Spoofed Identities: Virus,Spam or Scam?

Identification is becoming increasingly problematic in the halls of smoke and mirrors we call ‘cyberspace’. The identity question raises its head in the context of the origin of mass-mailing viruses and worms; the relentless avalanche of spam; electronic identity theft; Internet fraud and cybersquatters. How do we recognise and respond to email address spoofing? How should we react to the evil spammer? Why must we remain vigilant in defence of our financial details and what is our recourse in the event of identity theft and fraud? How we choose to resolve these issues could determine our future freedom of use of the Internet, and a clearer understanding should allow us to navigate safely some potentially hazardous waters ahead.     

Exploiting multi-core nodes in peer-to-peer grids

While the majority of CPUs now sold contain multiple computing cores, current grid computing systems either ignore the multiplicity of cores, or treat them as distinct, independent machines. The latter approach ignores the resource contention present between cores in a single CPU, while the former approach fails to take advantage of significant computing power. We provide a decentralized resource management framework for exploiting multi-core nodes to run multi-threaded applications in peer-to-peer grids. We present two new load-balancing schemes that explicitly account for the resource sharing and contention of multiple cores, and propose a parameterized performance prediction model that can represent a continuum of resource sharing among cores of a CPU. We use extensive simulation to confirm that our two algorithms match jobs with computing nodes efficiently, and balance load during the lifetime of the computing jobs.     

High-throughput automated luminescent magnetic particle-based immunoassay to monitor human exposure to pyrethroid insecticides

We have developed a sensitive, automated, competitive chemiluminescent immunoassay for the detection of 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA), a metabolite common to many pyrethroid insecticides. The system uses a competitive hapten-protein conjugate that has been labeled with an acridinium ester as the chemiluminescent probe and secondary antibody-coated paramagnetic particles for the separation. After the immunoassay reagents and samples are combined for the competitive incubation step, a fully automated system is used to load the postincubation mixture into a delivery cuvette, facilitating the subsequent magnetic separation of the immunocomplex and the measurement of chemiluminescent signal for quantification. The immunoassay format described here supports the requirement for high throughput necessary for monitoring large numbers of samples in population-based studies. The optimized immunoassay was more sensitive than the conventional enzyme immunoassay in buffer (IC(50) = 0.1 and 2 microg/L, respectively). The mixed-mode solid-phase extraction used for sample preparation to reduce possible urinary matrix effects allowed the accurate measurement of 3-PBA levels as low as 1 microg/L. The automated chemiluminescent immunoassay described here is sensitive, simple to use, and more rapid than the previously reported standard microplate assay.     

Flow patterns of dairy wastewater constructed wetlands in a cold climate

Conservative tracer experiments, and spatial temperature and dissolved oxygen mapping within four subsurface treatment wetlands employed in this study demonstrated the importance of supplemental aeration and vegetation in reducing preferential flows in cold climate treatment wetlands. Four constructed wetlands, employing horizontal subsurface flow were used to treat dairy wastewater in a 2 x 2 factorial design consisting of two wetland cells with vegetation and two with supplemental aeration. Four tracer studies were conducted between November 2004 and May 2005. Two key observations were made, demonstrating that vegetation and aeration can be utilized in cold regions to prevent clogging and freezing, thereby reducing preferential flow paths which can reduce treatment efficiencies: (1) vegetation contributed to thermal protection and (2) aeration increased temperature and mixing. A comparison of multiple wetland cells with varying flow rates showed that the use of pore volume in tracer response curves was a better indicator of preferential flows than other indicators including volumetric efficiency, hydraulic efficiency and number of continuosly stirred tank reactors (CSTRs). This research helps further establish how constructed wetlands are a viable tool for treating wastewater in cold climates.     

Current developments in SELDI affinity technology

The overall history and recent advancements in Surface-Enhanced Laser Desorption/Ionization (SELDI) affinity technology is reviewed. A detailed account of SELDI technology, utilizing Immobilized-Metal Affinity surfaces, pseudo-specific chromatographic surfaces, and biospecific interactive surfaces, is presented with particular emphasis placed upon examination of fundamental characteristics as well as specific applications for each. Finally, a detailed review of the specific use of such affinity surfaces in fundamental aspects of clinical, process, and research proteomics activity is presented.     

Amphetamine lowers brain stimulation reward (BSR) threshold in alcohol-preferring (P) and non-preferring (NP) rats: Regulation by D? and D? receptors in the nucleus accumbens.

Differences in the mesolimbic dopamine (DA) pathway that regulates alcohol preference may also increase sensitivity to the reinforcing effects of other drugs of abuse. In the present study, the curve-shift (rate-frequency) paradigm was used to quantify the interaction of amphetamine with the rewarding effects of lateral hypothalamic brain stimulation reward (BSR) in alcohol-preferring (P) and -nonpreferring (NP) rats. The role of D? and D? DA receptors of the nucleus accumbens (NAcc) in mediating the reward-potentiating effects of amphetamine was also determined. Animals were tested with randomly administered amphetamine (0.25, 0.75, 1.25 mg/kg ip), DA-receptor antagonists (SCH 23390 [2.0 μg, 5.0 μg]; eticlopride [2.0 μg, 5.0 μg]), or a combination of the 2 (SCH 23390 [2.0 μg, 5.0 μg] + 0.75 mg/kg amphetamine; eticlopride [2.0 μg, 5.0 μg] + 0.75 mg/kg amphetamine). Amphetamine produced comparable dose-related leftward shifts in the rate-frequency function for both P and NP rats, with a greater than 60% reduction observed in BSR threshold. On intervening days, baseline threshold was unaltered between tests and similar between rat lines. Unilateral infusion in the NAcc of either the D? or D? receptor antagonist produced rightward shifts in the rate-frequency function of amphetamine, completely reversing-attenuating its reward-enhancing effects. The results demonstrate that amphetamine produces similar threshold-lowering effects in both P and NP rats and that the reward-potentiating effects of amphetamine do not correlate with alcohol preference under the conditions of the present study. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Audience targeting by B-to-B advertisement classification: A neural network approach

As marketing communications proliferate, the ability to target the right audience for a message is of ever-increasing importance. Audience targeting practices for mass media, both in research and in industry, have tended to emphasize demographics, behavior, and other characteristics of customer groups as the bases for matching communications to audiences. These approaches overlook the opportunity to leverage the nature of advertising content, by automatically matching advertisement content to appropriate media channels and target audience. We model the semantic and sentiment content of advertisements with 103 variables. Based on these variables, a neural network classifier is used to assign advertisements to groups that represent different media channels. In its ability to classify unseen advertisements, the model outperforms the classification result generated by a random model, by 100–300%. This method also enables us to identify and describe divergent advertisement characteristics, by industry.     

Social identity in the construction industry: implications for safety perception and behaviour

The construction industry has one of the highest frequency levels and rates of work-related injuries, yet the evidence for successful attempts to reduce injuries is generally lacking. The motivational and (safety) behavioural implications of social identification and social categorization among construction labourer work crews were investigated to ascertain how their interactions are affected by the social structure and organization of work. Semi-structured group interviews and mini interviews during work were carried out with 13 concrete work crews (totalling 53 persons) at five large construction sites. The organization of work fosters social identification within a crew, resulting in distancing from and social categorization of site management. Social identification influences safety behaviour in the crews, where worksite safety rules may meet resistance. Future safety initiatives at large construction sites should take into account the dynamics of social identification and categorization in the implementation of safety measures, e.g. by creating an alternative organization of work, thus making it easier for a work crew to identify themselves with the site management. Site/crew managers should consider how safety can become a salient and valued group norm by altering the social structure at the sites and/or fostering dual social identity.     

USB3.0电路保护

USB3.0接口设备集合了通信速度为5Gbps的四个额外的数据通道,而且电源总线也有着高达900mA的最大输出电流。这些新的USB3.0规格加上集成芯片几何尺寸的不断缩小,使得预防电气瞬变和过流故障也变得更重要复杂。即使是很小的静电放电(ESD)和短路事故带来的危害也相比更大。寄生电容,低钳位电压和低电阻成为电路保护元件选择中的关键指标。本文网络版地址:http://www.eepw.com.cn/article/145483.htm