy is needed for the diagnosis of MAC disease. Fifty-four patients with pulmonary MAC disease were divided into two groups according to established diagnostic criteria: 39 patients were diagnosed by sputum culture and 15 patients were diagnosed by bronchial lavage culture. We analysed the differences in demographic and clinical characteristics as well as microbiological and radiological data between the two groups. There were no significant differences in age, sex, smoking status, MAC species, underlying diseases, or steroid use. Significantly more patients diagnosed by sputum culture than bronchial lavage culture had a positive sputum smear for acid-fast bacilli (79.5% vs. 0.0%, respectively; p < 0.001) and any symptoms (75.3% vs. 46.2%, respectively; p = 0.0059). No significant differences were found in the prevalence of each computed tomography finding, including nodules, air-space disease, bronchiectasis, and cavities. However, more patients diagnosed by sputum culture than bronchial lavage culture had abnormalities in the left upper division (48.7% vs. 13.3%, respectively; p = 0.017) and higher numbers of affected lobes (4.3 ± 1.4 vs. 3.3 ± 1.6, respectively; p = 0.034). If patients suspected of having pulmonary MAC disease have a negative sputum smear, no symptoms, no abnormal findings in the left upper division, or fewer affected lobes on computed tomography, bronchoscopy might be needed for the diagnosis. Copyright © 2017 Japanese Society of Chemotherapy and The Japanese Association for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pollution Emissions, Environmental Policy, and Marginal Abatement Costs

PubMed Central

He, Ling-Yun; Ou, Jia-Jia

2017-01-01

Pollution emissions impose serious social negative externalities, especially in terms of public health. To reduce pollution emissions cost-effectively, the marginal abatement costs (MACs) of pollution emissions must be determined. Since the industrial sectors are the essential pillars of China’s economic growth, as well as leading energy consumers and sulfur dioxide (SO2) emitters, estimating MACs of SO2 emissions at the industrial level can provide valuable information for all abatement efforts. This paper tries to address the critical and essential issue in pollution abatement: How do we determine the MACs of pollution emissions in China? This paper first quantifies the SO2 emission contribution of different industrial sectors in the Chinese economy by an Input-Output method and then estimates MACs of SO2 for industrial sectors at the national level, provincial level, and sectoral level by the shadow price theory. Our results show that six sectors (e.g., the Mining and Washing of Coal sector) should be covered in the Chinese pollution emission trading system. We have also found that the lowest SO2 shadow price is 2000 Yuan/ton at the national level, and that shadow prices should be set differently at the provincial level. Our empirical study has several important policy implications, e.g., the estimated MACs may be used as a pricing benchmark through emission allowance allocation. In this paper, the MACs of industrial sectors are calculated from the national, provincial and sectoral levels; therefore, we provide an efficient framework to track the complex relationship between sectors and provinces. PMID:29206170

Using the memory activation capture (MAC) procedure to investigate the temporal dynamics of hypothesis generation.

PubMed

Lange, Nicholas D; Buttaccio, Daniel R; Davelaar, Eddy J; Thomas, Rick P

2014-02-01

Research investigating top-down capture has demonstrated a coupling of working memory content with attention and eye movements. By capitalizing on this relationship, we have developed a novel methodology, called the memory activation capture (MAC) procedure, for measuring the dynamics of working memory content supporting complex cognitive tasks (e.g., decision making, problem solving). The MAC procedure employs briefly presented visual arrays containing task-relevant information at critical points in a task. By observing which items are preferentially fixated, we gain a measure of working memory content as the task evolves through time. The efficacy of the MAC procedure was demonstrated in a dynamic hypothesis generation task in which some of its advantages over existing methods for measuring changes in the contents of working memory over time are highlighted. In two experiments, the MAC procedure was able to detect the hypothesis that was retrieved and placed into working memory. Moreover, the results from Experiment 2 suggest a two-stage process following hypothesis retrieval, whereby the hypothesis undergoes a brief period of heightened activation before entering a lower activation state in which it is maintained for output. The results of both experiments are of additional general interest, as they represent the first demonstrations of top-down capture driven by participant-established WM content retrieved from long-term memory.

Identification of Two Novel Mycobacterium avium Allelic Variants in Pig and Human Isolates from Brazil by PCR-Restriction Enzyme Analysis

PubMed Central

Leão, Sylvia Cardoso; Briones, Marcelo R. S.; Sircili, Marcelo Palma; Balian, Simone Carvalho; Mores, Nelson; Ferreira-Neto, José Soares

1999-01-01

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is composed of environmental mycobacteria found widely in soil, water, and aerosols that can cause disease in animals and humans, especially disseminated infections in AIDS patients. MAC consists of two closely related species, M. avium and M. intracellulare, and may also include other, less-defined groups. The precise differentiation of MAC species is a fundamental step in epidemiological studies and for the evaluation of possible reservoirs for MAC infection in humans and animals. In this study, which included 111 pig and 26 clinical MAC isolates, two novel allelic M. avium PCR-restriction enzyme analysis (PRA) variants were identified, differing from the M. avium PRA prototype in the HaeIII digestion pattern. Mutations in HaeIII sites were confirmed by DNA sequencing. Identification of these isolates as M. avium was confirmed by PCR with DT1-DT6 and IS1245 primers, nucleic acid hybridization with the AccuProbe system, 16S ribosomal DNA sequencing, and biochemical tests. The characterization of M. avium PRA variants can be useful in the elucidation of factors involved in mycobacterial virulence and routes of infection and also has diagnostic significance, since they can be misidentified as M. simiae II and M. kansasii I if the PRA method is used in the clinical laboratory for identification of mycobacteria. PMID:10405407

Crystal Structure of the MACPF Domain of Human Complement Protein C8[alpha] in Complex with the C8[gamma] Subunit

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Slade, Daniel J.; Lovelace, Leslie L.; Chruszcz, Maksymilian

2010-03-04

Human C8 is one of five complement components (C5b, C6, C7, C8, and C9) that assemble on bacterial membranes to form a porelike structure referred to as the 'membrane attack complex' (MAC). C8 contains three genetically distinct subunits (C8{alpha}, C8{beta}, C8{gamma}) arranged as a disulfide-linked C8{alpha}-{gamma} dimer that is noncovalently associated with C8{beta}. C6, C7 C8{alpha}, C8{beta}, and C9 are homologous. All contain N- and C-terminal modules and an intervening 40-kDa segment referred to as the membrane attack complex/perforin (MACPF) domain. The C8{gamma} subunit is unrelated and belongs to the lipocalin family of proteins that display a {beta}-barrel fold andmore » generally bind small, hydrophobic ligands. Several hundred proteins with MACPF domains have been identified based on sequence similarity; however, the structure and function of most are unknown. Crystal structures of the secreted bacterial protein Plu-MACPF and the human C8{alpha} MACPF domain were recently reported and both display a fold similar to those of the bacterial pore-forming cholesterol-dependent cytolysins (CDCs). In the present study, we determined the crystal structure of the human C8{alpha} MACPF domain disulfide-linked to C8{gamma} ({alpha}MACPF-{gamma}) at 2.15 {angstrom} resolution. The {alpha}MACPF portion has the predicted CDC-like fold and shows two regions of interaction with C8{gamma}. One is in a previously characterized 19-residue insertion (indel) in C8{alpha} and fills the entrance to the putative C8{gamma} ligand-binding site. The second is a hydrophobic pocket that makes contact with residues on the side of the C8{gamma} {beta}-barrel. The latter interaction induces conformational changes in {alpha}MACPF that are likely important for C8 function. Also observed is structural conservation of the MACPF signature motif Y/W-G-T/S-H-F/Y-X{sub 6}-G-G in {alpha}MACPF and Plu-MACPF, and conservation of several key glycine residues known to be important for refolding and pore formation by CDCs.« less

HIV and mycobacteria.

PubMed

Procop, Gary W

2017-07-01

The importance of mycobacteria as opportunistic pathogens, particularly members of the M. avium complex (MAC), in patients with progressive HIV infection was recognized early in the AIDS epidemic. It took longer to appreciate the global impact and devastation that would result from the deadly synergy that exists between HIV and M. tuberculosis. This HIV/M. tuberculosis co-pandemic is ongoing and claiming millions of lives every year. In addition to MAC, a number of other non-tuberculous mycobacteria have been recognized as opportunistic pathogens in HIV-infected individuals; some of these are more commonly encountered (e.g., M. kansasii) than others (M. haemophilum and M. genevense). Finally, there are challenges to concomitantly treating the HIV and the infecting Mycobacterium species, because of antimicrobial resistance, therapeutic side-effects and the complex pharmacologic interactions of the antiretroviral and antimycobacterial multidrug therapy. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Species distribution in human immunodeficiency virus-related mycobacterial infections: implications for selection of initial treatment.

PubMed

Montessori, V; Phillips, P; Montaner, J; Haley, L; Craib, K; Bessuille, E; Black, W

1996-06-01

Management of mycobacterial infection is species specific; however, treatment is prompted by positive smears or cultures, often several weeks before species identification. The objective of this study was to determine the species distribution of mycobacterial isolates from various body sites in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). All mycobacterial isolates recovered at St. Paul's Hospital (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada) from April 1989 to March 1993 were reviewed. Among 357 HIV-positive patients with mycobacterial infections, 64% (96) of the sputum isolates were Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), 18% were Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and 17% were Mycobacterium kansasii. Lymph node involvement (25 patients) was due to either MAC (72%) or M. tuberculosis (24%). Two hundred ninety-eight episodes of mycobacteremia were due to MAC (98%), M. tuberculosis (1%), and M. kansasii (1%). Similarly, cultures of 84 bone marrow biopsy specimens (99%), 19 intestinal biopsy specimens (100%), and 30 stool specimens (97%) yielded predominantly MAC. These results have implications for initial therapy, particularly in areas where rapid methods for species identification are not readily available. Because of considerable geographic variation, development of guidelines for selection of initial therapy depends on regional determination of species distribution in HIV-related mycobacterial infections.

Russian Doll Genes and Complex Chromosome Rearrangements in Oxytricha trifallax

PubMed Central

Braun, Jasper; Nabergall, Lukas; Neme, Rafik; Landweber, Laura F.; Saito, Masahico; Jonoska, Nataša

2018-01-01

Ciliates have two different types of nuclei per cell, with one acting as a somatic, transcriptionally active nucleus (macronucleus; abbr. MAC) and another serving as a germline nucleus (micronucleus; abbr. MIC). Furthermore, Oxytricha trifallax undergoes extensive genome rearrangements during sexual conjugation and post-zygotic development of daughter cells. These rearrangements are necessary because the precursor MIC loci are often both fragmented and scrambled, with respect to the corresponding MAC loci. Such genome architectures are remarkably tolerant of encrypted MIC loci, because RNA-guided processes during MAC development reorganize the gene fragments in the correct order to resemble the parental MAC sequence. Here, we describe the germline organization of several nested and highly scrambled genes in Oxytricha trifallax. These include cases with multiple layers of nesting, plus highly interleaved or tangled precursor loci that appear to deviate from previously described patterns. We present mathematical methods to measure the degree of nesting between precursor MIC loci, and revisit a method for a mathematical description of scrambling. After applying these methods to the chromosome rearrangement maps of O. trifallax we describe cases of nested arrangements with up to five layers of embedded genes, as well as the most scrambled loci in O. trifallax. PMID:29545465

Tomotectonic constraints on deformation of Cordilleran North America since Late Jurassic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mihalynuk, M. G.; Sigloch, K.

2017-12-01

Seismic tomography reveals detailed mantle structure beneath North America, largely thanks to USArray. TWO massive composite slabs are recognized down to 2000 km depth and their topologies are combined with quantitative plate reconstructions back to the breakup of Pangea using Atlantic and Pacific magnetic isochrons. This tomotectonic analysis reveals evolving arc/trench-plate geometries of a vast archipelago/microcontinent and ocean plateau that were overridden by North America, and an explanation for Cordilleran deformation episodes. As Pangea fragmented, subduction reconfigured from EAST-directed beneath the continent (during final growth of the Intermontane Superterrane, IMS, or "AltaBC"), to WEST-directed beneath an intraoceanic, massive arc chevron (MAC). MAC trenches were stationary within a mantle reference frame, as indicated by near-vertical slab walls 4-7x as thick as mature ocean lithosphere, and its trenches were >10,000 km long. East-pointing MAC apex was located 2000-4000 km off Pangea's west coast where MAC arc was built atop the Insular superterrane (INS, or "BajaBC"), a microcontinent extending >2600 km southwards from the apex. Ocean lithosphere between the MAC apex and west-drifting North America was consumed by 155 Ma. INS, comparable in length to the Indian subcontinent, initially collided with the leading edge of North America/IMS and generated "Nevadan" deformation. Diachronous Sevier deformation followed as MAC was driven farther into the continental margin and raked southward (sinistral offsets w.r.t. North America). By 130 Ma, with large segments accreted and MAC geometry breaking down, subduction was forced to jump outboard (westward) of MAC. The Franciscan accretionary complex marks a return to eastward/Andean-style subduction (of the Farallon plate). A remarkably complete analogue for collision at 130 Ma is found in modern Australia's override of arcs to its north. Rapid northward transport of BajaBC w.r.t. North America 90-50 Ma is attributed to arrival of the buoyant Shatsky conjugate plateau on the Farallon plate 90 Ma, which coupled with BajaBC lithosphere, as recorded by slab truncation, paleomagnetic measurements, an extinguished Sierra Nevada arc (80 Ma), subducted sediments underplated far inboard of the margin, and Laramide deformation.

Mitral Annular Dynamics in Mitral Annular Calcification: A Three-Dimensional Imaging Study.

PubMed

Pressman, Gregg S; Movva, Rajesh; Topilsky, Yan; Clavel, Marie-Annick; Saldanha, Jason A; Watanabe, Nozomi; Enriquez-Sarano, Maurice

2015-07-01

The mitral annulus displays complex conformational changes during the cardiac cycle that can now be quantified by three-dimensional echocardiography. Mitral annular calcification (MAC) is increasingly encountered, but its structural and dynamic consequences are largely unexplored. The objective of this study was to describe alterations in mitral annular dimensions and dynamics in patients with MAC. Transthoracic three-dimensional echocardiography was performed in 43 subjects with MAC and 36 age- and sex-matched normal control subjects. Mitral annular dimensions were quantified, using dedicated software, at six time points (three diastolic, three systolic) during the cardiac cycle. In diastole, the calcified annulus was larger and flatter than normal, with increased anteroposterior diameter (29.4 ± 0.6 vs 27.8 ± 0.6 mm, P = .046), reduced height (2.8 ± 0.2 vs 3.6 ± 0.2 mm, P = .006), and decreased saddle shape (8.9 ± 0.6% vs 11.4 ± 0.6%, P = .005). In systole, patients with MAC had greater annular area at all time points (P < .05 for each) compared with control subjects, because of reduced contraction along the anteroposterior diameter (P < .001). Saddle shape increased in early systole (from 10.5% to 13.5%, P = .04) in control subjects but not in those with MAC (P = NS). Valvular alterations were also noted; although mitral valve tent length decreased during systole in both groups, decreases were less in patients with MAC (P < .05 for mid- and late systole). For certain parameters (e.g., annular area), changes were confined largely to those patients with moderate to severe MAC (P = .006 vs control subjects, but nonsignificant for patients with mild MAC). Quantitative three-dimensional echocardiography provides new insights into the dynamic consequences of MAC. This imaging technique demonstrates that the mitral annulus is not made smaller by calcification. However, there is loss of annular contraction, particularly along the anteroposterior diameter, and loss of early systolic folding along the intercommissural diameter. Associated valvular alterations include smaller than usual declines in tenting during systole. These quantitative three-dimensional echocardiographic data provide new insights into the dynamic physiology of the calcified mitral annulus. Copyright © 2015 American Society of Echocardiography. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Molecular characterization of the alpha subunit of complement component C8 (GcC8alpha) in the nurse shark (Ginglymostoma cirratum).

PubMed

Aybar, Lydia; Shin, Dong-Ho; Smith, Sylvia L

2009-09-01

Target cell lysis by complement is achieved by the assembly and insertion of the membrane attack complex (MAC) composed of glycoproteins C5b through C9. The lytic activity of shark complement involves functional analogues of mammalian C8 and C9. Mammalian C8 is composed of alpha, beta, and gamma subunits. The subunit structure of shark C8 is not known. This report describes a 2341 nucleotide sequence that translates into a polypeptide of 589 amino acid residues, orthologue to mammalian C8alpha and has the same modular architecture with conserved cysteines forming the peptide bond backbone. The C8gamma-binding cysteine is conserved in the perforin-like domain. Hydrophobicity profile indicates the presence of hydrophobic residues essential for membrane insertion. It shares 41.1% and 47.4% identity with human and Xenopus C8alpha respectively. Southern blot analysis showed GcC8alpha exists as a single copy gene expressed in most tissues except the spleen with the liver being the main site of synthesis. Phylogenetic analysis places it in a clade with C8alpha orthologs and as a sister taxa to the Xenopus. 2009 Elsevier Ltd.

Innate Immune Mechanisms in Transplant Allograft Vasculopathy

PubMed Central

Jane-wit, D; Fang, C; Goldstein, DR

2016-01-01

Purpose of Review Allograft vasculopathy (AV) is the leading cause of late allograft loss following solid organ transplantation. Ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) and donor specific antibody (DSA)-induced complement activation confer heightened risk for AV via numerous innate immune mechanisms including MyD88, HMGB1, and complement induced non-canonical NF-kB signaling. Recent Findings The role of MyD88, a signal adaptor downstream of the toll-like receptors (TLR), has been defined in an experimental heart transplant model, which demonstrated that recipient MyD88 enhanced AV. Importantly, triggering receptor on myeloid receptor 1(Trem1), a MyD88 amplifying signal, was present in rejecting human cardiac transplant biopsies and enhanced the development of AV in mice. HMGB1, a nuclear protein that activates TLRs, also enhanced the development of AV. Complement activation elicits assembly of membrane attack complexes (MAC) on endothelial cells which activate non-canonical NF-kB signaling, a novel complement effector pathway that induces pro-inflammatory genes and potentiates endothelial cell mediated alloimmune T cell activation, processes which enhance AV. Summary Innate immune mediators including HMGB1, MyD88, and non-canonical NFκB signaling via complement activation contribute to AV. These pathways represent potential therapeutic targets to reduce AV after solid organ transplantation. PMID:27077602

Pathogenic Leptospira Species Acquire Factor H and Vitronectin via the Surface Protein LcpA

PubMed Central

da Silva, Ludmila Bezerra; Miragaia, Lidia dos Santos; Breda, Leandro Carvalho Dantas; Abe, Cecilia Mari; Schmidt, Mariana Costa Braga; Moro, Ana Maria; Monaris, Denize; Conde, Jonas Nascimento; Józsi, Mihály; Isaac, Lourdes; Abreu, Patrícia Antônia Estima

2014-01-01

Upon infection, pathogenic Leptospira species bind several complement regulators in order to overcome host innate immunity. We previously characterized a 20-kDa leptospiral surface protein which interacts with C4b binding protein (C4BP): leptospiral complement regulator-acquiring protein A (LcpA). Here we show that LcpA also interacts with human factor H (FH), which remains functionally active once bound to the protein. Antibodies directed against short consensus repeat 20 (SCR20) inhibited binding of FH to LcpA by approximately 90%, thus confirming that this particular domain is involved in the interaction. We have also shown for the first time that leptospires bind human vitronectin and that the interaction is mediated by LcpA. Coincubation with heparin blocked LcpA-vitronectin interaction in a dose-dependent manner, strongly suggesting that binding may occur through the heparin binding domains of vitronectin. LcpA also bound to the terminal pathway component C9 and inhibited Zn2+-induced polymerization and membrane attack complex (MAC) formation. Competitive binding assays indicated that LcpA interacts with C4BP, FH, and vitronectin through distinct sites. Taken together, our findings indicate that LcpA may play a role in leptospiral immune evasion. PMID:25534939

Pathogenic Leptospira species acquire factor H and vitronectin via the surface protein LcpA.

PubMed

da Silva, Ludmila Bezerra; Miragaia, Lidia Dos Santos; Breda, Leandro Carvalho Dantas; Abe, Cecilia Mari; Schmidt, Mariana Costa Braga; Moro, Ana Maria; Monaris, Denize; Conde, Jonas Nascimento; Józsi, Mihály; Isaac, Lourdes; Abreu, Patrícia Antônia Estima; Barbosa, Angela Silva

2015-03-01

Upon infection, pathogenic Leptospira species bind several complement regulators in order to overcome host innate immunity. We previously characterized a 20-kDa leptospiral surface protein which interacts with C4b binding protein (C4BP): leptospiral complement regulator-acquiring protein A (LcpA). Here we show that LcpA also interacts with human factor H (FH), which remains functionally active once bound to the protein. Antibodies directed against short consensus repeat 20 (SCR20) inhibited binding of FH to LcpA by approximately 90%, thus confirming that this particular domain is involved in the interaction. We have also shown for the first time that leptospires bind human vitronectin and that the interaction is mediated by LcpA. Coincubation with heparin blocked LcpA-vitronectin interaction in a dose-dependent manner, strongly suggesting that binding may occur through the heparin binding domains of vitronectin. LcpA also bound to the terminal pathway component C9 and inhibited Zn(2+)-induced polymerization and membrane attack complex (MAC) formation. Competitive binding assays indicated that LcpA interacts with C4BP, FH, and vitronectin through distinct sites. Taken together, our findings indicate that LcpA may play a role in leptospiral immune evasion. Copyright © 2015, American Society for Microbiology. All Rights Reserved.

French multicenter study involving eight test sites for radiometric determination of activities of 10 antimicrobial agents against Mycobacterium avium complex.

PubMed Central

Rastogi, N; Bauriaud, R M; Bourgoin, A; Carbonnelle, B; Chippaux, C; Gevaudan, M J; Goh, K S; Moinard, D; Roos, P

1995-01-01

The radiometric BACTEC 460-TB methodology has filled an increased need in the screening of a wide range of antimicrobial agents against Mycobacterium avium (MAC) isolates on a patient-to-patient basis. In this context, a multicenter study involving eight test sites across France was performed to determine the MICs of 10 antimicrobial agents for MAC organisms. The aim of the investigation was to compare the in vitro activities of D-cycloserine, ethambutol, ethionamide, rifampin, amikacin, streptomycin, ciprofloxacin, sparfloxacin, clofazimine, and clarithromycin against MAC isolates. All of the test sites received the same clinical isolates of MAC, and the MICs were determined by a common protocol. The overall interlaboratory reproducibility of the MICs within +/- 1 dilution of the modal MICs varied from 79.70 to 100% (mean, 95.2% +/- 2.1%), whereas overall agreement of the MICs among the test sites varied from a mean of 91% +/- 4.1% to a mean of 98 +/- 1.3%. We confirmed that the proposed methodology is easy, accurate, and sufficiently reproducible to be used routinely in a clinical laboratory. Despite variations in the MICs of the same drug among strains, no link between the origin of MAC isolates (from human immunodeficiency virus-positive or -negative patients) and their drug susceptibilities was established. On the basis of the MICs that inhibited 50 and 90% of isolates tested for the drugs used, clarithromycin, clofazimine, ethambutol, and streptomycin were the most uniformly active against MAC; this was followed by amikacin, rifampin, and sparfloxacin. On the other hand, ciprofloxacin, D-cycloserine, and ethionamide showed only marginal in vitro activities. PMID:7793865

Characterization of mycobacteria in HIV/AIDS patients of Nepal.

PubMed

Dhungana, G P; Ghimire, P; Sharma, S; Rijal, B P

2008-01-01

Besides Mycobacterium tuberculosis, a number of other Mycobacterium species are also occasional human pathogens. Tuberculosis due to Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and Mycobacterium kansasii is particularly prevalent in AIDS patients as compared to the normal population. A cross-sectional study was carried out during January 2004 to August 2005 in 100 HIV-infected persons visiting Tribhuvan University, Teaching Hospital, and about a dozen of HIV/AIDS care centers of Kathmandu with the objectives to characterize the different mycobacterial species in HIV/AIDS patients. Three sputum specimens from each person were used to investigate tuberculosis by Ziehl-Neelsen staining, culture and identification tests. Among the 100 HIV-infected cases, 66 (66%) were males and 34 (34%) were females. Sixty percent of the cases were in the age group of 21-30 years. Mycobacteria were detected in 23 (23%) HIV cases of which 15 (65.2%) were in the age group of 21-30 years ; 17(74%) were males and 6 (26 %) were females. Among 23 co-infected cases, 22 were culture positive for mycobacteria. Among these, the predominant one was Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), 9 (41%), followed by M. tuberculosis, 6 (27%), M .kansasii, 4 (18%), M. fortuitum, 2 (10%) and M. chelonae 1 (4%). Significant relationship was established between smoking/alcoholism and the subsequent development of tuberculosis (chi(2)=7.24, p<0.05 for smoking habit and chi(2)=4.39, p<0.05 for alcoholism). Fourteen (61%) co-infected cases presented with weight loss and cough whereas diarrhea was presented only by those patients with atypical mycobacterial co-infection, which was as high as 5 (56%) in patients with MAC co-infection. This study demonstrated the predominance of atypical mycobacteria, mainly MAC, in HIV/AIDS cases and most of them were from sputum smear-negative cases.

Disruption of mTORC1 in Macrophages Decreases Chemokine Gene Expression and Atherosclerosis

PubMed Central

Ai, Ding; Jiang, Hongfeng; Westerterp, Marit; Murphy, Andrew J.; Wang, Mi; Ganda, Anjali; Abramowicz, Sandra; Welch, Carrie; Almazan, Felicidad; Zhu, Yi; Miller, Yury I; Tall, Alan R.

2014-01-01

Rationale The mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) inhibitor, rapamycin, has been shown to decrease atherosclerosis, even while increasing plasma LDL levels. This suggests an anti-atherogenic effect possibly mediated by modulation of inflammatory responses in atherosclerotic plaques. Objective To assess the role of macrophage mTORC1 in atherogenesis. Methods and Results We transplanted bone marrow from mice in which a key mTORC1 adaptor, Raptor, was deleted in macrophages by Cre/loxP recombination (Mac-RapKO mice) into Ldlr-/- mice and then fed them the Western-type diet (WTD). Atherosclerotic lesions from Mac-RapKO mice showed decreased infiltration of macrophages, lesion size and chemokine gene expression compared with control mice. Treatment of macrophages with minimally modified LDL (mmLDL) resulted in increased levels of chemokine mRNAs and STAT3 phosphorylation; these effects were reduced in Mac-RapKO macrophages. While wild-type and Mac-RapKO macrophages showed similar STAT3 phosphorylation on Tyr705, Mac-RapKO macrophages showed decreased STAT3 Ser727 phosphorylation in response to mmLDL treatment and decreased Ccl2 promoter binding of STAT3. Conclusions The results demonstrate cross-talk between nutritionally-induced mTORC1 signaling and mmLDL-mediated inflammatory signaling via combinatorial phosphorylation of STAT3 in macrophages, leading to increased STAT3 activity on the CCL2 (MCP-1)promoter with pro-atherogenic consequences. PMID:24687132

Identification of a novel tetrapeptide structure of the Mycobacterium avium glycopeptidolipid that functions as a specific target for the host antibody response.

PubMed

Matsunaga, Isamu; Komori, Takaya; Mori, Naoki; Sugita, Masahiko

2012-03-23

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) is a group of non-tuberculous mycobacteria that cause tuberculosis-like diseases in humans. Unlike Mycobacterium tuberculosis, MAC expresses high levels of glycopeptidolipids (GPLs) containing a well-defined tetrapeptide-amino alcohol core, composed of D-phenylalanine, D-allo-threonine, D-alanine, and L-alaninol, that is modified with a fatty acid and sugar residues. Surprisingly, however, a careful scrutiny of the mass spectrum of MAC GPLs revealed the presence of ions that could not readily accountable for the known GPL structure. The magnitude of the ions was increased prominently when GPLs were isolated from the valine-supplemented culture, and the ions representing the authentic GPL species were diminished, suggesting the possibility that the basic structure of the peptide backbone might be altered in response to the exogenously added valine. Indeed, further mass spectrometry (MS)/MS and gas chromatography-MS analysis indicated a substitution of D-valine for the N-terminal D-phenylalanine of the tetrapeptide core, and the presence of D-valine and the absence of D-phenylalanine was confirmed by high-performance liquid chromatography, using the derivatized amino acid residues that were released from the tetrapeptide. Finally, specific antibodies to the purified valine-containing GPL species were detected in the serum of a MAC-infected guinea pig. Therefore, these results identify a new molecular species of MAC GPLs with immunogenic potential. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Khyâl attacks: a key idiom of distress among traumatized cambodia refugees.

PubMed

Hinton, Devon E; Pich, Vuth; Marques, Luana; Nickerson, Angela; Pollack, Mark H

2010-06-01

Traumatized Cambodian refugees with PTSD often complain of khyâl attacks. The current study investigates khyâl attacks from multiple perspectives and examines the validity of a model of how khyâl attacks are generated. The study found that khyâl attacks had commonly been experienced in the previous 4 weeks and that their severity was strongly correlated with the severity of PTSD (PTSD Checklist). It was found that khyâl attacks were triggered by various processes--such as worry, trauma recall, standing up, going to a mall--and that khyâl attacks almost always met panic attack criteria. It was also found that during a khyâl attack there was great fear that death might occur from bodily dysfunction. It was likewise found that a complex nosology of khyâl attacks exists that rates the attacks on a scale of severity, that the severity determines how the khyâl attacks should be treated and that those treatments are often complex. As illustrated by the article, khyâl attacks constitute a key aspect of trauma ontology in this group, a culturally specific experiencing of anxiety and trauma-related disorder. The article also contributes to the study of trauma somatics, that is, to the study of how trauma results in specific symptoms in a specific cultural context, showing that a key part of the trauma-somatic reticulum is often a cultural syndrome.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

John Homer; Ashok Varikuti; Xinming Ou

Various tools exist to analyze enterprise network systems and to produce attack graphs detailing how attackers might penetrate into the system. These attack graphs, however, are often complex and difficult to comprehend fully, and a human user may find it problematic to reach appropriate configuration decisions. This paper presents methodologies that can 1) automatically identify portions of an attack graph that do not help a user to understand the core security problems and so can be trimmed, and 2) automatically group similar attack steps as virtual nodes in a model of the network topology, to immediately increase the understandability ofmore » the data. We believe both methods are important steps toward improving visualization of attack graphs to make them more useful in configuration management for large enterprise networks. We implemented our methods using one of the existing attack-graph toolkits. Initial experimentation shows that the proposed approaches can 1) significantly reduce the complexity of attack graphs by trimming a large portion of the graph that is not needed for a user to understand the security problem, and 2) significantly increase the accessibility and understandability of the data presented in the attack graph by clearly showing, within a generated visualization of the network topology, the number and type of potential attacks to which each host is exposed.« less

Dendritic cells and macrophages in the kidney: a spectrum of good and evil

PubMed Central

Rogers, NM; Ferenbach, DA; Isenberg, JS; Thomson, AW; Hughes, J

2015-01-01

Renal dendritic cells (DC) and macrophages (Mac) represent a constitutive, extensive and contiguous network of innate immune cells that provide sentinel and immune intelligence function. They induce and regulate inflammatory responses to freely-filtered antigenic material and protect the kidney from infection. Tissue–resident or infiltrating DC and Mac are key to the initiation and propagation of renal disease, as well as essential contributors to subsequent tissue regeneration regardless of its etiology and pathogenesis. Their identification, functional and phenotypic distinction, interplay and relationship with effector and regulatory adaptive immune cells is complex and incompletely understood. This review discusses both the common and distinct characteristics of these cells, as well as recent key advances in the field that have identified renal-specific functions of DC and Mac that enable these important, phagocytic, antigen-presenting, cells to mediate or mitigate intrinsic kidney disease. We also identify priority areas for further investigation and prospects for translational and therapeutic application of acquired knowledge. PMID:25266210

Genetic diversity of clinical Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis and Mycobacterium intracellulare isolates causing pulmonary diseases recovered from different geographical regions.

PubMed

Ichikawa, Kazuya; van Ingen, Jakko; Koh, Won-Jung; Wagner, Dirk; Salfinger, Max; Inagaki, Takayuki; Uchiya, Kei-Ichi; Nakagawa, Taku; Ogawa, Kenji; Yamada, Kiyofumi; Yagi, Tetsuya

2015-12-01

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infections are increasing annually in many countries. MAC strains are the most common nontuberculous mycobacterial pathogens isolated from respiratory samples and predominantly consist of two species, Mycobacterium avium and Mycobacterium intracellulare. The aim of this study was to analyze the molecular epidemiology and genetic backgrounds of clinical MAC isolates collected from The Netherlands, Germany, United States, Korea and Japan. Variable numbers of tandem repeats (VNTR) analysis was used to examine the genetic relatedness of clinical isolates of M. avium subsp. hominissuis (n=261) and M. intracellulare (n=116). Minimum spanning tree and unweighted pair group method using arithmetic averages analyses based on the VNTR data indicated that M. avium subsp. hominissuis isolates from Japan shared a high degree of genetic relatedness with Korean isolates, but not with isolates from Europe or the United States, whereas M. intracellulare isolates did not show any specific clustering by geographic origin. The findings from the present study indicate that strains of M. avium subsp. hominissuis, but not M. intracellulare, exhibit geographical differences in genetic diversity and imply that MAC strains may have different sources, routes of transmission and perhaps clinical manifestations. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The robustness of multiplex networks under layer node-based attack

PubMed Central

Zhao, Da-wei; Wang, Lian-hai; Zhi, Yong-feng; Zhang, Jun; Wang, Zhen

2016-01-01

From transportation networks to complex infrastructures, and to social and economic networks, a large variety of systems can be described in terms of multiplex networks formed by a set of nodes interacting through different network layers. Network robustness, as one of the most successful application areas of complex networks, has attracted great interest in a myriad of research realms. In this regard, how multiplex networks respond to potential attack is still an open issue. Here we study the robustness of multiplex networks under layer node-based random or targeted attack, which means that nodes just suffer attacks in a given layer yet no additional influence to their connections beyond this layer. A theoretical analysis framework is proposed to calculate the critical threshold and the size of giant component of multiplex networks when nodes are removed randomly or intentionally. Via numerous simulations, it is unveiled that the theoretical method can accurately predict the threshold and the size of giant component, irrespective of attack strategies. Moreover, we also compare the robustness of multiplex networks under multiplex node-based attack and layer node-based attack, and find that layer node-based attack makes multiplex networks more vulnerable, regardless of average degree and underlying topology. PMID:27075870

The robustness of multiplex networks under layer node-based attack.

PubMed

Zhao, Da-wei; Wang, Lian-hai; Zhi, Yong-feng; Zhang, Jun; Wang, Zhen

2016-04-14

From transportation networks to complex infrastructures, and to social and economic networks, a large variety of systems can be described in terms of multiplex networks formed by a set of nodes interacting through different network layers. Network robustness, as one of the most successful application areas of complex networks, has attracted great interest in a myriad of research realms. In this regard, how multiplex networks respond to potential attack is still an open issue. Here we study the robustness of multiplex networks under layer node-based random or targeted attack, which means that nodes just suffer attacks in a given layer yet no additional influence to their connections beyond this layer. A theoretical analysis framework is proposed to calculate the critical threshold and the size of giant component of multiplex networks when nodes are removed randomly or intentionally. Via numerous simulations, it is unveiled that the theoretical method can accurately predict the threshold and the size of giant component, irrespective of attack strategies. Moreover, we also compare the robustness of multiplex networks under multiplex node-based attack and layer node-based attack, and find that layer node-based attack makes multiplex networks more vulnerable, regardless of average degree and underlying topology.

Situational awareness of a coordinated cyber attack

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sudit, Moises; Stotz, Adam; Holender, Michael

2005-03-01

As technology continues to advance, services and capabilities become computerized, and an ever increasing amount of business is conducted electronically the threat of cyber attacks gets compounded by the complexity of such attacks and the criticality of the information which must be secured. A new age of virtual warfare has dawned in which seconds can differentiate between the protection of vital information and/or services and a malicious attacker attaining their goal. In this paper we present a novel approach in the real-time detection of multistage coordinated cyber attacks and the promising initial testing results we have obtained. We introduce INFERD (INformation Fusion Engine for Real-time Decision-making), an adaptable information fusion engine which performs fusion at levels zero, one, and two to provide real-time situational assessment and its application to the cyber domain in the ECCARS (Event Correlation for Cyber Attack Recognition System) system. The advantages to our approach are fourfold: (1) The complexity of the attacks which we consider, (2) the level of abstraction in which the analyst interacts with the attack scenarios, (3) the speed at which the information fusion is presented and performed, and (4) our disregard for ad-hoc rules or a priori parameters.

C-MAC compared with direct laryngoscopy for intubation in patients with cervical spine immobilization: A manikin trial.

PubMed

Smereka, Jacek; Ladny, Jerzy R; Naylor, Amanda; Ruetzler, Kurt; Szarpak, Lukasz

2017-08-01

The aim of this study was to compare C-MAC videolaryngoscopy with direct laryngoscopy for intubation in simulated cervical spine immobilization conditions. The study was designed as a prospective randomized crossover manikin trial. 70 paramedics with <5years of medical experience participated in the study. The paramedics attempted to intubate manikins in 3 airway scenarios: normal airway without cervical immobilization (Scenario A); manual inline cervical immobilization (Scenario B); cervical immobilization using cervical extraction collar (Scenario C). Scenario A: Nearly all participants performed successful intubations with both MAC and C-MAC on the first attempt (95.7% MAC vs. 100% C-MAC), with similar intubation times (16.5s MAC vs. 18s C-MAC). Scenario B: The results with C-MAC were significantly better than those with MAC (p<0.05) for the time of intubation (23 s MAC vs. 19 s C-MAC), success of the first intubation attempt (88.6% MAC vs. 100% C-MAC), Cormack-Lehane grade, POGO score, severity of dental compression, device difficulty score, and preferred airway device. Scenario C: The results with C-MAC were significantly better than those with MAC (p<0.05) for all the analysed variables: success of the first attempt (51.4% MAC vs. 100% C-MAC), overall success rate, intubation time (27 s MAC vs. 20.5 s C-MAC), Cormack-Lehane grade, POGO score, dental compression, device difficulty score and the preferred airway device. The C-MAC videolaryngoscope is an excellent alternative to the MAC laryngoscope for intubating manikins with cervical spine immobilization. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of clinically relevant acute hypercapnic and metabolic acidosis on the cardiovascular system: an experimental porcine study

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

Introduction Hypercapnic acidosis (HCA) that accompanies lung-protective ventilation may be considered permissive (a tolerable side effect), or it may be therapeutic by itself. Cardiovascular effects may contribute to, or limit, the potential therapeutic impact of HCA; therefore, a complex physiological study was performed in healthy pigs to evaluate the systemic and organ-specific circulatory effects of HCA, and to compare them with those of metabolic (eucapnic) acidosis (MAC). Methods In anesthetized, mechanically ventilated and instrumented pigs, HCA was induced by increasing the inspired fraction of CO2 (n = 8) and MAC (n = 8) by the infusion of HCl, to reach an arterial plasma pH of 7.1. In the control group (n = 8), the normal plasma pH was maintained throughout the experiment. Hemodynamic parameters, including regional organ hemodynamics, blood gases, and electrocardiograms, were measured in vivo. Subsequently, isometric contractions and membrane potentials were recorded in vitro in the right ventricular trabeculae. Results HCA affected both the pulmonary (increase in mean pulmonary arterial pressure (MPAP) and pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR)) and systemic (increase in mean arterial pressure (MAP), decrease in systemic vascular resistance (SVR)) circulations. Although the renal perfusion remained unaffected by any type of acidosis, HCA increased carotid, portal, and, hence, total liver blood flow. MAC influenced the pulmonary circulation only (increase in MPAP and PVR). Both MAC and HCA reduced the stroke volume, which was compensated for by an increase in heart rate to maintain (MAC), or even increase (HCA), the cardiac output. The right ventricular stroke work per minute was increased by both MAC and HCA; however, the left ventricular stroke work was increased by HCA only. In vitro, the trabeculae from the control pigs and pigs with acidosis showed similar contraction force and action-potential duration (APD). Perfusion with an acidic solution decreased the contraction force, whereas APD was not influenced. Conclusions MAC preferentially affects the pulmonary circulation, whereas HCA affects the pulmonary, systemic, and regional circulations. The cardiac contractile function was reduced, but the cardiac output was maintained (MAC), or even increased (HCA). The increased ventricular stroke work per minute revealed an increased work demand placed by acidosis on the heart. PMID:24377654

Diagnosis and Treatment of Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Lung Disease.

PubMed

Kwon, Yong-Soo; Koh, Won-Jung

2016-05-01

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are ubiquitous organisms; their isolation from clinical specimens does not always indicate clinical disease. The incidence of NTM lung diseases has been increasing worldwide. Although the geographic diversity of NTM species is well known, Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), M. abscessus complex (MABC), and M. kansasii are the most commonly encountered and important etiologic organisms. Two distinct types of NTM lung diseases have been reported, namely fibrocavitary and nodular bronchiectatic forms. For laboratory diagnosis of NTM lung diseases, both liquid and solid media cultures and species-level identification are strongly recommended to enhance growth detection and determine the clinical relevance of isolates. Treatment for NTM lung diseases consists of a multidrug regimen and a long course of therapy, lasting more than 12 months after negative sputum conversion. For MAC lung disease, several new macrolide-based regimens are now recommended. For nodular bronchiectatic forms of MAC lung diseases, an intermittent three-time-weekly regimen produces outcomes similar to those of daily therapy. Treatment of MABC lung disease is very difficult, requiring long-term use of parenteral agents in combination with new macrolides. Treatment outcomes are much better for M. massiliense lung disease than for M. abscessus lung disease. Thus, precise identification of species in MABC infection is needed for the prediction of antibiotic response. Likewise, increased efforts to improve treatment outcomes and develop new agents for NTM lung disease are needed.

Induction of persistent in vivo resistance to Mycobacterium avium infection in BALB/c mice injected with interleukin-18-secreting fibroblasts.

PubMed

Chung, Su W; Choi, Sang H; Kim, Tae S

2004-01-02

Interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma) is closely associated with the generation of cell-mediated immunity and resistance to intracellular parasites. Interleukin-18 (IL-18) is known to strongly induce IFN-gamma production by T cells and natural killer (NK) cells. To determine whether the paracrine secretion of IL-18 can efficiently stimulate the resistance to Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection, 3T3 fibroblasts were stably transfected to secrete bioactive IL-18 and their effects on MAC infection were investigated in genetically susceptible BALB/c mice, compared with that of free recombinant IL-18. Immunization with IL-18-secreting fibroblasts (3T3/IL-18) during intranasal infection with MAC resulted in a significant decrease in bacterial load of lung during the entire 8-week observation period, while rIL-18 reduced the bacterial load at initial 1 week but not by 8 weeks postinfection. Immunization with the 3T3/IL-18 cells induced and maintained significantly higher levels of cytotoxic activity and nitric oxide production by lung cells than those of rIL-18 immunization. Furthermore, lung cells in mice injected with the 3T3/IL-18 cells showed persistent production of IFN-gamma throughout the 8-week period, suggesting that the 3T3/IL-18 cells induced the resistance to MAC infection via IFN-gamma production. This work suggests that IL-18-secreting fibroblasts may serve as a vehicle for paracrine secretion of IL-18 in immunotherapy of MAC infection.

Fast WEP-Key Recovery Attack Using Only Encrypted IP Packets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teramura, Ryoichi; Asakura, Yasuo; Ohigashi, Toshihiro; Kuwakado, Hidenori; Morii, Masakatu

Conventional efficient key recovery attacks against Wired Equivalent Privacy (WEP) require specific initialization vectors or specific packets. Since it takes much time to collect the packets sufficiently, any active attack should be performed. An Intrusion Detection System (IDS), however, will be able to prevent the attack. Since the attack logs are stored at the servers, it is possible to prevent such an attack. This paper proposes an algorithm for recovering a 104-bit WEP key from any IP packets in a realistic environment. This attack needs about 36, 500 packets with a success probability 0.5, and the complexity of our attack is equivalent to about 220 computations of the RC4 key setups. Since our attack is passive, it is difficult for both WEP users and administrators to detect our attack.

Magnetic-activated cell sorting before density gradient centrifugation improves recovery of high-quality spermatozoa.

PubMed

Berteli, T S; Da Broi, M G; Martins, W P; Ferriani, R A; Navarro, P A

2017-07-01

Recent studies have evaluated the use of magnetic-activated cell sorting (MACS) to reduce apoptotic spermatozoa and improve sperm quality. However, the efficiency of using MACS alone, before or after sperm processing by density gradient centrifugation (DGC) has not yet been established. The purpose of this study is to determine the optimal protocol of MACS in assisted reproduction techniques (ART). Thus, we compared sperm quality obtained by DGC alone (DGC), DGC followed by MACS (DGC-MACS), MACS followed by DGC (MACS-DGC), and MACS alone (MACS), and found that the combined methods (MACS-DGC and DGC-MACS) led to retrieval of less spermatozoa with fragmented DNA compared to the single protocols. However, MACS-DGC protocol led to a significantly higher percentage of spermatozoa with progressive motility and normal morphology than DGC-MACS protocol. These findings suggest the potential clinical value of using MACS-DGC to improve sperm quality in seminal preparation for ART. © 2017 American Society of Andrology and European Academy of Andrology.

State-Based Network Intrusion Detection Systems for SCADA Protocols: A Proof of Concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carcano, Andrea; Fovino, Igor Nai; Masera, Marcelo; Trombetta, Alberto

We present a novel Intrusion Detection System able to detect complex attacks to SCADA systems. By complex attack, we mean a set of commands (carried in Modbus packets) that, while licit when considered in isolation on a single-packet basis, interfere with the correct behavior of the system. The proposed IDS detects such attacks thanks to an internal representation of the controlled SCADA system and a corresponding rule language, powerful enough to express the system's critical states. Furthermore, we detail the implementation and provide experimental comparative results.

Attack Coverage in High-Level Men’s Volleyball: Organization on the Edge of Chaos?

PubMed Central

Laporta, Lorenzo; Nikolaidis, Pantelis; Thomas, Luke; Afonso, José

2015-01-01

Change is pervasive, but emerging patterns are occasionally detectable through analysis of systemic behaviors. Match analysis uses these patterns in order to reduce the degree of improvisation and to optimize the training process. However, it is possible that certain game phases elude systematic patterning. In this vein, our aim was to analyze the case of attack coverage in men’s volleyball, as we suspected it would elude systematic patterning and has received negligible attention in scientific research. We analyzed the occurrence of attack coverage in 4544 plays of the 2011 Volleyball World League. A Chi-square test with residual adjusted values was applied to explore significant associations between variables. A Monte Carlo correction was applied, as some cells had n<5. Effect sizes were determined using Cramer’s V. Overall, attack coverage occurred in 3.89% of ball possessions, and 23 distinct structures emerged. These structures lacked significant associations with the game complex, setting zone, and effect of attack coverage. Conversely, attack coverage structures showed significant associations with the attack zone and tempo, with very strong effect sizes (V=0.472 and V=0.521, respectively). As certain attack zones are deeply associated with attack tempo, it is apparent that quicker attack plays affect attack coverage structuring, promoting the formation of less complex structures. Ultimately, attack coverage structures seem to depend on momentary constraints, thereby rendering rigid systematization impracticable. Still, we contended that a principle-based approach might be suitable. This invites researchers to rethink how to interpret game regularities. PMID:26557208

A Model of Biological Attacks on a Realistic Population

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carley, Kathleen M.; Fridsma, Douglas; Casman, Elizabeth; Altman, Neal; Chen, Li-Chiou; Kaminsky, Boris; Nave, Demian; Yahja, Alex

The capability to assess the impacts of large-scale biological attacks and the efficacy of containment policies is critical and requires knowledge-intensive reasoning about social response and disease transmission within a complex social system. There is a close linkage among social networks, transportation networks, disease spread, and early detection. Spatial dimensions related to public gathering places such as hospitals, nursing homes, and restaurants, can play a major role in epidemics [Klovdahl et. al. 2001]. Like natural epidemics, bioterrorist attacks unfold within spatially defined, complex social systems, and the societal and networked response can have profound effects on their outcome. This paper focuses on bioterrorist attacks, but the model has been applied to emergent and familiar diseases as well.

Reduction of Complexity: An Aspect of Network Visualization

DTIC Science & Technology

2006-12-01

research is to identify strategies for the visualization of network information. Distinction can be made between visual communication and visual...exploration (MacEachern 1994). Visual communication deals with how to visualize results of different kinds of analysis, i.e., visualization in the case

MACS J0416.1-2403: Impact of line-of-sight structures on strong gravitational lensing modelling of galaxy clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chirivì, G.; Suyu, S. H.; Grillo, C.; Halkola, A.; Balestra, I.; Caminha, G. B.; Mercurio, A.; Rosati, P.

2018-06-01

Exploiting the powerful tool of strong gravitational lensing by galaxy clusters to study the highest-redshift Universe and cluster mass distributions relies on precise lens mass modelling. In this work, we aim to present the first attempt at modelling line-of-sight (LOS) mass distribution in addition to that of the cluster, extending previous modelling techniques that assume mass distributions to be on a single lens plane. We have focussed on the Hubble Frontier Field cluster MACS J0416.1-2403, and our multi-plane model reproduces the observed image positions with a rms offset of 0.''53. Starting from this best-fitting model, we simulated a mock cluster that resembles MACS J0416.1-2403 in order to explore the effects of LOS structures on cluster mass modelling. By systematically analysing the mock cluster under different model assumptions, we find that neglecting the lensing environment has a significant impact on the reconstruction of image positions (rms 0.''3); accounting for LOS galaxies as if they were at the cluster redshift can partially reduce this offset. Moreover, foreground galaxies are more important to include into the model than the background ones. While the magnification factor of the lensed multiple images are recovered within 10% for 95% of them, those 5% that lie near critical curves can be significantly affected by the exclusion of the lensing environment in the models. In addition, LOS galaxies cannot explain the apparent discrepancy in the properties of massive sub-halos between MACS J0416.1-2403 and N-body simulated clusters. Since our model of MACS J0416.1-2403 with LOS galaxies only reduced modestly the rms offset in the image positions, we conclude that additional complexities would be needed in future models of MACS J0416.1-2403.

Draft Genome Sequence of Mycobacterium chimaera Type ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

We report the draft genome sequence of the type strain Mycobacterium chimaera Fl-0169T, a member of the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). M. chimaera Fl-0169T was isolated from a patient in Italy and is highly similar to strains of M. chimaera isolated in Ireland, though Fl-0169T possesses unique virulence genes. Evidence suggests that M. avium, M. intracellulare, and M. chimaera are differently virulent and a comparative genomic analysis is critically needed to identify diagnostic targets that reliably differentiate species of MAC. With treatment costs for Mycobacterium infections estimated to be >$1.8 B annually in the U.S., correct species identification will result in improved treatment selection, lower costs, and improved patient outcomes.

Analysing initial attack on wildland fires using stochastic simulation.

Treesearch

Jeremy S. Fried; J. Keith Gilless; James Spero

2006-01-01

Stochastic simulation models of initial attack on wildland fire can be designed to reflect the complexity of the environmental, administrative, and institutional context in which wildland fire protection agencies operate, but such complexity may come at the cost of a considerable investment in data acquisition and management. This cost may be well justified when it...

Attacker-defender game from a network science perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Ya-Peng; Tan, Suo-Yi; Deng, Ye; Wu, Jun

2018-05-01

Dealing with the protection of critical infrastructures, many game-theoretic methods have been developed to study the strategic interactions between defenders and attackers. However, most game models ignore the interrelationship between different components within a certain system. In this paper, we propose a simultaneous-move attacker-defender game model, which is a two-player zero-sum static game with complete information. The strategies and payoffs of this game are defined on the basis of the topology structure of the infrastructure system, which is represented by a complex network. Due to the complexity of strategies, the attack and defense strategies are confined by two typical strategies, namely, targeted strategy and random strategy. The simulation results indicate that in a scale-free network, the attacker virtually always attacks randomly in the Nash equilibrium. With a small cost-sensitive parameter, representing the degree to which costs increase with the importance of a target, the defender protects the hub targets with large degrees preferentially. When the cost-sensitive parameter exceeds a threshold, the defender switches to protecting nodes randomly. Our work provides a new theoretical framework to analyze the confrontations between the attacker and the defender on critical infrastructures and deserves further study.

Relative Contribution of Cellular Complement Inhibitors CD59, CD46, and CD55 to Parainfluenza Virus 5 Inhibition of Complement-Mediated Neutralization

PubMed Central

Li, Yujia; Parks, Griffith D.

2018-01-01

The complement system is a part of the innate immune system that viruses need to face during infections. Many viruses incorporate cellular regulators of complement activation (RCA) to block complement pathways and our prior work has shown that Parainfluenza virus 5 (PIV5) incorporates CD55 and CD46 to delay complement-mediated neutralization. In this paper, we tested the role of a third individual RCA inhibitor CD59 in PIV5 interactions with complement pathways. Using a cell line engineered to express CD59, we show that small levels of functional CD59 are associated with progeny PIV5, which is capable of blocking assembly of the C5b-C9 membrane attack complex (MAC). PIV5 containing CD59 (PIV5-CD59) showed increased resistance to complement-mediated neutralization in vitro comparing to PIV5 lacking regulators. Infection of A549 cells with PIV5 and RSV upregulated CD59 expression. TGF-beta treatment of PIV5-infected cells also increased cell surface CD59 expression and progeny virions were more resistant to complement-mediated neutralization. A comparison of individual viruses containing only CD55, CD46, or CD59 showed a potency of inhibiting complement-mediated neutralization, which followed a pattern of CD55 > CD46 > CD59. PMID:29693588

Terrorist Attacks Escalate in Frequency and Fatalities Preceding Highly Lethal Attacks

PubMed Central

Martens, Andy; Sainudiin, Raazesh; Sibley, Chris G.; Schimel, Jeff; Webber, David

2014-01-01

Highly lethal terrorist attacks, which we define as those killing 21 or more people, account for 50% of the total number of people killed in all terrorist attacks combined, yet comprise only 3.5% of terrorist attacks. Given the disproportionate influence of these incidents, uncovering systematic patterns in attacks that precede and anticipate these highly lethal attacks may be of value for understanding attacks that exact a heavy toll on life. Here we examined whether the activity of terrorist groups escalates–both in the number of people killed per attack and in the frequency of attacks–leading up to highly lethal attacks. Analyses of terrorist attacks drawn from a state-of-the-art international terrorism database (The Global Terrorism Database) showed evidence for both types of escalation leading up to highly lethal attacks, though complexities to the patterns emerged as well. These patterns of escalation do not emerge among terrorist groups that never commit a highly lethal attack. PMID:24755753

Structural analysis of biofilm formation by rapidly and slowly growing nontuberculous mycobacteria

EPA Science Inventory

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) such as M. abscessus, M. mucogenicum, M. chelonae and M. fortuitum, implicated in healthcare-associated infections, are often isolated from potable water supplies as part of the microbial flora. To understa...

Phenomenology of panic attacks: a descriptive study of panic disorder patients' self-reports.

PubMed

Aronson, T A; Logue, C M

1988-01-01

The phenomenology of panic disorder and panic attacks was systematically assessed in 46 consecutive patients. The results suggest that DSM-III criteria include several symptoms that are not frequently present during a panic attack and that DSM-III's characterization of a panic attack is imprecise and misleading. Panic attacks were found to vary in intensity, frequency, spontaneity, and associated symptoms. A panic attack typically presents as a unified symptom complex of psychic anxiety and multiple somatic symptoms in multiple body systems. It occurs in a crescendolike pattern, is self-limited, and often leaves the subject weak or shaken. The temporal course as much as the symptomatic presentation defines a panic attack.

Multicenter Study of Prevalence of Nontuberculous Mycobacteria in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis in France ▿

PubMed Central

Roux, Anne-Laure; Catherinot, Emilie; Ripoll, Fabienne; Soismier, Nathalie; Macheras, Edouard; Ravilly, Sophie; Bellis, Gil; Vibet, Marie-Anne; Le Roux, Evelyne; Lemonnier, Lydie; Gutierrez, Cristina; Vincent, Véronique; Fauroux, Brigitte; Rottman, Martin; Guillemot, Didier; Gaillard, Jean-Louis

2009-01-01

We performed a multicenter prevalence study of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) involving 1,582 patients (mean age, 18.9 years; male/female ratio, 1.06) with cystic fibrosis in France. The overall NTM prevalence (percentage of patients with at least one positive culture) was 6.6% (104/1,582 patients), with prevalences ranging from 3.7% (in the east of France) to 9.6% (in the greater Paris area). Mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABSC; 50 patients) and Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC; 23 patients) species were the most common NTM, and the only ones associated with fulfillment of the American Thoracic Society bacteriological criteria for NTM lung disease. The “new” species, Mycobacterium bolletii and Mycobacterium massiliense, accounted for 40% of MABSC isolates. MABSC species were isolated at all ages, with a prevalence peak between 11 and 15 years of age (5.8%), while MAC species reached their highest prevalence value among patients over 25 years of age (2.2%). PMID:19846643

Epidemiology of nontuberculous mycobacteria among patients with cystic fibrosis in Scandinavia.

PubMed

Qvist, Tavs; Gilljam, Marita; Jönsson, Bodil; Taylor-Robinson, David; Jensen-Fangel, Søren; Wang, Mikala; Svahn, Anita; Kötz, Karsten; Hansson, Lennart; Hollsing, Annika; Hansen, Christine R; Finstad, Pål L; Pressler, Tania; Høiby, Niels; Katzenstein, Terese L

2015-01-01

Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are an emerging threat to cystic fibrosis (CF) patients but their epidemiology is not well described. In this retrospective observational study we identified all Scandinavian CF patients with a positive NTM culture from airway secretions from 2000 to the end of 2012 and used national CF databases to describe microbiological and clinical characteristics. During the 13-year period 157 (11%) CF patients were culture positive for NTM at least once. Mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABSC) (45%) and Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) (32%) were the predominant species with geographical differences in distribution. Younger patients were more prone to MABSC (p<0.01). Despite treatment, less than one-third of MABSC patients with repeated positive cultures cleared their infection and a quarter had a lung transplant or died. NTM are significant CF pathogens and are becoming more prevalent in Scandinavia. MABSC and MAC appear to target distinct patient groups. Having multiple positive cultures despite treatment conveys a poor outcome. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Epidemiology of nontuberculous mycobacteria among patients with cystic fibrosis in Scandinavia

PubMed Central

Qvist, Tavs; Gilljam, Marita; Jönsson, Bodil; Taylor-Robinson, David; Jensen-Fangel, Søren; Wang, Mikala; Svahn, Anita; Kötz, Karsten; Hansson, Lennart; Hollsing, Annika; Hansen, Christine R.; Finstad, Pål L.; Pressler, Tania; Høiby, Niels; Katzenstein, Terese L.

2015-01-01

Background Nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) are an emerging threat to cystic fibrosis (CF) patients but their epidemiology is not well described. Methods In this retrospective observational study we identified all Scandinavian CF patients with a positive NTM culture from airway secretions from 2000 to the end of 2012 and used national CF databases to describe microbiological and clinical characteristics. Results During the 13-year period 157 (11%) CF patients were culture positive for NTM at least once. Mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABSC) (45%) and Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) (32%) were the predominant species with geographical differences in distribution. Younger patients were more prone to MABSC (p < 0.01). Despite treatment, less than one-third of MABSC patients with repeated positive cultures cleared their infection and a quarter had a lung transplant or died. Conclusion NTM are significant CF pathogens and are becoming more prevalent in Scandinavia. MABSC and MAC appear to target distinct patient groups. Having multiple positive cultures despite treatment conveys a poor outcome. PMID:25178871

Is There Anybody There? A Psychodynamic View of Panic Attack.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rizq, Rosemary

2002-01-01

Presents a process analysis of a psychodynamic intervention for a client with panic attacks. Discusses how a psychodynamic understanding of the complex etiology of the client's panic attacks that ultimately produced improved coping skills and a subjective sense of improvement for her. Process analysis is used to illustrate the theoretical base,…

Detection of Legionella, L. pneumophila and Mycobacterium Avium Complex (MAC) along Potable Water Distribution Pipelines

PubMed Central

Whiley, Harriet; Keegan, Alexandra; Fallowfield, Howard; Bentham, Richard

2014-01-01

Inhalation of potable water presents a potential route of exposure to opportunistic pathogens and hence warrants significant public health concern. This study used qPCR to detect opportunistic pathogens Legionella spp., L. pneumophila and MAC at multiple points along two potable water distribution pipelines. One used chlorine disinfection and the other chloramine disinfection. Samples were collected four times over the year to provide seasonal variation and the chlorine or chloramine residual was measured during collection. Legionella spp., L. pneumophila and MAC were detected in both distribution systems throughout the year and were all detected at a maximum concentration of 103 copies/mL in the chlorine disinfected system and 106, 103 and 104 copies/mL respectively in the chloramine disinfected system. The concentrations of these opportunistic pathogens were primarily controlled throughout the distribution network through the maintenance of disinfection residuals. At a dead-end and when the disinfection residual was not maintained significant (p < 0.05) increases in concentration were observed when compared to the concentration measured closest to the processing plant in the same pipeline and sampling period. Total coliforms were not present in any water sample collected. This study demonstrates the ability of Legionella spp., L. pneumophila and MAC to survive the potable water disinfection process and highlights the need for greater measures to control these organisms along the distribution pipeline and at point of use. PMID:25046636

Salina-margin tepees, pisoliths, and aragonite cements, Lake MacLeod, Western Australia: Their significance in interpreting ancient analogs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robertson Handford, C.; Kendall, Alan C.; Prezbindowski, Dennis R.; Dunham, John B.; Logan, Brian W.

1984-09-01

Tepee structures, banded aragonite cements, and pisoliths are currently forming in Lake MacLeod, a carbonate-evaporite salina in Western Australia. Although Lake MacLeod is separated from the Indian Ocean by a barrier, it lies 3 4 m below sea level, which promotes the seepage of seawater through the barrier and its discharge from vents and seepage mounds around the margin of the salina. Discharging waters have precipitated and diagenetically altered carbonate sediments within these seepage mounds to form tepee structures of lithified protodolomite overlying cavities that are lined with banded aragonite cement and floored by both cement and pisoliths. Significant variations in δ18O (5.1‰ PDB) and δ13C (5.5‰ PDB) of the aragonite cements were documented and are thought to record shifts in the isotopic composition of the water brought about by the effects of evaporation, influx of meteoric water, and oxidation of organic water. Carbon-14 dating of cements indicates that cementation began about 3400 B.P. and has proceeded at a rate of about 0.2 to 0.4 mm/100 yr, the highest rate occurring during evaporative episodes. By analogy with Lake MacLeod and other Australian salinas, peritidal tepee structures and associated diagenetic carbonates in the Permian Capitan Reef complex may owe their origin to speleanlike diagenesis operative in a marine groundwater discharge zone.

Detection of Legionella, L. pneumophila and Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) along potable water distribution pipelines.

PubMed

Whiley, Harriet; Keegan, Alexandra; Fallowfield, Howard; Bentham, Richard

2014-07-18

Inhalation of potable water presents a potential route of exposure to opportunistic pathogens and hence warrants significant public health concern. This study used qPCR to detect opportunistic pathogens Legionella spp., L. pneumophila and MAC at multiple points along two potable water distribution pipelines. One used chlorine disinfection and the other chloramine disinfection. Samples were collected four times over the year to provide seasonal variation and the chlorine or chloramine residual was measured during collection. Legionella spp., L. pneumophila and MAC were detected in both distribution systems throughout the year and were all detected at a maximum concentration of 103 copies/mL in the chlorine disinfected system and 106, 103 and 104 copies/mL respectively in the chloramine disinfected system. The concentrations of these opportunistic pathogens were primarily controlled throughout the distribution network through the maintenance of disinfection residuals. At a dead-end and when the disinfection residual was not maintained significant (p < 0.05) increases in concentration were observed when compared to the concentration measured closest to the processing plant in the same pipeline and sampling period. Total coliforms were not present in any water sample collected. This study demonstrates the ability of Legionella spp., L. pneumophila and MAC to survive the potable water disinfection process and highlights the need for greater measures to control these organisms along the distribution pipeline and at point of use.

A high performance long-reach passive optical network with a novel excess bandwidth distribution scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chao, I.-Fen; Zhang, Tsung-Min

2015-06-01

Long-reach passive optical networks (LR-PONs) have been considered to be promising solutions for future access networks. In this paper, we propose a distributed medium access control (MAC) scheme over an advantageous LR-PON network architecture that reroutes the control information from and back to all ONUs through an (N + 1) × (N + 1) star coupler (SC) deployed near the ONUs, thereby overwhelming the extremely long propagation delay problem in LR-PONs. In the network, the control slot is designed to contain all bandwidth requirements of all ONUs and is in-band time-division-multiplexed with a number of data slots within a cycle. In the proposed MAC scheme, a novel profit-weight-based dynamic bandwidth allocation (P-DBA) scheme is presented. The algorithm is designed to efficiently and fairly distribute the amount of excess bandwidth based on a profit value derived from the excess bandwidth usage of each ONU, which resolves the problems of previously reported DBA schemes that are either unfair or inefficient. The simulation results show that the proposed decentralized algorithms exhibit a nearly three-order-of-magnitude improvement in delay performance compared to the centralized algorithms over LR-PONs. Moreover, the newly proposed P-DBA scheme guarantees low delay performance and fairness even when under attack by the malevolent ONU irrespective of traffic loads and burstiness.

Synthesis, spectroscopic, physicochemical and structural characterization of tetrandrine-based macrocycles functionalized with acridine and anthracene groups: DNA binding and anti-proliferative activity.

PubMed

Calvillo-Páez, Viviana; Sotelo-Mundo, Rogerio R; Leyva-Peralta, Mario; Gálvez-Ruiz, Juan Carlos; Corona-Martínez, David; Moreno-Corral, Ramón; Escobar-Picos, Raymundo; Höpfl, Herbert; Juárez-Sánchez, Octavio; Lara, Karen Ochoa

2018-04-25

In this work, we report on the synthesis of two new mono-alkylated tetrandrine derivatives with acridine and anthracene units, MAcT and MAnT. The compounds were fully characterized by physicochemical techniques and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. In addition, both derivatives were studied as nucleotide receptors and double-stranded DNA binders in aqueous phosphate buffer at pH = 7.2 using UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy. According to the molecular recognition studies, MAcT and MAnT exhibit high affinity (K ∼ 10 5  M -1 ) and selectivity for ds-DNA, presumably in an intercalation mode. Finally, the anti-proliferative effects of the tetrandrine derivatives on different cancer cell lines were explored, revealing promising activities. Particularly, the mono-anthracene tetrandrine derivative MAnT showed an IC 50 of 2.74 μg/mL on the HeLa cervical cancer cell line, representing a value 3.3 times smaller than that obtained for unsubstituted tetrandrine. Examination of the cytotoxic effects on the HeLa cell line by inverted microscopy suggests that the cell death mechanism consists basically in apoptosis. The molecular modelling of three ds-DNA-MAcT complexes, suggested that the macrocycles may use an intercalation binding mode towards DNA. MAcT is predicted to bind into the major groove of the ds-DNA providing non-covalent interactions such as electrostatic, van der Waals and hydrophobic interactions that lead to selectivity. Overall experimental data supports the mode of action of MAnT and MAcT as cytotoxic compounds against cancer cell lines via a DNA interaction mechanism. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Animal models of the cancer anorexia-cachexia syndrome.

PubMed

Bennani-Baiti, Nabila; Walsh, Declan

2011-09-01

Cancer cachexia, a complex wasting syndrome, is common in palliative medicine. Animal models expand our understanding of its mechanisms. A review of cancer cachexia and anorexia animal models will help investigators make an informed choice of the study model. Cancer-anorexia cachexia animal models are numerous. No one is ideal. The choice should depend on the research question. To investigate cancer-anorexia cachexia independent of pro-inflammatory cytokine effects, the MAC16 ADK and XK1 are useful. MAC16 ADK helps study the host's tumor metabolic effects, independent of any anorexia or inflammation. XK1 is both anorectic and cachectic, but data about it is limited. All other models induce a host inflammatory response. The Walker 256 ADK and MCG 101 are best avoided due to excessive tumor growth. Since individual models do not address all aspects of the syndrome, use of a combination seems wise. Suggested combinations: MAC16-ADK (non-inflammatory and non-anorectic) with YAH-130 (inflammatory, anorectic, and cachectic), Lewis lung carcinoma (slow onset anorexia) or prostate adenocarcinoma (inflammatory, anorectic but not cachectic) with YAH-130.

The influence of environmental exposure on the response to antimicrobial treatment in pulmonary Mycobacterial avium complex disease.

PubMed

Ito, Yutaka; Hirai, Toyohiro; Fujita, Kohei; Kubo, Takeshi; Maekawa, Koichi; Ichiyama, Satoshi; Togashi, Kaori; Mishima, Michiaki

2014-09-29

Environmental exposure is a likely risk factor for the development of pulmonary Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) disease. The influence of environmental exposure on the response to antimicrobial treatment and relapse is unknown. We recruited 72 patients with pulmonary MAC disease (male [female], 18 [54]; age, 61.7 ± 10.3 years) who initiated and completed standard three-drug regimens for more than 12 months between January 2007 and December 2011. The factors associated with sputum conversion, relapse and treatment success without relapse were retrospectively evaluated after adjustments for confounding predictors. Fifty-two patients (72.2%) demonstrated sputum conversion, and 15 patients (28.8%) relapsed. A total of 37 patients (51.4%) demonstrated treatment success. Sputum conversion was associated with negative smears (odds ratio [OR], 3.89; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.27-12.60; P = 0.02). A relapse occurred in patients with low soil exposure after the start of treatment less frequently than in patients with high soil exposure (7/42 [16.7%] vs. 8/10 [80.0%], P = 0.0003). Treatment success was associated with low soil exposure after the beginning of treatment (OR, 13.46; 95% CI, 3.24-93.43; P = 0.0001) and a negative smear (OR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.02-9.13; P = 0.047). Low soil exposure was independently associated with better microbiological outcomes in patients with pulmonary MAC disease after adjusting for confounding clinical, microbiological and radiographic findings.

Oscillations in interconnected complex networks under intentional attack

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Wen-Ping; Xia, Yongxiang; Tan, Fei

2016-01-01

Many real-world networks are interconnected with each other. In this paper, we study the traffic dynamics in interconnected complex networks under an intentional attack. We find that with the shortest time delay routing strategy, the traffic dynamics can show the stable state, periodic, quasi-periodic and chaotic oscillations, when the capacity redundancy parameter changes. Moreover, compared with isolated complex networks, oscillations always take place in interconnected networks more easily. Thirdly, in interconnected networks, oscillations are affected strongly by the coupling probability and coupling preference.

Rituximab Restores IFN-γ-STAT1 Function and Ameliorates Disseminated Mycobacterium avium Infection in a Patient with Anti-Interferon-γ Autoantibody.

PubMed

Koizumi, Yusuke; Sakagami, Takuro; Nishiyama, Naoya; Hirai, Jun; Hayashi, Yuta; Asai, Nobuhiro; Yamagishi, Yuka; Kato, Hideo; Hagihara, Mao; Sakanashi, Daisuke; Suematsu, Hiroyuki; Ogawa, Kenji; Mikamo, Hiroshige

2017-10-01

A 67-year-old Japanese female with back pain and severe cachexia visited our hospital. The diagnosis was disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex infection (dMAC) with multiple bone involvement. Anti-mycobacterial chemotherapy was started, but fever persisted and dislocation of cervical vertebrae has made her bedridden. Because anti-interferon (IFN)-γ autoantibody was positive, four doses of rituximab 375 mg/m 2 , every 7 day, were administered. Soon after treatment, progression of osteolytic lesions and wasting has stopped. We proved that rituximab has recovered IFN-γ signaling as shown by IFN-γ-induced STAT1 phosphorylation. It can be a promising option for dMAC cases with anti-IFN-γ autoantibody.

Migraine in a pediatric population: a clinical study in children younger than 7 years of age.

PubMed

Raieli, Vincenzo; Pitino, Renata; Giordano, Giuliana; Spitalieri, Chiara; Consolo, Flavia; Puma, Domenico; Santangelo, Giuseppe; Vanadia, Francesca; D'Amelio, Marco

2015-06-01

Migraines in children younger than 7 years of age have received limited attention in the published literature. The aim of this study is to describe the characteristics of migraine phenotypes in children younger than 7 years, and to compare them with migraines in children older than 7 years of age. We reviewed all standard clinical files, collected over 4 years, related to children with a diagnosis of primary headache. We included all children younger than 7 years diagnosed with migraine in our study. A total of 374 children (188 males, 186 females) were affected by migraine with/without aura: 40 of these patients (10.7%; 20 males, 20 females; mean age 5y 7mo, SD 1y 2mo) where younger than 7 years old. The frequencies of the main migraine features in the younger age group were similar to those of children older than 7 years, with the exception of a shorter duration of migraine and reduced frequency of attacks. In children younger than 7 years of age, the clinical phenotype of migraine is similar to that seen in older children. We propose that there is a general genetic migraine susceptibility that, in the presence of activating environmental factors, may induce typical attacks of migraine in individuals already predisposed to migraine attacks. Therefore, different modules induce different clinical features within the different age groups, but there is no difference in the frequencies of clinical phenotypes between the two age groups. © 2015 Mac Keith Press.

Novel Method For Low-Rate Ddos Attack Detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chistokhodova, A. A.; Sidorov, I. D.

2018-05-01

The relevance of the work is associated with an increasing number of advanced types of DDoS attacks, in particular, low-rate HTTP-flood. Last year, the power and complexity of such attacks increased significantly. The article is devoted to the analysis of DDoS attacks detecting methods and their modifications with the purpose of increasing the accuracy of DDoS attack detection. The article details low-rate attacks features in comparison with conventional DDoS attacks. During the analysis, significant shortcomings of the available method for detecting low-rate DDoS attacks were found. Thus, the result of the study is an informal description of a new method for detecting low-rate denial-of-service attacks. The architecture of the stand for approbation of the method is developed. At the current stage of the study, it is possible to improve the efficiency of an already existing method by using a classifier with memory, as well as additional information.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Yang Huayan; Yu Junping; Fu Guo

The interaction between integrin macrophage differentiation antigen associated with complement three receptor function (Mac-1) and intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1), which is controlled tightly by the ligand-binding activity of Mac-1, is central to the regulation of neutrophil adhesion in host defense. Several 'inside-out' signals and extracellular metal ions or antibodies have been found to activate Mac-1, resulting in an increased adhesiveness of Mac-1 to its ligands. However, the molecular basis for Mac-1 activation is not well understood yet. In this work, we have carried out a single-molecule study of Mac-1/ICAM-1 interaction force in living cells by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Ourmore » results showed that the binding probability and adhesion force of Mac-1 with ICAM-1 increased upon Mac-1 activation. Moreover, by comparing the dynamic force spectra of different Mac-1 mutants, we expected that Mac-1 activation is governed by the downward movement of its {alpha}7 helix.« less

Becoming a Scientific Observer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacDonald, Greg

2016-01-01

Greg MacDonald leaves no stone unturned as he places the complexity of second-plane observation into one coherent vision that includes the fundamentals of self-construction, the essential field of observation (freedom of work within the prepared environment), the role of the human tendencies, the construction of developmental facets, and the…

Characterization of clinical and environmental Mycobacterium avium spp. isolates and their interaction with human macrophages

EPA Science Inventory

Members of the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) are naturally occurring bacteria in the environment. A link has been suggested between M. avium strains in drinking water and clinical isolates from infected individuals. There is a need to develop new screening methodologies tha...

Social Networking—Another Breach In The Wall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bamnote, Gajendra; Patil, Gajendra; Shejole, Amol

2010-11-01

With the increasing popularity of social networks like Facebook and MySpace, such sites have lately become the favourite destinations for spammers and attackers. Social networks have experienced complex social engineering attacks, massive spam and aggressive malware distribution in the recent past. This paper presents a practical case study of social engineering, malware distribution and phishing attacks against social networking sites that are identified over last few months. It is explained how private data of the users are exposed to attackers and how easily their privacy is compromised as a result of these attacks and their own careless behaviour.

Binding of human and rat CD59 to the terminal complement complexes.

PubMed Central

Lehto, T; Morgan, B P; Meri, S

1997-01-01

CD59-antigen (protectin) is a widely distributed glycolipid-anchored inhibitor of complement lysis. CD59 interacts with complement components C8 and C9 during assembly of the membrane attack complex (MAC). To evaluate species specificity of these interactions we have in the present study examined cross-species binding of isolated human and rat CD59 to the terminal complement components C8 and C9. By using primarily soluble CD59 isolated from urine (CD59U) potentially non-specific binding interactions of the phospholipid portion of the membrane forms of CD59 could be avoided. Sucrose density gradient ultracentrifugation analysis showed that human CD59U bound to both human and rat C8 in the SC5b-8 complexes. Similar binding occurred when rat CD59U was used. The degree of binding did not significantly differ between the heterologous and homologous CD59-C8 combinations. C9 from both species inhibited the binding of CD59 to soluble SC5b-8. In ligand blotting analysis human and rat CD59U bound to human and rat C8 alpha gamma-subunit and C9. Binding of human and rat CD59U was stronger to human than rat C9. In plate binding assays the erythrocyte form of CD59 (CD59E) bound to both human and rat C8. Binding of CD59E to heterologous C9 was considerably weaker than to homologous C9. Our results imply that the reciprocal binding sites between C8 and CD59 and to a lesser degree between CD59 and C9 are conserved between human and rat. Interactions of CD59 with the terminal C components are thus species selective but not 'homologously restricted'. Images Figure 4 Figure 5 PMID:9038722

Complexing agents and pH influence on chemical durability of type I moulded glass containers.

PubMed

Biavati, Alberto; Poncini, Michele; Ferrarini, Arianna; Favaro, Nicola; Scarpa, Martina; Vallotto, Marta

2017-06-16

Among the factors that affect the glass surface chemical durability, pH and complexing agents presence in aqueous solution have the main role (1). Glass surface attack can be also related to the delamination issue with glass particles appearance in the pharmaceutical preparation. A few methods to check for glass containers delamination propensity and some control guidelines have been proposed (2,3). The present study emphasizes the possible synergy between a few complexing agents with pH on the borosilicate glass chemical durability. Hydrolytic attack was performed in small volume 23 ml type I glass containers autoclaved according to EP or USP for 1 hour at 121°C, in order to enhance the chemical attack due to time, temperature and the unfavourable surface/volume ratio. 0,048 M or 0.024 M (moles/liter) solutions of the acids citric, glutaric, acetic, EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) and sodium phosphate with water for comparison, were used for the trials. The pH was adjusted ± 0,05 units at fixed values 5,5-6,6-7-7,4-8-9 by LiOH diluted solution. Since silicon is the main glass network former, silicon release into the attack solutions was chosen as the main index of the glass surface attack and analysed by ICPAES. The work was completed by the analysis of the silicon release in the worst attack conditions, of moulded glass, soda lime type II and tubing borosilicate glass vials to compare different glass compositions and forming technologies. Surface analysis by SEM was finally performed to check for the surface status after the worst chemical attack condition by citric acid. Copyright © 2017, Parenteral Drug Association.

On the Simulation-Based Reliability of Complex Emergency Logistics Networks in Post-Accident Rescues.

PubMed

Wang, Wei; Huang, Li; Liang, Xuedong

2018-01-06

This paper investigates the reliability of complex emergency logistics networks, as reliability is crucial to reducing environmental and public health losses in post-accident emergency rescues. Such networks' statistical characteristics are analyzed first. After the connected reliability and evaluation indices for complex emergency logistics networks are effectively defined, simulation analyses of network reliability are conducted under two different attack modes using a particular emergency logistics network as an example. The simulation analyses obtain the varying trends in emergency supply times and the ratio of effective nodes and validates the effects of network characteristics and different types of attacks on network reliability. The results demonstrate that this emergency logistics network is both a small-world and a scale-free network. When facing random attacks, the emergency logistics network steadily changes, whereas it is very fragile when facing selective attacks. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the protection of supply nodes and nodes with high connectivity. The simulation method provides a new tool for studying emergency logistics networks and a reference for similar studies.

On the Simulation-Based Reliability of Complex Emergency Logistics Networks in Post-Accident Rescues

PubMed Central

Wang, Wei; Huang, Li; Liang, Xuedong

2018-01-01

This paper investigates the reliability of complex emergency logistics networks, as reliability is crucial to reducing environmental and public health losses in post-accident emergency rescues. Such networks’ statistical characteristics are analyzed first. After the connected reliability and evaluation indices for complex emergency logistics networks are effectively defined, simulation analyses of network reliability are conducted under two different attack modes using a particular emergency logistics network as an example. The simulation analyses obtain the varying trends in emergency supply times and the ratio of effective nodes and validates the effects of network characteristics and different types of attacks on network reliability. The results demonstrate that this emergency logistics network is both a small-world and a scale-free network. When facing random attacks, the emergency logistics network steadily changes, whereas it is very fragile when facing selective attacks. Therefore, special attention should be paid to the protection of supply nodes and nodes with high connectivity. The simulation method provides a new tool for studying emergency logistics networks and a reference for similar studies. PMID:29316614

The Security of Machine Learning

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-04-24

Machine learning has become a fundamental tool for computer security, since it can rapidly evolve to changing and complex situations. That...adaptability is also a vulnerability: attackers can exploit machine learning systems. We present a taxonomy identifying and analyzing attacks against machine ...We use our framework to survey and analyze the literature of attacks against machine learning systems. We also illustrate our taxonomy by showing

Impact of Degree Heterogeneity on Attack Vulnerability of Interdependent Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Shiwen; Wu, Yafang; Ma, Yilin; Wang, Li; Gao, Zhongke; Xia, Chengyi

2016-09-01

The study of interdependent networks has become a new research focus in recent years. We focus on one fundamental property of interdependent networks: vulnerability. Previous studies mainly focused on the impact of topological properties upon interdependent networks under random attacks, the effect of degree heterogeneity on structural vulnerability of interdependent networks under intentional attacks, however, is still unexplored. In order to deeply understand the role of degree distribution and in particular degree heterogeneity, we construct an interdependent system model which consists of two networks whose extent of degree heterogeneity can be controlled simultaneously by a tuning parameter. Meanwhile, a new quantity, which can better measure the performance of interdependent networks after attack, is proposed. Numerical simulation results demonstrate that degree heterogeneity can significantly increase the vulnerability of both single and interdependent networks. Moreover, it is found that interdependent links between two networks make the entire system much more fragile to attacks. Enhancing coupling strength between networks can greatly increase the fragility of both networks against targeted attacks, which is most evident under the case of max-max assortative coupling. Current results can help to deepen the understanding of structural complexity of complex real-world systems.

Energy-efficient boarder node medium access control protocol for wireless sensor networks.

PubMed

Razaque, Abdul; Elleithy, Khaled M

2014-03-12

This paper introduces the design, implementation, and performance analysis of the scalable and mobility-aware hybrid protocol named boarder node medium access control (BN-MAC) for wireless sensor networks (WSNs), which leverages the characteristics of scheduled and contention-based MAC protocols. Like contention-based MAC protocols, BN-MAC achieves high channel utilization, network adaptability under heavy traffic and mobility, and low latency and overhead. Like schedule-based MAC protocols, BN-MAC reduces idle listening time, emissions, and collision handling at low cost at one-hop neighbor nodes and achieves high channel utilization under heavy network loads. BN-MAC is particularly designed for region-wise WSNs. Each region is controlled by a boarder node (BN), which is of paramount importance. The BN coordinates with the remaining nodes within and beyond the region. Unlike other hybrid MAC protocols, BN-MAC incorporates three promising models that further reduce the energy consumption, idle listening time, overhearing, and congestion to improve the throughput and reduce the latency. One of the models used with BN-MAC is automatic active and sleep (AAS), which reduces the ideal listening time. When nodes finish their monitoring process, AAS lets them automatically go into the sleep state to avoid the idle listening state. Another model used in BN-MAC is the intelligent decision-making (IDM) model, which helps the nodes sense the nature of the environment. Based on the nature of the environment, the nodes decide whether to use the active or passive mode. This decision power of the nodes further reduces energy consumption because the nodes turn off the radio of the transceiver in the passive mode. The third model is the least-distance smart neighboring search (LDSNS), which determines the shortest efficient path to the one-hop neighbor and also provides cross-layering support to handle the mobility of the nodes. The BN-MAC also incorporates a semi-synchronous feature with a low duty cycle, which is advantageous for reducing the latency and energy consumption for several WSN application areas to improve the throughput. BN-MAC uses a unique window slot size to enhance the contention resolution issue for improved throughput. BN-MAC also prefers to communicate within a one-hop destination using Anycast, which maintains load balancing to maintain network reliability. BN-MAC is introduced with the goal of supporting four major application areas: monitoring and behavioral areas, controlling natural disasters, human-centric applications, and tracking mobility and static home automation devices from remote places. These application areas require a congestion-free mobility-supported MAC protocol to guarantee reliable data delivery. BN-MAC was evaluated using network simulator-2 (ns2) and compared with other hybrid MAC protocols, such as Zebra medium access control (Z-MAC), advertisement-based MAC (A-MAC), Speck-MAC, adaptive duty cycle SMAC (ADC-SMAC), and low-power real-time medium access control (LPR-MAC). The simulation results indicate that BN-MAC is a robust and energy-efficient protocol that outperforms other hybrid MAC protocols in the context of quality of service (QoS) parameters, such as energy consumption, latency, throughput, channel access time, successful delivery rate, coverage efficiency, and average duty cycle.

Energy-Efficient Boarder Node Medium Access Control Protocol for Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Razaque, Abdul; Elleithy, Khaled M.

2014-01-01

This paper introduces the design, implementation, and performance analysis of the scalable and mobility-aware hybrid protocol named boarder node medium access control (BN-MAC) for wireless sensor networks (WSNs), which leverages the characteristics of scheduled and contention-based MAC protocols. Like contention-based MAC protocols, BN-MAC achieves high channel utilization, network adaptability under heavy traffic and mobility, and low latency and overhead. Like schedule-based MAC protocols, BN-MAC reduces idle listening time, emissions, and collision handling at low cost at one-hop neighbor nodes and achieves high channel utilization under heavy network loads. BN-MAC is particularly designed for region-wise WSNs. Each region is controlled by a boarder node (BN), which is of paramount importance. The BN coordinates with the remaining nodes within and beyond the region. Unlike other hybrid MAC protocols, BN-MAC incorporates three promising models that further reduce the energy consumption, idle listening time, overhearing, and congestion to improve the throughput and reduce the latency. One of the models used with BN-MAC is automatic active and sleep (AAS), which reduces the ideal listening time. When nodes finish their monitoring process, AAS lets them automatically go into the sleep state to avoid the idle listening state. Another model used in BN-MAC is the intelligent decision-making (IDM) model, which helps the nodes sense the nature of the environment. Based on the nature of the environment, the nodes decide whether to use the active or passive mode. This decision power of the nodes further reduces energy consumption because the nodes turn off the radio of the transceiver in the passive mode. The third model is the least-distance smart neighboring search (LDSNS), which determines the shortest efficient path to the one-hop neighbor and also provides cross-layering support to handle the mobility of the nodes. The BN-MAC also incorporates a semi-synchronous feature with a low duty cycle, which is advantageous for reducing the latency and energy consumption for several WSN application areas to improve the throughput. BN-MAC uses a unique window slot size to enhance the contention resolution issue for improved throughput. BN-MAC also prefers to communicate within a one-hop destination using Anycast, which maintains load balancing to maintain network reliability. BN-MAC is introduced with the goal of supporting four major application areas: monitoring and behavioral areas, controlling natural disasters, human-centric applications, and tracking mobility and static home automation devices from remote places. These application areas require a congestion-free mobility-supported MAC protocol to guarantee reliable data delivery. BN-MAC was evaluated using network simulator-2 (ns2) and compared with other hybrid MAC protocols, such as Zebra medium access control (Z-MAC), advertisement-based MAC (A-MAC), Speck-MAC, adaptive duty cycle SMAC (ADC-SMAC), and low-power real-time medium access control (LPR-MAC). The simulation results indicate that BN-MAC is a robust and energy-efficient protocol that outperforms other hybrid MAC protocols in the context of quality of service (QoS) parameters, such as energy consumption, latency, throughput, channel access time, successful delivery rate, coverage efficiency, and average duty cycle. PMID:24625737

Prognostic Comparison Between Mucinous and Nonmucinous Adenocarcinoma in Colorectal Cancer

PubMed Central

Park, Jong Seob; Huh, Jung Wook; Park, Yoon Ah; Cho, Yong Beom; Yun, Seong Hyeon; Kim, Hee Cheol; Lee, Woo Yong; Chun, Ho-Kyung

2015-01-01

Abstract Mucinous adenocarcinoma (MAC) is a histological subtype of colorectal cancer. The oncologic behavior of MAC differs from nonmucinous adenocarcinoma (non-MAC). Our aim in this study was to characterize patients with colorectal MAC through evaluation of a large, institutional-based cohort with long-term follow-up. A total of 6475 patients with stages I to III colorectal cancer who underwent radical surgery were enrolled from January 2000 to December 2010. Prognostic comparison between MAC (n = 274, 4.2%) and non-MAC was performed. The median follow-up period was 48.0 months. Patients with MAC were younger than those without MAC (P = 0.012) and had larger tumor size (P < 0.001), higher preoperative carcinoembryonic antigen (P < 0.001), higher pathologic T stage (P < 0.001), more right-sided colon cancer (49.3%, P < 0.001), and more frequent high-frequency microsatellite instability (10.2%, P < 0.001). Five-year disease-free survival (DFS) was 76.5% in the MAC group and 83.2% in the non-MAC group (P = 0.008), and 5-year overall survival was 81.4% versus 87.4%, respectively (P = 0.005). Mucinous histology (MAC vs non-MAC) in the entire cohort was not an independent prognostic factor of DFS but had a statistical tendency (P = 0.071). In subgroup analysis of colon cancer without rectal cancer, mucinous histology was an independent prognostic factor (P = 0.026). MAC was found at more advanced stage, located mainly at the right side and was an independent factor of survival in colon cancer. Because of the unique biological behavior of MAC, patients with MAC require special consideration during follow-up. PMID:25881840

Signal signature and transcriptome changes of Arabidopsis during pathogen and insect attack.

PubMed

De Vos, Martin; Van Oosten, Vivian R; Van Poecke, Remco M P; Van Pelt, Johan A; Pozo, Maria J; Mueller, Martin J; Buchala, Antony J; Métraux, Jean-Pierre; Van Loon, L C; Dicke, Marcel; Pieterse, Corné M J

2005-09-01

Plant defenses against pathogens and insects are regulated differentially by cross-communicating signaling pathways in which salicylic acid (SA), jasmonic acid (JA), and ethylene (ET) play key roles. To understand how plants integrate pathogen- and insect-induced signals into specific defense responses, we monitored the dynamics of SA, JA, and ET signaling in Arabidopsis after attack by a set of microbial pathogens and herbivorous insects with different modes of attack. Arabidopsis plants were exposed to a pathogenic leaf bacterium (Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato), a pathogenic leaf fungus (Alternaria brassicicola), tissue-chewing caterpillars (Pieris rapae), cell-content-feeding thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis), or phloem-feeding aphids (Myzus persicae). Monitoring the signal signature in each plant-attacker combination showed that the kinetics of SA, JA, and ET production varies greatly in both quantity and timing. Analysis of global gene expression profiles demonstrated that the signal signature characteristic of each Arabidopsis-attacker combination is orchestrated into a surprisingly complex set of transcriptional alterations in which, in all cases, stress-related genes are overrepresented. Comparison of the transcript profiles revealed that consistent changes induced by pathogens and insects with very different modes of attack can show considerable overlap. Of all consistent changes induced by A. brassicicola, Pieris rapae, and E occidentalis, more than 50% also were induced consistently by P. syringae. Notably, although these four attackers all stimulated JA biosynthesis, the majority of the changes in JA-responsive gene expression were attacker specific. All together, our study shows that SA, JA, and ET play a primary role in the orchestration of the plant's defense response, but other regulatory mechanisms, such as pathway cross-talk or additional attacker-induced signals, eventually shape the highly complex attacker-specific defense response.

Efficiently sphere-decodable physical layer transmission schemes for wireless storage networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Hsiao-Feng Francis; Barreal, Amaro; Karpuk, David; Hollanti, Camilla

2016-12-01

Three transmission schemes over a new type of multiple-access channel (MAC) model with inter-source communication links are proposed and investigated in this paper. This new channel model is well motivated by, e.g., wireless distributed storage networks, where communication to repair a lost node takes place from helper nodes to a repairing node over a wireless channel. Since in many wireless networks nodes can come and go in an arbitrary manner, there must be an inherent capability of inter-node communication between every pair of nodes. Assuming that communication is possible between every pair of helper nodes, the newly proposed schemes are based on various smart time-sharing and relaying strategies. In other words, certain helper nodes will be regarded as relays, thereby converting the conventional uncooperative multiple-access channel to a multiple-access relay channel (MARC). The diversity-multiplexing gain tradeoff (DMT) of the system together with efficient sphere-decodability and low structural complexity in terms of the number of antennas required at each end is used as the main design objectives. While the optimal DMT for the new channel model is fully open, it is shown that the proposed schemes outperform the DMT of the simple time-sharing protocol and, in some cases, even the optimal uncooperative MAC DMT. While using a wireless distributed storage network as a motivating example throughout the paper, the MAC transmission techniques proposed here are completely general and as such applicable to any MAC communication with inter-source communication links.

Antibacterial Activity of 7-Epiclusianone and Its Novel Copper Metal Complex on Streptococcus spp. Isolated from Bovine Mastitis and Their Cytotoxicity in MAC-T Cells.

PubMed

de Barros, Mariana; Perciano, Pedro Griffo; Dos Santos, Marcelo Henrique; De Oliveira, Leandro Licursi; Costa, Éderson D'Martin; Moreira, Maria Aparecida Scatamburlo

2017-05-17

Mastitis is an inflammation of mammary gland parenchyma that adversely affects bovine health and dairy production worldwide despite significant efforts to eradicate it. The aim of this work was to characterize the antimicrobial activity of 7-epiclusianone (7-epi), a compound extracted from the Rheedia brasiliensis fruit, its complex with copper against Streptococcus spp. isolated from bovine mastitis, and to assess their cytotoxicity to bovine mammary alveolar cells (MAC-T). The complex 7-epiclusianone-Cu (7-epi-Cu) was an amorphous green solid with optical activity. Its vibrational spectrum in the infrared region showed absorption bands in the high-frequency region, as well as bands that can be attributed to the unconjugated and conjugated stretching of the free ligand. The complex was anhydrous. One of the tested bacterial strains was not sensitive to the compounds, while the other three had MIC values of 7.8 µg mL -1 and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) values between 15.6 and 31.3 µg mL -1 . These two compounds are bacteriostatic, did not cause damage to the cell wall and, at sub-inhibitory concentrations, did not induce bacterial adhesion. The compounds were not cytotoxic. Based on these results, 7-epi and 7-epi-Cu exhibited desirable antimicrobial properties and could potentially be used in bovine mastitis treatment.

Validating the Manchester Acute Coronary Syndromes (MACS) and Troponin-only Manchester Acute Coronary Syndromes (T-MACS) rules for the prediction of acute myocardial infarction in patients presenting to the emergency department with chest pain.

PubMed

Greenslade, Jaimi H; Nayer, Robert; Parsonage, William; Doig, Shaela; Young, Joanna; Pickering, John W; Than, Martin; Hammett, Christopher; Cullen, Louise

2017-08-01

The Manchester Acute Coronary Syndromes (MACS) rule and the Troponin-only MACS (T-MACS) rule risk stratify patients with suspected acute coronary syndrome (ACS). This observational study sought to validate and compare the MACS and T-MACS rules for assessment of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Prospectively collected data from twoEDs in Australia and New Zealand were analysed. Patients were assigned a probability of ACS based on the MACS and T-MACS rules, incorporating high-sensitivity troponin T, heart-type fatty acid-binding protein, ECG results and clinical symptoms. Patients were then deemed very low risk, low risk, intermediate or high risk if their MACS probability was less than 2%, between 2% and 5%, between 5% and 95% and greater than 95%, respectively. The primary endpoint was 30-day diagnosis of AMI. The secondary endpoint was 30-day major adverse cardiac event (MACE) including AMI, revascularisation or coronary stenosis (>70%). Sensitivity, specificity and predictive values were calculated to assess the accuracy of the MACS and T-MACS rules. Of the 1244 patients, 114 (9.2%) were diagnosed with AMI and 163 (13.1%) with MACE. The MACS and T-MACS rules categorised 133 (10.7%) and 246 (19.8%) patients, respectively, as very low risk and potentially suitable for early discharge from the ED. There was one false negative case for both rules making sensitivity 99.1% (95.2%-100%). MACS and T-MACS accurately risk stratify very low risk patients. The T-MACS rule would allow for more patients to be discharged early. The potential for missed MACE events means that further outpatient testing for coronary artery disease may be required for patients identified as very low risk. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

TANDI: threat assessment of network data and information

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holsopple, Jared; Yang, Shanchieh Jay; Sudit, Moises

2006-04-01

Current practice for combating cyber attacks typically use Intrusion Detection Sensors (IDSs) to passively detect and block multi-stage attacks. This work leverages Level-2 fusion that correlates IDS alerts belonging to the same attacker, and proposes a threat assessment algorithm to predict potential future attacker actions. The algorithm, TANDI, reduces the problem complexity by separating the models of the attacker's capability and opportunity, and fuse the two to determine the attacker's intent. Unlike traditional Bayesian-based approaches, which require assigning a large number of edge probabilities, the proposed Level-3 fusion procedure uses only 4 parameters. TANDI has been implemented and tested with randomly created attack sequences. The results demonstrate that TANDI predicts future attack actions accurately as long as the attack is not part of a coordinated attack and contains no insider threats. In the presence of abnormal attack events, TANDI will alarm the network analyst for further analysis. The attempt to evaluate a threat assessment algorithm via simulation is the first in the literature, and shall open up a new avenue in the area of high level fusion.

Anxiety-related somatic reactions during missile attacks.

PubMed

Carmeli, A; Liberman, N; Mevorach, L

1991-01-01

During the Persian Gulf war the Israeli civilian population was the target of missile attacks that could have carried poison gas warheads. During the attacks all civilians were ordered to wear gas masks and move into sealed rooms. Four telephone surveys studied the somatic reactions to this anxiety-arousing situation. The percent of subjects reporting the somatic reactions declined from 38% after the first attack to 20% 12 days later. Somatic reactions were more prevalent among females than males, and among those who completed elementary school only compared to those with an academic education. A complex pattern of relationships between expectancies about chemical warfare attacks and somatic reactions is discussed.

A Security Assessment Mechanism for Software-Defined Networking-Based Mobile Networks.

PubMed

Luo, Shibo; Dong, Mianxiong; Ota, Kaoru; Wu, Jun; Li, Jianhua

2015-12-17

Software-Defined Networking-based Mobile Networks (SDN-MNs) are considered the future of 5G mobile network architecture. With the evolving cyber-attack threat, security assessments need to be performed in the network management. Due to the distinctive features of SDN-MNs, such as their dynamic nature and complexity, traditional network security assessment methodologies cannot be applied directly to SDN-MNs, and a novel security assessment methodology is needed. In this paper, an effective security assessment mechanism based on attack graphs and an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is proposed for SDN-MNs. Firstly, this paper discusses the security assessment problem of SDN-MNs and proposes a methodology using attack graphs and AHP. Secondly, to address the diversity and complexity of SDN-MNs, a novel attack graph definition and attack graph generation algorithm are proposed. In order to quantify security levels, the Node Minimal Effort (NME) is defined to quantify attack cost and derive system security levels based on NME. Thirdly, to calculate the NME of an attack graph that takes the dynamic factors of SDN-MN into consideration, we use AHP integrated with the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) as the methodology. Finally, we offer a case study to validate the proposed methodology. The case study and evaluation show the advantages of the proposed security assessment mechanism.

A Security Assessment Mechanism for Software-Defined Networking-Based Mobile Networks

PubMed Central

Luo, Shibo; Dong, Mianxiong; Ota, Kaoru; Wu, Jun; Li, Jianhua

2015-01-01

Software-Defined Networking-based Mobile Networks (SDN-MNs) are considered the future of 5G mobile network architecture. With the evolving cyber-attack threat, security assessments need to be performed in the network management. Due to the distinctive features of SDN-MNs, such as their dynamic nature and complexity, traditional network security assessment methodologies cannot be applied directly to SDN-MNs, and a novel security assessment methodology is needed. In this paper, an effective security assessment mechanism based on attack graphs and an Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) is proposed for SDN-MNs. Firstly, this paper discusses the security assessment problem of SDN-MNs and proposes a methodology using attack graphs and AHP. Secondly, to address the diversity and complexity of SDN-MNs, a novel attack graph definition and attack graph generation algorithm are proposed. In order to quantify security levels, the Node Minimal Effort (NME) is defined to quantify attack cost and derive system security levels based on NME. Thirdly, to calculate the NME of an attack graph that takes the dynamic factors of SDN-MN into consideration, we use AHP integrated with the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to an Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) as the methodology. Finally, we offer a case study to validate the proposed methodology. The case study and evaluation show the advantages of the proposed security assessment mechanism. PMID:26694409

The benefits of a comprehensive rehabilitation program in patients diagnosed with spastic quadriplegia

PubMed Central

Rogoveanu, OC; Tuțescu, NC; Kamal, D; Alexandru, DO; Kamal, C; Streba, CT; Trăistaru, MR

2016-01-01

Spastic quadriplegia has as an etiopathogenic substrate, a non-progressive brain lesion; however, the clinical manifestations of the disease evolve over time. Children diagnosed with spastic quadriplegia show a variety of symptoms in different areas: sensorimotor, emotional, cognitive, and social. The purpose of this study was to assess the functional status in patients diagnosed with spastic quadriplegia, who followed a complex medical rehabilitation program, during a year, and highlight the importance of using physical and kinetic techniques in improving their status. A total of 10 children diagnosed with spastic quadriplegia were included in the study and the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and manual ability classification system (MACS) were used to evaluate the functionality status of each patient. Every patient was evaluated initially (T1), after six months of program (T2), and after they completed the study. All the children were originally monitored daily, for 5 days per week for a period of one month, then two times a week for a year. A statistically significant difference regarding the modification of the GMFCS and MACS stage was found, which occurred between the first and the third evaluation. The inverse correlation of the statistical significance between the ages of patients and the decrease in GMFCS or MACS stage was highlighted; the younger the patient, the more the scale decreased. A direct link between the gross motor function and the manual ability was noticed. Applying a complex rehabilitation program has proven efficient by improving both the gross motor functionality and the manual ability. PMID:27974931

The benefits of a comprehensive rehabilitation program in patients diagnosed with spastic quadriplegia.

PubMed

Rogoveanu, O C; Tuțescu, N C; Kamal, D; Alexandru, D O; Kamal, C; Streba, C T; Trăistaru, M R

2016-01-01

Spastic quadriplegia has as an etiopathogenic substrate, a non-progressive brain lesion; however, the clinical manifestations of the disease evolve over time. Children diagnosed with spastic quadriplegia show a variety of symptoms in different areas: sensorimotor, emotional, cognitive, and social. The purpose of this study was to assess the functional status in patients diagnosed with spastic quadriplegia, who followed a complex medical rehabilitation program, during a year, and highlight the importance of using physical and kinetic techniques in improving their status. A total of 10 children diagnosed with spastic quadriplegia were included in the study and the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) and manual ability classification system (MACS) were used to evaluate the functionality status of each patient. Every patient was evaluated initially (T1), after six months of program (T2), and after they completed the study. All the children were originally monitored daily, for 5 days per week for a period of one month, then two times a week for a year. A statistically significant difference regarding the modification of the GMFCS and MACS stage was found, which occurred between the first and the third evaluation. The inverse correlation of the statistical significance between the ages of patients and the decrease in GMFCS or MACS stage was highlighted; the younger the patient, the more the scale decreased. A direct link between the gross motor function and the manual ability was noticed. Applying a complex rehabilitation program has proven efficient by improving both the gross motor functionality and the manual ability.

Draft Genome Sequence of Mycobacterium chimaera Type Strain Fl-0169

EPA Science Inventory

We report the draft genome sequence of the type strain Mycobacterium chimaera Fl-0169T, a member of the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). M. chimaera Fl-0169T was isolated from a patient in Italy and is highly similar to strains of M. chimaera isolated in Ireland, though Fl-016...

How Language Learners Can Improve Their Emotional Functioning: Important Psychological and Psychospiritual Theories

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oxford, Rebecca L.

2015-01-01

Emotion is "the primary human motive" (MacIntyre, 2002, p. 61). The human brain is an emotional brain, creating relationships among thought, emotion, and motivation in a complex dynamic system (Dörnyei, 2009). Emotion "functions as an amplifier, providing the intensity, urgency, and energy to propel our behavior" in…

TreeMAC: Localized TDMA MAC protocol for real-time high-data-rate sensor networks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Song, W.-Z.; Huang, R.; Shirazi, B.; LaHusen, R.

2009-01-01

Earlier sensor network MAC protocols focus on energy conservation in low-duty cycle applications, while some recent applications involve real-time high-data-rate signals. This motivates us to design an innovative localized TDMA MAC protocol to achieve high throughput and low congestion in data collection sensor networks, besides energy conservation. TreeMAC divides a time cycle into frames and each frame into slots. A parent node determines the children's frame assignment based on their relative bandwidth demand, and each node calculates its own slot assignment based on its hop-count to the sink. This innovative 2-dimensional frame-slot assignment algorithm has the following nice theory properties. First, given any node, at any time slot, there is at most one active sender in its neighborhood (including itself). Second, the packet scheduling with TreeMAC is bufferless, which therefore minimizes the probability of network congestion. Third, the data throughput to the gateway is at least 1/3 of the optimum assuming reliable links. Our experiments on a 24-node testbed show that TreeMAC protocol significantly improves network throughput, fairness, and energy efficiency compared to TinyOS's default CSMA MAC protocol and a recent TDMA MAC protocol Funneling-MAC. Partial results of this paper were published in Song, Huang, Shirazi and Lahusen [W.-Z. Song, R. Huang, B. Shirazi, and R. Lahusen, TreeMAC: Localized TDMA MAC protocol for high-throughput and fairness in sensor networks, in: The 7th Annual IEEE International Conference on Pervasive Computing and Communications, PerCom, March 2009]. Our new contributions include analyses of the performance of TreeMAC from various aspects. We also present more implementation detail and evaluate TreeMAC from other aspects. ?? 2009 Elsevier B.V.

MacA, a periplasmic membrane fusion protein of the macrolide transporter MacAB-TolC, binds lipopolysaccharide core specifically and with high affinity.

PubMed

Lu, Shuo; Zgurskaya, Helen I

2013-11-01

The Escherichia coli MacAB-TolC transporter has been implicated in efflux of macrolide antibiotics and secretion of enterotoxin STII. In this study, we found that purified MacA, a periplasmic membrane fusion protein, contains one tightly bound rough core lipopolysaccharide (R-LPS) molecule per MacA molecule. R-LPS was bound specifically to MacA protein with affinity exceeding that of polymyxin B. Sequence analyses showed that MacA contains two high-density clusters of positively charged amino acid residues located in the cytoplasmic N-terminal domain and the periplasmic C-terminal domain. Substitutions in the C-terminal cluster reducing the positive-charge density completely abolished binding of R-LPS. At the same time, these substitutions significantly reduced the functionality of MacA in the protection of E. coli against macrolides in vivo and in the in vitro MacB ATPase stimulation assays. Taken together, our results suggest that R-LPS or a similar glycolipid is a physiological substrate of MacAB-TolC.

MacA, a Periplasmic Membrane Fusion Protein of the Macrolide Transporter MacAB-TolC, Binds Lipopolysaccharide Core Specifically and with High Affinity

PubMed Central

Lu, Shuo

2013-01-01

The Escherichia coli MacAB-TolC transporter has been implicated in efflux of macrolide antibiotics and secretion of enterotoxin STII. In this study, we found that purified MacA, a periplasmic membrane fusion protein, contains one tightly bound rough core lipopolysaccharide (R-LPS) molecule per MacA molecule. R-LPS was bound specifically to MacA protein with affinity exceeding that of polymyxin B. Sequence analyses showed that MacA contains two high-density clusters of positively charged amino acid residues located in the cytoplasmic N-terminal domain and the periplasmic C-terminal domain. Substitutions in the C-terminal cluster reducing the positive-charge density completely abolished binding of R-LPS. At the same time, these substitutions significantly reduced the functionality of MacA in the protection of E. coli against macrolides in vivo and in the in vitro MacB ATPase stimulation assays. Taken together, our results suggest that R-LPS or a similar glycolipid is a physiological substrate of MacAB-TolC. PMID:23974027

The effect of nitrous oxide on the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) and MAC derivatives of isoflurane in dogs

PubMed Central

Voulgaris, Debra A.; Egger, Christine M.; Seddighi, M. Reza; Rohrbach, Barton W.; Love, Lydia C.; Doherty, Thomas J.

2013-01-01

This study investigated the effects of 70% nitrous oxide (N2O) on the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of isoflurane (ISO) that prevents purposeful movement, the MAC of ISO at which there is no motor movement (MACNM), and the MAC of ISO at which autonomic responses are blocked (MACBAR) in dogs. Six adult, healthy, mixed-breed, intact male dogs were anesthetized with ISO delivered via mask. Baseline MAC, MACNM, and MACBAR of ISO were determined for each dog using a supra-maximal electrical stimulus (50 V, 50 Hz, 10 ms). Nitrous oxide (70%) was then administered and MAC and its derivatives (N2O-MAC, N2O-MACNM, and N2O-MACBAR) were determined using the same methodology. The values for baseline MAC, MACNM, and MACBAR were 1.39 ± 0.14, 1.59 ± 0.10, and 1.72 ± 0.16, respectively. The addition of 70% N2O decreased MAC, MACNM, and MACBAR by 32%, 15%, and 25%, respectively. PMID:24082405

CPAD: Cyber-Physical Attack Detection

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ferragut, Erik M; Laska, Jason A

The CPAD technology relates to anomaly detection and more specifically to cyber physical attack detection. It infers underlying physical relationships between components by analyzing the sensor measurements of a system. It then uses these measurements to detect signs of a non-physically realizable state, which is indicative of an integrity attack on the system. CPAD can be used on any highly-instrumented cyber-physical system to detect integrity attacks and identify the component or components compromised. It has applications to power transmission and distribution, nuclear and industrial plants, and complex vehicles.

An Ultra-low-power Medium Access Control Protocol for Body Sensor Network.

PubMed

Li, Huaming; Tan, Jindong

2005-01-01

In this paper, a medium access control (MAC) protocol designed for Body Sensor Network (BSN-MAC) is proposed. BSN-MAC is an adaptive, feedback-based and IEEE 802.15.4-compatible MAC protocol. Due to the traffic coupling and sensor diversity characteristics of BSNs, common MAC protocols can not satisfy the unique requirements of the biomedical sensors in BSN. BSN-MAC exploits the feedback information from the deployed sensors to form a closed-loop control of the MAC parameters. A control algorithm is proposed to enable the BSN coordinator to adjust parameters of the IEEE 802.15.4 superframe to achieve both energy efficiency and low latency on energy critical nodes. We evaluate the performance of BSN-MAC using energy efficiency as the primary metric.

Efficient Numerical Methods for Nonlinear-Facilitated Transport and Exchange in a Blood-Tissue Exchange Unit

PubMed Central

Poulain, Christophe A.; Finlayson, Bruce A.; Bassingthwaighte, James B.

2010-01-01

The analysis of experimental data obtained by the multiple-indicator method requires complex mathematical models for which capillary blood-tissue exchange (BTEX) units are the building blocks. This study presents a new, nonlinear, two-region, axially distributed, single capillary, BTEX model. A facilitated transporter model is used to describe mass transfer between plasma and intracellular spaces. To provide fast and accurate solutions, numerical techniques suited to nonlinear convection-dominated problems are implemented. These techniques are the random choice method, an explicit Euler-Lagrange scheme, and the MacCormack method with and without flux correction. The accuracy of the numerical techniques is demonstrated, and their efficiencies are compared. The random choice, Euler-Lagrange and plain MacCormack method are the best numerical techniques for BTEX modeling. However, the random choice and Euler-Lagrange methods are preferred over the MacCormack method because they allow for the derivation of a heuristic criterion that makes the numerical methods stable without degrading their efficiency. Numerical solutions are also used to illustrate some nonlinear behaviors of the model and to show how the new BTEX model can be used to estimate parameters from experimental data. PMID:9146808

Toward a Robust Security Paradigm for Bluetooth Low Energy-Based Smart Objects in the Internet-of-Things

PubMed Central

Cha, Shi-Cho; Chen, Jyun-Fu

2017-01-01

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) has emerged as one of the most promising technologies to enable the Internet-of-Things (IoT) paradigm. In BLE-based IoT applications, e.g., wearables-oriented service applications, the Bluetooth MAC addresses of devices will be swapped for device pairings. The random address technique is adopted to prevent malicious users from tracking the victim’s devices with stationary Bluetooth MAC addresses and accordingly the device privacy can be preserved. However, there exists a tradeoff between privacy and security in the random address technique. That is, when device pairing is launched and one device cannot actually identify another one with addresses, it provides an opportunity for malicious users to break the system security via impersonation attacks. Hence, using random addresses may lead to higher security risks. In this study, we point out the potential risk of using random address technique and then present critical security requirements for BLE-based IoT applications. To fulfill the claimed requirements, we present a privacy-aware mechanism, which is based on elliptic curve cryptography, for secure communication and access-control among BLE-based IoT objects. Moreover, to ensure the security of smartphone application associated with BLE-based IoT objects, we construct a Smart Contract-based Investigation Report Management framework (SCIRM) which enables smartphone application users to obtain security inspection reports of BLE-based applications of interest with smart contracts. PMID:29036900

Toward a Robust Security Paradigm for Bluetooth Low Energy-Based Smart Objects in the Internet-of-Things.

PubMed

Cha, Shi-Cho; Yeh, Kuo-Hui; Chen, Jyun-Fu

2017-10-14

Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) has emerged as one of the most promising technologies to enable the Internet-of-Things (IoT) paradigm. In BLE-based IoT applications, e.g., wearables-oriented service applications, the Bluetooth MAC addresses of devices will be swapped for device pairings. The random address technique is adopted to prevent malicious users from tracking the victim's devices with stationary Bluetooth MAC addresses and accordingly the device privacy can be preserved. However, there exists a tradeoff between privacy and security in the random address technique. That is, when device pairing is launched and one device cannot actually identify another one with addresses, it provides an opportunity for malicious users to break the system security via impersonation attacks. Hence, using random addresses may lead to higher security risks. In this study, we point out the potential risk of using random address technique and then present critical security requirements for BLE-based IoT applications. To fulfill the claimed requirements, we present a privacy-aware mechanism, which is based on elliptic curve cryptography, for secure communication and access-control among BLE-based IoT objects. Moreover, to ensure the security of smartphone application associated with BLE-based IoT objects, we construct a Smart Contract-based Investigation Report Management framework (SCIRM) which enables smartphone application users to obtain security inspection reports of BLE-based applications of interest with smart contracts.

Oligomeric Bax Is a Component of the Putative Cytochrome c Release Channel MAC, Mitochondrial Apoptosis-induced Channel

PubMed Central

Dejean, Laurent M.; Martinez-Caballero, Sonia; Guo, Liang; Hughes, Cynthia; Teijido, Oscar; Ducret, Thomas; Ichas, François; Korsmeyer, Stanley J.; Antonsson, Bruno; Jonas, Elizabeth A.; Kinnally, Kathleen W.

2005-01-01

Bcl-2 family proteins regulate apoptosis, in part, by controlling formation of the mitochondrial apoptosis-induced channel (MAC), which is a putative cytochrome c release channel induced early in the intrinsic apoptotic pathway. This channel activity was never observed in Bcl-2–overexpressing cells. Furthermore, MAC appears when Bax translocates to mitochondria and cytochrome c is released in cells dying by intrinsic apoptosis. Bax is a component of MAC of staurosporine-treated HeLa cells because MAC activity is immunodepleted by Bax antibodies. MAC is preferentially associated with oligomeric, not monomeric, Bax. The single channel behavior of recombinant oligomeric Bax and MAC is similar. Both channel activities are modified by cytochrome c, consistent with entrance of this protein into the pore. The mean conductance of patches of mitochondria isolated after green fluorescent protein-Bax translocation is significantly higher than those from untreated cells, consistent with onset of MAC activity. In contrast, the mean conductance of patches of mitochondria indicates MAC activity is present in apoptotic cells deficient in Bax but absent in apoptotic cells deficient in both Bax and Bak. These findings indicate Bax is a component of MAC in staurosporine-treated HeLa cells and suggest Bax and Bak are functionally redundant as components of MAC. PMID:15772159

MQ-MAC: A Multi-Constrained QoS-Aware Duty Cycle MAC for Heterogeneous Traffic in Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Monowar, Muhammad Mostafa; Rahman, Md. Obaidur; Hong, Choong Seon; Lee, Sungwon

2010-01-01

Energy conservation is one of the striking research issues now-a-days for power constrained wireless sensor networks (WSNs) and hence, several duty-cycle based MAC protocols have been devised for WSNs in the last few years. However, assimilation of diverse applications with different QoS requirements (i.e., delay and reliability) within the same network also necessitates in devising a generic duty-cycle based MAC protocol that can achieve both the delay and reliability guarantee, termed as multi-constrained QoS, while preserving the energy efficiency. To address this, in this paper, we propose a Multi-constrained QoS-aware duty-cycle MAC for heterogeneous traffic in WSNs (MQ-MAC). MQ-MAC classifies the traffic based on their multi-constrained QoS demands. Through extensive simulation using ns-2 we evaluate the performance of MQ-MAC. MQ-MAC provides the desired delay and reliability guarantee according to the nature of the traffic classes as well as achieves energy efficiency. PMID:22163439

The system of technical diagnostics of the industrial safety information network

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Repp, P. V.

2017-01-01

This research is devoted to problems of safety of the industrial information network. Basic sub-networks, ensuring reliable operation of the elements of the industrial Automatic Process Control System, were identified. The core tasks of technical diagnostics of industrial information safety were presented. The structure of the technical diagnostics system of the information safety was proposed. It includes two parts: a generator of cyber-attacks and the virtual model of the enterprise information network. The virtual model was obtained by scanning a real enterprise network. A new classification of cyber-attacks was proposed. This classification enables one to design an efficient generator of cyber-attacks sets for testing the virtual modes of the industrial information network. The numerical method of the Monte Carlo (with LPτ - sequences of Sobol), and Markov chain was considered as the design method for the cyber-attacks generation algorithm. The proposed system also includes a diagnostic analyzer, performing expert functions. As an integrative quantitative indicator of the network reliability the stability factor (Kstab) was selected. This factor is determined by the weight of sets of cyber-attacks, identifying the vulnerability of the network. The weight depends on the frequency and complexity of cyber-attacks, the degree of damage, complexity of remediation. The proposed Kstab is an effective integral quantitative measure of the information network reliability.

The Surface-Exposed Protein SntA Contributes to Complement Evasion in Zoonotic Streptococcus suis.

PubMed

Deng, Simin; Xu, Tong; Fang, Qiong; Yu, Lei; Zhu, Jiaqi; Chen, Long; Liu, Jiahui; Zhou, Rui

2018-01-01

Streptococcus suis is an emerging zoonotic pathogen causing streptococcal toxic shock like syndrome (STSLS), meningitis, septicemia, and even sudden death in human and pigs. Serious septicemia indicates this bacterium can evade the host complement surveillance. In our previous study, a functionally unknown protein SntA of S. suis has been identified as a heme-binding protein, and contributes to virulence in pigs. SntA can interact with the host antioxidant protein AOP2 and consequently inhibit its antioxidant activity. In the present study, SntA is identified as a cell wall anchored protein that functions as an important player in S. suis complement evasion. The C3 deposition and membrane attack complex (MAC) formation on the surface of sntA -deleted mutant strain Δ sntA are demonstrated to be significantly higher than the parental strain SC-19 and the complementary strain CΔ sntA . The abilities of anti-phagocytosis, survival in blood, and in vivo colonization of Δ sntA are obviously reduced. SntA can interact with C1q and inhibit hemolytic activity via the classical pathway. Complement activation assays reveal that SntA can also directly activate classical and lectin pathways, resulting in complement consumption. These two complement evasion strategies may be crucial for the pathogenesis of this zoonotic pathogen. Concerning that SntA is a bifunctional 2',3'-cyclic nucleotide 2'-phosphodiesterase/3'-nucleotidase in many species of Gram-positive bacteria, these complement evasion strategies may have common biological significance.

Modern Radiobiology: Contention Of Concepts: Advanced Technology And Development Of Effective Prophylaxis, Prevention And Treatment Of Biological Consequences After Irradiation.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Popov, Dmitri; Maliev, Vecheslav; Jones, Jeffrey

"Alle Ding' sind Gift, und nichts ohn' Gift; allein die Dosis macht, daß ein Ding kein Gift ist." Paracelsus Philippus Aureolus Theophrastus Bombastus von Hohenheim. Key worlds: Apoptosis, Necrosis, Domains associated with Cell Death, Caspase (catalytic) Domains, Death Domains (DDs), Death Effector Domains (DEDs), Caspase-Associated Recruitment Domains (CARDs, BIR Domains (IAPs), Bcl-2 Homology (BH) Domains, death ligands - TRAIL (TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand), FasL (Fas Ligand), TNFalpha (Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha), Toll-like receptors (TLR), Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), Toxic Multiple Organ Injury (TMOI), Toxic Multiple Organ Dysfunction Syndromes (TMODS), Toxic Multiple Organ Failure (TMOF), Anaphylatoxins, or complement peptides; membrane attack complex (MAC), ROS - Reactive Oxygen Species; ASMase, acid sphingomyelinase; Neurotoxins, Cytotoxins, Haemotoxins. Introduction: Radiation affects many cell structures, organelles and metabolic pathways. Different doses and types of radiation ( gamma-radiation, neutron, heavy ion radiation) progress to reversible and irreversible forms of cell injury. Consideration: Apoptosis and Necrosis, major forms of post-radiation cell death, can be initiated and modulated by programmed control and proceed by similar or different pathways.[Akadi et al.,1993, Dunlacht J., et al. 1999] Radiation induced cell death by triggering apoptosis pathways was described in many articles and supported by many scientists. [Rio et al. 2002, Rakesh et al. 1997.] However some authors present results that two distinct pathways can initiate or apoptotic or necrotic responses: the death receptors and mitochondrial pathways.

[Comparative analysis of phenomenology of paroxysms of atrial fibrillation and panic attacks].

PubMed

San'kova, T A; Solov'eva, A D; Nedostup, A V

2004-01-01

To study phenomenology of attacks of atrial fibrillation (AF) and to compare it with phenomenology of panic attacks for elucidation of pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation and for elaboration of rational therapeutic intervention including those aimed at correction of psychovegetative abnormalities. Patients with nonrheumatic paroxysmal AF (n=105) and 100 patients with panic attacks (n=100). Clinical, cardiological and neurological examination, analysis of patients complaints during attacks of AF, and comparison them with diagnostic criteria for panic attack. It was found that clinical picture of attacks of AF comprised vegetative, emotional and functional neurological phenomena similar to those characteristic for panic attacks. This similarity as well as positive therapeutic effect of clonazepam allowed to propose a novel pathogenic mechanism of AF attacks. Severity of psychovegetative disorders during paroxysm of AF could be evaluated by calculation of psychovegetative iudex: Psychovegetative index should be used for detection of panic attack-like component in clinical picture of AF paroxysm and thus for determination of indications for inclusion of vegetotropic drugs, e. g. clonazepam, in complex preventive therapy.

Introduction to MAC CRM training

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Donald D.

1987-01-01

The author introduces the Military Airlift Command (MAC) and its mission. A brief history of Cockpit Resource Management (CRM) as it relates to MAC is given. He also states why MAC is currently interested in CRM.

The Mobility Assessment Course for the Diagnosis of Spatial Neglect: Taking a Step Forward?

PubMed Central

Grech, Megan; Stuart, Tracey; Williams, Lindy; Chen, Celia; Loetscher, Tobias

2017-01-01

Spatial neglect after stroke can be a challenging syndrome to diagnose under standard neuropsychological assessment. There is now sufficient evidence that those affected might demonstrate neglect behavior in everyday settings despite showing no signs of neglect during common neglect tasks. This discrepancy is attributed to the simplified and unrealistic nature of common pen and paper based tasks that do not match the demanding, novel, and complex environment of everyday life. As such, increasing task demands under more ecologically valid scenarios has become an important method of increasing test sensitivity. The main aim of the current study was to evaluate the diagnostic utility of the Mobility Assessment Course (MAC), an ecological task, for the assessment of neglect. If neglect becomes more apparent under more challenging task demands the MAC could prove to be more diagnostically accurate at detecting neglect than conventional methods, particularly as the time from initial brain damage increases. Data collected by Guide Dogs of SA/NT were retrospectively analyzed. The Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve, a measure of sensitivity and specificity, was used to investigate the diagnostic utility of the MAC and a series of paper and pencil tests in 67 right hemisphere stroke survivors. While the MAC proved to be a more sensitive neglect test (74.2%) when compared to the Star Cancellation (43.3%) and Line Bisection (35.7%) tests, this was at the expense of relatively low specificity. As a result, the ROC curve analysis showed no statistically discernable differences between tasks (p > 0.12), or between subacute and chronic groups for individual tasks (p > 0.45). It is concluded that, while the MAC is an ecologically valid alternative for assessing neglect, regarding its diagnostic accuracy, there is currently not enough evidence to suggest that it is a big step forward in comparison to the accuracy of conventional tests. PMID:29163331

Sparsey™: event recognition via deep hierarchical sparse distributed codes

PubMed Central

Rinkus, Gerard J.

2014-01-01

The visual cortex's hierarchical, multi-level organization is captured in many biologically inspired computational vision models, the general idea being that progressively larger scale (spatially/temporally) and more complex visual features are represented in progressively higher areas. However, most earlier models use localist representations (codes) in each representational field (which we equate with the cortical macrocolumn, “mac”), at each level. In localism, each represented feature/concept/event (hereinafter “item”) is coded by a single unit. The model we describe, Sparsey, is hierarchical as well but crucially, it uses sparse distributed coding (SDC) in every mac in all levels. In SDC, each represented item is coded by a small subset of the mac's units. The SDCs of different items can overlap and the size of overlap between items can be used to represent their similarity. The difference between localism and SDC is crucial because SDC allows the two essential operations of associative memory, storing a new item and retrieving the best-matching stored item, to be done in fixed time for the life of the model. Since the model's core algorithm, which does both storage and retrieval (inference), makes a single pass over all macs on each time step, the overall model's storage/retrieval operation is also fixed-time, a criterion we consider essential for scalability to the huge (“Big Data”) problems. A 2010 paper described a nonhierarchical version of this model in the context of purely spatial pattern processing. Here, we elaborate a fully hierarchical model (arbitrary numbers of levels and macs per level), describing novel model principles like progressive critical periods, dynamic modulation of principal cells' activation functions based on a mac-level familiarity measure, representation of multiple simultaneously active hypotheses, a novel method of time warp invariant recognition, and we report results showing learning/recognition of spatiotemporal patterns. PMID:25566046

Optimal space-time attacks on system state estimation under a sparsity constraint

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Jingyang; Niu, Ruixin; Han, Puxiao

2016-05-01

System state estimation in the presence of an adversary that injects false information into sensor readings has attracted much attention in wide application areas, such as target tracking with compromised sensors, secure monitoring of dynamic electric power systems, secure driverless cars, and radar tracking and detection in the presence of jammers. From a malicious adversary's perspective, the optimal strategy for attacking a multi-sensor dynamic system over sensors and over time is investigated. It is assumed that the system defender can perfectly detect the attacks and identify and remove sensor data once they are corrupted by false information injected by the adversary. With this in mind, the adversary's goal is to maximize the covariance matrix of the system state estimate by the end of attack period under a sparse attack constraint such that the adversary can only attack the system a few times over time and over sensors. The sparsity assumption is due to the adversary's limited resources and his/her intention to reduce the chance of being detected by the system defender. This becomes an integer programming problem and its optimal solution, the exhaustive search, is intractable with a prohibitive complexity, especially for a system with a large number of sensors and over a large number of time steps. Several suboptimal solutions, such as those based on greedy search and dynamic programming are proposed to find the attack strategies. Examples and numerical results are provided in order to illustrate the effectiveness and the reduced computational complexities of the proposed attack strategies.

Methamphetamine-Associated Cardiomyopathy

PubMed Central

Won, Sekon; Hong, Robert A.; Shohet, Ralph V.; Seto, Todd B.; Parikh, Nisha I.

2015-01-01

Methamphetamine and related compounds are now the second most commonly used illicit substance worldwide, after cannabis. Reports of methamphetamine-associated cardiomyopathy (MAC) are increasing, but MAC has not been well reviewed. This analysis of MAC will provide an overview of the pharmacology of methamphetamine, historical perspective and epidemiology, a review of case and clinical studies, and a summary of the proposed mechanisms for MAC. Clinically, many questions remain, including the appropriate therapeutic interventions for MAC, the incidence and prevalence of cardiac pathology in methamphetamine users, risk factors for developing MAC, and prognosis of these patients. In conclusion, recognition of the significance of MAC among physicians and other medical caregivers is important given the growing use of methamphetamine and related stimulants worldwide. PMID:24037954

TreeMAC: Localized TDMA MAC protocol for real-time high-data-rate sensor networks

USGS Publications Warehouse

Song, W.-Z.; Huang, R.; Shirazi, B.; Husent, R.L.

2009-01-01

Earlier sensor network MAC protocols focus on energy conservation in low-duty cycle applications, while some recent applications involve real-time high-data-rate signals. This motivates us to design an innovative localized TDMA MAC protocol to achieve high throughput and low congestion in data collection sensor networks, besides energy conservation. TreeMAC divides a time cycle into frames and frame into slots. Parent determines children's frame assigmnent based on their relative bandwidth demand, and each node calculates its own slot assignment based on its hop-count to the sink. This innovative 2-dimensional frame-slot assignment algorithm has the following nice theory properties. Firstly, given any node, at any time slot, there is at most one active sender in its neighborhood (includ ing itself). Secondly, the packet scheduling with TreelMAC is bufferless, which therefore minimizes the probability of network congestion. Thirdly, the data throughput to gateway is at least 1/3 of the optimum assuming reliable links. Our experiments on a 24 node test bed demonstrate that TreeMAC protocol significantly improves network throughput and energy efficiency, by comparing to the TinyOS's default CSMA MAC protocol and a recent TDMA MAC protocol Funneling-MAC[8]. ?? 2009 IEEE.

Identification of Human Cathelicidin Peptide LL-37 as a Ligand for Macrophage Integrin αMβ2 (Mac-1, CD11b/CD18) that Promotes Phagocytosis by Opsonizing Bacteria

PubMed Central

Lishko, Valeryi K.; Moreno, Benjamin; Podolnikova, Nataly P.; Ugarova, Tatiana P.

2016-01-01

LL-37, a cationic antimicrobial peptide, has numerous immune-modulating effects. However, the identity of a receptor(s) mediating the responses in immune cells remains uncertain. We have recently demonstrated that LL-37 interacts with the αMI-domain of integrin αMβ2 (Mac-1), a major receptor on the surface of myeloid cells, and induces a migratory response in Mac-1-expressing monocyte/macrophages as well as activation of Mac-1 on neutrophils. Here, we show that LL-37 and its C-terminal derivative supported strong adhesion of various Mac-1-expressing cells, including HEK293 cells stably transfected with Mac-1, human U937 monocytic cells and murine IC-21 macrophages. The cell adhesion to LL-37 was partially inhibited by specific Mac-1 antagonists, including mAb against the αM integrin subunit and neutrophil inhibitory factor, and completely blocked when anti-Mac-1 antibodies were combined with heparin, suggesting that cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans act cooperatively with integrin Mac-1. Coating both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria with LL-37 significantly potentiated their phagocytosis by macrophages, and this process was blocked by a combination of anti-Mac-1 mAb and heparin. Furthermore, phagocytosis by wild-type murine peritoneal macrophages of LL-37-coated latex beads, a model of foreign surfaces, was several fold higher than that of untreated beads. By contrast, LL-37 failed to augment phagocytosis of beads by Mac-1-deficient macrophages. These results identify LL-37 as a novel ligand for integrin Mac-1 and demonstrate that the interaction between Mac-1 on macrophages and bacteria-bound LL-37 promotes phagocytosis. PMID:27990411

Minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) for sevoflurane and xenon at normothermia and hypothermia in newborn pigs.

PubMed

Liu, X; Dingley, J; Elstad, M; Scull-Brown, E; Steen, P A; Thoresen, M

2013-05-01

Neuroprotection from therapeutic hypothermia increases when combined with the anaesthetic gas xenon in animal studies. A clinical feasibility study of the combined treatment has been successfully undertaken in asphyxiated human term newborns. It is unknown whether xenon alone would be sufficient for sedation during hypothermia eliminating or reducing the need for other sedative or analgesic infusions in ventilated sick infants. Minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of xenon is unknown in any neonatal species. Eight newborn pigs were anaesthetised with sevoflurane alone and then sevoflurane plus xenon at two temperatures. Pigs were randomised to start at either 38.5°C or 33.5°C. MAC for sevoflurane was determined using the claw clamp technique at the preset body temperature. For xenon MAC determination, a background of 0.5 MAC sevoflurane was used, and 60% xenon added to the gas mixture. The relationship between sevoflurane and xenon MAC is assumed to be additive. Xenon concentrations were changed in 5% steps until a positive clamp reaction was noted. Pigs' temperature was changed to the second target, and two MAC determinations for sevoflurane and 0.5 MAC sevoflurane plus xenon were repeated. MAC for sevoflurane was 4.1% [95% confidence interval (CI): 3.65-4.50] at 38.5°C and 3.05% (CI: 2.63-3.48) at 33.5°C, a significant reduction. MAC for xenon was 120% at 38.5°C and 116% at 33.5°C, not different. In newborn swine sevoflurane, MAC was temperature dependent, while xenon MAC was independent of temperature. There was large individual variability in xenon MAC, from 60% to 120%. © 2013 The Acta Anaesthesiologica Scandinavica Foundation.

The Role of the Transcription Factors MtrR and MtrA in the Fitness of the Pathogen Neisseria gonorrhoeae

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-10-19

MacA -MacB efflux pump is expressed at very low levels in N. gonorrhoeae; however, experimental alteration of the promoter sequence showed that the...specificity (132). The gonococcus expresses four efflux pump systems, namely MtrC-Mtr-D-MtrE (64), FarA-FarB-MtrE (97), NorM (158), and MacA -MacB (161...2005. Characterization of the MacA -MacB efflux system in Neisseria gonorrhoeae. The Journal of antimicrobial chemotherapy 56:856-860. 162. Rouquette, C

Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18) is essential for Fc receptor-mediated neutrophil cytotoxicity and immunologic synapse formation.

PubMed

van Spriel, A B; Leusen, J H; van Egmond, M; Dijkman, H B; Assmann, K J; Mayadas, T N; van de Winkel, J G

2001-04-15

Receptors for human immunoglobulin (Ig)G and IgA initiate potent cytolysis of antibody (Ab)-coated targets by polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs). Mac-1 (complement receptor type 3, CD11b/CD18) has previously been implicated in receptor cooperation with Fc receptors (FcRs). The role of Mac-1 in FcR-mediated lysis of tumor cells was characterized by studying normal human PMNs, Mac-1-deficient mouse PMNs, and mouse PMNs transgenic for human FcR. All PMNs efficiently phagocytosed Ab-coated particles. However, antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) was abrogated in Mac-1(-/-) PMNs and in human PMNs blocked with anti-Mac-1 monoclonal Ab (mAb). Mac-1(-/-) PMNs were unable to spread on Ab-opsonized target cells and other Ab-coated surfaces. Confocal laser scanning and electron microscopy revealed a striking difference in immunologic synapse formation between Mac-1(-/-) and wild-type PMNs. Also, respiratory burst activity could be measured outside membrane-enclosed compartments by using Mac-1(-/-) PMNs bound to Ab-coated tumor cells, in contrast to wild-type PMNs. In summary, these data document an absolute requirement of Mac-1 for FcR-mediated PMN cytotoxicity toward tumor targets. Mac-1(-/-) PMNs exhibit defective spreading on Ab-coated targets, impaired formation of immunologic synapses, and absent tumor cytolysis.

Beech bark disease

Treesearch

David R. Houston

1998-01-01

In forests of North America the beech bark disease (BBD) complex affects American beech, Fagus grandifolia Ehrh. BBD begins when bark tissues, attacked by the exotic beech scale insect, Cryptococcus fagisuga Lind. are rendered susceptible to killing attacks by fungi of the genus Nectria. The principal fungus,...

Functional Study of Genes Essential for Autogamy and Nuclear Reorganization in Paramecium▿§

PubMed Central

Nowak, Jacek K.; Gromadka, Robert; Juszczuk, Marek; Jerka-Dziadosz, Maria; Maliszewska, Kamila; Mucchielli, Marie-Hélène; Gout, Jean-François; Arnaiz, Olivier; Agier, Nicolas; Tang, Thomas; Aggerbeck, Lawrence P.; Cohen, Jean; Delacroix, Hervé; Sperling, Linda; Herbert, Christopher J.; Zagulski, Marek; Bétermier, Mireille

2011-01-01

Like all ciliates, Paramecium tetraurelia is a unicellular eukaryote that harbors two kinds of nuclei within its cytoplasm. At each sexual cycle, a new somatic macronucleus (MAC) develops from the germ line micronucleus (MIC) through a sequence of complex events, which includes meiosis, karyogamy, and assembly of the MAC genome from MIC sequences. The latter process involves developmentally programmed genome rearrangements controlled by noncoding RNAs and a specialized RNA interference machinery. We describe our first attempts to identify genes and biological processes that contribute to the progression of the sexual cycle. Given the high percentage of unknown genes annotated in the P. tetraurelia genome, we applied a global strategy to monitor gene expression profiles during autogamy, a self-fertilization process. We focused this pilot study on the genes carried by the largest somatic chromosome and designed dedicated DNA arrays covering 484 genes from this chromosome (1.2% of all genes annotated in the genome). Transcriptome analysis revealed four major patterns of gene expression, including two successive waves of gene induction. Functional analysis of 15 upregulated genes revealed four that are essential for vegetative growth, one of which is involved in the maintenance of MAC integrity and another in cell division or membrane trafficking. Two additional genes, encoding a MIC-specific protein and a putative RNA helicase localizing to the old and then to the new MAC, are specifically required during sexual processes. Our work provides a proof of principle that genes essential for meiosis and nuclear reorganization can be uncovered following genome-wide transcriptome analysis. PMID:21257794

Molecular characterization and drug susceptibility profile of a Mycobacterium avium subspecies avium isolate from a dog with disseminated infection.

PubMed

Armas, Federica; Furlanello, Tommaso; Camperio, Cristina; Trotta, Michele; Novari, Gianluca; Marianelli, Cinzia

2016-04-01

Mycobacterium avium-intracellulare complex (MAC) infections have been described in many mammalian species, including humans and pets. We isolated and molecularly typed the causative agent of a rare case of disseminated mycobacteriosis in a dog. We identified the pathogen as M. avium subspecies avium by sequencing the partial genes gyrB and rpsA . Considering the zoonotic potential of this infection, and in an attempt to ensure the most effective treatment for the animal, we also determined the drug susceptibility profile of the isolate to the most common drugs used to treat MAC disease in humans. The pathogen was tested in vitro against the macrolide clarithromycin, as well as against amikacin, ciprofloxacin, rifampicin, ethambutol and linezolid, by the resazurin microdilution assay. It was found to be sensitive to all tested drugs apart from ethambutol. Despite the fact that the pathogen was sensitive to the therapies administered, the dog's overall clinical status worsened and the animal died shortly after antimicrobial susceptibility results became available. Nucleotide sequencing of the embB gene, the target gene most commonly associated with ethambutol resistance, showed new missense mutations when compared to sequences available in public databases. In conclusion, we molecularly identified the MAC pathogen and determined its drug susceptibility profile in a relatively short period of time (7 days). We also characterized new genetic mutations likely to have been involved in the observed ethambutol resistance. Our results confirmed the usefulness of both the gyrB and the rpsA genes as biomarkers for an accurate identification and differentiation of MAC pathogens.

Multimedia Consent for Research in People With Schizophrenia and Normal Subjects: a Randomized Controlled Trial

PubMed Central

Jeste, Dilip V.; Palmer, Barton W.; Golshan, Shahrokh; Eyler, Lisa T.; Dunn, Laura B.; Meeks, Thomas; Glorioso, Danielle; Fellows, Ian; Kraemer, Helena; Appelbaum, Paul S.

2009-01-01

Limitations of printed, text-based, consent forms have long been documented and may be particularly problematic for persons at risk for impaired decision-making capacity, such as those with schizophrenia. We conducted a randomized controlled comparison of the effectiveness of a multimedia vs routine consent procedure (augmented with a 10-minute control video presentation) as a means of enhancing comprehension among 128 middle-aged and older persons with schizophrenia and 60 healthy comparison subjects. The primary outcome measure was manifest decisional capacity (understanding, appreciation, reasoning, and expression of choice) for participation in a (hypothetical) clinical drug trial, as measured with the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Clinical Research (MacCAT-CR) and the University of California San Diego (UCSD) Brief Assessment for Capacity to Consent (UBACC). The MacCAT-CR and UBACC were administered by research assistants kept blind to consent condition. Additional assessments included standardized measures of psychopathology and cognitive functioning. Relative to patients in the routine consent condition, schizophrenia patients receiving multimedia consent had significantly better scores on the UBACC and on the MacCAT-CR understanding and expression of choice subscales and were significantly more likely to be categorized as being capable to consent than those in the routine consent condition (as categorized with several previously established criteria). Among the healthy subjects, there were few significant effects of consent condition. These findings suggest that multimedia consent procedures may be a valuable consent aid that should be considered for use when enrolling participants at risk for impaired decisional capacity, particularly for complex and/or high-risk research protocols. PMID:18245061

[Cutaneous lesions during hot-tub hypersensitivity pneumonitis: Pseudomonas folliculitis ?

PubMed

Sokolowsky, N; Rolland, L; Vandenhende, M-A; Colin, J-Y; Laurent, F; Morlat, P; Bonnet, F; Beylot-Barry, M

2017-04-01

Interstitial lung disease, cutaneous rash and elevated serum angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) may suggest diagnoses other than sarcoidosis. A 58-year-old man had presented dyspnoea for 2 years with increased angiotensin-converting enzyme, as well as an interstitial syndrome and micronodules. The possibility of sarcoidosis was raised. Systemic corticosteroids resulted in improvement of the dyspnoea although it recurred on dose reduction. We noted fluctuating eczematous macules of the limbs with a histology of aspecific folliculitis. The identification of Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) in the bronchoalveolar wash prompted us to initiate antimycobacterial therapy, but this was to no avail. Review of the CT-scan and questioning of the patient (daily use of a Jacuzzi for 7 years) resulted in diagnosis of hypersensitivity pneumonitis due to MAC. The cutaneous lesions were taken to indicate "hot tub folliculitis". Discontinuation of hot-tub use and a short course of oral corticosteroids resulted in healing within 4 months, with no recurrence at 2 years. HTL is a form of hypersensitivity pneumonitis due to the presence of MAC in the water of Jacuzzis. This condition regresses spontaneously without treatment on discontinuation of Jacuzzi use. Hot-tub folliculitis due to Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) presents as macules and papules on covered skin areas (swimsuit) within 48hours of bathing and often declines within 2 weeks. Our case is original as regards the concomitant lung and cutaneous involvement associated with Jacuzzi use, with an immunoallergic mechanism for the MAC and probably an infectious mechanism for the PA. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Photocopy of drawing (original drawing of MacDill Field in possession ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photocopy of drawing (original drawing of MacDill Field in possession of MacDill Air Force Base, Civil Engineering, Tampa, Florida; 1952 architectural drawings by Strategic Air Command, MacDill Air Force Base) BASE LAYOUT, 1952 - MacDill Air Force Base, Bounded by City of Tampa North, Tampa Bay South, Old Tampa Bay West, & Hillsborough Bay East, Tampa, Hillsborough County, FL

Integrated approach for investigating the durability of self-consolidating concrete to sulfate attack

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bassuoni, Mohamed Tamer F.

The growing use of self-consolidating concrete (SCC) in various infrastructure applications exposed to sulfate-rich environments necessitates conducting comprehensive research to evaluate its durability to external sulfate attack. Since the reliability and adequacy of standard sulfate immersion tests have been questioned, the current thesis introduced an integrated testing approach for assessing the durability of a wide scope of SCC mixtures to external sulfate attack. This testing approach involved progressive levels of complexity from single to multiple damage processes. A new series of sulfate attack tests involving multiple field-like parameters and combined damage mechanisms (various cations, controlled pH, wetting-drying, partial immersion, freezing-thawing, and cyclic cold-hot conditions with or without sustained flexural loading) were designed to evaluate the performance (suitability) of the SCC mixtures under various sulfate attack exposure scenarios. The main mixture design variables of SCC included the type of binder (single, binary, ternary and quaternary), air-entrainment, sand-to-aggregate mass ratio and hybrid fibre reinforcement. The comprehensive database and knowledge obtained from this research were used to develop smart models (fuzzy and neuro-fuzzy inference systems) based on artificial-intelligence to evaluate and predict the performance of the SCC mixtures under various sulfate attack exposure regimes implemented in this study. In full immersion tests involving high concentration sodium and magnesium sulfate solutions with controlled pH, the low penetrability of SCC was responsible for the high durability of specimens. Ternary and quaternary cementitious systems with or without limestone materials provided a passivating layer, with or without acid neutralization capacity, which protected SCC from severe damage in the aggressive sulfuric acid and ammonium sulfate solutions. In contrast to conclusions drawn from the sodium sulfate immersion tests, the combined sulfate attack tests captured performance risks and complex damage mechanisms associated with the SCC pore structure and constituent materials. Sodium sulfate attack with wetting-drying cycles and/or partial immersion under temperate-hot conditions synergistically caused significant damage to specimens, especially to quaternary cementitious systems having very fine pore structure, due to the build-up of salt crystals and sulfate reaction products. The deleterious effects of sulfate reaction products and salt crystallization on all cementitious systems were more severe under the combined sodium sulfate and freezing-thawing exposure, with a potential of sudden brittle failure. Laboratory experiments in the current work documented evidence for the occurrence of thaumasite sulfate attack (TSA) in cementitious systems containing limestone filler, not only under cold but also under temperate-hot conditions, which made specimens more vulnerable to damage in the combined sulfate attack tests. The field-like combined exposure of sodium sulfate, cyclic environments and flexural loading had synergistic effects on SCC specimens and caused the coexistence of multiple-complex degradation mechanisms (sulfate attack, TSA, stress-corrosion, salt crystallization, surface scaling and corrosion of surface steel fibres) depending on the mixture design variables. The current thesis demonstrates that relying only on sulfate immersion tests to evaluate the performance of cement-based materials can be risky. It also shows that linear and deterministic modeling of the performance of concrete structures under external sulfate attack is unrealistic. Fuzzy and adaptive-neuro fuzzy inference systems developed in the current thesis accurately and rationally predicted the serviceability, deterioration in engineering properties and time to failure of the SCC mixtures under the various sulfate attack exposure regimes adopted in the integrated testing approach. A durability evaluation factor from multiple performance criteria was created for the ammonium sulfate exposure. Environmental charts were developed to determine the level of aggression associated with sodium sulfate attack from temperature, RH and degree of wetting-drying expected in service. This novel modeling approach showed promising success in handling complex durability topics such as the sulfate attack of concrete, which involves non-linearity, ambiguity and interface with operator approximation. The current thesis provides needed fundamental knowledge on the durability of a wide scope of SCC mixtures to various sulfate attack exposure scenarios. It elucidates complex deterioration mechanisms and failure modes of cement-based materials under multi-mechanistic aging processes. It also proposes carefully engineered integrated sulfate attack tests that replicate various sulfate attack exposure regimes, which could be refined and standardized in the future. In addition, the current work introduced original knowledge-based smart models capable of handling uncertainty and providing reliable predictions for the behaviour of concrete under external sulfate attack. The models do not require conducting exhaustive laboratory experiments and/or making assumptions, thus facilitating the selection of optimum concrete mixtures for a specified exposure. Overall, this research should effectively contribute to the development of performance-based standards and specifications for, and improvement of durability-based design and life-cycle analysis of concrete structures subjected to external sulfate attack. Keywords. Sulfate attack, self-consolidating concrete, integrated testing, composite cements, air-entrainment, hybrid fibres, full immersion, cations, pH, wetting-drying, partial immersion, freezing-thawing, cyclic cold-hot conditions, flexural loading, thaumasite, salt crystallization, fuzzy, neuro-fuzzy, systems.

The Stability of Post Hoc Model Modifications in Covariance Structure Models.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hutchinson, Susan R.

The work of R. MacCallum et al. (1992) was extended by examining chance modifications through a Monte Carlo simulation. The stability of post hoc model modifications was examined under varying sample size, model complexity, and severity of misspecification using 2- and 4-factor oblique confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) models with four and eight…

Normative Study of the Functional Assessment of Verbal Reasoning and Executive Strategies (FAVRES) Test in the French-Canadian Population

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marcotte, Karine; McSween, Marie-Pier; Pouliot, Monica; Martineau, Sarah; Pauze, Anne-Marie; Wiseman-Hakes, Catherine; MacDonald, Sheila

2017-01-01

Purpose: The Functional Assessment of Verbal Reasoning and Executive Strategies (FAVRES; MacDonald, 2005) test was designed for use by speech-language pathologists to assess verbal reasoning, complex comprehension, discourse, and executive skills during performance on a set of challenging and ecologically valid functional tasks. A recent French…

Mitral annular calcification in patients undergoing aortic valve replacement for aortic valve stenosis.

PubMed

Takami, Yoshiyuki; Tajima, Kazuyoshi

2016-02-01

Limited data exis t on clinical relevance of aortic valve stenosis (AVS) and mitral annular calcification (MAC), although with similar pathophysiologic basis. We sought to reveal the prevalence of MAC and its clinical features in the patients undergoing aortic valve replacement (AVR) for AVS. We reviewed 106 consecutive patients who underwent isolated AVR from 2004 to 2010. Before AVR, CT scans were performed to identify MAC, whose severity was graded on a scale of 0-4, with grade 0 denoting no MAC and grade 4 indicating severe MAC. Echocardiography was performed before AVR and at follow-up over 2 years after AVR. MAC was identified in 56 patients with grade 1 (30 %), 2 (39 %), 3 (18 %), and 4 (13 %), respectively. Patients with MAC presented older age (72 ± 8 versus 66 ± 11 years), higher rate of dialysis-dependent renal failure (43 versus 4 %), and less frequency of bicuspid aortic valve (9 versus 36 %), when compared to those without MAC. No significant differences were seen in short- and mid-term mortality after AVR between the groups. In patients with MAC, progression of neither mitral regurgitation nor stenosis was observed at follow-up of 53 ± 23 months for 102 survivors, although the transmitral flow velocities were higher than in those without MAC. In conclusion, MAC represented 53 % of the patients undergoing isolated AVR for AVS, usually appeared in dialysis-dependent elder patients with tricuspid AVS. MAC does not affect adversely upon the survival, without progression of mitral valve disease, at least within 2 years after AVR.

Hash Functions and Information Theoretic Security

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bagheri, Nasour; Knudsen, Lars R.; Naderi, Majid; Thomsen, Søren S.

Information theoretic security is an important security notion in cryptography as it provides a true lower bound for attack complexities. However, in practice attacks often have a higher cost than the information theoretic bound. In this paper we study the relationship between information theoretic attack costs and real costs. We show that in the information theoretic model, many well-known and commonly used hash functions such as MD5 and SHA-256 fail to be preimage resistant.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Fu Guo; Institute of Neuroscience, Department of Neurobiology, Second Military Medical University, Shanghai 200433; Yang Huayan

Macrophage differentiation antigen associated with complement three receptor function (Mac-1) belongs to {beta}{sub 2} subfamily of integrins that mediate important cell-cell and cell-extracellular matrix interactions. Biochemical studies have indicated that Mac-1 is a constitutive heterodimer in vitro. Here, we detected the heterodimerization of Mac-1 subunits in living cells by means of two fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) techniques (fluorescence microscopy and fluorescence spectroscopy) and our results demonstrated that there is constitutive heterodimerization of the Mac-1 subunits and this constitutive heterodimerization of the Mac-1 subunits is cell-type independent. Through FRET imaging, we found that heterodimers of Mac-1 mainly localized in plasmamore » membrane, perinuclear, and Golgi area in living cells. Furthermore, through analysis of the estimated physical distances between cyan fluorescent protein (CFP) and yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) fused to Mac-1 subunits, we suggested that the conformation of Mac-1 subunits is not affected by the fusion of CFP or YFP and inferred that Mac-1 subunits take different conformation when expressed in Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) and human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293T cells, respectively.« less

Advertisement-Based Energy Efficient Medium Access Protocols for Wireless Sensor Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ray, Surjya Sarathi

One of the main challenges that prevents the large-scale deployment of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) is providing the applications with the required quality of service (QoS) given the sensor nodes' limited energy supplies. WSNs are an important tool in supporting applications ranging from environmental and industrial monitoring, to battlefield surveillance and traffic control, among others. Most of these applications require sensors to function for long periods of time without human intervention and without battery replacement. Therefore, energy conservation is one of the main goals for protocols for WSNs. Energy conservation can be performed in different layers of the protocol stack. In particular, as the medium access control (MAC) layer can access and control the radio directly, large energy savings is possible through intelligent MAC protocol design. To maximize the network lifetime, MAC protocols for WSNs aim to minimize idle listening of the sensor nodes, packet collisions, and overhearing. Several approaches such as duty cycling and low power listening have been proposed at the MAC layer to achieve energy efficiency. In this thesis, I explore the possibility of further energy savings through the advertisement of data packets in the MAC layer. In the first part of my research, I propose Advertisement-MAC or ADV-MAC, a new MAC protocol for WSNs that utilizes the concept of advertising for data contention. This technique lets nodes listen dynamically to any desired transmission and sleep during transmissions not of interest. This minimizes the energy lost in idle listening and overhearing while maintaining an adaptive duty cycle to handle variable loads. Additionally, ADV-MAC enables energy efficient MAC-level multicasting. An analytical model for the packet delivery ratio and the energy consumption of the protocol is also proposed. The analytical model is verified with simulations and is used to choose an optimal value of the advertisement period. Simulations show that the optimized ADV-MAC provides substantial energy gains (50% to 70% less than other MAC protocols for WSNs such as T-MAC and S-MAC for the scenarios investigated) while faring as well as T-MAC in terms of packet delivery ratio and latency. Although ADV-MAC provides substantial energy gains over S-MAC and T-MAC, it is not optimal in terms of energy savings because contention is done twice -- once in the Advertisement Period and once in the Data Period. In the next part of my research, the second contention in the Data Period is eliminated and the advantages of contention-based and TDMA-based protocols are combined to form Advertisement based Time-division Multiple Access (ATMA), a distributed TDMA-based MAC protocol for WSNs. ATMA utilizes the bursty nature of the traffic to prevent energy waste through advertisements and reservations for data slots. Extensive simulations and qualitative analysis show that with bursty traffic, ATMA outperforms contention-based protocols (S-MAC, T-MAC and ADV-MAC), a TDMA based protocol (TRAMA) and hybrid protocols (Z-MAC and IEEE 802.15.4). ATMA provides energy reductions of up to 80%, while providing the best packet delivery ratio (close to 100%) and latency among all the investigated protocols. Simulations alone cannot reflect many of the challenges faced by real implementations of MAC protocols, such as clock-drift, synchronization, imperfect physical layers, and irregular interference from other transmissions. Such issues may cripple a protocol that otherwise performs very well in software simulations. Hence, to validate my research, I conclude with a hardware implementation of the ATMA protocol on SORA (Software Radio), developed by Microsoft Research Asia. SORA is a reprogrammable Software Defined Radio (SDR) platform that satisfies the throughput and timing requirements of modern wireless protocols while utilizing the rich general purpose PC development environment. Experimental results obtained from the hardware implementation of ATMA closely mirror the simulation results obtained for a single hop network with 4 nodes.

Distribution of nontuberculous mycobacteria in treated patients with pulmonary disease in Greece - relation to microbiological data.

PubMed

Manika, Katerina; Tsikrika, Stamatoula; Tsaroucha, Emilia; Karabela, Simona; Karachaliou, Iris; Bosmi, Ioulia; Kioumis, Ioannis; Papavasileiou, Apostolos

2015-01-01

The aim was to assess the distribution of nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in treated patients with pulmonary disease (PD) in Greece. Patients treated for NTM PD at the two largest chest diseases hospitals in Greece, in the period 1990-2013 were investigated. For the years 2005-2013 data on NTM isolation frequency were recorded. M. avium complex (MAC) was the predominant cause of NTM PD disease followed by M. kansasii and rapid growing mycobacteria (RGM). The pathogenicity of RGM was significantly lower than this of MAC and M. kansasii. An increase was observed in the percentage of isolated NTM species that were considered clinically significant over the study period. The increasing number of NTM PD in Greece is a consequence of their isolation being more frequently considered as clinically relevant.

Industry and energy: the moral dimensions

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

MacIntyre, A.

1979-05-28

Prof. MacIntyre examines the morality of the electric power industry in the historical context of creating a tradition for unchallenged demand growth. Past decisions are shown to have considered only technical matters and not violating negative prohibiting rules, but with failure to assert positive moral leadership. Positive tasks would include assuming more public responsibility in keeping with the strategic position and vast resources of the industry, Prof. MacIntyre feels. The electric power industry can, by shifting its patterns of investment, affect the nation's energy choices. Complexity and the hazards of oversimplification, the need to involve everyone in the discussion ofmore » energy costs and benefits, the ability to live with unpredictability, the avoidance of large-scale irreversible decisions, and recognition of limitations are all part of the moral dimensions the industry needs to address.« less

Immune complexes formed following the binding of anti-platelet factor 4 (CXCL4) antibodies to CXCL4 stimulate human neutrophil activation and cell adhesion.

PubMed

Xiao, Zhihua; Visentin, Gian P; Dayananda, Kannayakanahalli M; Neelamegham, Sriram

2008-08-15

We tested the possibility that immune complexes formed following platelet factor 4 (PF4/CXCL4) binding to anti-PF4 antibody can stimulate neutrophil activation, similar to previous reports with platelets. Monoclonal Abs against PF4 and IgG from a heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) patient were applied. We observed that although PF4 or anti-PF4 antibody alone did not alter neutrophil function, costimulation with both reagents resulted in approximately 3-fold increase in cell surface Mac-1 expression, enhanced cell adhesion via L-selectin and CD18 integrins, and degranulation of secondary and tertiary granules. The level of Mac-1 up-regulation peaked at an intermediate PF4 dose, suggesting that functional response varies with antigen-antibody stoichiometry. PF4 binding to neutrophils was blocked by chondroitinase ABC. Cell activation was inhibited by both chondroitinase ABC and anti-CD32/FcgammaRII blocking mAb, IV.3. Confocal microscopy demonstrated that immune complexes colocalize with CD32a. Studies with HIT IgG demonstrated that neutrophils could be activated in the absence of exogenous heparin. These data, together, show that leukocyte surface chondroitin sulfates promote neutrophil activation by enhancing immune-complex binding to CD32a. Studies with recombinant PF4 suggest a role for arginine 49 in stabilizing PF4-chondroitin binding. Neutrophils activated via this mechanism may contribute to thrombosis and inflammation in patients mounting an immune response to PF4-heparin.

SEAODV: A Security Enhanced AODV Routing Protocol for Wireless Mesh Networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Celia; Wang, Zhuang; Yang, Cungang

In this paper, we propose a Security Enhanced AODV routing protocol (SEAODV) for wireless mesh networks (WMN). SEAODV employs Blom's key pre-distribution scheme to compute the pairwise transient key (PTK) through the flooding of enhanced HELLO message and subsequently uses the established PTK to distribute the group transient key (GTK). PTK and GTK authenticate unicast and broadcast routing messages respectively. In WMN, a unique PTK is shared by each pair of nodes, while GTK is shared secretly between the node and all its one-hop neighbours. A message authentication code (MAC) is attached as the extension to the original AODV routing message to guarantee the message's authenticity and integrity in a hop-by-hop fashion. Security analysis and performance evaluation show that SEAODV is more effective in preventing identified routing attacks and outperforms ARAN and SAODV in terms of computation cost and route acquisition latency.

Lutein and atherosclerosis: Belfast versus Toulouse revisited.

PubMed

Howard, A N; Thurnham, D I

2017-01-01

In 1995 we reported that mean plasma lutein concentrations in salaried men and women from Toulouse in Southern France were double those in subjects recruited from general practitioner lists in Belfast, Northern Ireland. At the time incidence of coronary heart disease (CHD) in Southern France was among the lowest in Europe and was much higher in Northern Ireland. Plasma lutein is a biomarker of vegetable and fruit intake and evidence suggests that high concentrations are generally associated with better cardiometabolic health. At the time we speculated like others that role of the carotenoids may well have been to prevent oxidation of lipid in the lipoproteins and so reduce the uptake of oxidised lipid by macrophages and its deposition within the intimal layers of the major arteries as plaque. It is now widely accepted that CHD is an inflammatory disease and that macrophages within plaque together with tissue damage contribute to this inflammation. Stimulated macrophages release cytokines to activate the immune system both locally and systemically. Precursor complement proteins in the blood are activated to assist immune cells in phagocytosis and cell repair. Individuals with a history of arteriosclerosis display significantly higher concentrations of complement factors C3 and C3a than subjects without such a history. Metabolism of C3 via the alternate complement pathway can give rise to the membrane attack complex (MAC) which creates a hole or pore in pathogens or host cells, killing the cell. Recent studies in patients with early age related macular disease (AMD) who also exhibit similar elevated concentrations of complement proteins in their blood, showed supplementation with lutein progressively decreased the amount of the MAC and other complement factors in the blood. Lutein was used in the supplementation experiments because it is an important constituent of macular pigment. Thus the healthier cardiometabolic features displayed by the people in Toulouse may have been due to the effects of concurrent high concentrations of plasma lutein on the immune system and complement in particular. Other carotenoids may exert similar antioxidant effects but we and others found no differences in antioxidant nutrients between subjects in Toulouse and Belfast or between subjects with asymptomatic markers of atherosclerosis and controls. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Highly stable maintenance of a mouse artificial chromosome in human cells and mice.

PubMed

Kazuki, Kanako; Takehara, Shoko; Uno, Narumi; Imaoka, Natsuko; Abe, Satoshi; Takiguchi, Masato; Hiramatsu, Kei; Oshimura, Mitsuo; Kazuki, Yasuhiro

2013-12-06

Human artificial chromosomes (HACs) and mouse artificial chromosomes (MACs) display several advantages as gene delivery vectors, such as stable episomal maintenance that avoids insertional mutations and the ability to carry large gene inserts including the regulatory elements. Previously, we showed that a MAC vector developed from a natural mouse chromosome by chromosome engineering was more stably maintained in adult tissues and hematopoietic cells in mice than HAC vectors. In this study, to expand the utility for a gene delivery vector in human cells and mice, we investigated the long-term stability of the MACs in cultured human cells and transchromosomic mice. We also investigated the chromosomal copy number-dependent expression of genes on the MACs in mice. The MAC was stably maintained in human HT1080 cells in vitro during long-term culture. The MAC was stably maintained at least to the F8 and F4 generations in ICR and C57BL/6 backgrounds, respectively. The MAC was also stably maintained in hematopoietic cells and tissues derived from old mice. Transchromosomic mice containing two or four copies of the MAC were generated by breeding. The DNA contents were comparable to the copy number of the MACs in each tissue examined, and the expression of the EGFP gene on the MAC was dependent on the chromosomal copy number. Therefore, the MAC vector may be useful not only for gene delivery in mammalian cells but also for animal transgenesis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A IAB-Complex Iron Meteorite Containing Low-Ca Clinopyroxene: Northwest Africa 468 and its Relationship to Iodranites and Formation by Impact Melting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rubin, Alan E.; Kallemeyn, Gregory W.; Wasson, John T.

2002-01-01

Northwest Africa 468 (NWA 468) is a new ungrouped, silicate-rich member of the IAB complex of nonmagmatic iron meteorites. The silicates contain relatively coarse (approximately 300 micron-size) grains of low-Ca clinopyroxene with polysynthetic twinning and inclined extinction. Low-Ca clinopyroxene is indicative of quenching from high temperatures (either from protoenstatite in a few seconds or high-temperature clinoenstatite in a few hours). It seems likely that NWA 468 formed by impact melting followed by rapid cooling to less than or equal to 660 C. After the loss of a metal-sulfide melt from the silicates, sulfide was reintroduced, either from impact-mobilized FeS or as an S2 vapor that combined with metallic Fe to produce FeS. The O-isotopic composition (delta O-17 = -1.39 %) indicates that the precursor material of NWA 468 was a metal-rich (e.g., CR) carbonaceous chondrite. Lodranites are similar in bulk chemical and O-isotopic composition to the silicates in NWA 468; the MAC 88177 lodranite (which also contains low-Ca clinopyroxene) is close in bulk chemical composition. Both NWA 468 and MAC 88177 have relatively low abundances of REE (rare earth elements) and plagiophile elements. Siderophiles in the metal-rich areas of NWA 468 are similar to those in the MAC 88177 whole rock; both samples contain low Ir and relatively high Fe, Cu and Se. Most unweathered lodranites contain approximately 20 - 38 wt. % metallic Fe-Ni. These rocks may have formed in an analogous manner to NWA 468 (i.e., by impact melting of metal-rich carbonaceous-chondrite precursors) but with less separation of metal-rich melts from silicates.

Prism Adaptation in Rehabilitation? No Additional Effects of Prism Adaptation on Neglect Recovery in the Subacute Phase Poststroke: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

PubMed

Ten Brink, Antonia F; Visser-Meily, Johanna M A; Schut, Martijn J; Kouwenhoven, Mirjam; Eijsackers, Anja L H; Nijboer, Tanja C W

2017-12-01

Patients with neglect ignore or respond slower to contralesional stimuli. Neglect negatively influences independence in activities of daily living (ADL). Prism adaptation (PA) is one of the most frequently studied treatments, yet there is little evidence regarding positive effects on neglect behavior in ADL. To assess whether PA in the subacute phase ameliorates neglect in situations of varying complexity. A total of 70 neglect patients admitted for inpatient stroke rehabilitation received either PA or sham adaptation (SA) for 2 weeks, with full access to standard treatment. There were 7 time-dependent measurements (baseline and 1-4, 6, and 14 weeks after start of treatment). The primary outcome was change of neglect as observed during basic ADL with the Catherine Bergego Scale (CBS). Secondary outcomes were changes in performance on a dynamic multitask (ie, the Mobility Assessment Course [MAC]) and a static paper-and-pencil task (ie, a shape cancellation task [SC]). In all, 34 patients received PA and 35 SA. There were significant time-dependent improvements in performance as measured with the CBS, MAC, and SC (all F > 15.57; P < .001). There was no significant difference in magnitude of improvement between groups on the CBS, MAC, and SC (all F < 2.54; P > .113]. No beneficial effects of PA over SA in the subacute phase poststroke were observed, which was comparable for situations of varying complexity. Heterogeneity of the syndrome, time post-stroke onset, and the content of treatment as usual are discussed. Basic knowledge on subtypes and recovery patterns would aid the development of tailored treatment.

Rapid Identification of Mycobacteria and Drug-Resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis by Use of a Single Multiplex PCR and DNA Sequencing

PubMed Central

Pérez-Osorio, Ailyn C.; Boyle, David S.; Ingham, Zachary K.; Ostash, Alla; Gautom, Romesh K.; Colombel, Craig; Houze, Yolanda

2012-01-01

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a significant global health problem for which rapid diagnosis is critical to both treatment and control. This report describes a multiplex PCR method, the Mycobacterial IDentification and Drug Resistance Screen (MID-DRS) assay, which allows identification of members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTBC) and the simultaneous amplification of targets for sequencing-based drug resistance screening of rifampin-resistant (rifampinr), isoniazidr, and pyrazinamider TB. Additionally, the same multiplex reaction amplifies a specific 16S rRNA gene target for rapid identification of M. avium complex (MAC) and a region of the heat shock protein 65 gene (hsp65) for further DNA sequencing-based confirmation or identification of other mycobacterial species. Comparison of preliminary results generated with MID-DRS versus culture-based methods for a total of 188 bacterial isolates demonstrated MID-DRS sensitivity and specificity as 100% and 96.8% for MTBC identification; 100% and 98.3% for MAC identification; 97.4% and 98.7% for rifampinr TB identification; 60.6% and 100% for isoniazidr TB identification; and 75.0% and 98.1% for pyrazinamider TB identification. The performance of the MID-DRS was also tested on acid-fast-bacterium (AFB)-positive clinical specimens, resulting in sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 78.6% for detection of MTBC and 100% and 97.8% for detection of MAC. In conclusion, use of the MID-DRS reduces the time necessary for initial identification and drug resistance screening of TB specimens to as little as 2 days. Since all targets needed for completing the assay are included in a single PCR amplification step, assay costs, preparation time, and risks due to user errors are also reduced. PMID:22162548

Variation of Carbohydrate-Active Enzyme Patterns in the Gut Microbiota of Italian Healthy Subjects and Type 2 Diabetes Patients.

PubMed

Soverini, Matteo; Turroni, Silvia; Biagi, Elena; Quercia, Sara; Brigidi, Patrizia; Candela, Marco; Rampelli, Simone

2017-01-01

The human gut microbiota (GM) has been associated, to date, with various complex functions, essentials for the host health. Among these, it is certainly worth noting the degradation of the so-called microbiota-accessible carbohydrates (MACs), which the GM breaks down through specific enzymes, referred to as carbohydrate-active enzymes (CAZymes). This degradation constitutes the first step in the production of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), key microbial small molecules having multiple health-promoting effects for the host organism. The decline in MAC dietary intake in urban Western populations forced the shrinkage of CAZyme repertoire in the GM, as shown by the literature comparing the microbiome layout between Western urban citizens and traditional rural populations. Even if this reduction in GM functional complexity has been associated with the onset of the so-called "diseases of civilization," only few information regarding the CAZyme variation within Western populations has been provided to date, and its connections with diet and health are still unexplored. In this scenario, here we explore the GM-encoded CAZyme repertoire across two Italian adult cohorts, including healthy lean subjects consuming a Mediterranean diet and obese patients affected by type 2 diabetes, consuming a high-fat diet. In order to impute the CAZyme panel, a pipeline consisting of publicly available software - QIIME, FragGeneScan and HMMER - was specifically implemented. Our study highlighted the existence of robust clusters of bacterial species sharing a common MAC degradation profile in the Italian GM, allowing the stratification of the individual GM into different steady states according to the carbohydrate degradation profile, with possible connections with diet and health.

A mutation spectrum that includes GNAS, KRAS and TP53 may be shared by mucinous neoplasms of the appendix.

PubMed

Hara, Kieko; Saito, Tsuyoshi; Hayashi, Takuo; Yimit, Alkam; Takahashi, Michiko; Mitani, Keiko; Takahashi, Makoto; Yao, Takashi

2015-09-01

Appendiceal mucinous tumors (AMTs) are classified as low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasms (LAMNs) or mucinous adenocarcinomas (MACs), although their carcinogenesis is not well understood. As somatic activating mutations of GNAS are considered to be characteristic of LAMNs while TP53 mutations have been shown to be specific to MACs, MACs are unlikely to result from transformation of LAMNs. However, emerging evidence also shows the presence of GNAS mutations in MACs. We examined 16 AMTs (11 LAMNs and 5 MACs) for genetic alterations of GNAS, KRAS, BRAF, TP53, CTNNB1, and TERT promoter in order to elucidate the possibility of a shared genetic background in the two tumor types. Extensive histological examination revealed the presence of a low-grade component in all cases of MAC. GNAS mutations were detected in two LAMNs and in one MAC, although the GNAS mutation in this MAC was a nonsense mutation (Q227X) expected not to be activating mutation. TP53 mutations were detected in three LAMNs; they were frequently detected in MACs. KRAS mutations were detected in three LAMNs and three MACs, and CTNNB1 mutations were detected in two LAMNs. KRAS mutation and activating mutation of GNAS occurred exclusively in AMTs. BRAF and TERT mutations were not detected. Overexpression of p53 was observed in only two MACs, and p53 immunostaining clearly discriminated the high-grade lesion from a low-grade component in one. These findings suggest that p53 overexpression plays an important role in the carcinogenesis of AMTs and that, in addition to mutations of GNAS, KRAS and TP53 alterations might be shared by AMTs, thus providing evidence for the possible progression of LAMNs to MAC. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

A decoy chain deployment method based on SDN and NFV against penetration attack

PubMed Central

Zhao, Qi; Zhang, Chuanhao

2017-01-01

Penetration attacks are one of the most serious network security threats. However, existing network defense technologies do not have the ability to entirely block the penetration behavior of intruders. Therefore, the network needs additional defenses. In this paper, a decoy chain deployment (DCD) method based on SDN+NFV is proposed to address this problem. This method considers about the security status of networks, and deploys decoy chains with the resource constraints. DCD changes the attack surface of the network and makes it difficult for intruders to discern the current state of the network. Simulation experiments and analyses show that DCD can effectively resist penetration attacks by increasing the time cost and complexity of a penetration attack. PMID:29216257

A decoy chain deployment method based on SDN and NFV against penetration attack.

PubMed

Zhao, Qi; Zhang, Chuanhao; Zhao, Zheng

2017-01-01

Penetration attacks are one of the most serious network security threats. However, existing network defense technologies do not have the ability to entirely block the penetration behavior of intruders. Therefore, the network needs additional defenses. In this paper, a decoy chain deployment (DCD) method based on SDN+NFV is proposed to address this problem. This method considers about the security status of networks, and deploys decoy chains with the resource constraints. DCD changes the attack surface of the network and makes it difficult for intruders to discern the current state of the network. Simulation experiments and analyses show that DCD can effectively resist penetration attacks by increasing the time cost and complexity of a penetration attack.

Structure of the MacAB-TolC ABC-type tripartite multidrug efflux pump

PubMed Central

Llabrés, Salomé; Neuberger, Arthur; Blaza, James N.; Bai, Xiao-chen; Okada, Ui; Murakami, Satoshi; van Veen, Hendrik W.; Zachariae, Ulrich; Scheres, Sjors H.W.; Luisi, Ben F.

2017-01-01

The MacA-MacB-TolC assembly of Escherichia coli is a transmembrane machine that spans the cell envelope and actively extrudes substrates, including macrolide antibiotics and polypeptide virulence factors. These transport processes are energized by the ATPase MacB, a member of the ATP-binding cassette (ABC) superfamily. We present an electron cryo-microscopy structure of the ABC-type tripartite assembly at near-atomic resolution. A hexamer of the periplasmic protein MacA bridges between a TolC trimer in the outer membrane and a MacB dimer in the inner membrane, generating a quaternary structure with a central channel for substrate translocation. A gating ring found in MacA is proposed to act as a one-way valve in substrate transport. The MacB structure features an atypical transmembrane domain (TMD) with a closely packed dimer interface and a periplasmic opening that is the likely portal for substrate entry from the periplasm, with subsequent displacement through an allosteric transport mechanism. PMID:28504659

Carbon nanotube-clamped metal atomic chain

PubMed Central

Tang, Dai-Ming; Yin, Li-Chang; Li, Feng; Liu, Chang; Yu, Wan-Jing; Hou, Peng-Xiang; Wu, Bo; Lee, Young-Hee; Ma, Xiu-Liang; Cheng, Hui-Ming

2010-01-01

Metal atomic chain (MAC) is an ultimate one-dimensional structure with unique physical properties, such as quantized conductance, colossal magnetic anisotropy, and quantized magnetoresistance. Therefore, MACs show great potential as possible components of nanoscale electronic and spintronic devices. However, MACs are usually suspended between two macroscale metallic electrodes; hence obvious technical barriers exist in the interconnection and integration of MACs. Here we report a carbon nanotube (CNT)-clamped MAC, where CNTs play the roles of both nanoconnector and electrodes. This nanostructure is prepared by in situ machining a metal-filled CNT, including peeling off carbon shells by spatially and elementally selective electron beam irradiation and further elongating the exposed metal nanorod. The microstructure and formation process of this CNT-clamped MAC are explored by both transmission electron microscopy observations and theoretical simulations. First-principles calculations indicate that strong covalent bonds are formed between the CNT and MAC. The electrical transport property of the CNT-clamped MAC was experimentally measured, and quantized conductance was observed. PMID:20427743

Metal ion-promoted cleavage of nucleoside diphosphosugars: a model for reactions of phosphodiester bonds in carbohydrates.

PubMed

Dano, Meisa; Elmeranta, Marjukka; Hodgson, David R W; Jaakkola, Juho; Korhonen, Heidi; Mikkola, Satu

2015-12-01

Cleavage of five different nucleoside diphosphosugars has been studied in the presence of Cu(2+) and Zn(2+) complexes. The results show that metal ion catalysts promote the cleavage via intramolecular transesterification whenever a neighbouring HO group can adopt a cis-orientation with respect to the phosphate. The HO group attacks the phosphate and two monophosphate products are formed. If such a nucleophile is not available, Cu(2+) complexes are able to promote a nucleophilic attack of an external nucleophile, e.g. a water molecule or metal ion coordinated HO ligand, on phosphate. With the Zn(2+) complex, this was not observed.

Effects of metabolic acidosis on intracellular pH responses in multiple cell types

PubMed Central

Salameh, Ahlam Ibrahim; Ruffin, Vernon A.

2014-01-01

Metabolic acidosis (MAc), a decrease in extracellular pH (pHo) caused by a decrease in [HCO3−]o at a fixed [CO2]o, is a common clinical condition and causes intracellular pH (pHi) to fall. Although previous work has suggested that MAc-induced decreases in pHi (ΔpHi) differ among cell types, what is not clear is the extent to which these differences are the result of the wide variety of methodologies employed by various investigators. In the present study, we evaluated the effects of two sequential MAc challenges (MAc1 and MAc2) on pHi in 10 cell types/lines: primary-cultured hippocampal (HCN) neurons and astrocytes (HCA), primary-cultured medullary raphé (MRN) neurons, and astrocytes (MRA), CT26 colon cancer, the C2C12 skeletal muscles, primary-cultured bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) and dendritic cells (BMDC), Ink4a/ARF-null melanocytes, and XB-2 keratinocytes. We monitor pHi using ratiometric fluorescence imaging of 2′,7′-bis-(2-carboxyethyl)-5-(and-6)-carboxyfluorescein while imposing MAc: lowering (pHo) from 7.4 to 7.2 by decreasing [HCO3−]o from 22 to 14 mM at 5% CO2 for 7 min. After MAc1, we return cells to the control solution for 10 min and impose MAc2. Using our definition of MAc resistance [(ΔpHi/ΔpHo) ≤ 40%], during MAc1, ∼70% of CT26 and ∼50% of C2C12 are MAc-resistant, whereas the other cell types are predominantly MAc-sensitive. During MAc2, some cells adapt [(ΔpHi/ΔpHo)2 < (ΔpHi/ΔpHo)1], particularly HCA, C2C12, and BMDC. Most maintain consistent responses [(ΔpHi/ΔpHo)2 ≅ (ΔpHi/ΔpHo)1], and a few decompensate [(ΔpHi/ΔpHo)2>(ΔpHi/ΔpHo)1], particularly HCN, C2C12, and XB-2. Thus, responses to twin MAc challenges depend both on the individual cell and cell type. PMID:25209413

Identifying and tracking attacks on networks: C3I displays and related technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manes, Gavin W.; Dawkins, J.; Shenoi, Sujeet; Hale, John C.

2003-09-01

Converged network security is extremely challenging for several reasons; expanded system and technology perimeters, unexpected feature interaction, and complex interfaces all conspire to provide hackers with greater opportunities for compromising large networks. Preventive security services and architectures are essential, but in and of themselves do not eliminate all threat of compromise. Attack management systems mitigate this residual risk by facilitating incident detection, analysis and response. There are a wealth of attack detection and response tools for IP networks, but a dearth of such tools for wireless and public telephone networks. Moreover, methodologies and formalisms have yet to be identified that can yield a common model for vulnerabilities and attacks in converged networks. A comprehensive attack management system must coordinate detection tools for converged networks, derive fully-integrated attack and network models, perform vulnerability and multi-stage attack analysis, support large-scale attack visualization, and orchestrate strategic responses to cyber attacks that cross network boundaries. We present an architecture that embodies these principles for attack management. The attack management system described engages a suite of detection tools for various networking domains, feeding real-time attack data to a comprehensive modeling, analysis and visualization subsystem. The resulting early warning system not only provides network administrators with a heads-up cockpit display of their entire network, it also supports guided response and predictive capabilities for multi-stage attacks in converged networks.

A Fair Contention Access Scheme for Low-Priority Traffic in Wireless Body Area Networks

PubMed Central

Sajeel, Muhammad; Bashir, Faisal; Asfand-e-yar, Muhammad; Tauqir, Muhammad

2017-01-01

Recently, wireless body area networks (WBANs) have attracted significant consideration in ubiquitous healthcare. A number of medium access control (MAC) protocols, primarily derived from the superframe structure of the IEEE 802.15.4, have been proposed in literature. These MAC protocols aim to provide quality of service (QoS) by prioritizing different traffic types in WBANs. A contention access period (CAP)with high contention in priority-based MAC protocols can result in higher number of collisions and retransmissions. During CAP, traffic classes with higher priority are dominant over low-priority traffic; this has led to starvation of low-priority traffic, thus adversely affecting WBAN throughput, delay, and energy consumption. Hence, this paper proposes a traffic-adaptive priority-based superframe structure that is able to reduce contention in the CAP period, and provides a fair chance for low-priority traffic. Simulation results in ns-3 demonstrate that the proposed MAC protocol, called traffic- adaptive priority-based MAC (TAP-MAC), achieves low energy consumption, high throughput, and low latency compared to the IEEE 802.15.4 standard, and the most recent priority-based MAC protocol, called priority-based MAC protocol (PA-MAC). PMID:28832495

Discriminative validity of the MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale with Cluster B personality disorders.

PubMed

Smith, S R; Hilsenroth, M J

2001-06-01

This study was designed to assess the ability of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI-2) MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale (MAC-R) to differentiate between outpatients with personality disorders with Substance-Related Disorders (SRDs) and without SRDs. MMPI-2 validity, clinical, and MAC-R scale scores were compared in an SRD Cluster B group (comprised of Narcissistic, Antisocial, Borderline, and Histrionic; n = 15), a non-SRD Cluster B group (n = 33), and a non-SRD group with personality disorders from Clusters A and C (n = 18). Results revealed that the substance-abusing Cluster B group scored significantly higher on the MAC-R ( p <.0001) as well as the Psychopathic Deviate scale ( p <.01). Dimensional analyses illustrated that MAC-R scores were related to the presence of an SRD diagnosis (rpb =.70, p <.0001) and diagnostic criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder (r =.60, p <.0001). Stepwise regression revealed that (in order of magnitude) the presence of a substance-abuse diagnosis followed by diagnostic criteria for Antisocial and Histrionic Personality Disorders were most related to MAC-R scores (R =.78, R(2) =.60). This indicates that the MAC-R may be more related to the presence of an SRD than has been suggested, and when used in outpatient settings as MacAndrew (1965) intended, the MAC-R may be useful as a screening device for assessing SRD among outpatients with Axis II psychopathology.

The morphological heterogeneity of cricket flow-sensing hairs conveys the complex flow signature of predator attacks.

PubMed

Steinmann, Thomas; Casas, Jérôme

2017-06-01

Arthropod flow-sensing hair length ranges over more than an order of magnitude, from 0.1 to 5 mm. Previous studies repeatedly identified the longest hairs as the most sensitive, but recent studies identified the shortest hairs as the most responsive. We resolved this apparent conflict by proposing a new model, taking into account both the initial and long-term aspects of the flow pattern produced by a lunging predator. After the estimation of the mechanical parameters of hairs, we measured the flow produced by predator mimics and compared the predicted and observed values of hair displacements in this flow. Short and long hairs respond over different time scales during the course of an attack. By harbouring a canopy of hairs of different lengths, forming a continuum, the insect can fractionize these moments. Short hairs are more agile, but are less able to harvest energy from the air. This may result in longer hairs firing their neurons earlier, despite their slower deflection. The complex interplay between hair agility and sensitivity is also modulated by the predator distance and the attack speed, characteristics defining flow properties. We conclude that the morphological heterogeneity of the hair canopy mirrors the flow complexity of an entire attack, from launch to grasp. © 2017 The Author(s).

Functional characterization of the copper transcription factor AfMac1 from Aspergillus fumigatus.

PubMed

Park, Yong-Sung; Kim, Tae-Hyoung; Yun, Cheol-Won

2017-07-03

Although copper functions as a cofactor in many physiological processes, copper overload leads to harmful effects in living cells. Thus, copper homeostasis is tightly regulated. However, detailed copper metabolic pathways have not yet been identified in filamentous fungi. In this report, we investigated the copper transcription factor AfMac1 ( A spergillus f umigatus Mac1 homolog) and identified its regulatory mechanism in A. fumigatus AfMac1 has domains homologous to the DNA-binding and copper-binding domains of Mac1 from Saccharomyces cerevisiae , and AfMac1 efficiently complemented Mac1 in S. cerevisiae Expression of Afmac1 resulted in CTR1 up-regulation, and mutation of the DNA-binding domain of Afmac1 failed to activate CTR1 expression in S. cerevisiae The Afmac1 deletion strain of A. fumigatus failed to grow in copper-limited media, and its growth was restored by introducing ctrC We found that AfMac1 specifically bound to the promoter region of ctrC based on EMSA. The AfMac1-binding motif 5'-TGTGCTCA-3' was identified from the promoter region of ctrC , and the addition of mutant ctrC lacking the AfMac1-binding motif failed to up-regulate ctrC in A. fumigatus Furthermore, deletion of Afmac1 significantly reduced strain virulence and activated conidial killing activity by neutrophils and macrophages. Taken together, these results suggest that AfMac1 is a copper transcription factor that regulates cellular copper homeostasis in A. fumigatus . © 2017 The Author(s); published by Portland Press Limited on behalf of the Biochemical Society.

An observational study on patient admission in the anaesthesia gas monitor and minimum alveolar concentration monitoring: A deficiency with huge impact

PubMed Central

Karim, Habib Md Reazaul; Narayan, Anilkumar; Yunus, Md; Kumar, Sanjay; Prakash, Avinash; Sahoo, Sarasa Kumar

2017-01-01

Background and Aims: Minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) monitoring is an integral part of modern-day anaesthesia. Both MAC and MAC-awake are age dependant, and age of the patient needs to be entered in the monitor. This study was aimed to assess the practice of patient birth year entry in the anaesthesia monitor and its impact on MAC monitoring. Methods: Sixty volatile anaesthetic-based general anaesthetics (GAs) were observed silently in two tertiary care teaching hospitals with regard to ‘birth year’ entry in the patient monitor. The impact on MAC for non-entry of age was assessed. The observed MAC reading and the MAC corrected for age (MACage) of the patients were noted. Paired t-test was used to compare the differences in observed MAC and MACage values. P <0.05 was significant. Results: Sixty GAs of patients aged between 10 and 68 years were observed; 96.67% anaesthetics were conducted without entering ‘birth year’. Thirty-four patients (mean age 35.14 ± 15.38 years) were further assessed for impact of non-entry of age. The observed MAC was similar to MACage in patients aged 40 ± 5 years (36–45 years group). Nearly 79.41% of the observed MACs were incorrect; 55.88% patients were potentially underdosed whereas 23.53% were overdosed. Conclusion: Omitting patient age entry in the monitor results in erroneous MAC values, exposing patients <40 years to underdosing and older patients to overdose. PMID:28794529

PAD-MAC: Primary User Activity-Aware Distributed MAC for Multi-Channel Cognitive Radio Networks

PubMed Central

Ali, Amjad; Piran, Md. Jalil; Kim, Hansoo; Yun, Jihyeok; Suh, Doug Young

2015-01-01

Cognitive radio (CR) has emerged as a promising technology to solve problems related to spectrum scarcity and provides a ubiquitous wireless access environment. CR-enabled secondary users (SUs) exploit spectrum white spaces opportunistically and immediately vacate the acquired licensed channels as primary users (PUs) arrive. Accessing the licensed channels without the prior knowledge of PU traffic patterns causes severe throughput degradation due to excessive channel switching and PU-to-SU collisions. Therefore, it is significantly important to design a PU activity-aware medium access control (MAC) protocol for cognitive radio networks (CRNs). In this paper, we first propose a licensed channel usage pattern identification scheme, based on a two-state Markov model, and then estimate the future idle slots using previous observations of the channels. Furthermore, based on these past observations, we compute the rank of each available licensed channel that gives SU transmission success assessment during the estimated idle slot. Secondly, we propose a PU activity-aware distributed MAC (PAD-MAC) protocol for heterogeneous multi-channel CRNs that selects the best channel for each SU to enhance its throughput. PAD-MAC controls SU activities by allowing them to exploit the licensed channels only for the duration of estimated idle slots and enables predictive and fast channel switching. To evaluate the performance of the proposed PAD-MAC, we compare it with the distributed QoS-aware MAC (QC-MAC) and listen-before-talk MAC schemes. Extensive numerical results show the significant improvements of the PAD-MAC in terms of the SU throughput, SU channel switching rate and PU-to-SU collision rate. PMID:25831084

78 FR 65541 - Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation Funding and Fiscal Affairs; Farmer Mac Liquidity...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-01

... Funding and Fiscal Affairs; Farmer Mac Liquidity Management AGENCY: Farm Credit Administration. ACTION... liquidity management regulations for the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation (Farmer Mac). The purpose of the final rule is to strengthen liquidity risk management at Farmer Mac, improve the quality of...

Increasing arsenic sorption on red mud by phosphogypsum addition.

PubMed

Lopes, G; Guilherme, L R G; Costa, E T S; Curi, N; Penha, H G V

2013-11-15

Mining by-products have been tested as adsorbents for arsenic in order to reduce As bioavailability. This study evaluated a red mud (RM) treated with or without phosphogypsum (G) in order to improve its As retention. Red mud and G samples and their mixtures were chemically and mineralogically characterized to gather information concerning their composition, which is key for a better understanding of the adsorbent properties. Phosphogypsum was added to RM in the following proportions: 0, 1, 2, 5, 10, and 25% by weight. These mixtures were subjected to As adsorption and desorption and tested for their maximum adsorption capacity of As (AsMAC). Arsenic adsorption increased upon increasing the proportion of G added to RM. The AsMAC at pure RM reached 909 mg kg(-1), whereas the 75%-RM+25%-G mixture sorbed up to 3333 mg kg(-1) of As, i.e., a 3.5-fold increase in AsMAC. Using G in mixtures with RM increases the efficiency of As adsorption due to the presence of Ca(2+), which alters the charge balance of the adsorbent, leading to the formation of ternary complexes. Addition of G to RM is thus a promising technique to improve As retention, while providing additional value to both by-products, G and RM. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Emotion as the Amplifier and the Primary Motive: Some Theories of Emotion with Relevance to Language Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Oxford, Rebecca L.

2015-01-01

Emotion is crucial to living and learning. The powerful intertwining of emotion and cognition ignites learning within a complex dynamic system, which, as several sections of this paper show, also includes societal and cultural influences. As "the primary human motive" (MacIntyre, 2002a, p. 61), emotion operates as an amplifier, which…

Is the GUI approach to Computer Development (For Example, Mac, and Windows Technology) a Threat to Computer Users Who Are Blind?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Melrose, S.; And Others

1995-01-01

In this point/counterpoint feature, S. Melrose contends that complex graphical user interfaces (GUIs) threaten the independence and equal employment of individuals with blindness. D. Wakefield then points out that access to the Windows software program for blind computer users is extremely unpredictable, and J. Gill describes a major European…

Co-expression of ovine LPS receptor CD14 with Mannheimia haemolytica leukotoxin receptor LFA-1 or Mac-1 does not enhance leukotoxin-induced cytotoxicity

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Leukotoxin (Lkt) and LPS are the major virulence determinants of Mannheimia haemolytica that contribute to the pathogenesis of bovine and ovine pneumonic pasteurellosis. We have previously identified bovine and ovine CD18 as the functional receptor for Lkt. LPS complexes with Lkt resulting in incre...

Bandwidth Management in Resource Constrained Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

Postgraduate School OSI Open Systems Interconnection QoS Quality of Service TCP Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol TCP/IP Transmission...filtering. B. NORMAL TCP/IP COMMUNICATIONS The Internet is a “complex network WAN that connects LANs and clients around the globe” (Dean, 2009...of the Open Systems Interconnection ( OSI ) model allowing them to route traffic based on MAC address (Kurose & Ross, 2009). While switching

Constraints of nonresponding flows based on cross layers in the networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Zhi-Chao; Xiao, Yang; Wang, Dong

2016-02-01

In the active queue management (AQM) scheme, core routers cannot manage and constrain user datagram protocol (UDP) data flows by the sliding window control mechanism in the transport layer due to the nonresponsive nature of such traffic flows. However, the UDP traffics occupy a large part of the network service nowadays which brings a great challenge to the stability of the more and more complex networks. To solve the uncontrollable problem, this paper proposes a cross layers random early detection (CLRED) scheme, which can control the nonresponding UDP-like flows rate effectively when congestion occurs in the access point (AP). The CLRED makes use of the MAC frame acknowledgement (ACK) transmitting congestion information to the sources nodes and utilizes the back-off windows of the MAC layer throttling data rate. Consequently, the UDP-like flows data rate can be restrained timely by the sources nodes in order to alleviate congestion in the complex networks. The proposed CLRED can constrain the nonresponsive flows availably and make the communication expedite, so that the network can sustain stable. The simulation results of network simulator-2 (NS2) verify the proposed CLRED scheme.

Simulation of Attacks for Security in Wireless Sensor Network.

PubMed

Diaz, Alvaro; Sanchez, Pablo

2016-11-18

The increasing complexity and low-power constraints of current Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) require efficient methodologies for network simulation and embedded software performance analysis of nodes. In addition, security is also a very important feature that has to be addressed in most WSNs, since they may work with sensitive data and operate in hostile unattended environments. In this paper, a methodology for security analysis of Wireless Sensor Networks is presented. The methodology allows designing attack-aware embedded software/firmware or attack countermeasures to provide security in WSNs. The proposed methodology includes attacker modeling and attack simulation with performance analysis (node's software execution time and power consumption estimation). After an analysis of different WSN attack types, an attacker model is proposed. This model defines three different types of attackers that can emulate most WSN attacks. In addition, this paper presents a virtual platform that is able to model the node hardware, embedded software and basic wireless channel features. This virtual simulation analyzes the embedded software behavior and node power consumption while it takes into account the network deployment and topology. Additionally, this simulator integrates the previously mentioned attacker model. Thus, the impact of attacks on power consumption and software behavior/execution-time can be analyzed. This provides developers with essential information about the effects that one or multiple attacks could have on the network, helping them to develop more secure WSN systems. This WSN attack simulator is an essential element of the attack-aware embedded software development methodology that is also introduced in this work.

The 3D elliptic restricted three-body problem: periodic orbits which bifurcate from limiting restricted problems. Complex instability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ollé, Mercè; Pacha, Joan R.

1999-11-01

In the present work we use certain isolated symmetric periodic orbits found in some limiting Restricted Three-Body Problems to obtain, by numerical continuation, families of symmetric periodic orbits of the more general Spatial Elliptic Restricted Three Body Problem. In particular, the Planar Isosceles Restricted Three Body Problem, the Sitnikov Problem and the MacMillan problem are considered. A stability study for the periodic orbits of the families obtained - specially focused to detect transitions to complex instability - is also made.

Quantum private query with perfect user privacy against a joint-measurement attack

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yu-Guang; Liu, Zhi-Chao; Li, Jian; Chen, Xiu-Bo; Zuo, Hui-Juan; Zhou, Yi-Hua; Shi, Wei-Min

2016-12-01

The joint-measurement (JM) attack is the most powerful threat to the database security for existing quantum-key-distribution (QKD)-based quantum private query (QPQ) protocols. Wei et al. (2016) [28] proposed a novel QPQ protocol against the JM attack. However, their protocol relies on two-way quantum communication thereby affecting its real implementation and communication efficiency. Moreover, it cannot ensure perfect user privacy. In this paper, we present a new one-way QPQ protocol in which the special way of classical post-processing of oblivious key ensures the security against the JM attack. Furthermore, it realizes perfect user privacy and lower complexity of communication.

Phase Relations and Miscibility in Polymer Blends Containing Copolymers.

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-04-15

MacKnight, W. J ., Pure Appl. Chem. 52, 409 (1980). 36. Vukovic , R., Kuresevic, V., Karasz, F. E., and MacKnight, W. J ., Thermochim. Acta 54, 349 (1982). 37... Vukovic , R., Karasz, F. E., and MacKnight, W. J ., Polymer 24, 529 (1983). 38. Vukovic , R., Karasz, F. E., and MacKnight, W. J ., J . Appl. Polymer Sci...28, 219 (1983). 39. Zacharius, S. L., ten Brinke, G., MacKnight, W. J ., and Karasz, F. E., Macromolecules 16, 381 (1983). 40. Vukovic , R., Kuresevic

Shooting Alone: The Pre-Attack Experiences and Behaviors of U.S. Solo Mass Murderers.

PubMed

Gill, Paul; Silver, James; Horgan, John; Corner, Emily

2017-05-01

This paper outlines the sociodemographic, developmental, antecedent attack, attack preparation, and commission properties of 115 mass murderers between 1990 and 2014. The results indicate that mass murderer attacks are usually the culmination of a complex mix of personal, political, and social drivers that crystalize at the same time to drive the individual down the path of violent action. We specifically focus upon areas related to prior criminal engagement, leakage, and attack location familiarity. Whether the violence comes to fruition is usually a combination of the availability and vulnerability of suitable targets that suit the heady mix of personal and political grievances and the individual's capability to engage in an attack from both a psychological and technical capability standpoint. Many individual cases share a mixture of unfortunate personal life circumstances coupled with an intensification of beliefs/grievances that later developed into the idea to engage in violence. © 2016 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

Localized attacks on spatially embedded networks with dependencies.

PubMed

Berezin, Yehiel; Bashan, Amir; Danziger, Michael M; Li, Daqing; Havlin, Shlomo

2015-03-11

Many real world complex systems such as critical infrastructure networks are embedded in space and their components may depend on one another to function. They are also susceptible to geographically localized damage caused by malicious attacks or natural disasters. Here, we study a general model of spatially embedded networks with dependencies under localized attacks. We develop a theoretical and numerical approach to describe and predict the effects of localized attacks on spatially embedded systems with dependencies. Surprisingly, we find that a localized attack can cause substantially more damage than an equivalent random attack. Furthermore, we find that for a broad range of parameters, systems which appear stable are in fact metastable. Though robust to random failures-even of finite fraction-if subjected to a localized attack larger than a critical size which is independent of the system size (i.e., a zero fraction), a cascading failure emerges which leads to complete system collapse. Our results demonstrate the potential high risk of localized attacks on spatially embedded network systems with dependencies and may be useful for designing more resilient systems.

False Positive and False Negative Effects on Network Attacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shang, Yilun

2018-01-01

Robustness against attacks serves as evidence for complex network structures and failure mechanisms that lie behind them. Most often, due to detection capability limitation or good disguises, attacks on networks are subject to false positives and false negatives, meaning that functional nodes may be falsely regarded as compromised by the attacker and vice versa. In this work, we initiate a study of false positive/negative effects on network robustness against three fundamental types of attack strategies, namely, random attacks (RA), localized attacks (LA), and targeted attack (TA). By developing a general mathematical framework based upon the percolation model, we investigate analytically and by numerical simulations of attack robustness with false positive/negative rate (FPR/FNR) on three benchmark models including Erdős-Rényi (ER) networks, random regular (RR) networks, and scale-free (SF) networks. We show that ER networks are equivalently robust against RA and LA only when FPR equals zero or the initial network is intact. We find several interesting crossovers in RR and SF networks when FPR is taken into consideration. By defining the cost of attack, we observe diminishing marginal attack efficiency for RA, LA, and TA. Our finding highlights the potential risk of underestimating or ignoring FPR in understanding attack robustness. The results may provide insights into ways of enhancing robustness of network architecture and improve the level of protection of critical infrastructures.

Library Signage: Applications for the Apple Macintosh and MacPaint.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diskin, Jill A.; FitzGerald, Patricia

1984-01-01

Describes specific applications of the Macintosh computer at Carnegie-Mellon University Libraries, where MacPaint was used as a flexible, easy to use, and powerful tool to produce informational, instructional, and promotional signage. Profiles of system hardware and software, an evaluation of the computer program MacPaint, and MacPaint signage…

Antibiotic Resistance Mediated by the MacB ABC Transporter Family: A Structural and Functional Perspective.

PubMed

Greene, Nicholas P; Kaplan, Elise; Crow, Allister; Koronakis, Vassilis

2018-01-01

The MacB ABC transporter forms a tripartite efflux pump with the MacA adaptor protein and TolC outer membrane exit duct to expel antibiotics and export virulence factors from Gram-negative bacteria. Here, we review recent structural and functional data on MacB and its homologs. MacB has a fold that is distinct from other structurally characterized ABC transporters and uses a unique molecular mechanism termed mechanotransmission. Unlike other bacterial ABC transporters, MacB does not transport substrates across the inner membrane in which it is based, but instead couples cytoplasmic ATP hydrolysis with transmembrane conformational changes that are used to perform work in the extra-cytoplasmic space. In the MacAB-TolC tripartite pump, mechanotransmission drives efflux of antibiotics and export of a protein toxin from the periplasmic space via the TolC exit duct. Homologous tripartite systems from pathogenic bacteria similarly export protein-like signaling molecules, virulence factors and siderophores. In addition, many MacB-like ABC transporters do not form tripartite pumps, but instead operate in diverse cellular processes including antibiotic sensing, cell division and lipoprotein trafficking.

[Effects of xenon preconditioning against ischemia/reperfusion injury and oxidative stress in immature heart].

PubMed

Li, Qian; Lian, Chun-Wei; Fang, Li-Qun; Liu, Bin; Yang, Bo

2014-09-01

To investigate whether xenon preconditioning (PC) could protect immature myocardium against ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury in a dose-dependent manner and clarify the role of xenon PC on oxidative stress. Forty-eight isolated perfused immature rabbit hearts were randomly divided into four groups (n = 12): The sham group had the hearts perfused continuously for 300 min. In I/R group, the hearts were subjected to 60 min perfusion followed by 60 min ischemia and 180 min reperfusion. In 1 minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) and 0.5 MAC xenon PC groups, the hearts were preconditioned with 1 MAC or 0.5 MAC xenon respectively, following 60 min ischemia and 180 min reperfusion. The cardiac function, myocardial infarct size, mitochondrial structure, superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and malondialdehyde (MDA) level in each group were determined after reperfusion. Compared with I/R group, both 1 MAC and 0. 5 MAC xenon preconditioning significantly improved cardiac function (P < 0.01), reduced myocardial infarct size (P < 0.01) and mitochondrial damage, increased SOD activity and decreased MDA level (P < 0.01). There were no differences between 1 MAC group and 0.5 MAC xenon group (P > 0.05). Xenon preconditioning at 0. 5 and 1 MAC produce similar cardioprotective effects against I/R injury in isolated perfused immature heart.

Current evidence for the use of C-MAC videolaryngoscope in adult airway management: a review of the literature

PubMed Central

Xue, Fu-Shan; Li, Hui-Xian; Liu, Ya-Yang; Yang, Gui-Zhen

2017-01-01

The C-MAC videolaryngoscope is the first Macintosh-typed videolaryngoscope. Since the advent of its original version video Macintosh system in 1999, this device has been modified several times. A unique feature of C-MAC device is its ability to provide the 2 options of direct and video laryngoscopy with the same device. The available evidence shows that in patients with normal airways, C-MAC videolaryngoscope compared with direct laryngoscopy can provide comparable or better laryngeal views and exerts less force on maxillary incisors, but does not offer conclusive benefits with regard to intubation time, intubation success, number of intubation attempts, the use of adjuncts, and hemodynamic responses to intubation. In patients with predicted or known difficult airways, C-MAC videolaryngoscope can achieve a better laryngeal view, a higher intubation success rate and a shorter intubation time than direct laryngoscopy. Furthermore, the option to perform direct and video laryngoscopy with the same device makes C-MAC videolaryngoscope exceptionally useful for emergency intubation. In addition, the C-MAC videolaryngoscope is a very good tool for tracheal intubation teaching. However, tracheal intubation with C-MAC videolaryngoscope may occasionally fail and introduction of C-MAC videolaryngoscope in clinical practice must be accompanied by formal training programs in normal and difficult airway managements. PMID:28740393

Preliminary Results of Bedaquiline as Salvage Therapy for Patients With Nontuberculous Mycobacterial Lung Disease

PubMed Central

Wallace, Richard J.; Benwill, Jeana L.; Taskar, Varsha; Brown-Elliott, Barbara A.; Thakkar, Foram; Aksamit, Timothy R.; Griffith, David E.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Bedaquiline is an oral antimycobacterial agent belonging to a new class of drugs called diarylquinolines. It has low equivalent minimal inhibitory concentrations for Mycobacterium tuberculosis and nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) lung disease, especially Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and Mycobacterium abscessus (Mab). Bedaquiline appears to be effective for the treatment of multidrug-resistant TB but has not been tested clinically for NTM disease. METHODS: We describe a case series of off-label use of bedaquiline for treatment failure lung disease caused by MAC or Mab. Only patients whose insurance would pay for the drug were included. Fifteen adult patients were selected, but only 10 (six MAC, four Mab) could obtain bedaquiline. The 10 patients had been treated for 1 to 8 years, and all were on treatment at the start of bedaquiline therapy. Eighty percent had macrolide-resistant isolates (eight of 10). The patients were treated with the same bedaquiline dosage as that used in TB trials and received the best available companion drugs (mean, 5.0 drugs). All patients completed 6 months of therapy and remain on bedaquiline. RESULTS: Common side effects included nausea (60%), arthralgias (40%), and anorexia and subjective fever (30%). No abnormal ECG findings were observed with a mean corrected QT interval lengthening of 2.4 milliseconds at 6 months. After 6 months of therapy, 60% of patients (six of 10) had a microbiologic response, with 50% (five of 10) having one or more negative cultures. CONCLUSIONS: This small preliminary report demonstrates potential clinical and microbiologic activity of bedaquiline in patients with advanced MAC or Mab lung disease but the findings require confirmation with larger studies. PMID:25675393

A simple phenotypic method for screening of MCR-1-mediated colistin resistance.

PubMed

Coppi, M; Cannatelli, A; Antonelli, A; Baccani, I; Di Pilato, V; Sennati, S; Giani, T; Rossolini, G M

2018-02-01

To evaluate a novel method, the colistin-MAC test, for phenotypic screening of acquired colistin resistance mediated by transferable mcr-1 resistance determinants, based on colistin MIC reduction in the presence of dipicolinic acid (DPA). The colistin-MAC test consists in a broth microdilution method, in which colistin MIC is tested in the absence or presence of DPA (900 μg/mL). Overall, 74 colistin-resistant strains of Enterobacteriaceae (65 Escherichia coli and nine other species), including 61 strains carrying mcr-1-like genes and 13 strains negative for mcr genes, were evaluated with the colistin-MAC test. The presence of mcr-1-like and mcr-2-like genes was assessed by real-time PCR and end-point PCR. For 20 strains, whole-genome sequencing data were also available. A ≥8-fold reduction of colistin MIC in the presence of DPA was observed with 59 mcr-1-positive strains, including 53 E. coli of clinical origin, three E. coli transconjugants carrying MCR-1-encoding plasmids, one Enterobacter cloacae complex and two Citrobacter spp. Colistin MICs were unchanged, increased or at most reduced by twofold with the 13 mcr-negative colistin-resistant strains (nine E. coli and four Klebsiella pneumoniae), but also with two mcr-1-like-positive K. pneumoniae strains. The colistin-MAC test could be a simple phenotypic test for presumptive identification of mcr-1-positive strains among isolates of colistin-resistant E. coli, based on a ≥8-fold reduction of colistin MIC in the presence of DPA. Evaluation of the test with a larger number of strains, species and mcr-type resistance determinants would be of interest. Copyright © 2017 European Society of Clinical Microbiology and Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Impact of industrial structure and soil exposure on the regional variations in pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial disease prevalence.

PubMed

Hamada, Satoshi; Ito, Yutaka; Hirai, Toyohiro; Murase, Kimihiko; Tsuji, Takahiro; Fujita, Kohei; Mio, Tadashi; Maekawa, Koichi; Fujii, Takashi; Ono, Shigeki; Nishimura, Takashi; Hayashi, Akihiko; Komori, Toshiaki; Fujita, Naohisa; Niimi, Akio; Ichiyama, Satoshi; Chin, Kazuo; Mishima, Michiaki

2016-06-01

The prevalence of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial (pNTM) disease, including Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC), varies widely according to geographic region. However, the factors that influence regional variations in pNTM disease prevalence remain unknown. This study was undertaken to examine whether environmental or occupational factors or host traits could influence regional variations in pNTM disease prevalence. We collected laboratory data on pulmonary tuberculosis (pTB) and pNTM from two hospitals in the West Harima area of Japan and five hospitals in Kyoto City, Japan from 2012 to 2013. We estimated microbiological pNTM disease prevalence by multiplying all pTB cases in each area with the ratio of pNTM cases and pTB cases at the survey hospitals in each area. We administered a standardized questionnaire to 52 patients and 120 patients with pulmonary MAC (pMAC) disease at Ako City Hospital and Kyoto University Hospital, respectively. The estimated prevalence of microbiological pNTM disease in the West Harima area (85.4/100,000 population-years) was significantly higher than that observed in Kyoto City (23.6/100,000 population-years; p<.001). According to multiple logistic regression analysis, in Ako City Hospital, primary (activities directly related to natural resources) and secondary industries (construction, mining, and manufacturing primary industry produce; odds ratio [OR]=4.79; 95% confidence interval [CI]=1.49-14.0; p=.007) and soil exposure (OR=13.6; 95% CI=4.94-45.26; p<.001) were associated with pMAC disease. Environmental factors, both industrial structures associated with occupational dust and environmental soil exposure, could influence the regional variations in pNTM disease prevalence. Copyright © 2016 Asian-African Society for Mycobacteriology. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Emerging Techniques for Field Device Security

DOE PAGES

Schwartz, Moses; Bechtel Corp.; Mulder, John; ...

2014-11-01

Critical infrastructure, such as electrical power plants and oil refineries, rely on embedded devices to control essential processes. State of the art security is unable to detect attacks on these devices at the hardware or firmware level. We provide an overview of the hardware used in industrial control system field devices, look at how these devices have been attacked, and discuss techniques and new technologies that may be used to secure them. We follow three themes: (1) Inspectability, the capability for an external arbiter to monitor the internal state of a device. (2) Trustworthiness, the degree to which a systemmore » will continue to function correctly despite disruption, error, or attack. (3) Diversity, the use of adaptive systems and complexity to make attacks more difficult by reducing the feasible attack surface.« less

Effect of fentanyl and lidocaine on the end-tidal sevoflurane concentration preventing motor movement in dogs.

PubMed

Suarez, Martin A; Seddighi, Reza; Egger, Christine M; Rohrbach, Barton W; Cox, Sherry K; KuKanich, Butch K; Doherty, Thomas J

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE To determine effects of fentanyl, lidocaine, and a fentanyl-lidocaine combination on the minimum alveolar concentration of sevoflurane preventing motor movement (MAC NM ) in dogs. ANIMALS 6 adult Beagles. PROCEDURES Dogs were anesthetized with sevoflurane in oxygen 3 times (1-week intervals). Baseline MAC NM (MAC NM-B ) was determined starting 45 minutes after induction of anesthesia. Dogs then received 1 of 3 treatments IV: fentanyl (loading dose, 15 μg/kg; constant rate infusion [CRI], 6 μg/kg/h), lidocaine (loading dose, 2 mg/kg; CRI, 6 mg/kg/h), and the fentanyl-lidocaine combination at the same doses. Determination of treatment MAC NM (MAC NM-T ) was initiated 90 minutes after start of the CRI. Venous blood samples were collected at the time of each treatment MAC NM measurement for determination of plasma concentrations of fentanyl and lidocaine. RESULTS Mean ± SEM overall MAC NM-B for the 3 treatments was 2.70 ± 0.27 vol%. The MAC NM decreased from MAC NM-B to MAC NM-T by 39%, 21%, and 55% for fentanyl, lidocaine, and the fentanyl-lidocaine combination, respectively. This decrease differed significantly among treatments. Plasma fentanyl concentration was 3.25 and 2.94 ng/mL for fentanyl and the fentanyl-lidocaine combination, respectively. Plasma lidocaine concentration was 2,570 and 2,417 ng/mL for lidocaine and the fentanyl-lidocaine combination, respectively. Plasma fentanyl and lidocaine concentrations did not differ significantly between fentanyl and the fentanyl-lidocaine combination or between lidocaine and the fentanyl-lidocaine combination. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE CRIs of fentanyl, lidocaine, and the fentanyl-lidocaine combination at the doses used were associated with clinically important and significant decreases in the MAC NM of sevoflurane in dogs.

Awake Craniotomy Anesthesia: A Comparison of the Monitored Anesthesia Care and Asleep-Awake-Asleep Techniques.

PubMed

Eseonu, Chikezie I; ReFaey, Karim; Garcia, Oscar; John, Amballur; Quiñones-Hinojosa, Alfredo; Tripathi, Punita

2017-08-01

Commonly used sedation techniques for an awake craniotomy include monitored anesthesia care (MAC), using an unprotected airway, and the asleep-awake-asleep (AAA) technique, using a partially or totally protected airway. We present a comparative analysis of the MAC and AAA techniques, evaluating anesthetic management, perioperative outcomes, and complications in a consecutive series of patients undergoing the removal of an eloquent brain lesion. Eighty-one patients underwent awake craniotomy for an intracranial lesion over a 9-year period performed by a single-surgeon and a team of anesthesiologists. Fifty patients were treated using the MAC technique, and 31 were treated using the AAA technique. A retrospective analysis evaluated anesthetic management, intraoperative complications, postoperative outcomes, pain management, and complications. The MAC and AAA groups had similar preoperative patient and tumor characteristics. Mean operative time was shorter in the MAC group (283.5 minutes vs. 313.3 minutes; P = 0.038). Hypertension was the most common intraoperative complication seen (8% in the MAC group vs. 9.7% in the AAA group; P = 0.794). Intraoperative seizure occurred at a rate of 4% in the MAC group and 3.2% in the AAA group (P = 0.858). Awake cases were converted to general anesthesia in no patients in the MAC group and in 1 patient (3.2%) in the AAA group (P = 0.201). No cases were aborted in either group. The mean hospital length of stay was 3.98 days in the MAC group and 3.84 days in the AAA group (P = 0.833). Both the MAC and AAA sedation techniques provide an efficacious and safe method for managing awake craniotomy cases and produce similar perioperative outcomes, with the MAC technique associated with shorter operative time. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Efficient removal of amoxicillin and paracetamol from aqueous solutions using magnetic activated carbon.

PubMed

Saucier, Caroline; Karthickeyan, P; Ranjithkumar, V; Lima, Eder C; Dos Reis, Glaydson S; de Brum, Irineu A S

2017-02-01

Activated carbon (AC)/CoFe 2 O 4 nanocomposites, MAC-1 and MAC-2, were prepared by a simple pyrolytic method using a mixture of iron(III)/cobalt(II) benzoates and iron(III)/cobalt(II) oxalates, respectively, and were used as efficient adsorbents for the removal of amoxicillin (AMX) and paracetamol (PCT) of aqueous effluents. The synthesized nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The sizes of cobalt ferrite nanoparticles formed from benzoates of iron(III)/cobalt(II) and oxalates of iron(III)/cobalt(II) precursors were in the ranges of 5-80 and 6-27 nm, respectively. The saturation magnetization (M s ), remanence (M r ) and coercivity (H c ) of the MAC-2 nanocomposites were found to be 3.07 emu g -1 , 1.36 emu g -1 and 762.49 Oe; for MAC-1, they were 0.2989 emu g -1 , 0.0466 emu g -1 and 456.82 Oe. The adsorption kinetics and isotherm studies were investigated, and the results showed that the as-prepared nanocomposites MAC-1 and MAC-2 could be utilized as an efficient, magnetically separable adsorbent for environmental cleanup. The maximum sorption capacities obtained were 280.9 and 444.2 mg g -1 of AMX for MAC-1 and MAC-2, respectively, and 215.1 and 399.9 mg g -1 of PCT using MAC-1 and MAC-2, respectively. Both adsorbents were successfully used for simulated hospital effluents, removing at least 93.00 and 96.77% for MAC-1 and MAC-2, respectively, of a mixture of nine pharmaceuticals with high concentrations of sugars, organic components and saline concentrations.

Refractory inclusions from the ungrouped carbonaceous chondrites MAC 87300 and MAC 88107

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russell, Sara S.; Davis, Andrew M.; MacPherson, Glenn J.; Guan, Yunbin; Huss, Gary R.

2000-09-01

MAC 87300 and MAC 88107 are two unusual carbonaceous chondrites that are intermediate in chemical composition between the CO3 and CM2 meteorite groups. Calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions (CAIs) from these two meteorites are mostly spinel-pyroxene and melilite-rich (Type A) varieties. Spinel-pyroxene inclusions have either a banded or nodular texture, with aluminous diopside rimming iron-poor spinel. Melilite-rich inclusions (4-42) are irregular in shape and contain minor spinel (FeO <1 wt%), perovskite and, more rarely, hibonite. The CAIs in MAC 88107 and MAC 87300 are similar in primary mineralogy to CAIs from low petrologic grade CO3 meteorites, but differ in that they commonly contain phyllosilicates. The two meteorites also differ somewhat from each other: melilite is more abundant and slightly more aluminum-rich in inclusions from MAC 88107 than in those from MAC 87300, and phyllosilicate is more abundant and magnesium-poor in MAC 87300 CAIs relative to that in MAC 88107. These differences suggest that the two meteorites are not paired. CAI sizes and the abundance of melilite-rich CAIs in MAC 88107 and MAC 87300 suggests a genetic relationship to CO3 meteorites, but the CAIs in both have suffered a greater degree of aqueous alteration than is observed in COs. Al-rich melilite in CAIs from both meteorites generally contains excess 26Mg, presumably from the in situ decay of 26Al. Although well-defined isochrons are not observed, the 26Mg excesses are consistent with initial 26Al/27Al ~3-5 ( 10-5. An unusual hibonite-bearing inclusion is isotopically heterogeneous, with two large and abutting hibonite crystals showing significant differences in their degrees of mass-dependent fractionation of 25Mg/24Mg. The two crystals also show differences in their inferred initial 26Al/27Al, 1 ( 10-5 vs. 3 ( 10-6.

Conserved genetic pathways associated with microphthalmia, anophthalmia, and coloboma

PubMed Central

Reis, Linda M.; Semina, Elena V.

2016-01-01

The human eye is a complex organ whose development requires extraordinary coordination of developmental processes. The conservation of ocular developmental steps in vertebrates suggests possible common genetic mechanisms. Genetic diseases involving the eye represent a leading cause of blindness in children and adults. During the last decades, there has been an exponential increase in genetic studies of ocular disorders. In this review, we summarize current success in identification of genes responsible for microphthalmia, anophthalmia and coloboma (MAC) phenotypes, which are associated with early defects in embryonic eye development. Studies in animal models for the orthologous genes identified overlapping phenotypes for most factors confirming the conservation of their function in vertebrate development. These animal models allow for further investigation of the mechanisms of MAC, integration of various identified genes into common developmental pathways and, finally, provide an avenue for the development and testing of therapeutic interventions. PMID:26046913

Conserved genetic pathways associated with microphthalmia, anophthalmia, and coloboma.

PubMed

Reis, Linda M; Semina, Elena V

2015-06-01

The human eye is a complex organ whose development requires extraordinary coordination of developmental processes. The conservation of ocular developmental steps in vertebrates suggests possible common genetic mechanisms. Genetic diseases involving the eye represent a leading cause of blindness in children and adults. During the last decades, there has been an exponential increase in genetic studies of ocular disorders. In this review, we summarize current success in identification of genes responsible for microphthalmia, anophthalmia, and coloboma (MAC) phenotypes, which are associated with early defects in embryonic eye development. Studies in animal models for the orthologous genes identified overlapping phenotypes for most factors, confirming the conservation of their function in vertebrate development. These animal models allow for further investigation of the mechanisms of MAC, integration of various identified genes into common developmental pathways and finally, provide an avenue for the development and testing of therapeutic interventions. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A VLSI implementation of DCT using pass transistor technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kamath, S.; Lynn, Douglas; Whitaker, Sterling

1992-01-01

A VLSI design for performing the Discrete Cosine Transform (DCT) operation on image blocks of size 16 x 16 in a real time fashion operating at 34 MHz (worst case) is presented. The process used was Hewlett-Packard's CMOS26--A 3 metal CMOS process with a minimum feature size of 0.75 micron. The design is based on Multiply-Accumulate (MAC) cells which make use of a modified Booth recoding algorithm for performing multiplication. The design of these cells is straight forward, and the layouts are regular with no complex routing. Two versions of these MAC cells were designed and their layouts completed. Both versions were simulated using SPICE to estimate their performance. One version is slightly faster at the cost of larger silicon area and higher power consumption. An improvement in speed of almost 20 percent is achieved after several iterations of simulation and re-sizing.

The Mpi-M Aerosol Climatology (MAC)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinne, S.

2014-12-01

Monthly gridded global data-sets for aerosol optical properties (AOD, SSA and g) and for aerosol microphysical properties (CCN and IN) offer a (less complex) alternate path to include aerosol radiative effects and aerosol impacts on cloud-microphysics in global simulations. Based on merging AERONET sun-/sky-photometer data onto background maps provided by AeroCom phase 1 modeling output and AERONET sun-/the MPI-M Aerosol Climatology (MAC) version 1 was developed and applied in IPCC simulations with ECHAM and as ancillary data-set in satellite-based global data-sets. An updated version 2 of this climatology will be presented now applying central values from the more recent AeroCom phase 2 modeling and utilizing the better global coverage of trusted sun-photometer data - including statistics from the Marine Aerosol network (MAN). Applications include spatial distributions of estimates for aerosol direct and aerosol indirect radiative effects.

Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

MedlinePlus

... Other major and minor traumas — such as surgery, heart attacks, infections and even sprained ankles — can also lead to complex regional pain syndrome. It's not well-understood why these injuries can trigger complex regional pain syndrome. Not everyone who has ...

Error and attack tolerance of complex networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albert, Réka; Jeong, Hawoong; Barabási, Albert-László

2000-07-01

Many complex systems display a surprising degree of tolerance against errors. For example, relatively simple organisms grow, persist and reproduce despite drastic pharmaceutical or environmental interventions, an error tolerance attributed to the robustness of the underlying metabolic network. Complex communication networks display a surprising degree of robustness: although key components regularly malfunction, local failures rarely lead to the loss of the global information-carrying ability of the network. The stability of these and other complex systems is often attributed to the redundant wiring of the functional web defined by the systems' components. Here we demonstrate that error tolerance is not shared by all redundant systems: it is displayed only by a class of inhomogeneously wired networks, called scale-free networks, which include the World-Wide Web, the Internet, social networks and cells. We find that such networks display an unexpected degree of robustness, the ability of their nodes to communicate being unaffected even by unrealistically high failure rates. However, error tolerance comes at a high price in that these networks are extremely vulnerable to attacks (that is, to the selection and removal of a few nodes that play a vital role in maintaining the network's connectivity). Such error tolerance and attack vulnerability are generic properties of communication networks.

Exploring resting-state EEG complexity before migraine attacks.

PubMed

Cao, Zehong; Lai, Kuan-Lin; Lin, Chin-Teng; Chuang, Chun-Hsiang; Chou, Chien-Chen; Wang, Shuu-Jiun

2018-06-01

Objective Entropy-based approaches to understanding the temporal dynamics of complexity have revealed novel insights into various brain activities. Herein, electroencephalogram complexity before migraine attacks was examined using an inherent fuzzy entropy approach, allowing the development of an electroencephalogram-based classification model to recognize the difference between interictal and preictal phases. Methods Forty patients with migraine without aura and 40 age-matched normal control subjects were recruited, and the resting-state electroencephalogram signals of their prefrontal and occipital areas were prospectively collected. The migraine phases were defined based on the headache diary, and the preictal phase was defined as within 72 hours before a migraine attack. Results The electroencephalogram complexity of patients in the preictal phase, which resembled that of normal control subjects, was significantly higher than that of patients in the interictal phase in the prefrontal area (FDR-adjusted p < 0.05) but not in the occipital area. The measurement of test-retest reliability (n = 8) using the intra-class correlation coefficient was good with r1 = 0.73 ( p = 0.01). Furthermore, the classification model, support vector machine, showed the highest accuracy (76 ± 4%) for classifying interictal and preictal phases using the prefrontal electroencephalogram complexity. Conclusion Entropy-based analytical methods identified enhancement or "normalization" of frontal electroencephalogram complexity during the preictal phase compared with the interictal phase. This classification model, using this complexity feature, may have the potential to provide a preictal alert to migraine without aura patients.

Kinetic control of TolC recruitment by multidrug efflux complexes.

PubMed

Tikhonova, Elena B; Dastidar, Vishakha; Rybenkov, Valentin V; Zgurskaya, Helen I

2009-09-22

In Gram-negative pathogens, multidrug efflux pumps that provide clinically significant levels of antibiotic resistance function as three-component complexes. They are composed of the inner membrane transporters belonging to one of three superfamilies of proteins, RND, ABC, or MF; periplasmic proteins belonging to the membrane fusion protein (MFP) family; and outer membrane channels exemplified by the Escherichia coli TolC. The three-component complexes span the entire two-membrane envelope of Gram-negative bacteria and expel toxic molecules from the cytoplasmic membrane to the medium. The architecture of these complexes is expected to vary significantly because of the structural diversity of the inner membrane transporters. How the three-component pumps are assembled, their architecture, and their dynamics remain unclear. In this study, we reconstituted interactions and compared binding kinetics of the E. coli TolC with AcrA, MacA, and EmrA, the periplasmic MFPs that function in multidrug efflux with transporters from the RND, ABC, and MF superfamilies, respectively. By using surface plasmon resonance, we demonstrate that TolC interactions with MFPs are highly dynamic and sensitive to pH. The affinity of TolC to MFPs decreases in the order MacA > EmrA > AcrA. We further show that MFPs are prone to oligomerization, but differ dramatically from each other in oligomerization kinetics and stability of oligomers. The propensity of MFPs to oligomerize correlates with the stability of MFP-TolC complexes and structural features of inner membrane transporters. We propose that recruitment of TolC by various MFPs is determined not only by kinetics of MFP-TolC interactions but also by oligomerization kinetics of MFPs and pH.

Photocopy of drawing (original drawing of MacDill Field in possession ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

Photocopy of drawing (original drawing of MacDill Field in possession of MacDill Air Force Base, Civil Engineering, Tampa, Florida; site plan dated December, 1942) BASE LAYOUT, DECEMBER 1942 - MacDill Air Force Base, Bounded by City of Tampa North, Tampa Bay South, Old Tampa Bay West, & Hillsborough Bay East, Tampa, Hillsborough County, FL

Generic Drug Cost Containment in Medicaid: Lessons from Five State MAC Programs

PubMed Central

Abramson, Richard G.; Harrington, Catherine A.; Missmar, Raad; Li, Susan P.; Mendelson, Daniel N.

2004-01-01

In Medicaid, generic drug cost containment revolves around two programs: the Federal upper limit (FUL) program and State maximum allowable cost (MAC) programs. This article analyzes MAC programs in five States and finds considerable variation between these programs and the FUL program in both size and pricing aggressiveness. We conclude that expansion of existing MAC programs and creation of new ones could contribute to cost containment efforts nationwide. Options for States seeking to optimize their efforts include focusing on pricing for drugs with high sales volumes, ensuring that MAC lists include prices for all forms and dosages of listed drug entities, and collaborating with other States or the Federal Government on MAC list operations. PMID:15229994

Effects of carprofen and morphine on the minimum alveolar concentration of isoflurane in dogs.

PubMed

Ko, Jeff C H; Weil, Ann B; Inoue, Tomohito

2009-01-01

The minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of isoflurane in dogs was determined following carprofen (2.2 mg/kg per os) alone, morphine (1 mg/kg intravenously) alone, carprofen and morphine, and no drug control in eight healthy adult dogs. Isoflurane MAC following administration of morphine alone (0.81%+/-0.18%) or carprofen and morphine (0.68%+/-0.31%) was significantly less than the control MAC (1.24%+/-0.15%). Isoflurane MAC after carprofen alone (1.13%+/-0.13%) was not significantly different from the control value. Results indicated that administration of morphine alone or in combination with carprofen significantly reduced the MAC of isoflurane in dogs. The isoflurane MAC reduction was additive between the effects of carprofen and morphine.

Cascade-based attacks on complex networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Motter, Adilson E.; Lai, Ying-Cheng

2002-12-01

We live in a modern world supported by large, complex networks. Examples range from financial markets to communication and transportation systems. In many realistic situations the flow of physical quantities in the network, as characterized by the loads on nodes, is important. We show that for such networks where loads can redistribute among the nodes, intentional attacks can lead to a cascade of overload failures, which can in turn cause the entire or a substantial part of the network to collapse. This is relevant for real-world networks that possess a highly heterogeneous distribution of loads, such as the Internet and power grids. We demonstrate that the heterogeneity of these networks makes them particularly vulnerable to attacks in that a large-scale cascade may be triggered by disabling a single key node. This brings obvious concerns on the security of such systems.

The game-theoretic national interstate economic model : an integrated framework to quantify the economic impacts of cyber-terrorist behavior.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-12-01

This study suggests an integrated framework to quantify cyber attack impacts on the U.S. airport security system. A cyber attack by terrorists on the U.S. involves complex : strategic behavior by the terrorists because they could plan to invade an ai...

The Effects of Observation Errors on the Attack Vulnerability of Complex Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-11-01

more detail, to construct a true network we select a topology (erdos- renyi (Erdos & Renyi , 1959), scale-free (Barabási & Albert, 1999), small world...Efficiency of Scale-Free Networks: Error and Attack Tolerance. Physica A, Volume 320, pp. 622-642. 6. Erdos, P. & Renyi , A., 1959. On Random Graphs, I

Affect Response to Simulated Information Attack during Complex Task Performance

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-12-02

AND FRUSTRATION ........................ 42 FIGURE 27. TASK LOAD INDEX OF MENTAL DEMAND, TEMPORAL DEMAND, AND PHYSICAL DEMAND...situational awareness, affect, and trait characteristics interact with human performance during cyberspace attacks in the physical and information...Operator state was manipulated using emotional stimulation portrayed through the presentation of video segments. The effect of emotions on

Immune complexes formed following the binding of anti–platelet factor 4 (CXCL4) antibodies to CXCL4 stimulate human neutrophil activation and cell adhesion

PubMed Central

Xiao, Zhihua; Visentin, Gian P.; Dayananda, Kannayakanahalli M.

2008-01-01

We tested the possibility that immune complexes formed following platelet factor 4 (PF4/CXCL4) binding to anti-PF4 antibody can stimulate neutrophil activation, similar to previous reports with platelets. Monoclonal Abs against PF4 and IgG from a heparin-induced thrombocytopenia (HIT) patient were applied. We observed that although PF4 or anti-PF4 antibody alone did not alter neutrophil function, costimulation with both reagents resulted in approximately 3-fold increase in cell surface Mac-1 expression, enhanced cell adhesion via L-selectin and CD18 integrins, and degranulation of secondary and tertiary granules. The level of Mac-1 up-regulation peaked at an intermediate PF4 dose, suggesting that functional response varies with antigen-antibody stoichiometry. PF4 binding to neutrophils was blocked by chondroitinase ABC. Cell activation was inhibited by both chondroitinase ABC and anti-CD32/FcγRII blocking mAb, IV.3. Confocal microscopy demonstrated that immune complexes colocalize with CD32a. Studies with HIT IgG demonstrated that neutrophils could be activated in the absence of exogenous heparin. These data, together, show that leukocyte surface chondroitin sulfates promote neutrophil activation by enhancing immune-complex binding to CD32a. Studies with recombinant PF4 suggest a role for arginine 49 in stabilizing PF4-chondroitin binding. Neutrophils activated via this mechanism may contribute to thrombosis and inflammation in patients mounting an immune response to PF4-heparin. PMID:18539895

Epileptic negative drop attacks in atypical benign partial epilepsy: a neurophysiological study.

PubMed

Hirano, Yoshiko; Oguni, Hirokazu; Osawa, Makiko

2009-03-01

We conducted a computer-assisted polygraphic analysis of drop attacks in a child with atypical benign partial epilepsy (ABPE) to investigate neurophysiological characteristics. The patient was a six-year two-month-old girl, who had started to have focal motor seizures, later combined with daily epileptic negative myoclonus (ENM) and drop attacks, causing multiple injuries. We studied episodes of ENM and drop attacks using video-polygraphic and computer-assisted back-averaging analysis. A total of 12 ENM episodes, seven involving the left arm (ENMlt) and five involving both arms (ENMbil), and five drop attacks were captured for analysis. All episodes were time-locked to spike-and-wave complexes (SWC) arising from both centro-temporo-parietal (CTP) areas. The latency between the onset of SWC and ENMlt, ENMbil, and drop attacks reached 68 ms, 42 ms, and 8 ms, respectively. The height of the spike as well as the slow-wave component of SWC for drop attacks were significantly larger than that for both ENMlt and ENMbil (p < 0.05). Drop attacks were considered to be epileptic negative myoclonus involving not only upper proximal but also axial muscles, causing the body to fall. Thus, drop attacks in ABPE are considered to be epileptic negative drop attacks arising from bilateral CTP foci and differ from drop attacks of a generalized origin seen in Lennox-Gastaut syndrome and myoclonic-astatic epilepsy.

Simulation of Attacks for Security in Wireless Sensor Network

PubMed Central

Diaz, Alvaro; Sanchez, Pablo

2016-01-01

The increasing complexity and low-power constraints of current Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) require efficient methodologies for network simulation and embedded software performance analysis of nodes. In addition, security is also a very important feature that has to be addressed in most WSNs, since they may work with sensitive data and operate in hostile unattended environments. In this paper, a methodology for security analysis of Wireless Sensor Networks is presented. The methodology allows designing attack-aware embedded software/firmware or attack countermeasures to provide security in WSNs. The proposed methodology includes attacker modeling and attack simulation with performance analysis (node’s software execution time and power consumption estimation). After an analysis of different WSN attack types, an attacker model is proposed. This model defines three different types of attackers that can emulate most WSN attacks. In addition, this paper presents a virtual platform that is able to model the node hardware, embedded software and basic wireless channel features. This virtual simulation analyzes the embedded software behavior and node power consumption while it takes into account the network deployment and topology. Additionally, this simulator integrates the previously mentioned attacker model. Thus, the impact of attacks on power consumption and software behavior/execution-time can be analyzed. This provides developers with essential information about the effects that one or multiple attacks could have on the network, helping them to develop more secure WSN systems. This WSN attack simulator is an essential element of the attack-aware embedded software development methodology that is also introduced in this work. PMID:27869710

Effects of butorphanol and carprofen on the minimal alveolar concentration of isoflurane in dogs.

PubMed

Ko, J C; Lange, D N; Mandsager, R E; Payton, M E; Bowen, C; Kamata, A; Kuo, W C

2000-10-01

To evaluate the effects of butorphanol and carprofen, alone and in combination, on the minimal alveolar concentration (MAC) of isoflurane in dogs. Randomized complete-block crossover study. 6 healthy adult dogs. Minimal alveolar concentration of isoflurane was determined following administration of carprofen alone, butorphanol alone, carprofen and butorphanol, and neither drug (control). Anesthesia was induced with isoflurane in oxygen, and MAC was determined by use of a tail clamp method. Three hours prior to induction of anesthesia, dogs were fed a small amount of canned food without any drugs (control) or with carprofen (2.2 mg/kg of body weight [1 mg/lb]). Following initial determination of MAC, butorphanol (0.4 mg/kg [0.18 mg/lb], i.v.) was administered, and MAC was determined again. Heart rate, respiratory rate, indirect arterial blood pressure, endtidal partial pressure of CO2, and saturation of hemoglobin with oxygen were recorded at the time MAC was determined. Mean +/- SD MAC of isoflurane following administration of butorphanol alone (1.03 +/- 0.22%) or carprofen and butorphanol (0.90 +/- 0.21%) were significantly less than the control MAC (1.28 +/- 0.14%), but MAC after administration of carprofen alone (1.20 +/- 0.13%) was not significantly different from the control value. The effects of carprofen and butorphanol on the MAC of isoflurane were additive. There were not any significant differences among treatments in regard to cardiorespiratory data. Results suggest that administration of butorphanol alone or in combination with carprofen significantly reduces the MAC of isoflurane in dogs; however, the effects of butorphanol and carprofen are additive, not synergistic.

An extended smart utilization medium access control (ESU-MAC) protocol for ad hoc wireless systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vashishtha, Jyoti; Sinha, Aakash

2006-05-01

The demand for spontaneous setup of a wireless communication system has increased in recent years for areas like battlefield, disaster relief operations etc., where a pre-deployment of network infrastructure is difficult or unavailable. A mobile ad-hoc network (MANET) is a promising solution, but poses a lot of challenges for all the design layers, specifically medium access control (MAC) layer. Recent existing works have used the concepts of multi-channel and power control in designing MAC layer protocols. SU-MAC developed by the same authors, efficiently uses the 'available' data and control bandwidth to send control information and results in increased throughput via decreasing contention on the control channel. However, SU-MAC protocol was limited for static ad-hoc network and also faced the busy-receiver node problem. We present the Extended SU-MAC (ESU-MAC) protocol which works mobile nodes. Also, we significantly improve the scheme of control information exchange in ESU-MAC to overcome the busy-receiver node problem and thus, further avoid the blockage of control channel for longer periods of time. A power control scheme is used as before to reduce interference and to effectively re-use the available bandwidth. Simulation results show that ESU-MAC protocol is promising for mobile, ad-hoc network in terms of reduced contention at the control channel and improved throughput because of channel re-use. Results show a considerable increase in throughput compared to SU-MAC which could be attributed to increased accessibility of control channel and improved utilization of data channels due to superior control information exchange scheme.

Suppression of c-Myc induces apoptosis via an AMPK/mTOR-dependent pathway by 4-O-methyl-ascochlorin in leukemia cells.

PubMed

Shin, Jae-Moon; Jeong, Yun-Jeong; Cho, Hyun-Ji; Magae, Junji; Bae, Young-Seuk; Chang, Young-Chae

2016-05-01

4-O-Methyl-ascochlorin (MAC) is a methylated derivative of the prenyl-phenol antibiotic ascochlorin, which was isolated from an incomplete fungus, Ascochyta viciae. Although the effects of MAC on apoptosis have been reported, the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. Here, we show that MAC promoted apoptotic cell death and downregulated c-Myc expression in K562 human leukemia cells. The effect of MAC on apoptosis was similar to that of 10058-F4 (a c-Myc inhibitor) or c-Myc siRNA, suggesting that the downregulation of c-Myc expression plays a role in the apoptotic effect of MAC. Further investigation showed that MAC downregulated c-Myc by inhibiting protein synthesis. MAC promoted the phosphorylation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and inhibited the phosphorylation of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) and its target proteins, including p70S6 K and 4E-BP-1. Treatment of cells with AICAR (an AMPK activator), rapamycin (an mTOR inhibitor), or mTOR siRNA downregulated c-Myc expression and induced apoptosis to a similar extent to that of MAC. These results suggest that the effect of MAC on apoptosis induction in human leukemia cells is mediated by the suppression of c-Myc protein synthesis via an AMPK/mTOR-dependent mechanism.

A Hybrid Path-Oriented Code Assignment CDMA-Based MAC Protocol for Underwater Acoustic Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Chen, Huifang; Fan, Guangyu; Xie, Lei; Cui, Jun-Hong

2013-01-01

Due to the characteristics of underwater acoustic channel, media access control (MAC) protocols designed for underwater acoustic sensor networks (UWASNs) are quite different from those for terrestrial wireless sensor networks. Moreover, in a sink-oriented network with event information generation in a sensor field and message forwarding to the sink hop-by-hop, the sensors near the sink have to transmit more packets than those far from the sink, and then a funneling effect occurs, which leads to packet congestion, collisions and losses, especially in UWASNs with long propagation delays. An improved CDMA-based MAC protocol, named path-oriented code assignment (POCA) CDMA MAC (POCA-CDMA-MAC), is proposed for UWASNs in this paper. In the proposed MAC protocol, both the round-robin method and CDMA technology are adopted to make the sink receive packets from multiple paths simultaneously. Since the number of paths for information gathering is much less than that of nodes, the length of the spreading code used in the POCA-CDMA-MAC protocol is shorter greatly than that used in the CDMA-based protocols with transmitter-oriented code assignment (TOCA) or receiver-oriented code assignment (ROCA). Simulation results show that the proposed POCA-CDMA-MAC protocol achieves a higher network throughput and a lower end-to-end delay compared to other CDMA-based MAC protocols. PMID:24193100

A hybrid path-oriented code assignment CDMA-based MAC protocol for underwater acoustic sensor networks.

PubMed

Chen, Huifang; Fan, Guangyu; Xie, Lei; Cui, Jun-Hong

2013-11-04

Due to the characteristics of underwater acoustic channel, media access control (MAC) protocols designed for underwater acoustic sensor networks (UWASNs) are quite different from those for terrestrial wireless sensor networks. Moreover, in a sink-oriented network with event information generation in a sensor field and message forwarding to the sink hop-by-hop, the sensors near the sink have to transmit more packets than those far from the sink, and then a funneling effect occurs, which leads to packet congestion, collisions and losses, especially in UWASNs with long propagation delays. An improved CDMA-based MAC protocol, named path-oriented code assignment (POCA) CDMA MAC (POCA-CDMA-MAC), is proposed for UWASNs in this paper. In the proposed MAC protocol, both the round-robin method and CDMA technology are adopted to make the sink receive packets from multiple paths simultaneously. Since the number of paths for information gathering is much less than that of nodes, the length of the spreading code used in the POCA-CDMA-MAC protocol is shorter greatly than that used in the CDMA-based protocols with transmitter-oriented code assignment (TOCA) or receiver-oriented code assignment (ROCA). Simulation results show that the proposed POCA-CDMA-MAC protocol achieves a higher network throughput and a lower end-to-end delay compared to other CDMA-based MAC protocols.

Draft Genome Sequence of Mycobacterium chimaera Type Strain Fl-0169.

PubMed

Pfaller, Stacy; Tokarev, Vasily; Kessler, Collin; McLimans, Christopher; Gomez-Alvarez, Vicente; Wright, Justin; King, Dawn; Lamendella, Regina

2017-02-23

We report here the draft genome sequence of the type strain Mycobacterium chimaera Fl-0169, a member of the Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). M. chimaera Fl-0169 T was isolated from a patient in Italy and is highly similar to strains of M. chimaera isolated in Ireland, although Fl-0169 T possesses unique virulence genes. Copyright © 2017 Pfaller et al.

2. Wayne Chandler, Photographer, November 2000 Photographic copy of photograph ...

Library of Congress Historic Buildings Survey, Historic Engineering Record, Historic Landscapes Survey

2. Wayne Chandler, Photographer, November 2000 Photographic copy of photograph (original print in possession of Heritage Research, Ltd. Menomonee Falls, WI) John N. Vogel, Photographer, July 2000 View to southeast. Aerial view of Soo Complex. From left to right, locks are Sabin, Davis, New Poe, and MacArthur - St. Mary's Falls Canal, Soo Locks, St. Mary's River at Falls, Sault Ste. Marie, Chippewa County, MI

The University as a Community of Selves: Johan Vilhelm Snellman's "On Academic Studies"

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Himanka, Juha

2012-01-01

Nowadays we tend to regard the idea of a university as an outdated subject. The world of universities is today so complex and diverse that no general doctrine of the university seems possible. In a recent article Alasdair MacIntyre challenges this view and points out that by giving up the question "What is university?" we also give up…

33 CFR 165.768 - Security Zone; MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa Bay, FL.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 2 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Security Zone; MacDill Air Force....768 Security Zone; MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa Bay, FL. (a) Location. The following area is a... title. All waters within Tampa Bay, Florida in the vicinity of MacDill Air Force Base, including...

Introduction to MacDraft. High-Technology Training Module.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Traxler, Gene

This training module on MacDraft is part of a computer drafting skills unit on communications technology for grades 9-12. The objective is for each student to complete a drawing on the MacIntosh computer using the MacDraft software program. This drawing is to be dimensioned with a dual system and is to include a border and title block. This module…

Tumour necrosis factor α secretion induces protease activation and acinar cell necrosis in acute experimental pancreatitis in mice.

PubMed

Sendler, Matthias; Dummer, Annegret; Weiss, Frank U; Krüger, Burkhard; Wartmann, Thomas; Scharffetter-Kochanek, Karin; van Rooijen, Nico; Malla, Sudarshan Ravi; Aghdassi, Ali; Halangk, Walter; Lerch, Markus M; Mayerle, Julia

2013-03-01

Acute pancreatitis has long been considered a disorder of pancreatic self-digestion, in which intracellular activation of digestive proteases induces tissue injury. Chemokines, released from damaged pancreatic cells then attract inflammatory cells, whose systemic action ultimately determines the disease severity. In the present work the opposite mechanism is investigated; that is, whether and how inflammatory cells can activate intracellular proteases. Using mice either deficient for the CD18-α subunit of the membrane attack complex-1 (MAC-1) complex or tumour necrosis factor (TNF)α, as well as after depletion of leucocyte subpopulations, pancreatitis was induced by 7-hourly caerulein injections (50 μg/kg, intraperitoneally). Pancreatic acini were coincubated in vitro from wild-type and cathepsin-B-deficient animals with phorbol-12-myristate-13-acetate (PMA)-activated neutrophils and macrophages, caerulein or TNFα, and activities of trypsin, cathepsin-B and caspase-3 were measured, as well as necrosis using fluorogenic substrates. TNFα was inhibited with monospecific antibodies. Deletion of CD18 prevented transmigration of leucocytes into the pancreas during pancreatitis, greatly reduced disease severity and abolished digestive protease activation. Depletion of neutrophils and macrophages equally reduced premature trypsinogen activation and disease severity. In vitro activated neutrophils and macrophages directly induced premature protease activation and cell death in pancreatic acini and stimulation of acini with TNFα induced caspase-3 activation and necrosis via a cathepsin-B and calcium-dependent mechanism. Neutralising antibodies against TNFα and genetic deletion of TNFα prevented leucocyte-induced trypsin activity and necrosis in isolated acini. The soluble inflammatory cell mediator TNFα directly induces premature protease activation and necrosis in pancreatic acinar cells. This activation depends on calcium and cathepsin-B activity. The findings from the present work further suggest that targeting TNFα, for which pharmaceutical agents are readily available, could be an effective treatment strategy that directly addresses the cellular causes of pancreatitis.

Antibiotic Resistance Mediated by the MacB ABC Transporter Family: A Structural and Functional Perspective

PubMed Central

Greene, Nicholas P.; Kaplan, Elise; Crow, Allister; Koronakis, Vassilis

2018-01-01

The MacB ABC transporter forms a tripartite efflux pump with the MacA adaptor protein and TolC outer membrane exit duct to expel antibiotics and export virulence factors from Gram-negative bacteria. Here, we review recent structural and functional data on MacB and its homologs. MacB has a fold that is distinct from other structurally characterized ABC transporters and uses a unique molecular mechanism termed mechanotransmission. Unlike other bacterial ABC transporters, MacB does not transport substrates across the inner membrane in which it is based, but instead couples cytoplasmic ATP hydrolysis with transmembrane conformational changes that are used to perform work in the extra-cytoplasmic space. In the MacAB-TolC tripartite pump, mechanotransmission drives efflux of antibiotics and export of a protein toxin from the periplasmic space via the TolC exit duct. Homologous tripartite systems from pathogenic bacteria similarly export protein-like signaling molecules, virulence factors and siderophores. In addition, many MacB-like ABC transporters do not form tripartite pumps, but instead operate in diverse cellular processes including antibiotic sensing, cell division and lipoprotein trafficking. PMID:29892271

[Spanish validation of the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment interview to assess patients competence to consent treatment].

PubMed

Alvarez Marrodán, Ignacio; Baón Pérez, Beatriz; Navío Acosta, Mercedes; López-Antón, Raul; Lobo Escolar, Elena; Ventura Faci, Tirso

2014-09-09

To validate the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Treatment (MacCAT-T) Spanish version, which assesses the mental capacity of patients to consent treatment, by examining 4 areas (Understanding, Appreciation, Reasoning and Expressing a choice). 160 subjects (80 Internal Medicine inpatients, 40 Psychiatric inpatients and 40 healthy controls). MacCAT-T, Mini-Mental Status Examination (MMSE). Feasibility study, reliability and validity calculations (against to gold standard of clinical expert). Mean duration of the MacCAT-T interview was 18min. Inter-rater reliability: Intraclass correlation coefficient for Understanding=0.98, Appreciation=0.97, Reasoning=0.98, Expressing a choice=0.91. Internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha): Understanding=0.87, for Appreciation=0.76, for Reasoning=0.86. Patients considered to be incapable (gold standard) scored lower in all the MacCAT-T areas. Poor performance on the MacCAT-T was related to cognitive impairment assessed by MMSE. Spanish version of the MacCAT-T is feasible, reliable, and valid for assessing the capacity of patients to consent treatment. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Serrated adenocarcinoma morphology in colorectal mucinous adenocarcinoma is associated with improved patient survival

PubMed Central

Lee, Chung-Ta; Chow, Nan-Haw; Su, Pei-Fang; Ho, Chung-Liang; Tsai, Hung-Wen; Chen, Yi-Lin; Lin, Shao-Chieh; Lin, Bo-Wen; Lin, Peng-Chan; Lee, Jenq-Chang

2017-01-01

Colorectal mucinous adenocarcinoma (MAC) and serrated adenocarcinoma (SAC) share many characteristics, including right-side colon location, frequent mucin production, and various molecular features. This study examined the frequency of SAC morphology in MACs. We assessed the correlation of SAC morphology with clinicopathological parameters, molecular characteristics, and patient prognosis. Eighty-eight colorectal MACs were collected and reviewed for SAC morphology according to Makinen's criteria. We sequenced KRAS and BRAF, assessed CpG island methylator phenotype (CIMP) frequency, and analyzed DNA mismatch repair enzyme levels using immunohistochemistry in tumor samples. SAC morphology was observed in 38% of MACs, and was associated with proximal location (P=0.001), BRAF mutation (P=0.042), CIMP-positive status (P=0.023), and contiguous traditional serrated adenoma (P=0.019). Multivariate analysis revealed that MACs without both SAC morphology and CIMP-positive status exhibited 3.955 times greater risk of cancer relapse than MACs having both characteristics or either one (P=0.035). Our results show that two MAC groups with distinct features can be identified using Makinen's criteria, and suggest a favorable prognostic role for the serrated neoplastic pathway in colorectal MAC. PMID:28422723

On effectiveness of network sensor-based defense framework

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Difan; Zhang, Hanlin; Ge, Linqiang; Yu, Wei; Lu, Chao; Chen, Genshe; Pham, Khanh

2012-06-01

Cyber attacks are increasing in frequency, impact, and complexity, which demonstrate extensive network vulnerabilities with the potential for serious damage. Defending against cyber attacks calls for the distributed collaborative monitoring, detection, and mitigation. To this end, we develop a network sensor-based defense framework, with the aim of handling network security awareness, mitigation, and prediction. We implement the prototypical system and show its effectiveness on detecting known attacks, such as port-scanning and distributed denial-of-service (DDoS). Based on this framework, we also implement the statistical-based detection and sequential testing-based detection techniques and compare their respective detection performance. The future implementation of defensive algorithms can be provisioned in our proposed framework for combating cyber attacks.

Vitronectin Expression in the Airways of Subjects with Asthma and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

PubMed Central

Salazar-Peláez, Lina M.; Abraham, Thomas; Herrera, Ana M.; Correa, Mario A.; Ortega, Jorge E.; Paré, Peter D.; Seow, Chun Y.

2015-01-01

Vitronectin, a multifunctional glycoprotein, is involved in coagulation, inhibition of the formation of the membrane attack complex (MAC), cell adhesion and migration, wound healing, and tissue remodeling. The primary cellular source of vitronectin is hepatocytes; it is not known whether resident cells of airways produce vitronectin, even though the glycoprotein has been found in exhaled breath condensate and bronchoalveolar lavage from healthy subjects and patients with interstitial lung disease. It is also not known whether vitronectin expression is altered in subjects with asthma and COPD. In this study, bronchial tissue from 7 asthmatic, 10 COPD and 14 control subjects was obtained at autopsy and analyzed by immunohistochemistry to determine the percent area of submucosal glands occupied by vitronectin. In a separate set of experiments, quantitative colocalization analysis was performed on tracheobronchial tissue sections obtained from donor lungs (6 asthmatics, 4 COPD and 7 controls). Vitronectin RNA and protein expressions in bronchial surface epithelium were examined in 12 subjects who undertook diagnostic bronchoscopy. Vitronectin was found in the tracheobronchial epithelium from asthmatic, COPD, and control subjects, although its expression was significantly lower in the asthmatic group. Colocalization analysis of 3D confocal images indicates that vitronectin is expressed in the glandular serous epithelial cells and in respiratory surface epithelial cells other than goblet cells. Expression of the 65-kDa vitronectin isoform was lower in bronchial surface epithelium from the diseased subjects. The cause for the decreased vitronectin expression in asthma is not clear, however, the reduced concentration of vitronectin in the epithelial/submucosal layer of airways may be linked to airway remodeling. PMID:25768308

Considerations for Improving the Capacity and Performance of AeroMACS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kerczewski, Robert J.; Kamali, Behnam; Apaza, Rafael D.; Wilson, Jeffrey D.; Dimond, Robert P.

2014-01-01

The Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System (AeroMACS) has progressed from concept through prototype development, testing, and standards development and is now poised for the first operational deployments at nine US airports by the Federal Aviation Administration. These initial deployments will support fixed applications. Mobile applications providing connectivity to and from aircraft and ground-based vehicles on the airport surface will occur at some point in the future. Given that many fixed applications are possible for AeroMACS, it is necessary to now consider whether the existing capacity of AeroMACS will be reached even before the mobile applications are ready to be added, since AeroMACS is constrained by both available bandwidth and transmit power limitations. This paper describes some concepts that may be applied to improve the future capacity of AeroMACS, with a particular emphasis on gains that can be derived from the addition of IEEE 802.16j multihop relays to the AeroMACS standard, where a significant analysis effort has been undertaken.

An energy-efficient MAC protocol using dynamic queue management for delay-tolerant mobile sensor networks.

PubMed

Li, Jie; Li, Qiyue; Qu, Yugui; Zhao, Baohua

2011-01-01

Conventional MAC protocols for wireless sensor network perform poorly when faced with a delay-tolerant mobile network environment. Characterized by a highly dynamic and sparse topology, poor network connectivity as well as data delay-tolerance, delay-tolerant mobile sensor networks exacerbate the severe power constraints and memory limitations of nodes. This paper proposes an energy-efficient MAC protocol using dynamic queue management (EQ-MAC) for power saving and data queue management. Via data transfers initiated by the target sink and the use of a dynamic queue management strategy based on priority, EQ-MAC effectively avoids untargeted transfers, increases the chance of successful data transmission, and makes useful data reach the target terminal in a timely manner. Experimental results show that EQ-MAC has high energy efficiency in comparison with a conventional MAC protocol. It also achieves a 46% decrease in packet drop probability, 79% increase in system throughput, and 25% decrease in mean packet delay.

An Energy-Efficient MAC Protocol Using Dynamic Queue Management for Delay-Tolerant Mobile Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Li, Jie; Li, Qiyue; Qu, Yugui; Zhao, Baohua

2011-01-01

Conventional MAC protocols for wireless sensor network perform poorly when faced with a delay-tolerant mobile network environment. Characterized by a highly dynamic and sparse topology, poor network connectivity as well as data delay-tolerance, delay-tolerant mobile sensor networks exacerbate the severe power constraints and memory limitations of nodes. This paper proposes an energy-efficient MAC protocol using dynamic queue management (EQ-MAC) for power saving and data queue management. Via data transfers initiated by the target sink and the use of a dynamic queue management strategy based on priority, EQ-MAC effectively avoids untargeted transfers, increases the chance of successful data transmission, and makes useful data reach the target terminal in a timely manner. Experimental results show that EQ-MAC has high energy efficiency in comparison with a conventional MAC protocol. It also achieves a 46% decrease in packet drop probability, 79% increase in system throughput, and 25% decrease in mean packet delay. PMID:22319385

SACRB-MAC: A High-Capacity MAC Protocol for Cognitive Radio Sensor Networks in Smart Grid

PubMed Central

Yang, Zhutian; Shi, Zhenguo; Jin, Chunlin

2016-01-01

The Cognitive Radio Sensor Network (CRSN) is considered as a viable solution to enhance various aspects of the electric power grid and to realize a smart grid. However, several challenges for CRSNs are generated due to the harsh wireless environment in a smart grid. As a result, throughput and reliability become critical issues. On the other hand, the spectrum aggregation technique is expected to play an important role in CRSNs in a smart grid. By using spectrum aggregation, the throughput of CRSNs can be improved efficiently, so as to address the unique challenges of CRSNs in a smart grid. In this regard, we proposed Spectrum Aggregation Cognitive Receiver-Based MAC (SACRB-MAC), which employs the spectrum aggregation technique to improve the throughput performance of CRSNs in a smart grid. Moreover, SACRB-MAC is a receiver-based MAC protocol, which can provide a good reliability performance. Analytical and simulation results demonstrate that SACRB-MAC is a promising solution for CRSNs in a smart grid. PMID:27043573

SACRB-MAC: A High-Capacity MAC Protocol for Cognitive Radio Sensor Networks in Smart Grid.

PubMed

Yang, Zhutian; Shi, Zhenguo; Jin, Chunlin

2016-03-31

The Cognitive Radio Sensor Network (CRSN) is considered as a viable solution to enhance various aspects of the electric power grid and to realize a smart grid. However, several challenges for CRSNs are generated due to the harsh wireless environment in a smart grid. As a result, throughput and reliability become critical issues. On the other hand, the spectrum aggregation technique is expected to play an important role in CRSNs in a smart grid. By using spectrum aggregation, the throughput of CRSNs can be improved efficiently, so as to address the unique challenges of CRSNs in a smart grid. In this regard, we proposed Spectrum Aggregation Cognitive Receiver-Based MAC (SACRB-MAC), which employs the spectrum aggregation technique to improve the throughput performance of CRSNs in a smart grid. Moreover, SACRB-MAC is a receiver-based MAC protocol, which can provide a good reliability performance. Analytical and simulation results demonstrate that SACRB-MAC is a promising solution for CRSNs in a smart grid.

Eculizumab for dense deposit disease and C3 glomerulonephritis.

PubMed

Bomback, Andrew S; Smith, Richard J; Barile, Gaetano R; Zhang, Yuzhou; Heher, Eliot C; Herlitz, Leal; Stokes, M Barry; Markowitz, Glen S; D'Agati, Vivette D; Canetta, Pietro A; Radhakrishnan, Jai; Appel, Gerald B

2012-05-01

The principle defect in dense deposit disease and C3 glomerulonephritis is hyperactivity of the alternative complement pathway. Eculizumab, a monoclonal antibody that binds to C5 to prevent formation of the membrane attack complex, may prove beneficial. In this open-label, proof of concept efficacy and safety study, six subjects with dense deposit disease or C3 glomerulonephritis were treated with eculizumab every other week for 1 year. All had proteinuria >1 g/d and/or AKI at enrollment. Subjects underwent biopsy before enrollment and repeat biopsy at the 1-year mark. The subjects included three patients with dense deposit disease (including one patient with recurrent dense deposit disease in allograft) and three patients with C3 glomerulonephritis (including two patients with recurrent C3 glomerulonephritis in allograft). Genetic and complement function testing revealed a mutation in CFH and MCP in one subject each, C3 nephritic factor in three subjects, and elevated levels of serum membrane attack complex in three subjects. After 12 months, two subjects showed significantly reduced serum creatinine, one subject achieved marked reduction in proteinuria, and one subject had stable laboratory parameters but histopathologic improvements. Elevated serum membrane attack complex levels normalized on therapy and paralleled improvements in creatinine and proteinuria. Clinical and histopathologic data suggest a response to eculizumab in some but not all subjects with dense deposit disease and C3 glomerulonephritis. Elevation of serum membrane attack complex before treatment may predict response. Additional research is needed to define the subgroup of dense deposit disease/C3 glomerulonephritis patients in whom eculizumab therapy can be considered.

Comparing shame in clinical and nonclinical populations: Preliminary findings.

PubMed

Dyer, Kevin F W; Dorahy, Martin J; Corry, Mary; Black, Rebecca; Matheson, Laura; Coles, Holly; Curran, David; Seager, Lenaire; Middleton, Warwick

2017-03-01

To conduct a preliminary study comparing different trauma and clinical populations on types of shame coping style and levels of state shame and guilt. A mixed independent groups/correlational design was employed. Participants were recruited by convenience sampling of 3 clinical populations-complex trauma (n = 65), dissociative identity disorder (DID; n = 20), and general mental health (n = 41)-and a control group of healthy volunteers (n = 125). All participants were given (a) the Compass of Shame Scale, which measures the four common shame coping behaviors/styles of "withdrawal," "attack self," "attack other," and "avoidance," and (b) the State Shame and Guilt Scale, which assesses state shame, guilt, and pride. The DID group exhibited significantly higher levels of "attack self," "withdrawal," and "avoidance" relative to the other groups. The complex trauma and general mental health groups did not differ on any shame variable. All three clinical groups had significantly greater levels of the "withdrawal" coping style and significantly impaired shame/guilt/pride relative to the healthy volunteers. "Attack self" emerged as a significant predictor of increased state shame in the complex trauma, general mental health, and healthy volunteer groups, whereas "withdrawal" was the sole predictor of state shame in the DID group. DID emerged as having a different profile of shame processes compared to the other clinical groups, whereas the complex trauma and general mental health groups had comparable shame levels and variable relationships. These differential profiles of shame coping and state shame are discussed with reference to assessment and treatment. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2017 APA, all rights reserved).

Interference Analysis Status and Plans for Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System (AeroMACS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kerczewski, Robert J.; Wilson, Jeffrey D.

2010-01-01

Interference issues related to the operation of an aeronautical mobile airport communications system (AeroMACS) in the C-Band (specifically 5091-5150 MHz) is being investigated. The issue of primary interest is co-channel interference from AeroMACS into mobile-satellite system (MSS) feeder uplinks. The effort is focusing on establishing practical limits on AeroMACS transmissions from airports so that the threshold of interference into MSS is not exceeded. The analyses are being performed with the software package Visualyse Professional, developed by Transfinite Systems Limited. Results with omni-directional antennas and plans to extend the models to represent AeroMACS more accurately will be presented. These models should enable realistic analyses of emerging AeroMACS designs to be developed from NASA Test Bed, RTCA 223, and European results.

Cardiac macrophages adopt profibrotic/M2 phenotype in infarcted hearts: Role of urokinase plasminogen activator.

PubMed

Carlson, Signe; Helterline, Deri; Asbe, Laura; Dupras, Sarah; Minami, Elina; Farris, Stephen; Stempien-Otero, April

2017-07-01

Macrophages (mac) that over-express urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) adopt a profibrotic M2 phenotype in the heart in association with cardiac fibrosis. We tested the hypothesis that cardiac macs are M2 polarized in infarcted mouse and human hearts and that polarization is dependent on mac-derived uPA. Studies were performed using uninjured (UI) or infarcted (MI) hearts of uPA overexpressing (SR-uPA), uPA null, or nontransgenic littermate (Ntg) mice. At 7days post-infarction, cardiac mac were isolated, RNA extracted and M2 markers Arg1, YM1, and Fizz1 measured with qrtPCR. Histologic analysis for cardiac fibrosis, mac and myofibroblasts was performed at the same time-point. Cardiac macs were also isolated from Ntg hearts and RNA collected after primary isolation or culture with vehicle, IL-4 or plasmin and M2 marker expression measured. Cardiac tissue and blood was collected from humans with ischemic heart disease. Expression of M2 marker CD206 and M1 marker TNFalpha was measured. Macs from WT mice had increased expression of Arg1 and Ym1 following MI (41.3±6.5 and 70.3±36, fold change vs UI, n=8, P<0.007). There was significant up-regulation of cardiac mac Arg1 and YM1 with MI in both WT and uPA null mice (n=4-9 per genotype and condition). Treatment with plasmin increased expression of Arg1 and YM1 in cultured cardiac macs. Histologic analysis revealed increased density of activated fibroblasts and M2 macs in SR-uPA hearts post-infarction with associated increases in fibrosis. Cardiac macs isolated from human hearts with ischemic heart disease expressed increased levels of the M2 marker CD206 in comparison to blood-derived macs (4.9±1.3). Cardiac macs in mouse and human hearts adopt a M2 phenotype in association with fibrosis. Plasmin can induce an M2 phenotype in cardiac macs. However, M2 activation can occur in the heart in vivo in the absence of uPA indicating that alternative pathways to activate plasmin are present in the heart. Excess uPA promotes increased fibroblast density potentially via potentiating fibroblast migration or proliferation. Altering macrophage phenotype in the heart is a potential target to modify cardiac fibrosis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Isolation and characterisation of human gingival margin-derived STRO-1/MACS+ and MACS− cell populations

PubMed Central

El-Sayed, Karim M Fawzy; Paris, Sebastian; Graetz, Christian; Kassem, Neemat; Mekhemar, Mohamed; Ungefroren, Hendrick; Fändrich, Fred; Dörfer, Christof

2015-01-01

Recently, gingival margin-derived stem/progenitor cells isolated via STRO-1/magnetic activated cell sorting (MACS) showed remarkable periodontal regenerative potential in vivo. As a second-stage investigation, the present study's aim was to perform in vitro characterisation and comparison of the stem/progenitor cell characteristics of sorted STRO-1-positive (MACS+) and STRO-1-negative (MACS−) cell populations from the human free gingival margin. Cells were isolated from the free gingiva using a minimally invasive technique and were magnetically sorted using anti-STRO-1 antibodies. Subsequently, the MACS+ and MACS− cell fractions were characterized by flow cytometry for expression of CD14, CD34, CD45, CD73, CD90, CD105, CD146/MUC18 and STRO-1. Colony-forming unit (CFU) and multilineage differentiation potential were assayed for both cell fractions. Mineralisation marker expression was examined using real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR). MACS+ and MACS− cell fractions showed plastic adherence. MACS+ cells, in contrast to MACS− cells, showed all of the predefined mesenchymal stem/progenitor cell characteristics and a significantly higher number of CFUs (P<0.01). More than 95% of MACS+ cells expressed CD105, CD90 and CD73; lacked the haematopoietic markers CD45, CD34 and CD14, and expressed STRO-1 and CD146/MUC18. MACS− cells showed a different surface marker expression profile, with almost no expression of CD14 or STRO-1, and more than 95% of these cells expressed CD73, CD90 and CD146/MUC18, as well as the haematopoietic markers CD34 and CD45 and CD105. MACS+ cells could be differentiated along osteoblastic, adipocytic and chondroblastic lineages. In contrast, MACS− cells demonstrated slight osteogenic potential. Unstimulated MACS+ cells showed significantly higher expression of collagen I (P<0.05) and collagen III (P<0.01), whereas MACS− cells demonstrated higher expression of osteonectin (P<0.05; Mann–Whitney). The present study is the first to compare gingival MACS+ and MACS− cell populations demonstrating that MACS+ cells, in contrast to MACS− cells, harbour stem/progenitor cell characteristics. This study also validates the effectiveness of the STRO-1/MACS+ technique for the isolation of gingival stem/progenitor cells. Human free gingival margin-derived STRO-1/MACS+ cells are a unique renewable source of multipotent stem/progenitor cells. PMID:25257881

Why does sleep stop migraine?

PubMed

Bigal, Marcelo E; Hargreaves, Richard J

2013-10-01

The relationship between sleep and migraine headaches is complex. Changes in sleep patterns can trigger migraine attacks, and sleep disorders may be associated with increased migraine frequency. Furthermore, migraine patients and their doctors very consistently report that sleep relieves already established migraine attacks. Herein we will try to answer the question, "Why does sleep stop migraine?" Since evidence for this relationship is largely based on empirical clinical observation, we will not provide a clinical review of the association. Instead, we will focus on the pathophysiology of migraine attacks and its intersections with sleep biology.

42 CFR 423.2110 - MAC reviews on its own motion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... its own motion, it will mail the results of its action to the enrollee and to CMS or the IRE, as... 42 Public Health 3 2011-10-01 2011-10-01 false MAC reviews on its own motion. 423.2110 Section 423..., and Judicial Review § 423.2110 MAC reviews on its own motion. (a) General rule. The MAC may decide on...

Troponin-only Manchester Acute Coronary Syndromes (T-MACS) decision aid: single biomarker re-derivation and external validation in three cohorts

PubMed Central

Body, Richard; Sperrin, Matthew; Lewis, Philip S; Burrows, Gillian; Carley, Simon; McDowell, Garry; Buchan, Iain; Greaves, Kim; Mackway-Jones, Kevin

2017-01-01

Background The original Manchester Acute Coronary Syndromes model (MACS) ‘rules in’ and ‘rules out’ acute coronary syndromes (ACS) using high sensitivity cardiac troponin T (hs-cTnT) and heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) measured at admission. The latter is not always available. We aimed to refine and validate MACS as Troponin-only Manchester Acute Coronary Syndromes (T-MACS), cutting down the biomarkers to just hs-cTnT. Methods We present secondary analyses from four prospective diagnostic cohort studies including patients presenting to the ED with suspected ACS. Data were collected and hs-cTnT measured on arrival. The primary outcome was ACS, defined as prevalent acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or incident death, AMI or coronary revascularisation within 30 days. T-MACS was built in one cohort (derivation set) and validated in three external cohorts (validation set). Results At the ‘rule out’ threshold, in the derivation set (n=703), T-MACS had 99.3% (95% CI 97.3% to 99.9%) negative predictive value (NPV) and 98.7% (95.3%–99.8%) sensitivity for ACS, ‘ruling out’ 37.7% patients (specificity 47.6%, positive predictive value (PPV) 34.0%). In the validation set (n=1459), T-MACS had 99.3% (98.3%–99.8%) NPV and 98.1% (95.2%–99.5%) sensitivity, ‘ruling out’ 40.4% (n=590) patients (specificity 47.0%, PPV 23.9%). T-MACS would ‘rule in’ 10.1% and 4.7% patients in the respective sets, of which 100.0% and 91.3% had ACS. C-statistics for the original and refined rules were similar (T-MACS 0.91 vs MACS 0.90 on validation). Conclusions T-MACS could ‘rule out’ ACS in 40% of patients, while ‘ruling in’ 5% at highest risk using a single hs-cTnT measurement on arrival. As a clinical decision aid, T-MACS could therefore help to conserve healthcare resources. PMID:27565197

High molecular weight kininogen regulates platelet-leukocyte interactions by bridging Mac-1 and glycoprotein Ib.

PubMed

Chavakis, Triantafyllos; Santoso, Sentot; Clemetson, Kenneth J; Sachs, Ulrich J H; Isordia-Salas, Irma; Pixley, Robin A; Nawroth, Peter P; Colman, Robert W; Preissner, Klaus T

2003-11-14

Leukocyte-platelet interaction is important in mediating leukocyte adhesion to a thrombus and leukocyte recruitment to a site of vascular injury. This interaction is mediated at least in part by the beta2-integrin Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18) and its counter-receptor on platelets, glycoprotein Ibalpha (GPIbalpha). High molecular weight kininogen (HK) was previously shown to interact with both GPIbalpha and Mac-1 through its domains 3 and 5, respectively. In this study we investigated the ability of HK to interfere with the leukocyte-platelet interaction. In a purified system, HK binding to GPIbalpha was inhibited by HK domain 3 and the monoclonal antibody (mAb) SZ2, directed against the epitope 269-282 of GPIbalpha, whereas mAb AP1, directed to the region 201-268 of GPIbalpha had no effect. In contrast, mAb AP1 inhibited the Mac-1-GPIbalpha interaction. Binding of GPIbalpha to Mac-1 was enhanced 2-fold by HK. This effect of HK was abrogated in the presence of HK domains 3 or 5 or peptides from the 475-497 region of the carboxyl terminus of domain 5 as well as in the presence of mAb SZ2 but not mAb AP1. Whereas no difference in the affinity of the Mac-1-GPIbalpha interaction was observed in the absence or presence of HK, maximal binding of GPIbalpha to Mac-1 doubled in the presence of HK. Moreover, HK/HKa increased the Mac-1-dependent adhesion of myelomonocytic U937 cells and K562 cells transfected with Mac-1 to immobilized GPIbalpha or to GPIbalpha-transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells. Finally, Mac-1-dependent adhesion of neutrophils to surface-adherent platelets was enhanced by HK. Thus, HK can bridge leukocytes with platelets by interacting via its domain 3 with GPIbalpha and via its domain 5 with Mac-1 thereby augmenting the Mac-1-GPIbalpha interaction. These distinct molecular interactions of HK with leukocytes and platelets contribute to the regulation of the adhesive behavior of vascular cells and provide novel molecular targets for reducing atherothrombotic pathologies.

Protecting complex infrastructures against multiple strategic attackers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hausken, Kjell

2011-01-01

Infrastructures are analysed subject to defence by a strategic defender and attack by multiple strategic attackers. A framework is developed where each agent determines how much to invest in defending versus attacking each of multiple targets. A target can have economic, human and symbolic values, which generally vary across agents. Investment expenditure functions for each agent can be linear in the investment effort, concave, convex, logistic, can increase incrementally, or can be subject to budget constraints. Contest success functions (e.g., ratio and difference forms) determine the probability of a successful attack on each target, dependent on the relative investments of the defender and attackers on each target, and on characteristics of the contest. Targets can be in parallel, in series, interlinked, interdependent or independent. The defender minimises the expected damage plus the defence expenditures. Each attacker maximises the expected damage minus the attack expenditures. The number of free choice variables equals the number of agents times the number of targets, or lower if there are budget constraints. Each agent is interested in how his investments vary across the targets, and the impact on his utilities. Alternative optimisation programmes are discussed, together with repeated games, dynamic games and incomplete information. An example is provided for illustration.

Robustness analysis of interdependent networks under multiple-attacking strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Yan-Li; Chen, Shi-Ming; Nie, Sen; Ma, Fei; Guan, Jun-Jie

2018-04-01

The robustness of complex networks under attacks largely depends on the structure of a network and the nature of the attacks. Previous research on interdependent networks has focused on two types of initial attack: random attack and degree-based targeted attack. In this paper, a deliberate attack function is proposed, where six kinds of deliberate attacking strategies can be derived by adjusting the tunable parameters. Moreover, the robustness of four types of interdependent networks (BA-BA, ER-ER, BA-ER and ER-BA) with different coupling modes (random, positive and negative correlation) is evaluated under different attacking strategies. Interesting conclusions could be obtained. It can be found that the positive coupling mode can make the vulnerability of the interdependent network to be absolutely dependent on the most vulnerable sub-network under deliberate attacks, whereas random and negative coupling modes make the vulnerability of interdependent network to be mainly dependent on the being attacked sub-network. The robustness of interdependent network will be enhanced with the degree-degree correlation coefficient varying from positive to negative. Therefore, The negative coupling mode is relatively more optimal than others, which can substantially improve the robustness of the ER-ER network and ER-BA network. In terms of the attacking strategies on interdependent networks, the degree information of node is more valuable than the betweenness. In addition, we found a more efficient attacking strategy for each coupled interdependent network and proposed the corresponding protection strategy for suppressing cascading failure. Our results can be very useful for safety design and protection of interdependent networks.

Predictors of Use of Monitored Anesthesia Care for Outpatient Gastrointestinal Endoscopy in a Capitated Payment System.

PubMed

Adams, Megan A; Prenovost, Katherine M; Dominitz, Jason A; Holleman, Robert G; Kerr, Eve A; Krein, Sarah L; Saini, Sameer D; Rubenstein, Joel H

2017-12-01

Use of monitored anesthesia care (MAC) for gastrointestinal endoscopy has increased in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) as in fee-for-service environments, despite the absence of financial incentives. We investigated factors associated with use of MAC in an integrated health care delivery system with a capitated payment model. We performed a retrospective cohort study using multilevel logistic regression, with MAC use modeled as a function of procedure year, patient- and provider-level factors, and facility effects. We collected data from 2,091,590 veterans who underwent outpatient esophagogastroduodenoscopy and/or colonoscopy during fiscal years 2000-2013 at 133 facilities. The adjusted rate of MAC use in the VHA increased 17% per year (odds ratio for increase, 1.17; 95% confidence interval, 1.09-1.27) from fiscal year 2000 through 2013. The most rapid increase occurred starting in 2011. VHA use of MAC was associated with patient-level factors that included obesity, obstructive sleep apnea, higher comorbidity, and use of prescription opioids and/or benzodiazepines, although the magnitude of these effects was small. Provider-level and facility factors were also associated with use of MAC, although again the magnitude of these associations was small. Unmeasured facility-level effects had the greatest effect on the trend of MAC use. In a retrospective study of veterans who underwent outpatient esophagogastroduodenoscopy and/or colonoscopy from fiscal year 2000 through 2013, we found that even in a capitated system, patient factors are only weakly associated with use of MAC. Facility-level effects are the most prominent factor influencing increasing use of MAC. Future studies should focus on better defining the role of MAC and facility and organizational factors that affect choice of endoscopic sedation. It will also be important to align resources and incentives to promote appropriate allocation of MAC based on clinically meaningful patient factors. Copyright © 2017 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Annexin V-MACS in infertile couples as method for separation of sperm without DNA fragmentation.

PubMed

Troya, Jhon; Zorrilla, Ingrid

2015-05-01

To determine the effect of using MACS technology on clinical pregnancy, as a method for separation of damaged sperm in infertile patients. 136 infertile men having normal semen parameters in accordance with WHO 2010 criterion, undergoing ICSI cycle were enrolled during the course of the study. The patients were prospectively randomized and enrolled after oocyte retrieval and were assigned to the ICSI group, PICSI group or MACS group. Embryo development and clinical pregnancy were assessed. In 17 randomized MACS patients, sperm DNA fragmentation was tested in the presumptive apoptotic and no apoptotic spermatozoa fractions. Similar results were obtained between groups for the following parameters: fertilization rates of 78.97% (95% confidence interval [CI]:74.37-83.57), 70.15 %(95% CI:63.98-76.33) and 80.28%(95% CI:73.74-86.81) for ICSI, PICSI and MACS group, respectively; Number of Day-3 embryos was 5.04 (95% CI:4.09-5.98), 5.17(95% CI:4.24-6.10) and 5.59(95% CI:4.31-6.87) for ICSI, PICSI and MACS group, respectively; number of freezing embryos in blastocyst stage was 0.78 (95% CI:0.25- 1.31), 0.70(95% CI:0.27-1.14) and 1 (95% CI:0.37-1.6) for ICSI, PICSI and MACS group, respectively. However, clinical pregnancy rates of 58.1% for MACS group versus 40.4% and 27.3% for PICSI and ICSI group, respectively, were showed statistical difference (P=0.019). DNA fragmentation index for the two sperm MACS fraction showed statistical differences (P=0.000), MACS reduced the D.F.I of the sperm sample. The use of MACS technology improves the clinical pregnancy on infertile couples and can be applied as a method for sperm separation, discriminating sperm with high DNA fragmentation.

Polymorphic Attacks and Network Topology: Application of Concepts from Natural Systems

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rangan, Prahalad

2010-01-01

The growing complexity of interactions between computers and networks makes the subject of network security a very interesting one. As our dependence on the services provided by computing networks grows, so does our investment in such technology. In this situation, there is a greater risk of occurrence of targeted malicious attacks on computers…

Improvement of Eustachian Tube Function by Tissue-Engineered Regeneration of Mastoid Air Cells

PubMed Central

Kanemaru, Shin-ichi; Umeda, Hiroo; Yamashita, Masaru; Hiraumi, Harukazu; Hirano, Shigeru; Nakamura, Tatsuo; Ito, Juichi

2013-01-01

Objectives/Hypothesis Most cases of chronic otitis media (OMC) are associated with poor development of the mastoid air cells (MACs) and poor Eustachian tube (ET) function. We have previously reported that MAC regeneration can effectively eliminate intractable OMC. In this study, we assessed the ability of regenerated MACs to restore normal gas exchange function and contribute to improved ET function. Study Design Clinical trial with control. Setting General hospitals. Materials and Methods Seventy-six patients with OMC, including cholesteatoma and adhesive otitis media, received tympanoplasty and MAC regeneration therapy. At the first-stage of tympanoplasty, artificial pneumatic bones and/or autologous bone fragments were implanted into the opened mastoid cavity. At the 2nd-stage operation, a nitrous oxide (N2O) gas study was performed in 10 patients to measure middle ear pressure (MEP). For the control group, MEP was measured in five patients with good MAC development during cochlear implantation or facial nerve decompression. ET function was measured twice in each patient, once before the 1st operation and 6 months after the second operation. Results At the 2nd-stage operation, in all cases with regenerated MACs and in the normal control group, MEP changed after administration of N2O. In contrast, no change in MEP was observed in cases with unregenerated MACs. In 70% (n = 37/53) of the regenerated MAC group, ET function was improved, whereas improvement of ET function was observed in only 13% (n = 3/23) of the unregenerated MAC group. Conclusions Tissue-engineered regeneration of MACs improves ET function and gas exchange in the middle ear. Laryngoscope, 2012 Level of Evidence 3b PMID:23086494

Coronary artery calcification correlates with the presence and severity of valve calcification.

PubMed

Koulaouzidis, G; Nicoll, R; MacArthur, T; Jenkins, P J; Henein, M Y

2013-10-15

To investigate the prevalence of coronary artery calcification (CAC) in symptomatic individuals with CT evidence for left heart valve calcification, aortic valve (AVC), mitral valve (MAC) or both. This is a retrospective study of 282 consecutive patients with calcification in either the aortic valve or mitral annulus. Calcium scoring of the coronary artery, aortic and mitral valve was measured using the Agatston score. AVC was more prevalent than MAC (64% vs. 2.5%, p < 0.001), with 34% having both. Absence of CAC was noted in 12.7% of the study population. AVC + CAC were observed in 53.5%, MAC and CAC in 2.1%, and combined AVC, MAC and CAC in 31.6%. The median CAC score was higher in individuals with combined AVC+MAC, followed by those with AVC and lowest was in the MAC group. The majority (40%) of individuals with AVC had CAC score >400, and only in 16% had CAC = 0. The same pattern was more evident in individuals with AVC + MAC, where 70% had CAC score >400 and only 6% had CAC score of 0. These results were irrespective of gender. There was no correlation between AVC and MAC but there was modest correlation between CAC score and AVC score (r = 0.28, p = 0.0001), MAC (r = 0.36, p = 0.0001) and with combined AVC + MAC (r = 0.5, p = 0.0001). AVC score of 262 had a sensitivity of 78% and specificity of 92% for the prediction of presence of CAC. The presence and extent of calcification in the aortic valve or/and mitral valves are associated with severe coronary artery calcification. © 2013.

Pleiotrophin, a multifunctional cytokine and growth factor, induces leukocyte responses through the integrin Mac-1.

PubMed

Shen, Di; Podolnikova, Nataly P; Yakubenko, Valentin P; Ardell, Christopher L; Balabiyev, Arnat; Ugarova, Tatiana P; Wang, Xu

2017-11-17

Pleiotrophin (PTN) is a multifunctional, cationic, glycosaminoglycan-binding cytokine and growth factor involved in numerous physiological and pathological processes, including tissue repair and inflammation-related diseases. PTN has been shown to promote leukocyte responses by inducing their migration and expression of inflammatory cytokines. However, the mechanisms through which PTN mediates these responses remain unclear. Here, we identified the integrin Mac-1 (αMβ2, CD11b/CD18) as the receptor mediating macrophage adhesion and migration to PTN. We also found that expression of Mac-1 on the surface of human embryonic kidney (HEK) 293 cells induced their adhesion and migration to PTN. Accordingly, PTN promoted Mac-1-dependent cell spreading and initiated intracellular signaling manifested in phosphorylation of Erk1/2. While binding to PTN, Mac-1 on Mac-1-expressing HEK293 cells appears to cooperate with cell-surface proteoglycans because both anti-Mac-1 function-blocking mAb and heparin were required to block adhesion. Moreover, biolayer interferometry and NMR indicated a direct interaction between the α M I domain, the major ligand-binding region of Mac-1, and PTN. Using peptide libraries, we found that in PTN the α M I domain bound sequences enriched in basic and hydrophobic residues, indicating that PTN conforms to the general principle of ligand-recognition specificity of the α M I domain toward cationic proteins/peptides. Finally, using recombinant PTN-derived fragments, we show that PTN contains two distinct Mac-1-binding sites in each of its constitutive domains. Collectively, these results identify PTN as a ligand for the integrin Mac-1 on the surface of leukocytes and suggest that this interaction may play a role in inflammatory responses. © 2017 by The American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Inc.

EFFECTS OF TRAMADOL ON THE MINIMUM ANESTHETIC CONCENTRATION OF ISOFLURANE IN WHITE-EYED PARAKEETS (PSITTACARA LEUCOPHTHALMUS).

PubMed

Escobar, André; da Rocha, Rozana Wendler; Midon, Monica; de Almeida, Ricardo Miyasaka; Filho, Darcio Zangirolami; Werther, Karin

2017-06-01

The aim of this study was to determine the minimum anesthetic concentration (MAC) of isoflurane, and to investigate if tramadol changes the isoflurane MAC in white-eyed parakeets (Psittacara leucophthalmus). Ten adult birds weighing 157 ± 9 g were anesthetized with isoflurane in oxygen under mechanical ventilation. Isoflurane concentration for the first bird was adjusted to 2.2%, and after 15 min an electrical stimulus was applied in the thigh area to observe the response (movement or nonmovement). Isoflurane concentration for the subsequent bird was increased by 10% if the previous bird moved, or decreased by 10% if the previous bird did not move. This procedure was performed serially until at least four sequential crossover events were detected. A crossover event was defined as a sequence of two birds with different responses (positive or negative) to the electrical stimulus. Isoflurane MAC was calculated as the mean isoflurane concentration value at the crossover events. After 1 wk, the same birds were reanesthetized with isoflurane and MAC was determined at 15 and 30 min after intramuscular administration of 10 mg/kg of tramadol using the same method. A paired t-test (P < 0.05%) was used to detect significant differences for MAC between treatments. Isoflurane MAC in this population of white-eyed parakeets was 2.47 ± 0.09%. Isoflurane MAC values 15 and 30 min after tramadol administration were indistinguishable from each other (pooled value was 2.50 ± 0.18%); they were also indistinguishable from isoflurane MAC without tramadol. The isoflurane MAC value in white-eyed parakeets is higher than reported for other bird species. Tramadol (10 mg/kg, i.m.) does not change isoflurane MAC in these birds.

Protecting Database Centric Web Services against SQL/XPath Injection Attacks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laranjeiro, Nuno; Vieira, Marco; Madeira, Henrique

Web services represent a powerful interface for back-end database systems and are increasingly being used in business critical applications. However, field studies show that a large number of web services are deployed with security flaws (e.g., having SQL Injection vulnerabilities). Although several techniques for the identification of security vulnerabilities have been proposed, developing non-vulnerable web services is still a difficult task. In fact, security-related concerns are hard to apply as they involve adding complexity to already complex code. This paper proposes an approach to secure web services against SQL and XPath Injection attacks, by transparently detecting and aborting service invocations that try to take advantage of potential vulnerabilities. Our mechanism was applied to secure several web services specified by the TPC-App benchmark, showing to be 100% effective in stopping attacks, non-intrusive and very easy to use.

EISCAT observations during MAC/SINE and MAC/Epsilon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roettger, J.; Hoppe, U.-P.; Hall, C.

1989-01-01

The EISCAT incoherent scatter radar facility in Tromsoe, Norway was operated during the MAC/SINE campaign for 78 hours in the period 10 June to 17 July 1987, and during the MAC/Epsilon campaign for 90 hours in the period 15 October to 5 November 1987. The VHF (224 MHz) radar operations during MAC/SINE yielded most interesting observations of strong coherent echoes from the mesopause region. Characteristic data of these polar mesospheric summer echoes are presented. The UHF (933 MHz) radar operations during MAC/Epsilon were done with 18 deg off zenith beam and allows the deduction of meridonal and horizontal wind components as well as radial velocity spectra in addition to the usual electron density profiles in the D and lower E regions. Some results from the VHF and UHF radars indicating the presence of gravity waves are examined.

Mutational screening of CHX10, GDF6, OTX2, RAX and SOX2 genes in 50 unrelated microphthalmia-anophthalmia-coloboma (MAC) spectrum cases.

PubMed

Gonzalez-Rodriguez, J; Pelcastre, E L; Tovilla-Canales, J L; Garcia-Ortiz, J E; Amato-Almanza, M; Villanueva-Mendoza, C; Espinosa-Mattar, Z; Zenteno, J C

2010-08-01

Microphthalmia-anophthalmia-coloboma (MAC) are congenital eye malformations causing a significant percentage of visually impairments in children. Although these anomalies can arise from prenatal exposure to teratogens, mutations in well-defined genes originate potentially heritable forms of MAC. Mutations in genes such as CHX10, GDF6, RAX, SOX2 and OTX2, among others, have been recognised in dominant or recessive MAC. SOX2 and OTX2 are the two most commonly mutated genes in monogenic MAC. However, as more numerous samples of MAC subjects would be analysed, a better estimation of the actual involvement of specific MAC-genes could be made. Here, a comprehensive mutational analysis of the CHX10, GDF6, RAX, SOX2 and OTX2 genes was performed in 50 MAC subjects. PCR amplification and direct automated DNA sequencing of all five genes in 50 unrelated subjects. Eight mutations (16% prevalence) were recognised, including four GDF6 mutations (one novel), two novel RAX mutations, one novel OTX2 mutation and one SOX2 mutation. Anophthalmia and nanophthalmia, not previously associated with GDF6 mutations, were observed in two subjects carrying defects in this gene, expanding the spectrum of GDF6-linked ocular anomalies. Our study underscores the importance of genotyping large groups of patients from distinct ethnic origins for improving the estimation of the global involvement of particular MAC-causing genes.

A critical evaluation of magnetic activated carbon's potential for the remediation of sediment impacted by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

PubMed

Han, Zhantao; Sani, Badruddeen; Akkanen, Jarkko; Abel, Sebastian; Nybom, Inna; Karapanagioti, Hrissi K; Werner, David

2015-04-09

Addition of activated carbon (AC) or biochar (BC) to sediment to reduce the chemical and biological availability of organic contaminants is a promising in-situ remediation technology. But concerns about leaving the adsorbed pollutants in place motivate research into sorbent recovery methods. This study explores the use of magnetic sorbents. A coal-based magnetic activated carbon (MAC) was identified as the strongest of four AC and BC derived magnetic sorbents for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) remediation. An 8.1% MAC amendment (w/w, equal to 5% AC content) was found to be as effective as 5% (w/w) pristine AC in reducing aqueous PAHs within three months by 98%. MAC recovery from sediment after three months was 77%, and incomplete MAC recovery had both, positive and negative effects. A slight rebound of aqueous PAH concentrations was observed following the MAC recovery, but aqueous PAH concentrations then dropped again after six months, likely due to the presence of the 23% unrecovered MAC. On the other hand, the 77% recovery of the 8.1% MAC dose was insufficient to reduce ecotoxic effects of fine grained AC or MAC amendment on the egestion rate, growth and reproduction of the AC sensitive species Lumbriculus variegatus. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

A Cross-Layer Duty Cycle MAC Protocol Supporting a Pipeline Feature for Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Tong, Fei; Xie, Rong; Shu, Lei; Kim, Young-Chon

2011-01-01

Although the conventional duty cycle MAC protocols for Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) such as RMAC perform well in terms of saving energy and reducing end-to-end delivery latency, they were designed independently and require an extra routing protocol in the network layer to provide path information for the MAC layer. In this paper, we propose a new cross-layer duty cycle MAC protocol with data forwarding supporting a pipeline feature (P-MAC) for WSNs. P-MAC first divides the whole network into many grades around the sink. Each node identifies its grade according to its logical hop distance to the sink and simultaneously establishes a sleep/wakeup schedule using the grade information. Those nodes in the same grade keep the same schedule, which is staggered with the schedule of the nodes in the adjacent grade. Then a variation of the RTS/CTS handshake mechanism is used to forward data continuously in a pipeline fashion from the higher grade to the lower grade nodes and finally to the sink. No extra routing overhead is needed, thus increasing the network scalability while maintaining the superiority of duty-cycling. The simulation results in OPNET show that P-MAC has better performance than S-MAC and RMAC in terms of packet delivery latency and energy efficiency. PMID:22163895

Structural Analysis of Biofilm Formation by Rapidly and Slowly Growing Nontuberculous Mycobacteria▿

PubMed Central

Williams, Margaret M.; Yakrus, Mitchell A.; Arduino, Matthew J.; Cooksey, Robert C.; Crane, Christina B.; Banerjee, Shailen N.; Hilborn, Elizabeth D.; Donlan, Rodney M.

2009-01-01

Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) and rapidly growing mycobacteria (RGM) such as M. abscessus, M. mucogenicum, M. chelonae, and M. fortuitum, implicated in health care-associated infections, are often isolated from potable water supplies as part of the microbial flora. To understand factors that influence growth in their environmental source, clinical RGM and slowly growing MAC isolates were grown as biofilm in a laboratory batch system. High and low nutrient levels were compared, as well as stainless steel and polycarbonate surfaces. Biofilm growth was measured after 72 h of incubation by enumeration of bacteria from disrupted biofilms and by direct quantitative image analysis of biofilm microcolony structure. RGM biofilm development was influenced more by nutrient level than by substrate material, though both affected biofilm growth for most of the isolates tested. Microcolony structure revealed that RGM develop several different biofilm structures under high-nutrient growth conditions, including pillars of various shapes (M. abscessus and M. fortuitum) and extensive cording (M. abscessus and M. chelonae). Although it is a slowly growing species in the laboratory, a clinical isolate of M. avium developed more culturable biofilm in potable water in 72 h than any of the 10 RGM examined. This indicates that M. avium is better adapted for growth in potable water systems than in laboratory incubation conditions and suggests some advantage that MAC has over RGM in low-nutrient environments. PMID:19201956

An immunohistochemical study of the inflammatory infiltrate associated with nasal carcinoma in dogs and cats.

PubMed

Vanherberghen, M; Day, M J; Delvaux, F; Gabriel, A; Clercx, C; Peeters, D

2009-07-01

The aims of this study were to characterize the inflammatory infiltrate associated with nasal carcinoma in dogs and cats and to determine whether this differed between the two species or with different types of carcinoma. Sections from fixed tissue biopsy samples of intranasal carcinoma from 31 dogs and six cats were labelled immunohistochemically to detect expression of the T-lymphocyte marker CD3, class II molecules of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC II), the myelomonocytic antigen MAC387 and immunoglobulin (Ig) G, IgA and IgM within the cytoplasm of plasma cells. All canine carcinomas were heavily infiltrated by MAC387(+) neutrophils, with smaller numbers of MAC387(+) macrophages. T cells were particularly prominent in the infiltrate associated with transitional carcinoma, and in such tumours were frequently mixed with MHC II(+) cells having macrophage or dendritic cell morphology. IgG(+) and IgA(+) plasma cells were detected at the peripheral margins of all types of canine carcinoma. In contrast, feline intranasal carcinoma was invariably associated with a marked infiltration of CD3(+) T cells. The feline tumour infiltrates contained sparse neutrophils and macrophages and few IgG(+) and IgA(+) plasma cells. These findings suggest that qualitatively different immune responses are induced in response to specific types of canine intranasal carcinoma, and that the canine and feline immune response to these neoplasms is also distinct.

The microassay on a card: A rugged, portable immunoassay

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kidwell, David

1991-01-01

The Microassay on a Card (MAC) is a portable, hand-held, non-instrumental immunoassay that can test for the presence of a wide variety of substances in the environment. The MAC is a simple device to use. A drop of test solution is placed on one side of the card and within five minutes a color is developed on the other side in proportion to the amount of substance in the test solution, with sensitivity approaching 10 ng/ml. The MAC is self-contained and self-timed; no reagents or timing is necessary. The MAC may be configured with multiple wells to provide simultaneous testing for multiple species. As envisioned, the MAC will be employed first as an on-site screen for drugs of abuse in urine or saliva. If the MAC can be used as a screen of saliva for drugs of abuse, it could be applied to driving while intoxicated, use of drugs on the job, or testing of the identity of seized materials. With appropriate modifications, the MAC also could be used to test for environmental toxins or pollutants.

AeroMACS system characterization and demonstrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kerczewski, R. J.; Apaza, R. D.; Dimond, R. P.

This The Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System (AeroMACS) is being developed to provide a new broadband wireless communications capability for safety critical communications in the airport surface domain, providing connectivity to aircraft and other ground vehicles as well as connections between other critical airport fixed assets. AeroMACS development has progressed from requirements definition through technology definition, prototype deployment and testing, and now into national and international standards development. The first prototype AeroMACS system has been deployed at the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) and the adjacent NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). During the past three years, extensive technical testing has taken place to characterize the performance of the AeroMACS prototype and provide technical support for the standards development process. The testing has characterized AeroMACS link and network performance over a variety of conditions for both fixed and mobile data transmission and has included basic system performance testing and fixed and mobile applications testing. This paper provides a summary of the AeroMACS performance testing and the status of standardization activities that the testing supports.

AeroMACS System Characterization and Demonstrations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kerczewski, Robert J.; Apaza, Rafael D.; Dimond, Robert P.

2013-01-01

This The Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System (AeroMACS) is being developed to provide a new broadband wireless communications capability for safety critical communications in the airport surface domain, providing connectivity to aircraft and other ground vehicles as well as connections between other critical airport fixed assets. AeroMACS development has progressed from requirements definition through technology definition, prototype deployment and testing, and now into national and international standards development. The first prototype AeroMACS system has been deployed at the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) and the adjacent NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). During the past 3 years, extensive technical testing has taken place to characterize the performance of the AeroMACS prototype and provide technical support for the standards development process. The testing has characterized AeroMACS link and network performance over a variety of conditions for both fixed and mobile data transmission and has included basic system performance testing and fixed and mobile applications testing. This paper provides a summary of the AeroMACS performance testing and the status of standardization activities that the testing supports.

AeroMACS System Characterization and Demonstrations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kerczewski, Robert J.; Apaza, Rafael D.; Dimond, Robert P.

2013-01-01

The Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System (AeroMACS) is being developed to provide a new broadband wireless communications capability for safety critical communications in the airport surface domain, providing connectivity to aircraft and other ground vehicles as well as connections between other critical airport fixed assets. AeroMACS development has progressed from requirements definition through technology definition, prototype deployment and testing, and now into national and international standards development. The first prototype AeroMACS system has been deployed at the Cleveland Hopkins International Airport (CLE) and the adjacent NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC). During the past three years, extensive technical testing has taken place to characterize the performance of the AeroMACS prototype and provide technical support for the standards development process. The testing has characterized AeroMACS link and network performance over a variety of conditions for both fixed and mobile data transmission and has included basic system performance testing and fixed and mobile applications testing. This paper provides a summary of the AeroMACS performance testing and the status of standardization activities that the testing supports.

McMAC: Towards a MAC Protocol with Multi-Constrained QoS Provisioning for Diverse Traffic in Wireless Body Area Networks

PubMed Central

Monowar, Muhammad Mostafa; Hassan, Mohammad Mehedi; Bajaber, Fuad; Al-Hussein, Musaed; Alamri, Atif

2012-01-01

The emergence of heterogeneous applications with diverse requirements for resource-constrained Wireless Body Area Networks (WBANs) poses significant challenges for provisioning Quality of Service (QoS) with multi-constraints (delay and reliability) while preserving energy efficiency. To address such challenges, this paper proposes McMAC, a MAC protocol with multi-constrained QoS provisioning for diverse traffic classes in WBANs. McMAC classifies traffic based on their multi-constrained QoS demands and introduces a novel superframe structure based on the “transmit-whenever-appropriate” principle, which allows diverse periods for diverse traffic classes according to their respective QoS requirements. Furthermore, a novel emergency packet handling mechanism is proposed to ensure packet delivery with the least possible delay and the highest reliability. McMAC is also modeled analytically, and extensive simulations were performed to evaluate its performance. The results reveal that McMAC achieves the desired delay and reliability guarantee according to the requirements of a particular traffic class while achieving energy efficiency. PMID:23202224

TSARINA: A computer model for assessing conventional and chemical attacks on air bases

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Emerson, D.E.; Wegner, L.H.

This Note describes the latest version of the TSARINA (TSAR INputs using AIDA) airbase damage assessment computer program that has been developed to estimate the on-base concentration of toxic agents that would be deposited by a chemical attack and to assess losses to various on-base resources from conventional attacks, as well as the physical damage to runways, taxiways, buildings, and other facilities. Although the model may be used as a general-purpose, complex-target damage assessment model, its primary role in intended to be in support of the TSAR (Theater Simulation of Airbase Resources) aircraft sortie generation simulation program. When used withmore » TSAR, multiple trials of a multibase airbase-attack campaign can be assessed with TSARINA, and the impact of those attacks on sortie generation can be derived using the TSAR simulation model. TSARINA, as currently configured, permits damage assessments of attacks on an airbase (or other) complex that is compassed of up to 1000 individual targets (buildings, taxiways, etc,), and 2500 packets of resources. TSARINA determines the actual impact points (pattern centroids for CBUs and container burst point for chemical weapons) by Monte Carlo procedures-i.e., by random selections from the appropriate error distributions. Uncertainties in wind velocity and heading are also considered for chemical weapons. Point-impact weapons that impact within a specified distance of each target type are classed as hits, and estimates of the damage to the structures and to the various classes of support resources are assessed using cookie-cutter weapon-effects approximations.« less

Topological Vulnerability Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jajodia, Sushil; Noel, Steven

Traditionally, network administrators rely on labor-intensive processes for tracking network configurations and vulnerabilities. This requires a great deal of expertise, and is error prone because of the complexity of networks and associated security data. The interdependencies of network vulnerabilities make traditional point-wise vulnerability analysis inadequate. We describe a Topological Vulnerability Analysis (TVA) approach that analyzes vulnerability dependencies and shows all possible attack paths into a network. From models of the network vulnerabilities and potential attacker exploits, we compute attack graphs that convey the impact of individual and combined vulnerabilities on overall security. TVA finds potential paths of vulnerability through a network, showing exactly how attackers may penetrate a network. From this, we identify key vulnerabilities and provide strategies for protection of critical network assets.

Genetic attack on neural cryptography.

PubMed

Ruttor, Andreas; Kinzel, Wolfgang; Naeh, Rivka; Kanter, Ido

2006-03-01

Different scaling properties for the complexity of bidirectional synchronization and unidirectional learning are essential for the security of neural cryptography. Incrementing the synaptic depth of the networks increases the synchronization time only polynomially, but the success of the geometric attack is reduced exponentially and it clearly fails in the limit of infinite synaptic depth. This method is improved by adding a genetic algorithm, which selects the fittest neural networks. The probability of a successful genetic attack is calculated for different model parameters using numerical simulations. The results show that scaling laws observed in the case of other attacks hold for the improved algorithm, too. The number of networks needed for an effective attack grows exponentially with increasing synaptic depth. In addition, finite-size effects caused by Hebbian and anti-Hebbian learning are analyzed. These learning rules converge to the random walk rule if the synaptic depth is small compared to the square root of the system size.

Self-referenced continuous-variable measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yijun; Wang, Xudong; Li, Jiawei; Huang, Duan; Zhang, Ling; Guo, Ying

2018-05-01

We propose a scheme to remove the demand of transmitting a high-brightness local oscillator (LO) in continuous-variable measurement-device-independent quantum key distribution (CV-MDI QKD) protocol, which we call as the self-referenced (SR) CV-MDI QKD. We show that our scheme is immune to the side-channel attacks, such as the calibration attacks, the wavelength attacks and the LO fluctuation attacks, which are all exploiting the security loopholes introduced by transmitting the LO. Besides, the proposed scheme waives the necessity of complex multiplexer and demultiplexer, which can greatly simplify the QKD processes and improve the transmission efficiency. The numerical simulations under collective attacks show that all the improvements brought about by our scheme are only at the expense of slight transmission distance shortening. This scheme shows an available method to mend the security loopholes incurred by transmitting LO in CV-MDI QKD.

Genetic attack on neural cryptography

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ruttor, Andreas; Kinzel, Wolfgang; Naeh, Rivka

2006-03-15

Different scaling properties for the complexity of bidirectional synchronization and unidirectional learning are essential for the security of neural cryptography. Incrementing the synaptic depth of the networks increases the synchronization time only polynomially, but the success of the geometric attack is reduced exponentially and it clearly fails in the limit of infinite synaptic depth. This method is improved by adding a genetic algorithm, which selects the fittest neural networks. The probability of a successful genetic attack is calculated for different model parameters using numerical simulations. The results show that scaling laws observed in the case of other attacks hold formore » the improved algorithm, too. The number of networks needed for an effective attack grows exponentially with increasing synaptic depth. In addition, finite-size effects caused by Hebbian and anti-Hebbian learning are analyzed. These learning rules converge to the random walk rule if the synaptic depth is small compared to the square root of the system size.« less

Genetic attack on neural cryptography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruttor, Andreas; Kinzel, Wolfgang; Naeh, Rivka; Kanter, Ido

2006-03-01

Different scaling properties for the complexity of bidirectional synchronization and unidirectional learning are essential for the security of neural cryptography. Incrementing the synaptic depth of the networks increases the synchronization time only polynomially, but the success of the geometric attack is reduced exponentially and it clearly fails in the limit of infinite synaptic depth. This method is improved by adding a genetic algorithm, which selects the fittest neural networks. The probability of a successful genetic attack is calculated for different model parameters using numerical simulations. The results show that scaling laws observed in the case of other attacks hold for the improved algorithm, too. The number of networks needed for an effective attack grows exponentially with increasing synaptic depth. In addition, finite-size effects caused by Hebbian and anti-Hebbian learning are analyzed. These learning rules converge to the random walk rule if the synaptic depth is small compared to the square root of the system size.

33 CFR 334.630 - Tampa Bay south of MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.; small-arms firing range and aircraft jettison, U...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2011-07-01 2011-07-01 false Tampa Bay south of MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.; small-arms firing range and aircraft jettison, U.S. Air Force, MacDill Air Force Base... Force Base, Fla.; small-arms firing range and aircraft jettison, U.S. Air Force, MacDill Air Force Base...

33 CFR 334.630 - Tampa Bay south of MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.; small-arms firing range and aircraft jettison, U...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2014-07-01 2014-07-01 false Tampa Bay south of MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.; small-arms firing range and aircraft jettison, U.S. Air Force, MacDill Air Force Base... Force Base, Fla.; small-arms firing range and aircraft jettison, U.S. Air Force, MacDill Air Force Base...

33 CFR 334.630 - Tampa Bay south of MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.; small-arms firing range and aircraft jettison, U...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2012-07-01 2012-07-01 false Tampa Bay south of MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.; small-arms firing range and aircraft jettison, U.S. Air Force, MacDill Air Force Base... Force Base, Fla.; small-arms firing range and aircraft jettison, U.S. Air Force, MacDill Air Force Base...

33 CFR 334.630 - Tampa Bay south of MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.; small-arms firing range and aircraft jettison, U...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... 33 Navigation and Navigable Waters 3 2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Tampa Bay south of MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.; small-arms firing range and aircraft jettison, U.S. Air Force, MacDill Air Force Base... Force Base, Fla.; small-arms firing range and aircraft jettison, U.S. Air Force, MacDill Air Force Base...

Impact of MAC Delay on AUV Localization: Underwater Localization Based on Hyperbolic Frequency Modulation Signal

PubMed Central

2018-01-01

Medium Access Control (MAC) delay which occurs between the anchor node’s transmissions is one of the error sources in underwater localization. In particular, in AUV localization, the MAC delay significantly degrades the ranging accuracy. The Cramer-Rao Low Bound (CRLB) definition theoretically proves that the MAC delay significantly degrades the localization performance. This paper proposes underwater localization combined with multiple access technology to decouple the localization performance from the MAC delay. Towards this goal, we adopt hyperbolic frequency modulation (HFM) signal that provides multiplexing based on its good property, high-temporal correlation. Owing to the multiplexing ability of the HFM signal, the anchor nodes can transmit packets without MAC delay, i.e., simultaneous transmission is possible. In addition, the simulation results show that the simultaneous transmission is not an optional communication scheme, but essential for the localization of mobile object in underwater. PMID:29373518

Impact of MAC Delay on AUV Localization: Underwater Localization Based on Hyperbolic Frequency Modulation Signal.

PubMed

Kim, Sungryul; Yoo, Younghwan

2018-01-26

Medium Access Control (MAC) delay which occurs between the anchor node's transmissions is one of the error sources in underwater localization. In particular, in AUV localization, the MAC delay significantly degrades the ranging accuracy. The Cramer-Rao Low Bound (CRLB) definition theoretically proves that the MAC delay significantly degrades the localization performance. This paper proposes underwater localization combined with multiple access technology to decouple the localization performance from the MAC delay. Towards this goal, we adopt hyperbolic frequency modulation (HFM) signal that provides multiplexing based on its good property, high-temporal correlation. Owing to the multiplexing ability of the HFM signal, the anchor nodes can transmit packets without MAC delay, i.e., simultaneous transmission is possible. In addition, the simulation results show that the simultaneous transmission is not an optional communication scheme, but essential for the localization of mobile object in underwater.

Research on low-latency MAC protocols for wireless sensor networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

He, Chenguang; Sha, Xuejun; Lee, Chankil

2007-11-01

Energy-efficient should not be the only design goal in MAC protocols for wireless sensor networks, which involve the use of battery-operated computing and sensing devices. Low-latency operation becomes the same important as energy-efficient in the case that the traffic load is very heavy or the real-time constrain is used in applications like tracking or locating. This paper introduces some causes of traditional time delays which are inherent in a multi-hops network using existing WSN MAC protocols, illuminates the importance of low-latency MAC design for wireless sensor networks, and presents three MACs as examples of low-latency protocols designed specially for sleep delay, wait delay and wakeup delay in wireless sensor networks, respectively. The paper also discusses design trade-offs with emphasis on low-latency and points out their advantages and disadvantages, together with some design considerations and suggestions for MAC protocols for future applications and researches.

MACSIGMA0 - MACINTOSH TOOL FOR ANALYZING JPL AIRSAR, ERS-1, JERS-1, AND MAGELLAN MIDR DATA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Norikane, L.

1994-01-01

MacSigma0 is an interactive tool for the Macintosh which allows you to display and make computations from radar data collected by the following sensors: the JPL AIRSAR, ERS-1, JERS-1, and Magellan. The JPL AIRSAR system is a multi-polarimetric airborne synthetic aperture radar developed and operated by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. It includes the single-frequency L-band sensor mounted on the NASA CV990 aircraft and its replacement, the multi-frequency P-, L-, and C-band sensors mounted on the NASA DC-8. MacSigma0 works with data in the standard JPL AIRSAR output product format, the compressed Stokes matrix format. ERS-1 and JERS-1 are single-frequency, single-polarization spaceborne synthetic aperture radars launched by the European Space Agency and NASDA respectively. To be usable by MacSigma0, The data must have been processed at the Alaska SAR Facility and must be in the "low-resolution" format. Magellan is a spacecraft mission to map the surface of Venus with imaging radar. The project is managed by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The spacecraft carries a single-frequency, single-polarization synthetic aperture radar. MacSigma0 works with framelets of the standard MIDR CD-ROM data products. MacSigma0 provides four basic functions: synthesis of images (if necessary), statistical analysis of selected areas, analysis of corner reflectors as a calibration measure (if appropriate and possible), and informative mouse tracking. For instance, the JPL AIRSAR data can be used to synthesize a variety of images such as a total power image. The total power image displays the sum of the polarized and unpolarized components of the backscatter for each pixel. Other images which can be synthesized are HH, HV, VV, RL, RR, HHVV*, HHHV*, HVVV*, HHVV* phase and correlation coefficient images. For the complex and phase images, phase is displayed using color and magnitude is displayed using intensity. MacSigma0 can also be used to compute statistics from within a selected area. The statistics computed depend on the image type. For JPL AIRSAR data, the HH, HV, VV, HHVV* phase, and correlation coefficient means and standard deviation measures are calculated. The mean, relative standard deviation, minimum, and maximum values are calculated for all other data types. A histogram of the selected area is also calculated and displayed. The selected area can be rectangular, linear, or polygonal in shape. The user is allowed to select multiple rectangular areas, but not multiple linear or polygonal areas. The statistics and histogram are displayed to the user and can either be printed or saved as a text file. MacSigma0 can also be used to analyze corner reflectors as a measure of the calibration for JPL AIRSAR, ERS-1, and JERS-1 data types. It computes a theoretical radar cross section and the actual radar cross section for a selected trihedral corner reflector. The theoretical cross section, measured cross section, their ratio in dBs, and other information are displayed to the user and can be saved into a text file. For ERS-1, JERS-1, and Magellan data, MacSigma0 simultaneously displays pixel location in data coordinates and in latitude, longitude coordinates. It also displays sigma0, the incidence angle (for Magellan data), the original pixel value (for Magellan data), and the noise power value (for ERS-1 and JERS-1 data). Grey scale computed images can be saved in a byte format (a headerless format which saves the image as a string of byte values) or a PICT format (a standard format readable by other image processing programs for the Macintosh). Images can also be printed. MacSigma0 is written in C-language for use on Macintosh series computers. The minimum configuration requirements for MacSigma0 are System 6.0, Finder 6.1, 1Mb of RAM, and at least a 4-bit color or grey-scale graphics display. MacSigma0 is also System 7 compatible. To compile the source code, Apple's Macintosh Programmers Workbench (MPW) 3.2 and the MPW C language compiler version 3.2 are required. The source code will not compile with a later version of the compiler; however, the compiled application which will run under the minimum hardware configuration is provided on the distribution medium. In addition, the distribution media includes an executable which runs significantly faster but requires a 68881 compatible math coprocessor and a 68020 compatible CPU. Since JPL AIRSAR data files can be very large, it is often desirable to reduce the size of a data file before transferring it to the Macintosh for use in MacSigma0. A small FORTRAN program which can be used for this purpose is included on the distribution media. MacSigma0 will print statistics on any output device which supports QuickDraw, and it will print images on any device which supports QuickDraw or PostScript. The standard distribution medium for MacSigma0 is a set of five 1.4Mb Macintosh format diskettes. This program was developed in 1992 and is a copyrighted work with all copyright vested in NASA. Version 4.2 of MacSigma0 was released in 1993.

Accuracy of the MacArthur competence assessment tool for clinical research (MacCAT-CR) for measuring children's competence to consent to clinical research.

PubMed

Hein, Irma M; Troost, Pieter W; Lindeboom, Robert; Benninga, Marc A; Zwaan, C Michel; van Goudoever, Johannes B; Lindauer, Ramón J L

2014-12-01

An objective assessment of children's competence to consent to research participation is currently not possible. Age limits for asking children's consent vary considerably between countries, and, to our knowledge, the correlation between competence and children's age has never been systematically investigated. To test a standardized competence assessment instrument for children by modifying the MacArthur Competence Assessment Tool for Clinical Research (MacCAT-CR), to investigate its reliability and validity, and to examine the correlation of its assessment with age and estimate cutoff ages. This prospective study included children and adolescents aged 6 to 18 years in the inpatient and outpatient departments of allergology, gastroenterology, oncology, ophthalmology, and pulmonology from January 1, 2012, through January 1, 2014. Participants were eligible for clinical research studies, including observational studies and randomized clinical trials. Competence judgments by experts aware of the 4 relevant criteria-understanding, appreciation, reasoning, and choice-were used to establish the reference standard. The index test was the MacCAT-CR, which used a semistructured interview format. Interrater reliability, validity, and dimensionality of the MacCAT-CR and estimated cutoff ages for competence. Of 209 eligible patients, we included 161 (mean age, 10.6 years; 47.2% male). Good reproducibility of MacCAT-CR total and subscale scores was observed (intraclass correlation coefficient range, 0.68-0.92). We confirmed unidimensionality of the MacCAT-CR. By the reference standard, we judged 54 children (33.5%) to be incompetent; by the MacCAT-CR, 61 children (37.9%). Criterion-related validity of MacCAT-CR scores was supported by high overall accuracy in correctly classifying children as competent against the reference standard (area under the receiver operating characteristics curve, 0.78). Age was a good predictor of competence on the MacCAT-CR (area under the receiver operating characteristics curve, 0.90). In children younger than 9.6 years, competence was unlikely (sensitivity, 90%); in those older than 11.2 years, competence was probable (specificity, 90%). The optimal cutoff age was 10.4 years (sensitivity, 81%; specificity, 84%). The MacCAT-CR demonstrated strong psychometric properties. In children aged 9.6 to 11.2 years, consent may be justified when competence can be demonstrated in individual cases by the MacCAT-CR. The results contribute to a scientific underpinning of regulations for clinical research directed toward children.

Effect of Mitral Annular Calcium on Left Ventricular Diastolic Parameters.

PubMed

Codolosa, Jose N; Koshkelashvili, Nikoloz; Alnabelsi, Talal; Goykhman, Igor; Romero-Corral, Abel; Pressman, Gregg S

2016-03-01

Assessment of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function by Doppler flow imaging and tissue Doppler is an integral part of the echocardiographic examination. Mitral annular calcium (MAC) is frequently encountered on echocardiography. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of MAC, quantitatively measured by computed tomography scan, on echocardiographic LV diastolic parameters. We included 155 patients aged ≥65 years. Computed tomography reconstructions of the mitral annulus were created, and calcium identified and quantified by Agatston technique. Calcium locations were assigned using an overlaid template depicting the annular segments in relation to surrounding anatomic structures. Echocardiographic assessment of diastolic function was performed in standard fashion. Mean age was 77 years; 49% were men; and 43% were black. Patients with MAC had lower septal e' (p = 0.003), lateral e' (p = 0.04), and average e' (p = 0.01) compared with those without MAC. They also had a higher E-wave velocity (p = 0.01) and E/e' ratio (p <0.001). When evaluated by severity of MAC, and after adjustment for multiple clinical factors, there was a graded (inverse) relation between MAC severity and septal e' (p = 0.01), lateral e' (p = 0.01), and average e' (p = 0.01). In conclusion, LV diastolic parameters, as measured by Doppler echocardiography, are altered in the presence of MAC. This could be due to direct effects of MAC on annular function or might reflect truly reduced diastolic function. Interpretation of diastolic parameters in patients with MAC should be performed with caution. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A Zonal Approach for the Solution of Coupled Euler and Potential Solutions of Flows with Complex Geometries.

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-01

obtained from: A simple numerical intergration scheme is employed to perform the integral in Equations (B2) and (86) along the dividing streamline. A 11 4...angle of attack was small, the dividing streamline remained almost horizontal in this case. Results of a higher angle of attack case, in which the mesh

Securing Digital Audio using Complex Quadratic Map

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suryadi, MT; Satria Gunawan, Tjandra; Satria, Yudi

2018-03-01

In This digital era, exchanging data are common and easy to do, therefore it is vulnerable to be attacked and manipulated from unauthorized parties. One data type that is vulnerable to attack is digital audio. So, we need data securing method that is not vulnerable and fast. One of the methods that match all of those criteria is securing the data using chaos function. Chaos function that is used in this research is complex quadratic map (CQM). There are some parameter value that causing the key stream that is generated by CQM function to pass all 15 NIST test, this means that the key stream that is generated using this CQM is proven to be random. In addition, samples of encrypted digital sound when tested using goodness of fit test are proven to be uniform, so securing digital audio using this method is not vulnerable to frequency analysis attack. The key space is very huge about 8.1×l031 possible keys and the key sensitivity is very small about 10-10, therefore this method is also not vulnerable against brute-force attack. And finally, the processing speed for both encryption and decryption process on average about 450 times faster that its digital audio duration.

Eculizumab for Dense Deposit Disease and C3 Glomerulonephritis

PubMed Central

Smith, Richard J.; Barile, Gaetano R.; Zhang, Yuzhou; Heher, Eliot C.; Herlitz, Leal; Stokes, M. Barry; Markowitz, Glen S.; D’Agati, Vivette D.; Canetta, Pietro A.; Radhakrishnan, Jai; Appel, Gerald B.

2012-01-01

Summary Background and objectives The principle defect in dense deposit disease and C3 glomerulonephritis is hyperactivity of the alternative complement pathway. Eculizumab, a monoclonal antibody that binds to C5 to prevent formation of the membrane attack complex, may prove beneficial. Design, setting, participants, & measurements In this open-label, proof of concept efficacy and safety study, six subjects with dense deposit disease or C3 glomerulonephritis were treated with eculizumab every other week for 1 year. All had proteinuria >1 g/d and/or AKI at enrollment. Subjects underwent biopsy before enrollment and repeat biopsy at the 1-year mark. Results The subjects included three patients with dense deposit disease (including one patient with recurrent dense deposit disease in allograft) and three patients with C3 glomerulonephritis (including two patients with recurrent C3 glomerulonephritis in allograft). Genetic and complement function testing revealed a mutation in CFH and MCP in one subject each, C3 nephritic factor in three subjects, and elevated levels of serum membrane attack complex in three subjects. After 12 months, two subjects showed significantly reduced serum creatinine, one subject achieved marked reduction in proteinuria, and one subject had stable laboratory parameters but histopathologic improvements. Elevated serum membrane attack complex levels normalized on therapy and paralleled improvements in creatinine and proteinuria. Conclusions Clinical and histopathologic data suggest a response to eculizumab in some but not all subjects with dense deposit disease and C3 glomerulonephritis. Elevation of serum membrane attack complex before treatment may predict response. Additional research is needed to define the subgroup of dense deposit disease/C3 glomerulonephritis patients in whom eculizumab therapy can be considered. PMID:22403278

Spermatozoa with numerical chromosomal abnormalities are more prone to be retained by Annexin V-MACS columns.

PubMed

Esbert, M; Godo, A; Soares, S R; Florensa, M; Amorós, D; Ballesteros, A; Vidal, F

2017-07-01

Colloidal super-paramagnetic microbeads conjugated with annexin V are effective for separating apoptotic spermatozoa by MACS as a result of the high affinity of annexin V for externalized PS molecules. The effectiveness of the procedure in reducing the percentage of sperm with fragmented DNA and abnormal morphology has also been reported. However, it is still unknown if it could decrease the percentage of aneuploid spermatozoa. The objective of our prospective study, performed on 16 males with abnormal FISH on spermatozoa, was to assess if MACS columns were useful tools to retain spermatozoa carrying chromosomal abnormalities in semen samples processed after density gradient centrifugation (DGC). The pellet obtained after DGC was subjected to MACS, and sperm FISH analyses were performed both in the eluded fraction and in the fraction retained in the column. The observed frequencies of disomy and nullisomy 13, 18, and 21, X and Y, as well as the diploidy rates in the MACS eluded fraction and the fraction retained in the MACS column were recorded. We observed that the frequencies of aneuploidies in the eluded fraction were lower than in the fraction retained in the MACS column (0.59% vs. 0.75%; p = 0.010). DGC determined a significant reduction in sperm concentration (z-ratio = 2.83; p = 0.005) and a significant increase in sperm progressive motility (z-ratio = -3.5; p < 0.001). MACS also led to a significant reduction in sperm concentration (z-ratio = 3.14; p = 0.002) and a significant increase in progressive motility (z-ratio = -2.59; p = 0.01) when compared with the post-DGC sample. Sperm concentration was similar in the two fractions generated by MACS (z-ratio = 0.63; p = 0.52), while progressive motility was significantly higher in the MACS eluded fraction (z-ratio = 2.42; p = 0.02). According to our results, MACS columns are able to selectively retain spermatozoa carrying chromosomal abnormalities. Furthermore, the performance of DGC and MACS on semen samples leads to an enrichment of progressive motility. © 2017 American Society of Andrology and European Academy of Andrology.

NF-κB is involved in the LPS-mediated proliferation and apoptosis of MAC-T epithelial cells as part of the subacute ruminal acidosis response in cows.

PubMed

Fan, Wen-Jie; Li, He-Ping; Zhu, He-Shui; Sui, Shi-Ping; Chen, Pei-Ge; Deng, Yue; Sui, Tong-Ming; Wang, Yue-Ying

2016-11-01

To determine the effect of NF-κB on cell proliferation and apoptosis, we investigate the expression of inflammation and apoptosis-related factors in the bovine mammary epithelial cell line, MAC-T. MAC-T cells were cultured in vitro and MTT and LDH assays used to determine the effects of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) on proliferation and cytotoxicity respectively. RT-PCR and western blotting were used to evaluate the effect of LPS and NF-κB inhibition [pyrrolidine dithiocarbamate (PDTC) treatment] on the expression of inflammation and apoptosis-related factors. LPS significantly inhibited MAC-T cell proliferation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, LPS promoted apoptosis while the NF-кB inhibitor PDTC attenuated this effect. After LPS treatment, the NF-кB signaling pathway was activated, and the expression of inflammation and apoptosis-related factors increased. When PDTC blocked NF-кB signaling, the expression of inflammation and apoptosis-related factors were decreased in MAC-T cells. LPS activates the TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway, inhibits proliferation and promotes apoptosis in MAC-T cells. NF-кB inhibition attenuates MAC-T cell apoptosis and TLR4/NF-κB signaling pathway. NF-кB inhibitor alleviating MAC-T cell apoptosis is presumably modulated by NF-кB.

A numerical investigation of viscous, incompressible flow past an axisymmetric body with and without spin

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weber, K. F.

1985-12-01

This study deals with a preliminary investigation of the effects of spin on the axisymmetric flow past a body of revolution. The study has its genesis larger problem of Magnus forces on spinning bodies at angle of attack. However, the fundamental behavior that arises when a spinning body is placed in a uniform stream is still not well understood; therefore, the problem of axisymmetric flow with spin was undertaken. The body consists of a 3-caliber cant-ogive blunted by a spherical nosecap, a 2-caliber cylindrical section, and a 1-caliber boattail. Numerical solutions of the compressible laminar Navier-Stokes equations are obtained using a modified version of the implicit-explicit method developed by MacCormack in 1981. The benchmark problem is the nonspinning body in uniform flow at a Reynolds number of 1.14. The results show that the modified method performs well and allows time steps that are in order of magnitude greater than those permitted by explicit stability criteria.

Myeloablative Versus Reduced-Intensity Hematopoietic Cell Transplantation for Acute Myeloid Leukemia and Myelodysplastic Syndromes

PubMed Central

Pasquini, Marcelo C.; Logan, Brent R.; Wu, Juan; Devine, Steven M.; Porter, David L.; Maziarz, Richard T.; Warlick, Erica D.; Fernandez, Hugo F.; Alyea, Edwin P.; Hamadani, Mehdi; Bashey, Asad; Giralt, Sergio; Geller, Nancy L.; Leifer, Eric; Le-Rademacher, Jennifer; Mendizabal, Adam M.; Horowitz, Mary M.; Deeg, H. Joachim; Horwitz, Mitchell E.

2017-01-01

Purpose The optimal regimen intensity before allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) is unknown. We hypothesized that lower treatment-related mortality (TRM) with reduced-intensity conditioning (RIC) would result in improved overall survival (OS) compared with myeloablative conditioning (MAC). To test this hypothesis, we performed a phase III randomized trial comparing MAC with RIC in patients with acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndromes. Patients and Methods Patients age 18 to 65 years with HCT comorbidity index ≤ 4 and < 5% marrow myeloblasts pre-HCT were randomly assigned to receive MAC (n = 135) or RIC (n = 137) followed by HCT from HLA-matched related or unrelated donors. The primary end point was OS 18 months post–random assignment based on an intent-to-treat analysis. Secondary end points included relapse-free survival (RFS) and TRM. Results Planned enrollment was 356 patients; accrual ceased at 272 because of high relapse incidence with RIC versus MAC (48.3%; 95% CI, 39.6% to 56.4% and 13.5%; 95% CI, 8.3% to 19.8%, respectively; P < .001). At 18 months, OS for patients in the RIC arm was 67.7% (95% CI, 59.1% to 74.9%) versus 77.5% (95% CI, 69.4% to 83.7%) for those in the MAC arm (difference, 9.8%; 95% CI, −0.8% to 20.3%; P = .07). TRM with RIC was 4.4% (95% CI, 1.8% to 8.9%) versus 15.8% (95% CI, 10.2% to 22.5%) with MAC (P = .002). RFS with RIC was 47.3% (95% CI, 38.7% to 55.4%) versus 67.8% (95% CI, 59.1% to 75%) with MAC (P < .01). Conclusion OS was higher with MAC, but this was not statistically significant. RIC resulted in lower TRM but higher relapse rates compared with MAC, with a statistically significant advantage in RFS with MAC. These data support the use of MAC as the standard of care for fit patients with acute myeloid leukemia or myelodysplastic syndromes. PMID:28380315

Mitral Annular Calcification as a Possible Nidus for Endocarditis: A Descriptive Series with Bacteriological Differences Noted.

PubMed

Pressman, Gregg S; Rodriguez-Ziccardi, Mary; Gartman, Charles H; Obasare, Edinrin; Melendres, Emmanuel; Arguello, Vivian; Bhalla, Vikas

2017-06-01

Mitral annular calcification (MAC) is a chronic inflammatory process with similarities to atherosclerosis. It is common in elderly patients and those with renal dysfunction. Although MAC is associated with cardiovascular morbidity, its relationship to infective endocarditis is unclear. The aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that MAC would be prevalent in patients with mitral valve vegetations and that vegetations would frequently occur on calcific nodules. A secondary aim was to look for possible bacteriological differences between vegetations attached to the calcified annulus versus leaflet vegetations. We retrospectively reviewed all echocardiographic studies of patients with native mitral valve vegetations from January 2007 to August 2015 (N = 56). We searched for (1) presence of MAC, (2) location of MAC, and (3) vegetation location (on calcium deposits or distant). MAC was defined as focal echo brightness in a nodular or band-like pattern. The modified Duke criteria were used to confirm the diagnosis of infective endocarditis. Transthoracic, transesophageal, and three-dimensional echocardiograms (when available) at the time of infection were evaluated by a single reader. Twenty-eight subjects were infected with Staphylococcus aureus, 17 with a streptococcal species, and five with other organisms; blood cultures were sterile in 6. Thirty-four (61%) subjects had some degree of MAC, while 22 (39%) had none. Among those with MAC, the vegetation was located on the calcium deposits in 22 (65%), versus in 12 (35%) where it was not. Among all 56 subjects, when S. aureus was the infecting organism it was present on MAC in 16/28 (57%) versus 6/28 (21%; P = .01) for other bacterial species. By contrast, streptococcal infections more frequently involved the leaflets (16/17 [94%]) versus nonstreptococcal infections (18/39 [46%]; P = .0008). MAC may act as a nidus for infection especially with S. aureus. Differences in mechanism of attachment between S. aureus and streptococci may account for the observed difference in frequency of attachment of vegetations to MAC. Copyright © 2017 American Society of Echocardiography. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Negative Campaigning and the Logic of Retaliation in Multiparty Competition.

PubMed

Dolezal, Martin; Ennser-Jedenastik, Laurenz; Müller, Wolfgang C

2016-04-01

The extant literature has demonstrated that the logic of retaliation is a core feature of negative campaigning. Attacks by one side induce counterattacks by the other. Yet most research on the interactive nature of negative campaigning is limited to two-party competition and provides little theoretical justification for why political actors should respond to attacks with counterattacks. The present paper addresses these research gaps. We argue that the negativity bias in human information processing and the zero-sum nature of elections make retaliation a rational strategy. Importantly, these arguments also imply that retaliation may not be the only plausible response to attacks in multiparty systems. Rather, parties may prefer to react to attacks from one competitor by attacking another. To grasp empirically how being attacked and attacking are related, we conduct a highly disaggregated time series analysis of such instances while controlling for other factors that may influence actor behavior. Our analyses draw on several thousand party press releases issued during three national election campaigns in Austria, a typical European multiparty system. They show that retaliation is an important strategy also in multiparty politics. Yet in such context, parties do not exclusively follow a tit-for-tat approach but rather display more complex patterns of attack behavior.

Negative Campaigning and the Logic of Retaliation in Multiparty Competition

PubMed Central

Dolezal, Martin; Ennser-Jedenastik, Laurenz; Müller, Wolfgang C.

2016-01-01

The extant literature has demonstrated that the logic of retaliation is a core feature of negative campaigning. Attacks by one side induce counterattacks by the other. Yet most research on the interactive nature of negative campaigning is limited to two-party competition and provides little theoretical justification for why political actors should respond to attacks with counterattacks. The present paper addresses these research gaps. We argue that the negativity bias in human information processing and the zero-sum nature of elections make retaliation a rational strategy. Importantly, these arguments also imply that retaliation may not be the only plausible response to attacks in multiparty systems. Rather, parties may prefer to react to attacks from one competitor by attacking another. To grasp empirically how being attacked and attacking are related, we conduct a highly disaggregated time series analysis of such instances while controlling for other factors that may influence actor behavior. Our analyses draw on several thousand party press releases issued during three national election campaigns in Austria, a typical European multiparty system. They show that retaliation is an important strategy also in multiparty politics. Yet in such context, parties do not exclusively follow a tit-for-tat approach but rather display more complex patterns of attack behavior. PMID:27904657

Password-only authenticated three-party key exchange proven secure against insider dictionary attacks.

PubMed

Nam, Junghyun; Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond; Paik, Juryon; Won, Dongho

2014-01-01

While a number of protocols for password-only authenticated key exchange (PAKE) in the 3-party setting have been proposed, it still remains a challenging task to prove the security of a 3-party PAKE protocol against insider dictionary attacks. To the best of our knowledge, there is no 3-party PAKE protocol that carries a formal proof, or even definition, of security against insider dictionary attacks. In this paper, we present the first 3-party PAKE protocol proven secure against both online and offline dictionary attacks as well as insider and outsider dictionary attacks. Our construct can be viewed as a protocol compiler that transforms any 2-party PAKE protocol into a 3-party PAKE protocol with 2 additional rounds of communication. We also present a simple and intuitive approach of formally modelling dictionary attacks in the password-only 3-party setting, which significantly reduces the complexity of proving the security of 3-party PAKE protocols against dictionary attacks. In addition, we investigate the security of the well-known 3-party PAKE protocol, called GPAKE, due to Abdalla et al. (2005, 2006), and demonstrate that the security of GPAKE against online dictionary attacks depends heavily on the composition of its two building blocks, namely a 2-party PAKE protocol and a 3-party key distribution protocol.

C-MAC videolaryngoscope versus Macintosh laryngoscope for tracheal intubation: A systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis.

PubMed

Hoshijima, Hiroshi; Mihara, Takahiro; Maruyama, Koichi; Denawa, Yohei; Mizuta, Kentaro; Shiga, Toshiya; Nagasaka, Hiroshi

2018-06-09

The C-MAC laryngoscope (C-MAC) is a videolaryngoscope that uses a modified Macintosh blade. Although several anecdotal reports exist, it remains unclear whether the C-MAC is superior to the Macintosh laryngoscope for tracheal intubation in the adult population. Systematic review, meta-analysis. Operating room, intensive care unit. For inclusion in our analysis, studies had to be prospective randomised trials which compared the C-MAC with the Macintosh laryngoscope for tracheal intubation in the adult population. Data on success rates, intubation time, glottic visualisation and incidence of external laryngeal manipulations (ELM) during tracheal intubation were extracted from the identified studies. In subgroup analysis, we separated those parameters to assess the influence of the airway condition (normal or difficult) and laryngoscopists (novice or experienced). We conducted a trial sequential analysis (TSA). Sixteen articles with 18 trials met the inclusion criteria. The C-MAC provided better glottic visualisation compared to the Macintosh (RR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.03-1.14). TSA corrected the CI to 1.01-1.19; thus, total sample size reached the required information size (RIS). Success rates and intubation time did not differ significantly between the laryngoscopes. TSA showed that total sample size reached the RIS for success rates. The TSA Z curve surpassed the futility boundary. The C-MAC required less ELM compared to the Macintosh (RR, 0.83; 95% CI, 0.72-0.96). TSA corrected the CI to 0.67-1.03; 52.3% of the RIS was achieved. In difficult airways, the C-MAC showed superior success rates, glottic visualisation, and less ELM compared to the Macintosh. Among experienced laryngoscopists, the C-MAC offered better glottic visualisation with less ELM than the Macintosh. The C-MAC provided better glottic visualisation and less ELM (GRADE: Very Low or Moderate), with improved success rates, glottic visualisation, and less ELM in difficult airways. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Conceptualizing ¬the Abstractions of Earthquakes Through an Instructional Sequence Using SeisMac and the Rapid Earthquake Viewer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Taber, J.; Hubenthal, M.; Wysession, M.

2007-12-01

Newsworthy earthquakes provide an engaging hook for students in Earth science classes, particularly when discussing their effects on people and the landscape. However, engaging students in an analysis of earthquakes that extends beyond death and damage, is frequently hampered by the abstraction of recorded ground motion data in the form of raw seismograms and the inability of most students to personally relate to ground accelerations. To overcome these challenges, an educational sequence has been developed using two software tools: SeisMac by Daniel Griscom, and the Rapid Earthquake Viewer (REV) developed by the University of South Carolina in collaboration with IRIS and DLESE. This sequence presents a unique opportunity for Earth Science teachers to "create" foundational experiences for students as they construction a framework of understanding of abstract concepts. The first activity is designed to introduce the concept of a three-component seismogram and to directly address the very abstract nature of seismograms through a kinesthetic experience. Students first learn to take the pulse of their classroom through a guided exploration of SeisMac, which displays the output of the laptop's built-in Sudden Motion Sensor (a 3-component accelerometer). This exploration allows students to view a 3-component seismogram as they move or tap the laptop and encourages them to propose and carry out experiments to explain the meaning of the 3-component seismogram. Once completed students are then asked to apply this new knowledge to a real 3-component seismogram printed from REV. Next the activity guides students through the process of identifying P and S waves and using SeisMac to connect the physical motion of the laptop to the "wiggles" they see on the SeisMac display and then comparing those to the "wiggles" they see on their seismogram. At this point students are more fully prepared to engage in an S-P location exercise such as those included in many state standards because they have a physical sense of what the wiggles indicate. As a result students are better positioned to identify S and P arrivals within the complexity of real data available through REV rather than using the canned or artificial data normally associated with a location exercise. REV provides easy access to recent and noteworthy earthquake data via a simple Web interface. Earthquake locations and near-real time ground motion data are accessed via the IRIS Data Management System, and data are automatically processed and selected so that only events with "good" data are presented within REV. Once students have completed the learning sequence using SeisMac, they will be better able to relate the trace of a seismogram to the physical motion of the ground. This can then lead to better understanding of more advanced exercises including detecting the core and finding the Moho. Building on an understanding of the basics of a seismogram, SeisMac can next be used to help student further understand earthquakes by provide a kinesthetic experience to model how hard the Earth shakes during earthquakes. Through another guided exploration students discover that the SeisMac display is calibrated in units of acceleration and can be related to the Modified Mercalli scale. They then compare shaking during an earthquake via video clips and ground shaking maps from the USGS "Did you feel it" Web site to the shaking of personal objects and the laptop.

33 CFR 334.630 - Tampa Bay south of MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.; small-arms firing range and aircraft jettison, U...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... Force Base, Fla.; small-arms firing range and aircraft jettison, U.S. Air Force, MacDill Air Force Base... Force Base, Fla.; small-arms firing range and aircraft jettison, U.S. Air Force, MacDill Air Force Base...″, longitude 82°33′02.44″; and thence to a point on the shore line of MacDill Air Force Base at latitude 27°50...

Comparative study of MacCormack and TVD MacCormack schemes for three-dimensional separation at wing/body junctions in supersonic flows

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lakshmanan, Balakrishnan; Tiwari, Surendra N.

1992-01-01

A robust, discontinuity-resolving TVD MacCormack scheme containing no dependent parameters requiring adjustment is presently used to investigate the 3D separation of wing/body junction flows at supersonic speeds. Many production codes employing MacCormack schemes can be adapted to use this method. A numerical simulation of laminar supersonic junction flow is found to yield improved separation location predictions, as well as the axial velocity profiles in the separated flow region.

Percolation Features on Climate Network under Attacks of El Niño Events

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Z.

2015-12-01

Percolation theory under different attacks is one of the main research areas in complex networks but never be applied to investigate climate network. In this study, for the first time we construct a climate network of surface air temperature field to analyze its percolation features. Here, we regard El Niño event as a kind of naturally attacks generated from Pacific Ocean to attack its upper climate network. We find that El Niño event leads an abrupt percolation phase transition to the climate network which makes it splitting and unstable suddenly. Comparing the results of the climate network under three different forms of attacks, including most connected attack (MA), localized attack (LA) and random attack (RA) respectively, it is found that both MA and LA lead first-order transition and RA leads second-order transition to the climate network. Furthermore, we find that most real attacks consist of all these three forms of attacks. With El Niño event emerging, the ratios of LA and MA increase and dominate the style of attack while RA decreasing. It means the percolation phase transition due to El Niño events is close to first-order transition mostly affected by LA and MA. Our research may help us further understand two questions from perspective of percolation on network: (1) Why not all warming in Pacific Ocean but El Niño events could affect the climate. (2) Why the climate affected by El Niño events changes abruptly.

Introduction: Cybersecurity and Software Assurance Minitrack

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Burns, Luanne; George, Richard; Linger, Richard C

Modern society is dependent on software systems of remarkable scope and complexity. Yet methods for assuring their security and functionality have not kept pace. The result is persistent compromises and failures despite best efforts. Cybersecurity methods must work together for situational awareness, attack prevention and detection, threat attribution, minimization of consequences, and attack recovery. Because defective software cannot be secure, assurance technologies must play a central role in cybersecurity approaches. There is increasing recognition of the need for rigorous methods for cybersecurity and software assurance. The goal of this minitrack is to develop science foundations, technologies, and practices that canmore » improve the security and dependability of complex systems.« less

C-Band Airport Surface Communications System Standards Development. Phase II Final Report. Volume 2: Test Bed Performance Evaluation and Final AeroMACS Recommendations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Edward; Magner, James

2011-01-01

This report is provided as part of ITT s NASA Glenn Research Center Aerospace Communication Systems Technical Support (ACSTS) contract NNC05CA85C, Task 7: New ATM Requirements-Future Communications, C-Band and L-Band Communications Standard Development and was based on direction provided by FAA project-level agreements for New ATM Requirements-Future Communications. Task 7 included two subtasks. Subtask 7-1 addressed C-band (5091- to 5150-MHz) airport surface data communications standards development, systems engineering, test bed and prototype development, and tests and demonstrations to establish operational capability for the Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System (AeroMACS). Subtask 7-2 focused on systems engineering and development support of the L-band digital aeronautical communications system (L-DACS). Subtask 7-1 consisted of two phases. Phase I included development of AeroMACS concepts of use, requirements, architecture, and initial high-level safety risk assessment. Phase II builds on Phase I results and is presented in two volumes. Volume I is devoted to concepts of use, system requirements, and architecture, including AeroMACS design considerations. Volume II (this document) describes an AeroMACS prototype evaluation and presents final AeroMACS recommendations. This report also describes airport categorization and channelization methodologies. The purposes of the airport categorization task were (1) to facilitate initial AeroMACS architecture designs and enable budgetary projections by creating a set of airport categories based on common airport characteristics and design objectives, and (2) to offer high-level guidance to potential AeroMACS technology and policy development sponsors and service providers. A channelization plan methodology was developed because a common global methodology is needed to assure seamless interoperability among diverse AeroMACS services potentially supplied by multiple service providers.

Dendritic Cell-specific Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 3-grabbing Non-integrin (DC-SIGN) Recognizes a Novel Ligand, Mac-2-binding Protein, Characteristically Expressed on Human Colorectal Carcinomas*

PubMed Central

Nonaka, Motohiro; Ma, Bruce Yong; Imaeda, Hirotsugu; Kawabe, Keiko; Kawasaki, Nobuko; Hodohara, Keiko; Kawasaki, Nana; Andoh, Akira; Fujiyama, Yoshihide; Kawasaki, Toshisuke

2011-01-01

Dendritic cell (DC)-specific intercellular adhesion molecule-3-grabbing non-integrin (DC-SIGN) is a type II transmembrane C-type lectin expressed on DCs such as myeloid DCs and monocyte-derived DCs (MoDCs). Recently, we have reported that DC-SIGN interacts with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) expressed on colorectal carcinoma cells. CEA is one of the most widely used tumor markers for gastrointestinal cancers such as colorectal cancer. On the other hand, other groups have reported that the level of Mac-2-binding protein (Mac-2BP) increases in patients with pancreatic, breast, and lung cancers, virus infections such as human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus, and autoimmune diseases. Here, we first identified Mac-2BP expressed on several colorectal carcinoma cell lines as a novel DC-SIGN ligand through affinity chromatography and mass spectrometry. Interestingly, we found that DC-SIGN selectively recognizes Mac-2BP derived from some colorectal carcinomas but not from the other ones. Furthermore, we found that the α1-3,4-fucose moieties of Le glycans expressed on DC-SIGN-binding Mac-2BP were important for recognition. DC-SIGN-dependent cellular interactions between immature MoDCs and colorectal carcinoma cells significantly inhibited MoDC functional maturation, suggesting that Mac-2BP may provide a tolerogenic microenvironment for colorectal carcinoma cells through DC-SIGN-dependent recognition. Importantly, Mac-2BP was detected as a predominant DC-SIGN ligand expressed on some primary colorectal cancer tissues from certain parts of patients in comparison with CEA from other parts, suggesting that DC-SIGN-binding Mac-2BP bearing tumor-associated Le glycans may become a novel potential colorectal cancer biomarker for some patients instead of CEA. PMID:21515679

Staging of Macular Telangiectasia: Power-Doppler Optical Coherence Tomography and Macular Pigment Optical Density

PubMed Central

Chin, Eric K.; Kim, Dae Yu; Hunter, Allan A.; Pilli, Suman; Wilson, Machelle; Zawadzki, Robert J.; Werner, John S.; Park, Susanna S.

2013-01-01

Purpose. Two methods were used to study the stages of macular telangiectasia (MacTel): Power-Doppler optical coherence tomography (PD-OCT), which allows imaging of the retinal circulation in three dimensions, and macular pigment optical density (MPOD), which quantifies the distribution of macular carotenoids. Methods. Among 49 patients with MacTel identified, 12 eyes (6 patients) with MacTel and 7 age-matched control eyes (7 patients) were imaged with a custom-built Fourier-domain OCT instrument to acquire PD-OCT images. MPOD was measured using heterochromatic flicker photometry in 10 eyes (5 patients) with MacTel and compared with 44 age-matched control eyes (44 patients). Clinical staging of MacTel was based on best-corrected visual acuity, fundus biomicroscopy, fluorescein angiography, and OCT. Results. Stage 1 eyes (n = 2) had subtle punctate vascular signal confined to the inner portion of the outer plexiform layer (OPL) on PD-OCT. Stage 2 (n = 2) showed larger oblique vascular signal extending into deeper OPL. Stage 3 (n = 5) had disruption of outer retinal layers with abnormal vasculature extending into the outer nuclear layer. Stage 4 (n = 3) showed diffuse blurring of the retinal layers with vascular channels extending the full thickness of the retina. MPOD values in four eyes with stage 1 or 2 MacTel correlated well with age-matched controls. Six eyes with stage 3 or 4 MacTel had loss of MPOD especially at the fovea. Conclusions. PD-OCT shows penetration of the retinal capillaries into the deeper retinal layers in early stages of MacTel, with full thickness vascular proliferation in advanced disease. MPOD is commonly depleted but may appear normal in early stage MacTel. PMID:23716628

C-Band Airport Surface Communications System Standards Development. Phase II Final Report. Volume 1: Concepts of Use, Initial System Requirements, Architecture, and AeroMACS Design Considerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Edward; Isaacs, James; Henriksen, Steve; Zelkin, Natalie

2011-01-01

This report is provided as part of ITT s NASA Glenn Research Center Aerospace Communication Systems Technical Support (ACSTS) contract NNC05CA85C, Task 7: New ATM Requirements-Future Communications, C-Band and L-Band Communications Standard Development and was based on direction provided by FAA project-level agreements for New ATM Requirements-Future Communications. Task 7 included two subtasks. Subtask 7-1 addressed C-band (5091- to 5150-MHz) airport surface data communications standards development, systems engineering, test bed and prototype development, and tests and demonstrations to establish operational capability for the Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System (AeroMACS). Subtask 7-2 focused on systems engineering and development support of the L-band digital aeronautical communications system (L-DACS). Subtask 7-1 consisted of two phases. Phase I included development of AeroMACS concepts of use, requirements, architecture, and initial high-level safety risk assessment. Phase II builds on Phase I results and is presented in two volumes. Volume I (this document) is devoted to concepts of use, system requirements, and architecture, including AeroMACS design considerations. Volume II describes an AeroMACS prototype evaluation and presents final AeroMACS recommendations. This report also describes airport categorization and channelization methodologies. The purposes of the airport categorization task were (1) to facilitate initial AeroMACS architecture designs and enable budgetary projections by creating a set of airport categories based on common airport characteristics and design objectives, and (2) to offer high-level guidance to potential AeroMACS technology and policy development sponsors and service providers. A channelization plan methodology was developed because a common global methodology is needed to assure seamless interoperability among diverse AeroMACS services potentially supplied by multiple service providers.

Resting heart rate and the incidence and progression of valvular calcium: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA).

PubMed

Amoakwa, Kojo; Fashanu, Oluwaseun E; Tibuakuu, Martin; Zhao, Di; Guallar, Eliseo; Whelton, Seamus P; O'Neal, Wesley T; Post, Wendy S; Budoff, Matthew J; Michos, Erin D

2018-06-01

Left-sided valvular calcification is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality. Resting heart rate (RHR) may influence valvular calcium progression through shear stress. Whether RHR, an established CVD risk factor, is associated with valvular calcium progression is unknown. We assessed whether RHR predicts incidence and progression of mitral annular calcium (MAC) and aortic valve calcium (AVC) in a community-based cohort free of CVD at baseline. RHR was obtained from baseline electrocardiograms of 5498 MESA participants. MAC and AVC were quantified using Agatston scoring from cardiac computed tomography scans obtained at baseline and at a second examination during follow-up. We examined associations of RHR with incident MAC/AVC and annual change in MAC/AVC scores, after adjusting for demographics, CVD risk factors, physical activity, and atrioventricular nodal blocker use. At baseline, participants had mean age of 62 ± 10 years and mean RHR of 63 ± 10 bpm; 12.3% and 8.9% had prevalent AVC and MAC, respectively. Over a median of 2.3 years, 4.1% and 4.5% developed incident AVC and MAC, respectively. Each 10 bpm higher RHR was significantly associated with incident MAC [Risk Ratio 1.17 (95% CI 1.03-1.34)], but not incident AVC. However, RHR was associated with AVC progression [β = 1.62 (0.45-2.80) Agatston units/year for every 10 bpm increment], but not MAC progression. Higher RHR was associated with MAC incidence and AVC progression, independent of traditional CVD risk factors. Future studies are needed to determine whether modification of RHR through lifestyle or pharmacologic interventions can reduce valvular calcium incidence or progression. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Electromyographic activation reveals cortical and sub-cortical dissociation during emergence from general anesthesia.

PubMed

Hight, Darren F; Voss, Logan J; García, Paul S; Sleigh, Jamie W

2017-08-01

During emergence from anesthesia patients regain their muscle tone (EMG). In a typical population of surgical patients the actual volatile gas anesthetic concentrations in the brain (C e MAC) at which EMG activation occurs remains unknown, as is whether EMG activation at higher C e MACs is correlated with subsequent severe pain, or with cortical activation. Electroencephalographic (EEG) and EMG activity was recorded from the forehead of 273 patients emerging from general anesthesia following surgery. We determined C e MAC at time of EMG activation and at return of consciousness. Pain was assessed immediately after return of consciousness using an 11 point numerical rating scale. The onset of EMG activation during emergence was associated with neither discernible muscle movement nor with the presence of exogenous stimulation in half the patients. EMG activation could be modelled as two distinct processes; termed high- and low-C e MAC (occurring higher or lower than 0.07 C e MAC). Low-C e MAC activation was typically associated with simultaneous EMG activation and consciousness, and the presence of a laryngeal mask. In contrast, high-C e MAC EMG activation occurred independently of return of consciousness, and was not associated with severe post-operative pain, but was more common in the presence of an endotracheal tube. Patients emerging from general anesthesia with an endotracheal tube in place are more likely to have an EMG activation at higher C e MAC concentrations. These activations are not associated with subsequent high-pain, nor with cortical arousal, as evidenced by continuing delta waves in the EEG. Conversely, patients emerging from general anesthesia with a laryngeal mask demonstrate marked neural inertia-EMG activation occurs at a low C e MAC, and is closely temporally associated with return of consciousness.

Xenon neurotoxicity in rat hippocampal slice cultures is similar to isoflurane and sevoflurane.

PubMed

Brosnan, Heather; Bickler, Philip E

2013-08-01

Anesthetic neurotoxicity in the developing brain of rodents and primates has raised concern. Xenon may be a nonneurotoxic alternative to halogenated anesthetics, but its toxicity has only been studied at low concentrations, where neuroprotective effects predominate in animal models. An equipotent comparison of xenon and halogenated anesthetics with respect to neurotoxicity in developing neurons has not been made. Organotypic hippocampal cultures from 7-day-old rats were exposed to 0.75, 1, and 2 minimum alveolar concentrations (MAC) partial pressures (60% xenon at 1.2, 2.67, and 3.67 atm; isoflurane at 1.4, 1.9, and 3.8%; and sevoflurane at 3.4 and 6.8%) for 6 h, at atmospheric pressure or in a pressure chamber. Cell death was assessed 24 h later with fluorojade and fluorescent dye exclusion techniques. Xenon caused death of hippocampal neurons in CA1, CA3, and dentate regions after 1 and 2 MAC exposures, but not at 0.75 MAC. At 1 MAC, xenon increased cell death 40% above baseline (P < 0.01; ANOVA with Dunnett test). Both isoflurane and sevoflurane increased neuron death at 1 but not 2 MAC. At 1 MAC, the increase in cell death compared with controls was 63% with isoflurane and 90% with sevoflurane (both P < 0.001). Pretreatment of cultures with isoflurane (0.75 MAC) reduced neuron death after 1 MAC xenon, isoflurane, and sevoflurane. Xenon causes neuronal cell death in an in vitro model of the developing rodent brain at 1 MAC, as does isoflurane and sevoflurane at similarly potent concentrations. Preconditioning with a subtoxic dose of isoflurane eliminates this toxicity.

Operational effectiveness of a Multiple Aquila Control System (MACS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, R. W.; Flynn, J. D.; Frey, M. R.

1983-01-01

The operational effectiveness of a multiple aquila control system (MACS) was examined under a variety of remotely piloted vehicle (RPV) mission configurations. The set of assumptions and inputs used to form the rules under which a computerized simulation of MACS was run is given. The characteristics that are to govern MACS operations include: the battlefield environment that generates the requests for RPV missions, operating time-lines of the RPV-peculiar equipment, maintenance requirements, and vulnerability to enemy fire. The number of RPV missions and the number of operation days are discussed. Command, control, and communication data rates are estimated by determining how many messages are passed and what information is necessary in them to support ground coordination between MACS sections.

Common Ground: An Interactive Visual Exploration and Discovery for Complex Health Data

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-04-01

annotate other ontologies for the visual interface client. Finally, we are actively working on software development of both a backend server and the...the following infrastructure and resources. For the development and management of the ontologies, we installed a framework consisting of a server...that is being developed by Google. Using these 9 technologies, we developed an HTML5 client that runs on Windows, Mac OSX, Linux and mobile systems

A Dynamic Game on Network Topology for Counterinsurgency Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-26

scenario. This study creates a dynamic game on network topology to provide insight into the effec- tiveness of offensive targeting strategies determined by...focused upon the diffusion of thoughts and innovations throughout complex social networks. Coleman et al. (1966) and Ryan & Gross (1950) investigated...free networks make them extremely resilient against errors but very vulnerable to attack. Most interest- ingly, a determined attacker can remove well

Bytes: Weapons of Mass Disruption

DTIC Science & Technology

2002-04-01

advances compound the problems of protecting complex global infrastructures from attacks. How should the U.S. integrate the many disparate...deploy and sustain military forces.".16 According to the direst of information warfare theories , all computer systems are vulnerable to attack. The...Crisis Show of Force Punitive Strikes Armed Intervention Regional Conflict Regional War Global Conventional War Strategic Nuclear War IW & C2W area of

Acoustical transmission-line model of the middle-ear cavities and mastoid air cells.

PubMed

Keefe, Douglas H

2015-04-01

An acoustical transmission line model of the middle-ear cavities and mastoid air cell system (MACS) was constructed for the adult human middle ear with normal function. The air-filled cavities comprised the tympanic cavity, aditus, antrum, and MACS. A binary symmetrical airway branching model of the MACS was constructed using an optimization procedure to match the average total volume and surface area of human temporal bones. The acoustical input impedance of the MACS was calculated using a recursive procedure, and used to predict the input impedance of the middle-ear cavities at the location of the tympanic membrane. The model also calculated the ratio of the acoustical pressure in the antrum to the pressure in the middle-ear cavities at the location of the tympanic membrane. The predicted responses were sensitive to the magnitude of the viscothermal losses within the MACS. These predicted input impedance and pressure ratio functions explained the presence of multiple resonances reported in published data, which were not explained by existing MACS models.

I-MAC: an incorporation MAC for wireless sensor networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Jumin; Li, Yikun; Li, Dengao; Lin, Xiaojie

2017-11-01

This paper proposes an innovative MAC protocol called I-MAC. Protocol for wireless sensor networks, which combines the advantages of collision tolerance and collision cancellation. The protocol increases the number of antenna in wireless sensor nodes. The purpose is to monitor the occurrence of packet collisions by increasing the number of antenna in real time. The built-in identity structure is used in the frame structure in order to help the sending node to identify the location of the receiving node after a data packet collision is detected. Packets can be recovered from where the conflict occurred. In this way, we can monitor the conflict for a fixed period of time. It can improve the channel utilisation through changing the transmission probability of collision nodes and solve the problem of hidden terminal through collision feedback mechanism. We have evaluated our protocol. Our results show that the throughput of I-MAC is 5 percentage points higher than that of carrier sense multiple access/collision notification. The network utilisation of I-MAC is more than 92%.

Spectroscopic investigation of the interaction of water-soluble azocalix[4]arenes with bovine serum albumin.

PubMed

Fan, Ping; Wan, Lu; Shang, Yunshan; Wang, Jun; Liu, Yulong; Sun, Xiaoyu; Chen, Chen

2015-02-01

In this work, three hydrosoluble azocalix[4]arene derivatives, 5-(o-methylphenylazo)-25,26,27-tris(carboxymethoxy)-28-hydroxycalix[4]arene (o-MAC-Calix), 5-(m-methylphenylazo)-25,26,27-tris(carboxymethoxy)-28-hydroxycalix[4]arene (m-MAC-Calix) and 5-(p-methylphenylazo)-25,26,27-tris(carboxymethoxy)-28-hydroxycalix[4]arene (p-MAC-Calix) were synthesized. Their structures were characterized by infrared spectrum (IR), nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum (1H NMR and 13C NMR) and mass spectrum (MS). The interactions between these compounds and bovine serum albumin (BSA) were studied by fluorescence spectroscopy, UV-vis spectrophotometry and circular dichroic spectroscopy. According to experimental results, three azocalix[4]arene derivatives can efficiently bind to BSA molecules and the o-MAC-Calix displays more efficient interactions with BSA molecules than m-MAC-Calix and p-MAC-Calix. Molecular docking showed that the o-MAC-Calix was embedded in the hydrophobic cavity of helical structure of BSA molecular and the tryptophan (Trp) residue of BSA molecular had strong interaction with o-MAC-Calix. The fluorescence quenching of BSA caused by azocalix[4]arene derivatives is attributed to the static quenching process. In addition, the synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy indicates that these azocalix[4]arene derivatives are more accessible to Trp residues of BSA molecules than the tyrosine (Tyr) residues. The circular dichroic spectroscopy further verified the binding of azocalix[4]arene derivatives and BSA. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Median effective dose of isoflurane, sevoflurane, and desflurane in green iguanas.

PubMed

Barter, Linda S; Hawkins, Michelle G; Brosnan, Robert J; Antognini, Joseph F; Pypendop, Bruno H

2006-03-01

To determine the median effective dose (ED(50); equivalent to the minimum alveolar concentration [MAC]) of isoflurane, sevoflurane, and desflurane for anesthesia in iguanas. 6 healthy adult green iguanas. In unmedicated iguanas, anesthesia was induced and maintained with each of the 3 volatile drugs administered on separate days according to a Latin square design. Iguanas were endotracheally intubated, mechanically ventilated, and instrumented for cardiovascular and respiratory measurements. During each period of anesthesia, MAC was determined in triplicate. The mean value of 2 consecutive expired anesthetic concentrations, 1 that just permitted and 1 that just prevented gross purposeful movement in response to supramaximal electrical stimulus, and that were not different by more than 15%, was deemed the MAC. Mean +/- SD values for the third MAC determination for isoflurane, sevoflurane, and desflurane were 1.8 +/- 0.3%, 3.1 +/- 1.0%, and 8.9 +/- 2.1% of atmospheric pressure, respectively. The MAC for all inhaled agents was, on average, 22% greater for the first measurement than for the third measurement. Over time, MACs decreased for all 3 agents. Final MAC measurements were similar to values reported for other species. The decrease in MACs over time may be at least partly explained by limitations of anesthetic uptake and distribution imposed by the reptilian cardiorespiratory system. Hence, for a constant end-tidal anesthetic concentration in an iguana, the plane of anesthesia may deepen over time, which could contribute to increased morbidity during prolonged procedures.

Matrix-assisted cocrystallization (MAC) simultaneous production and formulation of pharmaceutical cocrystals by hot-melt extrusion.

PubMed

Boksa, Kevin; Otte, Andrew; Pinal, Rodolfo

2014-09-01

A novel method for the simultaneous production and formulation of pharmaceutical cocrystals, matrix-assisted cocrystallization (MAC), is presented. Hot-melt extrusion (HME) is used to create cocrystals by coprocessing the drug and coformer in the presence of a matrix material. Carbamazepine (CBZ), nicotinamide (NCT), and Soluplus were used as a model drug, coformer, and matrix, respectively. The MAC product containing 80:20 (w/w) cocrystal:matrix was characterized by differential scanning calorimetry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and powder X-ray diffraction. A partial least squares (PLS) regression model was developed for quantifying the efficiency of cocrystal formation. The MAC product was estimated to be 78% (w/w) cocrystal (theoretical 80%), with approximately 0.3% mixture of free (unreacted) CBZ and NCT, and 21.6% Soluplus (theoretical 20%) with the PLS model. A physical mixture (PM) of a reference cocrystal (RCC), prepared by precipitation from solution, and Soluplus resulted in faster dissolution relative to the pure RCC. However, the MAC product with the exact same composition resulted in considerably faster dissolution and higher maximum concentration (∼five-fold) than those of the PM. The MAC product consists of high-quality cocrystals embedded in a matrix. The processing aspect of MAC plays a major role on the faster dissolution observed. The MAC approach offers a scalable process, suitable for the continuous manufacturing and formulation of pharmaceutical cocrystals. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. and the American Pharmacists Association.

Assessment of parental decision-making in neonatal cardiac research: a pilot study.

PubMed

Nathan, Aruna T; Hoehn, K Sarah; Ittenbach, Richard F; Gaynor, J William; Nicolson, Susan; Wernovsky, Gil; Nelson, Robert M

2010-02-01

To assess parental permission for a neonate's research participation using the MacArthur competence assessment tool for clinical research (MacCAT-CR), specifically testing the components of understanding, appreciation, reasoning and choice. Quantitative interviews using study-specific MacCAT-CR tools. Parents of critically ill newborns would produce comparable MacCAT-CR scores to healthy adult controls despite the emotional stress of an infant with critical heart disease or the urgency of surgery. Parents of infants diagnosed prenatally would have higher MacCAT-CR scores than parents of infants diagnosed postnatally. There would be no difference in MacCAT-CR scores between parents with respect to gender or whether they did or did not permit research participation. Parents of neonates undergoing cardiac surgery who had made decisions about research participation before their neonate's surgery. The MacCAT-CR. 35 parents (18 mothers; 17 fathers) of 24 neonates completed 55 interviews for one or more of three studies. Total scores: magnetic resonance imaging (mean 36.6, SD 7.71), genetics (mean 38.8, SD 3.44), heart rate variability (mean 37.7, SD 3.30). Parents generally scored higher than published subject populations and were comparable to published control populations with some exceptions. The MacCAT-CR can be used to assess parental permission for neonatal research participation. Despite the stress of a critically ill neonate requiring surgery, parents were able to understand study-specific information and make informed decisions to permit their neonate's participation.

The Multibeam Advisory Committee (MAC): a search for solutions for collecting consistent high quality multibeam data across multiple ships, systems, and operators in the U.S. Academic Fleet.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johnson, P. D.; Ferrini, V. L.; Jerram, K.

2016-12-01

In 2015 the National Science Foundation funded the University of New Hampshire's Center for Coastal and Ocean Mapping and Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, for the second time, to coordinate the effort of standardizing the quality of multibeam echosounder (MBES) data across the U.S. academic fleet. This effort supports 9 different ship operating institutions who manage a total of 12 multibeam-equipped ships carrying 6 different MBES systems, manufactured by two different companies. These MBES are designed to operate over a very wide range of depths and operational modes. The complexity of this endeavor led to the creation of the Multibeam Advisory Committee (MAC), a team of academic and industry experts whose mission is to support the needs of the U.S academic fleet's multibeam echo sounders through all of the phases of the "life" of a MBES system and its data, from initial acceptance of the system, to recommendations on at-sea acquisition of data, to validation of already installed systems, and finally to the post-survey data evaluation. The main activities of the MAC include 1.) standardizing both the Shipboard Acceptance Testing of all new systems and Quality Assurance Testing of already installed systems, 2.) working with the both the ship operators/technicians and the manufacturers of the multibeam systems to guarantee that each MBES is working at its peak performance level, 3.) developing tools that aid in the collection of data, assessment of the MBES hardware, and evaluation of the quality of the MBES data, 4.) creating "best practices" documentation concerning data acquisition and workflow, and 5.) providing a website, http://mac.unols.org, to host technical information, tools, reports, and a "help desk" for operators of the systems to ask questions concerning issues that they see with their systems.

Pre- and postconditioning effect of Sevoflurane on myocardial dysfunction after cardiopulmonary resuscitation in rats.

PubMed

Knapp, Jürgen; Bergmann, Greta; Bruckner, Thomas; Russ, Nicolai; Böttiger, Bernd W; Popp, Erik

2013-10-01

Post-resuscitation myocardial dysfunction is an important cause of death in the intensive care unit after initially successful cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) of pre-hospital cardiac arrest (CA) patients. Volatile anaesthetics reduce ischaemic-reperfusion injury in regional ischaemia in beating hearts. This effect, called anaesthetic-induced pre- or postconditioning, can be shown when the volatile anaesthetic is given either before regional ischaemia or in the reperfusion phase. However, up to now, little data exist for volatile anaesthetics after global ischaemia due to CA. Therefore, the goal of this study was to clarify whether Sevoflurane improves post-resuscitation myocardial dysfunction after CA in rats. Following institutional approval by the Governmental Animal Care Committee, 144 male Wistar rats (341±19g) were randomized either to a control group or to one of the 9 interventional groups receiving 0.25 MAC, 0.5 MAC or 1 MAC of Sevoflurane for 5min either before resuscitation (SBR), during resuscitation (SDR) or after resuscitation (SAR). After 6min of electrically induced ventricular fibrillation CPR was performed. Before CA (baseline) as well as 1h and 24h after restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC), continuous measurement of ejection fraction (EF), and preload adjusted maximum power (PAMP) as primary outcome parameters and end systolic pressure (ESP), end diastolic volume (EDV) and maximal slope of systolic pressure increment (dP/dtmax) as secondary outcome parameters was performed using a conductance catheter. EF was improved in all Sevoflurane treated groups 1h after ROSC in comparison to control, except for the 0.25 MAC SDR and 0.25 MAC SAR group (0.25 MAC SBR: 38±8, p=0.02; 0.5 MAC SBR: 39±7, p=0.04; 1 MAC SBR: 40±6, p=0.007; 0.5 MAC SDR: 38±7, p=0.02; 1 MAC SDR: 40±6, p=0.006; 0.5 MAC SAR: 39±6, p=0.01; 1 MAC SAR: 39±6, p=0.002, vs. 30±7%). Twenty-four hours after ROSC, EF was higher than control in all interventional groups (p<0.05 for all groups). EF recovered to baseline values 24h after ROSC in all SBR and SAR groups. PAMP was improved in comparison to control (4.6±3.0mW/μl(2)) 24h after ROSC in 0.5 MAC SBR (9.4±6.9mW/μl(2), p=0.04), 1 MAC SBR (8.9±4.4mW/μl(2), p=0.04), 1 MAC SDR (8.0±5.7mW/μl(2), p=0.04), and 1 MAC SAR (7.3±3.5mW/μl(2), p=0.04). ESP, EDV, and dP/dtmax was not different from control 1h as well as 24h after ROSC with the exception of 1 MAC SDR with a reduced ESP 1h after ROSC (89±16 vs. 103±22mmHg, p=0.04). Sevoflurane treatment did not affect survival rate. This animal study of CA and resuscitation provides the hypothesis that pharmacological pre- or postconditioning with the volatile anaesthetic Sevoflurane - administered before CA, during resuscitation or after ROSC - results in an improved myocardial inotropy 24h after ROSC. Sevoflurane treatment seems to improve EF even in the early phase of reperfusion 1h after ROSC. Therefore further targeted studies on the optimal dose and time point of administration of Sevoflurane in cardiopulmonary resuscitation seem to be worthwhile (Institutional protocol number: 35-9185.81/G-24/08). Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

MacMouse. Developing Preschool Readiness Concepts and Skills with HyperCard and MacRecorder.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fitterman, L. Jeffrey

Through developments with the use of the "Apple Macintosh" computer, "HyperCard," and "MacRecorder," children in preschool handicapped programs are now capable of participating in appropriate computerized learning experiences. "HyperCard" allows educators to produce their own computerized instructional…

Roderick MacKinnon - Patents

Science.gov Websites

CHANNEL PROTEINS, MUTANT PROKARYOTIC CATION CHANNEL PROTEINS, AND USES THEREOF - MacKinnon, Roderick cation channel proteins, and potentially have uses in treating conditions related to the function of SENSOR DOMAINS OF VOLTAGE-DEPENDENT ION CHANNEL PROTEINS AND USES THEREOF - MacKinnon, Roderick; et. al

Cyber attacks against state estimation in power systems: Vulnerability analysis and protection strategies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xuan

Power grid is one of the most critical infrastructures in a nation and could suffer a variety of cyber attacks. With the development of Smart Grid, false data injection attack has recently attracted wide research interest. This thesis proposes a false data attack model with incomplete network information and develops optimal attack strategies for attacking load measurements and the real-time topology of a power grid. The impacts of false data on the economic and reliable operations of power systems are quantitatively analyzed in this thesis. To mitigate the risk of cyber attacks, a distributed protection strategies are also developed. It has been shown that an attacker can design false data to avoid being detected by the control center if the network information of a power grid is known to the attacker. In practice, however, it is very hard or even impossible for an attacker to obtain all network information of a power grid. In this thesis, we propose a local load redistribution attacking model based on incomplete network information and show that an attacker only needs to obtain the network information of the local attacking region to inject false data into smart meters in the local region without being detected by the state estimator. A heuristic algorithm is developed to determine a feasible attacking region by obtaining reduced network information. This thesis investigates the impacts of false data on the operations of power systems. It has been shown that false data can be designed by an attacker to: 1) mask the real-time topology of a power grid; 2) overload a transmission line; 3) disturb the line outage detection based on PMU data. To mitigate the risk of cyber attacks, this thesis proposes a new protection strategy, which intends to mitigate the damage effects of false data injection attacks by protecting a small set of critical measurements. To further reduce the computation complexity, a mixed integer linear programming approach is also proposed to separate the power grid into several subnetworks, then distributed protection strategy is applied to each subnetwork.

simplified aerosol representations in global modeling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinne, Stefan; Peters, Karsten; Stevens, Bjorn; Rast, Sebastian; Schutgens, Nick; Stier, Philip

2015-04-01

The detailed treatment of aerosol in global modeling is complex and time-consuming. Thus simplified approaches are investigated, which prescribe 4D (space and time) distributions of aerosol optical properties and of aerosol microphysical properties. Aerosol optical properties are required to assess aerosol direct radiative effects and aerosol microphysical properties (in terms of their ability as aerosol nuclei to modify cloud droplet concentrations) are needed to address the indirect aerosol impact on cloud properties. Following the simplifying concept of the monthly gridded (1x1 lat/lon) aerosol climatology (MAC), new approaches are presented and evaluated against more detailed methods, including comparisons to detailed simulations with complex aerosol component modules.

Fast Fragmentation of Networks Using Module-Based Attacks

PubMed Central

Requião da Cunha, Bruno; González-Avella, Juan Carlos; Gonçalves, Sebastián

2015-01-01

In the multidisciplinary field of Network Science, optimization of procedures for efficiently breaking complex networks is attracting much attention from a practical point of view. In this contribution, we present a module-based method to efficiently fragment complex networks. The procedure firstly identifies topological communities through which the network can be represented using a well established heuristic algorithm of community finding. Then only the nodes that participate of inter-community links are removed in descending order of their betweenness centrality. We illustrate the method by applying it to a variety of examples in the social, infrastructure, and biological fields. It is shown that the module-based approach always outperforms targeted attacks to vertices based on node degree or betweenness centrality rankings, with gains in efficiency strongly related to the modularity of the network. Remarkably, in the US power grid case, by deleting 3% of the nodes, the proposed method breaks the original network in fragments which are twenty times smaller in size than the fragments left by betweenness-based attack. PMID:26569610

A general ligand design for gold catalysis allowing ligand-directed anti-nucleophilic attack of alkynes.

PubMed

Wang, Yanzhao; Wang, Zhixun; Li, Yuxue; Wu, Gongde; Cao, Zheng; Zhang, Liming

2014-04-07

Most homogenous gold catalyses demand ≥ 0.5 mol% catalyst loading. Owing to the high cost of gold, these reactions are unlikely to be applicable in medium- or large-scale applications. Here we disclose a novel ligand design based on the privileged (1,1'-biphenyl)-2-ylphosphine framework that offers a potentially general approach to dramatically lowering catalyst loading. In this design, an amide group at the 3'-position of the ligand framework directs and promotes nucleophilic attack at the ligand gold complex-activated alkyne, which is unprecedented in homogenous gold catalysis considering the spatial challenge of using ligand to reach anti-approaching nucleophile in a linear P-Au-alkyne centroid structure. With such a ligand, the gold(I) complex becomes highly efficient in catalysing acid addition to alkynes, with a turnover number up to 99,000. Density functional theory calculations support the role of the amide moiety in directing the attack of carboxylic acid via hydrogen bonding.

A General Ligand Design for Gold Catalysis allowing Ligand-Directed Anti Nucleophilic Attack of Alkynes

PubMed Central

Wang, Yanzhao; Wang, Zhixun; Li, Yuxue; Wu, Gongde; Cao, Zheng; Zhang, Liming

2014-01-01

Most homogenous gold catalyses demand ≥0.5 mol % catalyst loading. Due to the high cost of gold, these reactions are unlikely to be applicable in medium or large scale applications. Here we disclose a novel ligand design based on the privileged biphenyl-2-phosphine framework that offers a potentially general approach to dramatically lowering catalyst loading. In this design, an amide group at the 3’ position of the ligand framework directs and promotes nucleophilic attack at the ligand gold complex-activated alkyne, which is unprecedented in homogeneous gold catalysis considering the spatial challenge of using ligand to reach antiapproaching nucleophile in a linear P-Au-alkyne centroid structure. With such a ligand, the gold(I) complex becomes highly efficient in catalyzing acid addition to alkynes, with a turnover number up to 99,000. Density functional theory calculations support the role of the amide moiety in directing the attack of carboxylic acid via hydrogen bonding. PMID:24704803

Intrusion Detection for Defense at the MAC and Routing Layers of Wireless Networks

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-01-01

Space DoS Denial of Service DSR Dynamic Source Routing IDS Intrusion Detection System LAR Location-Aided Routing MAC Media Access Control MACA Multiple...different mobility parameters. 10 They simulate interaction between three MAC protocols ( MACA , 802.11 and CSMA) and three routing protocols (AODV, DSR

12 CFR 652.61 - Capital planning.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... progressively severe stress scenarios developed by Farmer Mac appropriate to its business model and portfolios... stress testing, Farmer Mac must provide to OSMO a description of the expected and stressed scenarios that Farmer Mac intends to use to conduct its annual stress test under this section. (B) A description of all...

42 CFR 423.2110 - MAC reviews on its own motion.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... 42 Public Health 3 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false MAC reviews on its own motion. 423.2110 Section 423.2110 Public Health CENTERS FOR MEDICARE & MEDICAID SERVICES, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES (CONTINUED) MEDICARE PROGRAM VOLUNTARY MEDICARE PRESCRIPTION DRUG BENEFIT Reopening, ALJ Hearings, MAC review...

MacIntyre, Rival Traditions and Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stolz, Steven A.

2016-01-01

This paper critically discusses MacIntyre's thesis that education is essentially a contested concept. In order to contextualise my discussion, I discuss both whether rival educational traditions of education found in MacIntyre's work--which I refer to as instrumental and non-instrumental justifications of education--can be rationally resolved…

Novel microbial fuel cell design to operate with different wastewaters simultaneously.

PubMed

Mathuriya, Abhilasha Singh

2016-04-01

A novel single cathode chamber and multiple anode chamber microbial fuel cell design (MAC-MFC) was developed by incorporating multiple anode chambers into a single unit and its performance was checked. During 60 days of operation, performance of MAC-MFC was assessed and compared with standard single anode/cathode chamber microbial fuel cell (SC-MFC). The tests showed that MAC-MFC generated stable and higher power outputs compared with SC-MFC and each anode chamber contributed efficiently. Further, MAC-MFCs were incorporated with different wastewaters in different anode chambers and their behavior in MFC performance was observed. MAC-MFC efficiently treated multiple wastewaters simultaneously at low cost and small space, which claims its candidature for future possible scale-up applications. Copyright © 2015. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System (AeroMACS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Budinger, James M.; Hall, Edward

2011-01-01

To help increase the capacity and efficiency of the nation s airports, a secure wideband wireless communications system is proposed for use on the airport surface. This paper provides an overview of the research and development process for the Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System (AeroMACS). AeroMACS is based on a specific commercial profile of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 802.16 standard known as Wireless Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access or WiMAX (WiMax Forum). The paper includes background on the need for global interoperability in air/ground data communications, describes potential AeroMACS applications, addresses allocated frequency spectrum constraints, summarizes the international standardization process, and provides findings and recommendations from the world s first AeroMACS prototype implemented in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.

Responsive materials: A novel design for enhanced machine-augmented composites

PubMed Central

Bafekrpour, Ehsan; Molotnikov, Andrey; Weaver, James C.; Brechet, Yves; Estrin, Yuri

2014-01-01

The concept of novel responsive materials with a displacement conversion capability was further developed through the design of new machine-augmented composites (MACs). Embedded converter machines and MACs with improved geometry were designed and fabricated by multi-material 3D printing. This technique proved to be very effective in fabricating these novel composites with tuneable elastic moduli of the matrix and the embedded machines and excellent bonding between them. Substantial improvement in the displacement conversion efficiency of the new MACs over the existing ones was demonstrated. Also, the new design trebled the energy absorption of the MACs. Applications in energy absorbers as well as mechanical sensors and actuators are thus envisaged. A further type of MACs with conversion ability, viz. conversion of compressive displacements to torsional ones, was also proposed. PMID:24445490

User's manual for MacPASCO

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lucas, S. H.; Davis, R. C.

1992-01-01

A user's manual is presented for MacPASCO, which is an interactive, graphic, preprocessor for panel design. MacPASCO creates input for PASCO, an existing computer code for structural analysis and sizing of longitudinally stiffened composite panels. MacPASCO provides a graphical user interface which simplifies the specification of panel geometry and reduces user input errors. The user draws the initial structural geometry and reduces user input errors. The user draws the initial structural geometry on the computer screen, then uses a combination of graphic and text inputs to: refine the structural geometry; specify information required for analysis such as panel load and boundary conditions; and define design variables and constraints for minimum mass optimization. Only the use of MacPASCO is described, since the use of PASCO has been documented elsewhere.

An energy-efficient rate adaptive media access protocol (RA-MAC) for long-lived sensor networks.

PubMed

Hu, Wen; Chen, Quanjun; Corke, Peter; O'Rourke, Damien

2010-01-01

We introduce an energy-efficient Rate Adaptive Media Access Control (RA-MAC) algorithm for long-lived Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs). Previous research shows that the dynamic and lossy nature of wireless communications is one of the major challenges to reliable data delivery in WSNs. RA-MAC achieves high link reliability in such situations by dynamically trading off data rate for channel gain. The extra gain that can be achieved reduces the packet loss rate which contributes to reduced energy expenditure through a reduced numbers of retransmissions. We achieve this at the expense of raw bit rate which generally far exceeds the application's link requirement. To minimize communication energy consumption, RA-MAC selects the optimal data rate based on the estimated link quality at each data rate and an analytical model of the energy consumption. Our model shows how the selected data rate depends on different channel conditions in order to minimize energy consumption. We have implemented RA-MAC in TinyOS for an off-the-shelf sensor platform (the TinyNode) on top of a state-of-the-art WSN Media Access Control Protocol, SCP-MAC, and evaluated its performance by comparing our implementation with the original SCP-MAC using both simulation and experiment.

Gallium Disrupts Iron Metabolism of Mycobacteria Residing within Human Macrophages

PubMed Central

Olakanmi, Oyebode; Britigan, Bradley E.; Schlesinger, Larry S.

2000-01-01

Mycobacterium tuberculosis and M. avium complex (MAC) enter and multiply within monocytes and macrophages in phagosomes. In vitro growth studies using standard culture media indicate that siderophore-mediated iron (Fe) acquisition plays a critical role in the growth and metabolism of both M. tuberculosis and MAC. However, the applicability of such studies to conditions within the macrophage phagosome is unclear, due in part to the absence of experimental means to inhibit such a process. Based on the ability of gallium (Ga3+) to concentrate within mononuclear phagocytes and on evidence that Ga disrupts cellular Fe-dependent metabolic pathways by substituting for Fe3+ and failing to undergo redox cycling, we hypothesized that Ga could disrupt Fe acquisition and Fe-dependent metabolic pathways of mycobacteria. We find that Ga(NO3)3 and Ga-transferrin produce an Fe-reversible concentration-dependent growth inhibition of M. tuberculosis strains and MAC grown extracellularly and within human macrophages. Ga is bactericidal for M. tuberculosis growing extracellularly and within macrophages. Finally, we provide evidence that exogenously added Fe is acquired by intraphagosomal M. tuberculosis and that Ga inhibits this Fe acquisition. Thus, Ga(NO3)3 disruption of mycobacterial Fe metabolism may serve as an experimental means to study the mechanism of Fe acquisition by intracellular mycobacteria and the role of Fe in intracellular survival. Furthermore, given the inability of biological systems to discriminate between Ga and Fe, this approach could have broad applicability to the study of Fe metabolism of other intracellular pathogens. PMID:10992462

RSA-Based Password-Authenticated Key Exchange, Revisited

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Seonghan; Kobara, Kazukuni; Imai, Hideki

The RSA-based Password-Authenticated Key Exchange (PAKE) protocols have been proposed to realize both mutual authentication and generation of secure session keys where a client is sharing his/her password only with a server and the latter should generate its RSA public/private key pair (e, n), (d, n) every time due to the lack of PKI (Public-Key Infrastructures). One of the ways to avoid a special kind of off-line (so called e-residue) attacks in the RSA-based PAKE protocols is to deploy a challenge/response method by which a client verifies the relative primality of e and φ(n) interactively with a server. However, this kind of RSA-based PAKE protocols did not give any proof of the underlying challenge/response method and therefore could not specify the exact complexity of their protocols since there exists another security parameter, needed in the challenge/response method. In this paper, we first present an RSA-based PAKE (RSA-PAKE) protocol that can deploy two different challenge/response methods (denoted by Challenge/Response Method1 and Challenge/Response Method2). The main contributions of this work include: (1) Based on the number theory, we prove that the Challenge/Response Method1 and the Challenge/Response Method2 are secure against e-residue attacks for any odd prime e (2) With the security parameter for the on-line attacks, we show that the RSA-PAKE protocol is provably secure in the random oracle model where all of the off-line attacks are not more efficient than on-line dictionary attacks; and (3) By considering the Hamming weight of e and its complexity in the. RSA-PAKE protocol, we search for primes to be recommended for a practical use. We also compare the RSA-PAKE protocol with the previous ones mainly in terms of computation and communication complexities.

MFIRE-2: A Multi Agent System for Flow-Based Intrusion Detection Using Stochastic Search

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-01

attacks that are distributed in nature , but may not protect individual systems effectively without incurring large bandwidth penalties while collecting...system-level information to help prepare for more significant attacks. The type of information potentially revealed by footprinting includes account...key areas where MAS may be appropriate: • The environment is open, highly dynamic, uncertain, or complex • Agents are a natural metaphor—Many

Contrasting Patterns of Diterpene Acid Induction by Red Pine and White Spruce to Simulated Bark Beetle Attack, and Interspecific Differences in Sensitivity Among Fungal Associates

Treesearch

Charles J. Mason; Kier D. Klepzig; Brian J. Kopper; Philip J. Kersten; Barbara L. Illman; Kenneth F. Raffa

2015-01-01

Conifers possess a suite of physiochemical defenses that protect their subcortical tissues from bark beetle -fungal complexes. These defenses include rapid induction of terpenoids and phenolics at the site of attack. Studies of the distribution, induction, and bioactivity of conifer terpenoids have focused heavily on monoterpenes. We assessed induction of diterpene...

Password-Only Authenticated Three-Party Key Exchange Proven Secure against Insider Dictionary Attacks

PubMed Central

Nam, Junghyun; Choo, Kim-Kwang Raymond

2014-01-01

While a number of protocols for password-only authenticated key exchange (PAKE) in the 3-party setting have been proposed, it still remains a challenging task to prove the security of a 3-party PAKE protocol against insider dictionary attacks. To the best of our knowledge, there is no 3-party PAKE protocol that carries a formal proof, or even definition, of security against insider dictionary attacks. In this paper, we present the first 3-party PAKE protocol proven secure against both online and offline dictionary attacks as well as insider and outsider dictionary attacks. Our construct can be viewed as a protocol compiler that transforms any 2-party PAKE protocol into a 3-party PAKE protocol with 2 additional rounds of communication. We also present a simple and intuitive approach of formally modelling dictionary attacks in the password-only 3-party setting, which significantly reduces the complexity of proving the security of 3-party PAKE protocols against dictionary attacks. In addition, we investigate the security of the well-known 3-party PAKE protocol, called GPAKE, due to Abdalla et al. (2005, 2006), and demonstrate that the security of GPAKE against online dictionary attacks depends heavily on the composition of its two building blocks, namely a 2-party PAKE protocol and a 3-party key distribution protocol. PMID:25309956

Comparison of the force applied on oral structures during intubation attempts by novice physicians between the Macintosh direct laryngoscope, Airway Scope and C-MAC PM: a high-fidelity simulator-based study.

PubMed

Nakanishi, Taizo; Shiga, Takashi; Homma, Yosuke; Koyama, Yasuaki; Goto, Tadahiro

2016-05-23

We examined whether the use of Airway Scope (AWS) and C-MAC PM (C-MAC) decreased the force applied on oral structures during intubation attempts as compared with the force applied with the use of Macintosh direct laryngoscope (DL). Prospective cross-over study. A total of 35 novice physicians participated. We used 6 simulation scenarios based on the difficulty of intubation and intubation devices. Our primary outcome measures were the maximum force applied on the maxillary incisors and tongue during intubation attempts, measured by a high-fidelity simulator. The maximum force applied on maxillary incisors was higher with the use of the C-MAC than with the DL and AWS in the normal airway scenario (DL, 26 Newton (N); AWS, 18 N; C-MAC, 52 N; p<0.01) and the difficult airway scenario (DL, 42 N; AWS, 24 N; C-MAC, 68 N; p<0.01). In contrast, the maximum force applied on the tongue was higher with the use of the DL than with the AWS and C-MAC in both airway scenarios (DL, 16 N; AWS, 1 N; C-MAC, 7 N; p<0.01 in the normal airway scenario; DL, 12 N; AWS, 4 N; C-MAC, 7 N; p<0.01 in the difficult airway scenario). The use of C-MAC, compared with the DL and AWS, was associated with the higher maximum force applied on maxillary incisors during intubation attempts. In contrast, the use of video laryngoscopes was associated with the lower force applied on the tongue in both airway scenarios, compared with the DL. Our study was a simulation-based study, and further research on living patients would be warranted. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Deriving health utilities from the MacNew Heart Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire.

PubMed

Chen, Gang; McKie, John; Khan, Munir A; Richardson, Jeff R

2015-10-01

Quality of life is included in the economic evaluation of health services by measuring the preference for health states, i.e. health state utilities. However, most intervention studies include a disease-specific, not a utility, instrument. Consequently, there has been increasing use of statistical mapping algorithms which permit utilities to be estimated from a disease-specific instrument. The present paper provides such algorithms between the MacNew Heart Disease Quality of Life Questionnaire (MacNew) instrument and six multi-attribute utility (MAU) instruments, the Euroqol (EQ-5D), the Short Form 6D (SF-6D), the Health Utilities Index (HUI) 3, the Quality of Wellbeing (QWB), the 15D (15 Dimension) and the Assessment of Quality of Life (AQoL-8D). Heart disease patients and members of the healthy public were recruited from six countries. Non-parametric rank tests were used to compare subgroup utilities and MacNew scores. Mapping algorithms were estimated using three separate statistical techniques. Mapping algorithms achieved a high degree of precision. Based on the mean absolute error and the intra class correlation the preferred mapping is MacNew into SF-6D or 15D. Using the R squared statistic the preferred mapping is MacNew into AQoL-8D. The algorithms reported in this paper enable MacNew data to be mapped into utilities predicted from any of six instruments. This permits studies which have included the MacNew to be used in cost utility analyses which, in turn, allows the comparison of services with interventions across the health system. © The European Society of Cardiology 2014.

The Polish MacNew heart disease heath-related quality of life questionnaire: a validation study.

PubMed

Moryś, Joanna M; Höfer, Stefan; Rynkiewicz, Andrzej; Oldridge, Neil Bryan

2015-01-01

The MacNew health-related quality of life questionnaire was designed to assess feelings about how heart disease affects their daily physical, emotional and social functioning in patients with 1 of the 3 major coronary artery diagnoses, stable coronary artery disease (CAD) with angina, ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), and ischemic heart failure (HF). The aim of this study was to determine the reliability and validity of the Polish version of the MacNew in patients with CAD. Patients with CAD completed a self-report sociodemographic and clinical ques-tionnaire: the MacNew, the Short-Form 36 Health Survey, and HADS at baseline; 10% of the patients completed each questionnaire 2 weeks later. We studied patients with stable CAD with angina (n = 115), with STEMI (n = 112), and with ischemic HF (n = 105). Internal consistency reliability was demonstrated with Cronbach's a from 0.86 to 0.95 for the MacNew global scale and subscales. The original 3-factor structure was confirmed for the Polish version of the MacNew explaining 53.5% of the variance. Convergent validity of similar MacNew and SF-36 subscales was confirmed in the total group and in each diagnosis. Discriminant validity with the SF-36 health transition was fully confirmed in the total group and in patients with HF and partially confirmed in patients with stable CAD with angina or myocardial infarction. The Polish MacNew health-related quality of life questionnaire can be recommended in patients with stable CAD with angina, myocardial infarction and HF.

Chromosomal abnormalities and molecular landscape of metastasizing mucinous salivary adenocarcinoma

PubMed Central

Panaccione, Alex; Zhang, Yi; Mi, Yanfang; Mitani, Yoshitsugu; Yan, Guo; Prasad, Manju L.; McDonald, W. Hayes; El-Naggar, Adel K.; Yarbrough, Wendell G.; Ivanov, Sergey V.

2017-01-01

Background Mucinous adenocarcinoma of the salivary gland (MAC) is a lethal cancer with unknown molecular etiology and a high propensity to lymph node metastasis. Mostly due to its orphan status, MAC remains one of the least explored cancers that lacks cell lines and mouse models that could help translational and pre-clinical studies. Surgery with or without radiation remains the only treatment modality but poor overall survival (10-year, 44%) underscores the urgent need for mechanism-based therapies. Methods We developed the first patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model for pre-clinical MAC studies and a cell line that produces aggressively growing tumors after subcutaneous injection into nude mice. We performed cytogenetic, exome, and proteomic profiling of MAC to identify driving mutations, therapeutic targets, and pathways involved in aggressive cancers based on TCGA database mining and GEO analysis. Results: We identified in MAC KRAS (G13D) and TP53 (R213X) mutations that have been previously reported as drivers in a variety of highly aggressive cancers. Somatic mutations were also found in KDM6A, KMT2D, and other genes frequently mutated in colorectal and other cancers: FAT1, NBEA, RELN, RLP1B, and ZFHX3. Proteomic analysis of MAC implied epigenetic up-regulation of a genetic program involved in proliferation and cancer stem cell maintenance. Conclusion Genomic and proteomic analyses provided the first insight into potential molecular drivers of MAC metastases pointing at common mechanisms of CSC propagation in aggressive cancers. The in vitro/in vivo models that we created should aid in the development and validation of new treatment strategies against MAC. PMID:28249646

Sitting position does not alter minimum alveolar concentration for desflurane.

PubMed

Lin, Chun-Ming; Wu, Chieh-Tsai; Lee, Shih-Tseng; Lui, Tai-Ngar; Huang, Chia-Chun; Li, Allen Hon-Lun; Doufas, Anthony G

2007-07-01

Hypotension is a common complication of the sitting position during anesthesia, and is often counteracted by decreasing anesthetic depth, thereby exposing patients to the risk of being inadequately anesthetized. Baroreceptor unloading and the consequent sympathoexcitation, as during head up tilt, decreases pain threshold and arouses the central nervous system (CNS), whereas hypotension exerts a direct CNS depressant effect. We estimated the minimal alveolar concentration (MAC) of desflurane for immobility in patients undergoing surgery in the sitting position, in comparison to MAC desflurane for patients having a similar type of surgery in the supine position. The Dixon up-and-down method was used to evaluate the MAC for desflurane in patients undergoing cervical spine laminoplasty (n = 24) or discectomy (n = 24) in the sitting and supine positions, respectively. Logistic regression with co-variate adjustment was employed to examine if the two positions (sitting and supine) have different or share the same concentration vs response relationship for immobility. Monte Carlo simulation was used to calculate 95% confidence intervals (CI) for the MAC in each position, and to estimate the difference in MAC (delta MAC) between the sitting and supine positions. Modeling both sitting [6.54% (6.50-6.66, 95% CI)] and supine [6.70 (6.55-6.81)] patients as having different MAC concentrations did not significantly improve our simplified model, which treats the two patient groups as one [6.61 (6.52-6.70), delta -2 log likelihood = 2.735, P = 0.098]. Mean delta MAC (95% CI) was -0.14 (-0.30, 0.03). The sitting position does not change desflurane anesthetic requirements for immobility.

Differential Fault Analysis on CLEFIA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Hua; Wu, Wenling; Feng, Dengguo

CLEFIA is a new 128-bit block cipher proposed by SONY corporation recently. The fundamental structure of CLEFIA is a generalized Feistel structure consisting of 4 data lines. In this paper, the strength of CLEFIA against the differential fault attack is explored. Our attack adopts the byte-oriented model of random faults. Through inducing randomly one byte fault in one round, four bytes of faults can be simultaneously obtained in the next round, which can efficiently reduce the total induce times in the attack. After attacking the last several rounds' encryptions, the original secret key can be recovered based on some analysis of the key schedule. The data complexity analysis and experiments show that only about 18 faulty ciphertexts are needed to recover the entire 128-bit secret key and about 54 faulty ciphertexts for 192/256-bit keys.

Game Theory Meets Wireless Sensor Networks Security Requirements and Threats Mitigation: A Survey.

PubMed

Abdalzaher, Mohamed S; Seddik, Karim; Elsabrouty, Maha; Muta, Osamu; Furukawa, Hiroshi; Abdel-Rahman, Adel

2016-06-29

We present a study of using game theory for protecting wireless sensor networks (WSNs) from selfish behavior or malicious nodes. Due to scalability, low complexity and disseminated nature of WSNs, malicious attacks can be modeled effectively using game theory. In this study, we survey the different game-theoretic defense strategies for WSNs. We present a taxonomy of the game theory approaches based on the nature of the attack, whether it is caused by an external attacker or it is the result of an internal node acting selfishly or maliciously. We also present a general trust model using game theory for decision making. We, finally, identify the significant role of evolutionary games for WSNs security against intelligent attacks; then, we list several prospect applications of game theory to enhance the data trustworthiness and node cooperation in different WSNs.

Motivation Mining: Prospecting the Web.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Small, Ruth V.; Arnone, Marilyn P.

1999-01-01

Describes WebMAC instruments, which differ from other Web-evaluation instruments because they have a theoretical base, are user-centered, are designed for students in grades 7 through 12, and assess the motivational quality of Web sites. Examples are given of uses of WebMAC Middle and WebMAC Senior in activities to promote evaluation and…

Self-Admitted Pretensions of Mac Users on a Predominantly PC University Campus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Firmin, Michael W.; Wood, Whitney L. Muhlenkamp; Firmin, Ruth L.; Wood, Jordan C.

2010-01-01

The present qualitative research study addressed the overall research question of college students' pretention dynamics in the context of a university setting. Thirty-five Mac users were interviewed on a university campus that exclusively supports PC machines. Mac users shared four self-admitted pretensions related to using Macintosh computers.…

Accuracy Test of the OPLS-AA Force Field for Calculating Free Energies of Mixing and Comparison with PAC-MAC

PubMed Central

2017-01-01

We have calculated the excess free energy of mixing of 1053 binary mixtures with the OPLS-AA force field using two different methods: thermodynamic integration (TI) of molecular dynamics simulations and the Pair Configuration to Molecular Activity Coefficient (PAC-MAC) method. PAC-MAC is a force field based quasi-chemical method for predicting miscibility properties of various binary mixtures. The TI calculations yield a root mean squared error (RMSE) compared to experimental data of 0.132 kBT (0.37 kJ/mol). PAC-MAC shows a RMSE of 0.151 kBT with a calculation speed being potentially 1.0 × 104 times greater than TI. OPLS-AA force field parameters are optimized using PAC-MAC based on vapor–liquid equilibrium data, instead of enthalpies of vaporization or densities. The RMSE of PAC-MAC is reduced to 0.099 kBT by optimizing 50 force field parameters. The resulting OPLS-PM force field has a comparable accuracy as the OPLS-AA force field in the calculation of mixing free energies using TI. PMID:28418655

CoR-MAC: Contention over Reservation MAC Protocol for Time-Critical Services in Wireless Body Area Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Yu, Jeongseok; Park, Laihyuk; Park, Junho; Cho, Sungrae; Keum, Changsup

2016-01-01

Reserving time slots for urgent data, such as life-critical information, seems to be very attractive to guarantee their deadline requirements in wireless body area sensor networks (WBASNs). On the other hand, this reservation imposes a negative impact on performance for the utilization of a channel. This paper proposes a new channel access scheme referred to as the contention over reservation MAC (CoR-MAC) protocol for time-critical services in wireless body area sensor networks. CoR-MAC uses the dual reservation; if the reserved time slots are known to be vacant, other nodes can access the time slots by contention-based reservation to maximize the utilization of a channel and decrease the delay of the data. To measure the effectiveness of the proposed scheme against IEEE 802.15.4 and IEEE 802.15.6, we evaluated their performances with various performance indexes. The CoR-MAC showed 50% to 850% performance improvement in terms of the delay of urgent and time-critical data according to the number of nodes. PMID:27171085

Crystallization and preliminary X-ray crystallographic analysis of MacA from Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Piao, Shunfu; Xu, Yongbin; Ha, Nam-Chul, E-mail: hnc@pusan.ac.kr

2008-05-01

A periplasmic membrane-fusion protein MacA from Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans, an essential component of the multidrug efflux pump in Gram-negative bacteria, was crystallized. Periplasmic membrane-fusion proteins (MFPs) are an essential component of the multidrug efflux pump in Gram-negative bacteria. They play a crucial role in bridging the outer membrane porin TolC and two distinct types of inner membrane transporters. The MFP MacA bridges the inner membrane ABC-type multidrug transporter MacB and the outer membrane porin TolC. MacA from the pathogenic bacterium Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans was expressed in Escherichia coli B834 (DE3) and the recombinant protein was purified using Ni–NTA affinity, Q anion-exchange andmore » gel-filtration chromatography. The purified MacA protein was crystallized using the vapour-diffusion method. A MAD diffraction data set was collected to a resolution of 3.0 Å at 100 K. The crystal belongs to space group P622, with unit-cell parameters a = b = 109.2, c = 255.4 Å, α = β = 90, γ = 120°, and contains one molecule in the asymmetric unit.« less

Ultrastructural and clinical evidence of subretinal debris accumulation in type 2 macular telangiectasia.

PubMed

Cherepanoff, Svetlana; Killingsworth, Murray C; Zhu, Meidong; Nolan, Timothy; Hunyor, Alex P; Young, Stephanie H; Hageman, Gregory S; Gillies, Mark C

2012-11-01

To describe subretinal debris found on ultrastructural examination in an eye with macular telangiectasia (MacTel) type 2 and on optical coherence tomography (OCT) in a subset of patients with MacTel type 2. Blocks from the mid-periphery and temporal perifovea of an eye with clinically documented MacTel type 2 were examined with electron microscopy (EM). Cases came from the Sydney centre of the MacTel project and the practices of the authors. On EM examination, subretinal debris was found in the perifovea with accumulation of degenerate photoreceptor elements in the subretinal space. Despite the substantial subretinal debris, there was minimal retinal pigment epithelial (RPE) reaction. Focal defects were seen in the inner limiting membrane in the perifovea. Of the 65 Sydney MacTel project participants, three (5%) had prominent yellow material at the fovea. OCT revealed smooth mounds between the RPE and the ellipsoid region. The material was hyperautofluorescent. This study suggests that subretinal accumulation of photoreceptor debris may be a feature of MacTel type 2. Ultrastructural and OCT evidence of disease beyond the vasculature, involving photoreceptors and Muller cells, is presented.

Validation of a systems-actuarial computer process for multidimensional classification of child psychopathology.

PubMed

McDermott, P A; Hale, R L

1982-07-01

Tested diagnostic classifications of child psychopathology produced by a computerized technique known as multidimensional actuarial classification (MAC) against the criterion of expert psychological opinion. The MAC program applies series of statistical decision rules to assess the importance of and relationships among several dimensions of classification, i.e., intellectual functioning, academic achievement, adaptive behavior, and social and behavioral adjustment, to perform differential diagnosis of children's mental retardation, specific learning disabilities, behavioral and emotional disturbance, possible communication or perceptual-motor impairment, and academic under- and overachievement in reading and mathematics. Classifications rendered by MAC are compared to those offered by two expert child psychologists for cases of 73 children referred for psychological services. Experts' agreement with MAC was significant for all classification areas, as was MAC's agreement with the experts held as a conjoint reference standard. Whereas the experts' agreement with MAC averaged 86.0% above chance, their agreement with one another averaged 76.5% above chance. Implications of the findings are explored and potential advantages of the systems-actuarial approach are discussed.

Effects of carprofen and meloxicam with or without butorphanol on the minimum alveolar concentration of sevoflurane in dogs.

PubMed

Yamashita, Kazuto; Okano, Yoshihiko; Yamashita, Maiko; Umar, Mohammed A; Kushiro, Tokiko; Muir, William W

2008-01-01

Sparing effects of carprofen and meloxicam with or without butorphanol on the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) of sevoflurane were determined in 6 dogs. Anesthesia was induced and maintained with sevoflurane in oxygen, and MAC was determined by use of a tail clamp method. The dogs were administered a subcutaneous injection of carprofen (4 mg/kg) or meloxicam (0.2 mg/kg), or no medication (control) one hour prior to induction of anesthesia. Following the initial determination of MAC, butorphanol (0.3 mg/kg) was administered intramuscularly, and MAC was determined again. The sevoflurane MACs for carprofen alone (2.10 +/- 0.26%) and meloxicam alone (2.06 +/- 0.20%) were significantly less than the control (2.39 +/- 0.26%). The sevoflurane MACs for the combination of carprofen with butorphanol (1.78 +/- 0.20%) and meloxicam with butorphanol (1.66 +/- 0.29%) were also significantly less than the control value after the administration of butorphanol (2.12 +/- 0.28%). The sevoflurane sparing effects of the combinations of carprofen with butorphanol and meloxicam with butorphanol were additive.

Removal of Cu2+ and turbidity from wastewater by mercaptoacetyl chitosan.

PubMed

Chang, Qing; Zhang, Min; Wang, Jinxi

2009-09-30

A macromolecule heavy metal flocculant mercaptoacetyl chitosan (MAC) was prepared by reacting chitosan with mercaptoacetic acid. In preliminary experiments, the flocculation performance of MAC was evaluated by using wastewater containing Cu(2+) or/and turbidity. Some factors which affect the removal of Cu(2+) and turbidity were also studied. The experimental results showed that: (1) MAC can remove both Cu(2+) and turbidity from wastewater. The removal efficiency of Cu(2+) by using MAC combined with hydrolyzed polyacrylamide is higher than that by only using MAC, the removal efficiency of Cu(2+) reaches above 98%; (2) when water sample containing not only Cu(2+) but also turbidity-causing substance, the removal efficiency of both Cu(2+) and turbidity will be promoted by the cooperation effect of each other, the residual concentration of Cu(2+) reaches below 0.5 mg L(-1) and the turbidity reaches below 3NTU, Cu(2+) is more easily removed by MAC when turbidity is higher; (3) the removal efficiency of Cu(2+) increases with the increase in pH value, contrarily removal efficiency of turbidity decreases with the increase in pH value.

Mediating factors in martial arts and combat sports: an analysis of the type of martial art, characteristics, and social background of young participants.

PubMed

Vertonghen, Jikkemien; Theeboom, Marc; Pieter, Willy

2014-02-01

To date, most studies regarding the social-psychological effects of martial arts and combat sports (MA&CS) on young people focus on measuring effects without considering mediating factors. The aim of the present study was to analyze three mediating factors that might be influential when examining outcomes of MA&CS for youth (i.e., the type of MA&CS, participants' characteristics, and social background). Young MA&CS participants (N = 477, M age = 14.0 yr., SD = 2.13) practicing judo, aikido, kick-/Thai boxing or karate, as well as their parents (N = 307), were assessed in terms of their goal orientations, aggressiveness, psychosocial behavior, and social background. It was concluded that differences exist in the characteristics and social background of participants depending on the type of MA&CS being practiced. The fact that differences in these mediating factors can be identified indicates that in future research these and possible other mediating factors should be considered when trying to determine social-psychological outcomes of MA&CS.

Security attack detection algorithm for electric power gis system based on mobile application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Chao; Feng, Renjun; Wang, Liming; Huang, Wei; Guo, Yajuan

2017-05-01

Electric power GIS is one of the key information technologies to satisfy the power grid construction in China, and widely used in power grid construction planning, weather, and power distribution management. The introduction of electric power GIS based on mobile applications is an effective extension of the geographic information system that has been widely used in the electric power industry. It provides reliable, cheap and sustainable power service for the country. The accurate state estimation is the important conditions to maintain the normal operation of the electric power GIS. Recent research has shown that attackers can inject the complex false data into the power system. The injection attack of this new type of false data (load integrity attack LIA) can successfully bypass the routine detection to achieve the purpose of attack, so that the control center will make a series of wrong decision. Eventually, leading to uneven distribution of power in the grid. In order to ensure the safety of the electric power GIS system based on mobile application, it is very important to analyze the attack mechanism and propose a new type of attack, and to study the corresponding detection method and prevention strategy in the environment of electric power GIS system based on mobile application.

Spatiotemporal Patterns and Predictability of Cyberattacks

PubMed Central

Chen, Yu-Zhong; Huang, Zi-Gang; Xu, Shouhuai; Lai, Ying-Cheng

2015-01-01

A relatively unexplored issue in cybersecurity science and engineering is whether there exist intrinsic patterns of cyberattacks. Conventional wisdom favors absence of such patterns due to the overwhelming complexity of the modern cyberspace. Surprisingly, through a detailed analysis of an extensive data set that records the time-dependent frequencies of attacks over a relatively wide range of consecutive IP addresses, we successfully uncover intrinsic spatiotemporal patterns underlying cyberattacks, where the term “spatio” refers to the IP address space. In particular, we focus on analyzing macroscopic properties of the attack traffic flows and identify two main patterns with distinct spatiotemporal characteristics: deterministic and stochastic. Strikingly, there are very few sets of major attackers committing almost all the attacks, since their attack “fingerprints” and target selection scheme can be unequivocally identified according to the very limited number of unique spatiotemporal characteristics, each of which only exists on a consecutive IP region and differs significantly from the others. We utilize a number of quantitative measures, including the flux-fluctuation law, the Markov state transition probability matrix, and predictability measures, to characterize the attack patterns in a comprehensive manner. A general finding is that the attack patterns possess high degrees of predictability, potentially paving the way to anticipating and, consequently, mitigating or even preventing large-scale cyberattacks using macroscopic approaches. PMID:25992837

Mortality and management of 96 shark attacks and development of a shark bite severity scoring system.

PubMed

Lentz, Ashley K; Burgess, George H; Perrin, Karen; Brown, Jennifer A; Mozingo, David W; Lottenberg, Lawrence

2010-01-01

Humans share a fascination and fear of sharks. We predict that most shark attacks are nonfatal but require skilled, timely medical intervention. The development of a shark bite severity scoring scale will assist communication and understanding of such an injury. We retrospectively reviewed records of the prospectively maintained International Shark Attack File (ISAF) at the University of Florida. The ISAF contains 4409 investigations, including 2979 documented attacks, 96 of which have complete medical records. We developed a Shark-Induced Trauma (SIT) Scale and calculated the level of injury for each attack. Medical records were reviewed for the 96 documented shark attack victims since 1921. Calculated levels of injury in the SIT Scale reveal 40 Level 1 injuries (41.7%), 16 Level 2 injuries (16.7%), 18 Level 3 injuries (18.8%), 14 Level 4 injuries (14.6%), and eight Level 5 injuries (8.3%). The overall mortality of shark attacks was 8.3 per cent. However, SIT Scale Level 1 injuries comprised the greatest percentage of cases at 41.7 per cent. Injury to major vascular structures increases mortality and necessitates immediate medical attention and definitive care by a surgeon. Shark bites deserve recognition with prompt resuscitation, washout, débridement, and follow up for prevention of infection and closure of more complex wounds.

Spatiotemporal patterns and predictability of cyberattacks.

PubMed

Chen, Yu-Zhong; Huang, Zi-Gang; Xu, Shouhuai; Lai, Ying-Cheng

2015-01-01

A relatively unexplored issue in cybersecurity science and engineering is whether there exist intrinsic patterns of cyberattacks. Conventional wisdom favors absence of such patterns due to the overwhelming complexity of the modern cyberspace. Surprisingly, through a detailed analysis of an extensive data set that records the time-dependent frequencies of attacks over a relatively wide range of consecutive IP addresses, we successfully uncover intrinsic spatiotemporal patterns underlying cyberattacks, where the term "spatio" refers to the IP address space. In particular, we focus on analyzing macroscopic properties of the attack traffic flows and identify two main patterns with distinct spatiotemporal characteristics: deterministic and stochastic. Strikingly, there are very few sets of major attackers committing almost all the attacks, since their attack "fingerprints" and target selection scheme can be unequivocally identified according to the very limited number of unique spatiotemporal characteristics, each of which only exists on a consecutive IP region and differs significantly from the others. We utilize a number of quantitative measures, including the flux-fluctuation law, the Markov state transition probability matrix, and predictability measures, to characterize the attack patterns in a comprehensive manner. A general finding is that the attack patterns possess high degrees of predictability, potentially paving the way to anticipating and, consequently, mitigating or even preventing large-scale cyberattacks using macroscopic approaches.

Macrophage cell lines derived from major histocompatibility complex II-negative mice

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Beharka, A. A.; Armstrong, J. W.; Chapes, S. K.; Spooner, B. S. (Principal Investigator)

1998-01-01

Two bone-marrow-derived macrophage cell lines, C2D and C2Dt, were isolated from major histocompatibility class II negative knock-out mice. The C2D cell line was stabilized by continuous culture in colony-stimulating factor-1 and the C2Dt cell line was transformed with SV40 virus large T antigen. These cells exhibited phenotypic properties of macrophages including morphology and expression of Mac 1 and Mac 2 cell surface molecules. These cells also had comparable growth to the bone-marrow-derived macrophage cell line B6MP102. These new cell lines were not spontaneously cytotoxic and were only capable of modest killing of F5b tumor cells when stimulated with LPS and interferon-gamma, but not when stimulated with LPS alone or with staphylococcal exotoxin. C2D and C2Dt cells phagocytosed labeled Staphylococcus aureus similarly to B6MP102 cells but less well than C2D peritoneal macrophages. These cell lines secreted interleukin-6, but not tumor necrosis factor or nitric oxide in response to LPS or staphlococcal enterotoxins A or B C2D(t) cells were tumorigenic in C2D and C57BL/6J mice but C2D cells were not. These data suggest that macrophage cell lines can be established from bone marrow cells of major histocompatibility complex II-negative mice.

Ravens, New Caledonian crows and jackdaws parallel great apes in motor self-regulation despite smaller brains.

PubMed

Kabadayi, Can; Taylor, Lucy A; von Bayern, Auguste M P; Osvath, Mathias

2016-04-01

Overriding motor impulses instigated by salient perceptual stimuli represent a fundamental inhibitory skill. Such motor self-regulation facilitates more rational behaviour, as it brings economy into the bodily interaction with the physical and social world. It also underlies certain complex cognitive processes including decision making. Recently, MacLean et al. (MacLean et al. 2014 Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA 111, 2140-2148. (doi:10.1073/pnas.1323533111)) conducted a large-scale study involving 36 species, comparing motor self-regulation across taxa. They concluded that absolute brain size predicts level of performance. The great apes were most successful. Only a few of the species tested were birds. Given birds' small brain size-in absolute terms-yet flexible behaviour, their motor self-regulation calls for closer study. Corvids exhibit some of the largest relative avian brain sizes-although small in absolute measure-as well as the most flexible cognition in the animal kingdom. We therefore tested ravens, New Caledonian crows and jackdaws in the so-called cylinder task. We found performance indistinguishable from that of great apes despite the much smaller brains. We found both absolute and relative brain volume to be a reliable predictor of performance within Aves. The complex cognition of corvids is often likened to that of great apes; our results show further that they share similar fundamental cognitive mechanisms.

A complex network for studying the transmission mechanisms in stock market

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Long, Wen; Guan, Lijing; Shen, Jiangjian; Song, Linqiu; Cui, Lingxiao

2017-10-01

This paper introduces a new complex network to describe the volatility transmission mechanisms in stock market. The network can not only endogenize stock market's volatility but also figure out the direction of volatility spillover. In this model, we first use BEKK-GARCH to estimate the volatility spillover effects among Chinese 18 industry sectors. Then, based on the ARCH coefficients and GARCH coefficients, the directional shock networks and variance networks in different stages are constructed separately. We find that the spillover effects and network structures changes in different stages. The results of the topological stability test demonstrate that the connectivity of networks becomes more fragile to selective attacks than stochastic attacks.

Adaptive low-power listening MAC protocol based on transmission rates.

PubMed

Hwang, Kwang-il; Yi, Gangman

2014-01-01

Even though existing low-power listening (LPL) protocols have enabled ultra-low-power operation in wireless sensor networks (WSN), they do not address trade-off between energy and delay, since they focused only on energy aspect. However, in recent years, a growing interest in various WSN applications is requiring new design factors, such as minimum delay and higher reliability, as well as energy efficiency. Therefore, in this paper we propose a novel sensor multiple access control (MAC) protocol, transmission rate based adaptive low-power listening MAC protocol (TRA-MAC), which is a kind of preamble-based LPL but is capable of controlling preamble sensing cycle adaptively to transmission rates. Through experiments, it is demonstrated that TRA-MAC enables LPL cycle (LC) and preamble transmission length to adapt dynamically to varying transmission rates, compensating trade-off between energy and response time.

ZeroCal: Automatic MAC Protocol Calibration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meier, Andreas; Woehrle, Matthias; Zimmerling, Marco; Thiele, Lothar

Sensor network MAC protocols are typically configured for an intended deployment scenario once and for all at compile time. This approach, however, leads to suboptimal performance if the network conditions deviate from the expectations. We present ZeroCal, a distributed algorithm that allows nodes to dynamically adapt to variations in traffic volume. Using ZeroCal, each node autonomously configures its MAC protocol at runtime, thereby trying to reduce the maximum energy consumption among all nodes. While the algorithm is readily usable for any asynchronous low-power listening or low-power probing protocol, we validate and demonstrate the effectiveness of ZeroCal on X-MAC. Extensive testbed experiments and simulations indicate that ZeroCal quickly adapts to traffic variations. We further show that ZeroCal extends network lifetime by 50% compared to an optimal configuration with identical and static MAC parameters at all nodes.

BIG MAC: A bolometer array for mid-infrared astronomy, Center Director's Discretionary Fund

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Telesco, C. M.; Decher, R.; Baugher, C.

1985-01-01

The infrared array referred to as Big Mac (for Marshall Array Camera), was designed for ground based astronomical observations in the wavelength range 5 to 35 microns. It contains 20 discrete gallium-doped germanium bolometer detectors at a temperature of 1.4K. Each bolometer is irradiated by a square field mirror constituting a single pixel of the array. The mirrors are arranged contiguously in four columns and five rows, thus defining the array configuration. Big Mac utilized cold reimaging optics and an up looking dewar. The total Big Mac system also contains a telescope interface tube for mounting the dewar and a computer for data acquisition and processing. Initial astronomical observations at a major infrared observatory indicate that Big Mac performance is excellent, having achieved the design specifications and making this instrument an outstanding tool for astrophysics.

W-MAC: A Workload-Aware MAC Protocol for Heterogeneous Convergecast in Wireless Sensor Networks

PubMed Central

Xia, Ming; Dong, Yabo; Lu, Dongming

2011-01-01

The power consumption and latency of existing MAC protocols for wireless sensor networks (WSNs) are high in heterogeneous convergecast, where each sensor node generates different amounts of data in one convergecast operation. To solve this problem, we present W-MAC, a workload-aware MAC protocol for heterogeneous convergecast in WSNs. A subtree-based iterative cascading scheduling mechanism and a workload-aware time slice allocation mechanism are proposed to minimize the power consumption of nodes, while offering a low data latency. In addition, an efficient schedule adjustment mechanism is provided for adapting to data traffic variation and network topology change. Analytical and simulation results show that the proposed protocol provides a significant energy saving and latency reduction in heterogeneous convergecast, and can effectively support data aggregation to further improve the performance. PMID:22163753

Self-care and mobility skills in children with cerebral palsy, related to their manual ability and gross motor function classifications.

PubMed

Öhrvall, Ann-Marie; Eliasson, Ann-Christin; Löwing, Kristina; Ödman, Pia; Krumlinde-Sundholm, Lena

2010-11-01

The aim of this study was to investigate the acquisition of self-care and mobility skills in children with cerebral palsy (CP) in relation to their manual ability and gross motor function. Data from the Pediatric Evaluation of Disability Inventory (PEDI) self-care and mobility functional skill scales, the Manual Ability Classification System (MACS), and the Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) were collected from 195 children with CP (73 females, 122 males; mean age 8 y 1 mo; SD 3 y 11 mo; range 3-15 y); 51% had spastic bilateral CP, 36% spastic unilateral CP, 8% dyskinetic CP, and 3% ataxic CP. The percentage of children classified as MACS levels I to V was 28%, 34%, 17%, 7%, and 14% respectively, and classified as GMFCS levels I to V was 46%, 16%, 15%, 11%, and 12% respectively. Children classified as MACS and GMFCS levels I or II scored higher than children in MACS and GMFCS levels III to V on both the self-care and mobility domains of the PEDI, with significant differences between all classification levels (p<0.001). The stepwise multiple regression analysis verified that MACS was the strongest predictor of self-care skills (66%) and that GMFCS was the strongest predictor of mobility skills (76%). A strong correlation between age and self-care ability was found among children classified as MACS level I or II and between age and mobility among children classified as GMFCS level I. Many of these children achieved independence, but at a later age than typically developing children. Children at other MACS and GMFCS levels demonstrated minimal progress with age. Knowledge of a child's MACS and GMFCS level can be useful when discussing expectations of, and goals for, the development of functional skills. © The Authors. Journal compilation © Mac Keith Press 2010.

TraPy-MAC: Traffic Priority Aware Medium Access Control Protocol for Wireless Body Area Network.

PubMed

Ullah, Fasee; Abdullah, Abdul Hanan; Kaiwartya, Omprakash; Cao, Yue

2017-06-01

Recently, Wireless Body Area Network (WBAN) has witnessed significant attentions in research and product development due to the growing number of sensor-based applications in healthcare domain. Design of efficient and effective Medium Access Control (MAC) protocol is one of the fundamental research themes in WBAN. Static on-demand slot allocation to patient data is the main approach adopted in the design of MAC protocol in literature, without considering the type of patient data specifically the level of severity on patient data. This leads to the degradation of the performance of MAC protocols considering effectiveness and traffic adjustability in realistic medical environments. In this context, this paper proposes a Traffic Priority-Aware MAC (TraPy-MAC) protocol for WBAN. It classifies patient data into emergency and non-emergency categories based on the severity of patient data. The threshold value aided classification considers a number of parameters including type of sensor, body placement location, and data transmission time for allocating dedicated slots patient data. Emergency data are not required to carry out contention and slots are allocated by giving the due importance to threshold value of vital sign data. The contention for slots is made efficient in case of non-emergency data considering threshold value in slot allocation. Moreover, the slot allocation to emergency and non-emergency data are performed parallel resulting in performance gain in channel assignment. Two algorithms namely, Detection of Severity on Vital Sign data (DSVS), and ETS Slots allocation based on the Severity on Vital Sign (ETS-SVS) are developed for calculating threshold value and resolving the conflicts of channel assignment, respectively. Simulations are performed in ns2 and results are compared with the state-of-the-art MAC techniques. Analysis of results attests the benefit of TraPy-MAC in comparison with the state-of-the-art MAC in channel assignment in realistic medical environments.

Cooperative Energy Harvesting-Adaptive MAC Protocol for WBANs

PubMed Central

Esteves, Volker; Antonopoulos, Angelos; Kartsakli, Elli; Puig-Vidal, Manel; Miribel-Català, Pere; Verikoukis, Christos

2015-01-01

In this paper, we introduce a cooperative medium access control (MAC) protocol, named cooperative energy harvesting (CEH)-MAC, that adapts its operation to the energy harvesting (EH) conditions in wireless body area networks (WBANs). In particular, the proposed protocol exploits the EH information in order to set an idle time that allows the relay nodes to charge their batteries and complete the cooperation phase successfully. Extensive simulations have shown that CEH-MAC significantly improves the network performance in terms of throughput, delay and energy efficiency compared to the cooperative operation of the baseline IEEE 802.15.6 standard. PMID:26029950

STS-52 MS Veach and Payload Specialist MacLean during JSC bailout exercises

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1992-01-01

STS-52 Columbia, Orbiter Vehicle (OV) 102, Mission Specialist (MS) Charles Lacy Veach (left) and Canadian Payload Specialist Steven G. MacLean listen to a briefing during emergency egress (bailout) training exercises in JSC's Weightless Environment Training Facility (WETF) Bldg 29. Veach and MacLean are fully outfitted in launch and entry suits (LESs), launch and entry helmets (LEHs), parachutes, and water survival equipment including a life jacket. The WETF's 25-ft deep pool will simulate the ocean as the crewmember's prepare for the event of a water landing. MacLean represents the Canadian Space Agency (CSA).

Addressing health concerns of pregnant African American women using the lens of complexity theory.

PubMed

Sims, Traci

2014-01-01

Pregnant African American women are at higher risk for multiple complex health issues, including depression, than their European American counterparts (Canady, Bullen, Holzman, Broman, & Tian, 2008; Martin et al, 2011; Mathews & MacDorman, 2007; Orr, Blazer, & James, 2006; Segre, Losch, & O'Hara, 2006). Various strategies must be used to address depression through preventive care and promotion of access to appropriate mental health services. Nurses and other health care providers need to examine the relationships between the multifactorial problems to improve the health and well-being of pregnant African American women and their unborn children. This article presents a case study demonstrating the use of complexity science theory to understand and prevent poor health outcomes for pregnant African American women with depression and their unborn children.

C-Band Airport Surface Communications System Standards Development, Phase I

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, Edward; Isaacs, James; Zelkin, Natalie; Henriksen. Steve

2010-01-01

This document is being provided as part of ITT's NASA Glenn Research Center Aerospace Communication Systems Technical Support (ACSTS) contract NNC05CA85C, Task 7: "New ATM Requirements--Future Communications, C-Band and L-Band Communications Standard Development." The proposed future C-band (5091- to 5150-MHz) airport surface communication system, referred to as the Aeronautical Mobile Airport Communications System (AeroMACS), is anticipated to increase overall air-to-ground data communications systems capacity by using a new spectrum (i.e., not very high frequency (VHF)). Although some critical services could be supported, AeroMACS will also target noncritical services, such as weather advisory and aeronautical information services as part of an airborne System Wide Information Management (SWIM) program. AeroMACS is to be designed and implemented in a manner that will not disrupt other services operating in the C-band. This report defines the AeroMACS concepts of use, high-level system requirements, and architecture; the performance of supporting system analyses; the development of AeroMACS test and demonstration plans; and the establishment of an operational AeroMACS capability in support of C-band aeronautical data communications standards to be advanced in both international (International Civil Aviation Organization, ICAO) and national (RTCA) forums. This includes the development of system parameter profile recommendations for AeroMACS based on existing Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineering (IEEE) 802.16e- 2009 standards

Diagnostic usefulness of MUC1 and MUC4 for distinguishing between metastatic adenocarcinoma cells and reactive mesothelial cells in effusion cell blocks.

PubMed

Cho, Jin Seong; Kim, Ga-Eon; Lee, Ji Shin; Lee, Jae Hyuk; Nam, Jong Hee; Choi, Chan

2013-01-01

The aim of our study was to determine the diagnostic value of MUC1 and MUC4 for distinguishing between metastatic adenocarcinoma cells (MAC) and reactive mesothelial cells (RMC) in effusion fluids. A total of 237 cell block specimens from pleural and peritoneal effusions, including 196 malignant effusions with MAC and 41 benign effusions with RMC, were stained with antibodies against MUC1 and MUC4. Membranous staining with or without cytoplasmic staining was considered to be positive. MUC1 immunoreactivity was observed in 194 (99.0%) of 196 cases of MAC and in 20 (48.8%) of 41 cases of RMC. MUC4 immunoreactivity was observed in 174 (88.8%) of 196 cases of MAC and in 4 (9.8%) of 41 cases of RMC. For distinguishing MAC from RMC, the MUC1 reactivity was found to be 99.0% sensitive and 51.2% specific with a positive predictive value of 90.7% and a negative predictive value of 91.3%. The sensitivity of MUC4 for MAC was 88.8%, the specificity was 90.2%, the negative predictive value was 62.7%, and the positive predictive value was 97.8%. Our data suggest that MUC4 appears to be a sensitive and specific marker for differentiating between MAC and RMC. Copyright © 2013 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Diet-induced extinction in the gut microbiota compounds over generations

PubMed Central

Sonnenburg, Erica D.; Smits, Samuel A.; Tikhonov, Mikhail; Higginbottom, Steven K.; Wingreen, Ned S.; Sonnenburg, Justin L.

2015-01-01

The gut is home to trillions of microbes that play a fundamental role in many aspects of human biology including immune function and metabolism 1,2. The reduced diversity of the Western microbiota compared to populations living traditional lifestyles presents the question of which factors have driven microbiota change during modernization. Microbiota accessible carbohydrates (MACs) found in dietary fiber, play a key role in shaping this microbial ecosystem, and are strikingly reduced in the Western diet relative to more traditional diets 3. Here we show that changes in the microbiota of mice consuming a low-MAC diet and harboring a human microbiota are largely reversible within a single generation, however over multiple generations a low-MAC diet results in a progressive loss of diversity, which is not recoverable upon the reintroduction of dietary MACs. To restore the microbiota to its original state requires the administration of missing taxa in combination with dietary MAC consumption. Our data illustrate that taxa driven to low abundance when dietary MACs are scarce are inefficiently transferred to the next generation and are at increased risk of becoming extinct within an isolated population. As more diseases are linked to the Western microbiota and the microbiota is targeted therapeutically, microbiota reprogramming may need to involve strategies that incorporate dietary MACs as well as taxa not currently present in the Western gut. PMID:26762459

Poincaré-MacMillan Equations of Motion for a Nonlinear Nonholonomic Dynamical System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amjad, Hussain; Syed Tauseef, Mohyud-Din; Ahmet, Yildirim

2012-03-01

MacMillan's equations are extended to Poincaré's formalism, and MacMillan's equations for nonlinear nonholonomic systems are obtained in terms of Poincaré parameters. The equivalence of the results obtained here with other forms of equations of motion is demonstrated. An illustrative example of the theory is provided as well.

76 FR 35138 - Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation Funding and Fiscal Affairs; Farmer Mac Risk-Based...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-06-16

... Funding and Fiscal Affairs; Farmer Mac Risk-Based Capital Stress Test, Version 5.0 AGENCY: Farm Credit... credit rating agency) in regulations addressing the Risk-Based Capital Stress Test (RBCST or stress test... Act required FCA to establish a risk- based capital stress test for Farmer Mac's portfolio.\\3\\ This...

MacDill Air Force Base > Home

Science.gov Websites

Force Base, Fla., May 22, 2018. Police Week is a national observance that pays tribute to the law rescue 5 in Tampa Bay Law Day 2018 MacDill Captain discovers endless possibilities MacDill hosts Sexual ., May 22, 2018. Police Week is a national observance that pays tribute to the law enforcement officers

78 FR 5320 - Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation Funding and Fiscal Affairs; Farmer Mac Capital Planning

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-01-25

... the business planning period a required discussion of how factors might impact Farmer Mac's current... discussion of any expected changes to Farmer Mac's business plan that are likely to have a material impact on... conditions that cause increases in delinquency rates caused by any variety of factors (e.g., widespread...

Public Relations as "Practice": Applying the Theory of Alasdair MacIntyre.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Leeper, Roy V.; Leeper, Kathie A.

2001-01-01

Considers how public relation's search for a unifying theory may be fulfilled through application of Alasdair MacIntyre's concept of a "practice," a very specific and value-laden concept. Explores what it would mean to be a public relations practice in MacIntyre's concept of the term and argues that such an approach to public relations…

The Cognition of Multiaircraft Control (MAC): Cognitive Ability Predictors, Working Memory, Interference, and Attention Control in Radio Communication

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-03-26

THE COGNITION OF MULTIAIRCRAFT CONTROL (MAC): COGNITIVE ABILITY PREDICTORS, WORKING MEMORY ...COGNITIVE ABILITY PREDICTORS, WORKING MEMORY , INTERFERENCE, AND ATTENTION CONTROL IN RADIO COMMUNICATION THESIS Presented to the Faculty...UNLIMITED. AFIT-ENV-MS-15-M-205 THE COGNITION OF MULTIAIRCRAFT CONTROL (MAC): COGNITIVE ABILITY PREDICTORS, WORKING MEMORY , INTERFERENCE

Substance Use Scales of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory: An Exploration of Score Reliability via Meta-Analysis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Miller, Christopher S.; Shields, Alan L.; Campfield, Delia; Wallace, Kim A.; Weiss, Roger D.

2007-01-01

Three drug and alcohol use screening scales are embedded within the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory--2: the MacAndrew Alcoholism Scale (MAC) and its revised version (MAC-R), the Addiction Acknowledgement Scale (AAS), and the Addiction Potential Scale (APS). The current study evaluated the reliability reporting practices among 210…

Steven MacCall: Winner of LJ's 2010 Teaching Award

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Berry, John N., III

2010-01-01

This article profiles Steven L. MacCall, winner of "Library Journal's" 2010 Teaching Award. An associate professor at the School of Library and Information Studies (SLIS) at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, MacCall was nominated by Kathie Popadin, known as "Kpop" to the members of her cohort in the online MLIS program at SLIS. Sixteen of…

75 FR 38494 - Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-07-02

... Coordinator, DAN 1-C, 200 MacDill Blvd, Washington, DC 20340. The proposed systems report, as required by 5 U... Information Act Office (DAN- 1A), Defense Intelligence Agency, 200 MacDill Blvd, Washington, DC 20340-5100... Agency (DAN-1A), 200 MacDill Blvd, Washington, DC 20340-5100. Request should contain the individual's...

77 FR 43814 - Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-26

... Intelligence Agency, DAN 1-C, 600 MacDill Blvd., Washington, DC 20340- 0001 or by phone at (202) 231-1193... Freedom of Information Act Office (DAN-1A), Defense Intelligence Agency, 200 MacDill Blvd., Washington, DC... Information Act Office, Defense Intelligence Agency (DAN-1A), 200 MacDill Blvd., Washington, DC 20340-0001...

Three tenets for secure cyber-physical system design and assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hughes, Jeff; Cybenko, George

2014-06-01

This paper presents a threat-driven quantitative mathematical framework for secure cyber-physical system design and assessment. Called The Three Tenets, this originally empirical approach has been used by the US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) for secure system research and development. The Tenets were first documented in 2005 as a teachable methodology. The Tenets are motivated by a system threat model that itself consists of three elements which must exist for successful attacks to occur: - system susceptibility; - threat accessibility and; - threat capability. The Three Tenets arise naturally by countering each threat element individually. Specifically, the tenets are: Tenet 1: Focus on What's Critical - systems should include only essential functions (to reduce susceptibility); Tenet 2: Move Key Assets Out-of-Band - make mission essential elements and security controls difficult for attackers to reach logically and physically (to reduce accessibility); Tenet 3: Detect, React, Adapt - confound the attacker by implementing sensing system elements with dynamic response technologies (to counteract the attackers' capabilities). As a design methodology, the Tenets mitigate reverse engineering and subsequent attacks on complex systems. Quantified by a Bayesian analysis and further justified by analytic properties of attack graph models, the Tenets suggest concrete cyber security metrics for system assessment.