Cloud Anchor: An Exploration of Service Integrity Attestation with Hardware Roots of Trust

Distributed computing has enabled developers and researchers to solve complex problems at an impressive scale. Users implicitly trust these subtasks to be performed accurately and this trust can be abused by malicious service providers who aim to compromise the integrity of the system. These problems can be solved by using dedicated hardware; however it is expensive or impossible to distribute this solution to all providers in a system. In this paper, we explore InTest, a service integrity attestation framework that uses replay-based consistency checks to detect malicious service providers without the use of dedicated hardware. We investigate if its performance is affected by network topology, its accuracy in the face of incomplete information, and if it can be improved by minimally utilizing dedicated hardware. Our preliminary solution, Cloud Anchor, reduces the number of duplicated tasks by 30% while providing identical detection rates as the prior solution

Accessing monomers, surfactants, and the queen bee substance by acrylate cross-metathesis of long-chain alkenones

Author Posting. © The Author(s), 2017. This is the author's version of the work. It is posted here under a nonexclusive, irrevocable, paid-up, worldwide license granted to WHOI. It is made available for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society 94 (2017): 831-840, doi: 10.1007/s11746-017-2997-8.Polyunsaturated long-chain alkenones are a unique class of lipids biosynthesized in significant quantities (up to 20% of cell carbon) by several algae including the industrially grown marine microalgae Isochrysis. Alkenone structures are characterized by a long linear carbon-chain (35-40 carbons) with one to four trans-double bonds and terminating in a methyl or ethyl ketone. Alkenones were extracted and isolated from commercially obtained Isochrysis biomass and then subjected to cross-metathesis (CM) with methyl acrylate or acrylic acid using the Hoveyda-Grubbs metathesis initiator. Within 1 h at room temperature alkenones were consumed, however complete fragmentation (i.e. conversion to the smallest subunits by double bond cleavage) required up to 16 h. Analysis of the reaction mixture by gas chromatography and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography revealed a predictable product mixture consisting primarily of long-chain (mostly C17) acids (or methyl esters from CM with methyl acrylate) and diacids (or diesters), along with smaller amounts (~5%) of the honey bee “queen substance” (E)-9-oxo-decenoic acid. Together, these compounds comprise a diverse mixture of valuable chemicals that includes surfactants, monomers, and an agriculturally relevant bee pheromone.This work was supported by the National Science Foundation (CHE- 1151492) and through a private donation from friends of WHOI

Holy Cross Abbey: Reinhabiting Place

As a monastery living under the Rule of St. Benedict and as part of the 900-year-old Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance (OCSO), the monks of Holy Cross Abbey (HCA) are pursuing sustainability not only to ensure that their traditions and spiritual way of life persevere, but also to foster a deeper stewardship of the land as “lovers of the brethren and of the place.” As part of this sustainability initiative, HCA solicited the assistance of a team of graduate students from the University of Michigan’s School of Natural Resources and Environment (“Michigan Team”) under the guidance of Professor Andrew Hoffman. As part of this project, the Michigan Team used a systems perspective with the intention of encouraging a more holistic, integrative, and telescopic view of the monastery in its local, regional, and global contexts. To this end, the Team evaluated HCA’s community sustainability as it specifically applies to the following topic areas: land use, energy, water, solid waste, toxics, economies, food, and buildings. Subsequently, synergistic recommendations were provided to help HCA become more sustainable. These suggested guidelines may also assist other monasteries and religious institutions as they initiate, evaluate, and/or modify their own sustainability efforts, thereby enhancing environmental stewardship throughout numerous communities and maximizing positive impact on society.Master of ScienceNatural Resources and EnvironmentUniversity of Michiganhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/69209/1/HCA FINAL PRINT w-cover.pd

5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) cellular sequestration during chronic exposure delays 5-HT₃ receptor resensitization due to Its subsequent release

The serotonergic synapse is dynamically regulated by serotonin (5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)) with elevated levels leading to the down-regulation of the serotonin transporter and a variety of 5-HT receptors, including the 5-HT type-3 (5-HT(3)) receptors. We report that recombinantly expressed 5-HT(3) receptor binding sites are reduced by chronic exposure to 5-HT (IC(50) of 154.0 ± 45.7 μm, t(½) = 28.6 min). This is confirmed for 5-HT(3) receptor-induced contractions in the guinea pig ileum, which are down-regulated after chronic, but not acute, exposure to 5-HT. The loss of receptor function does not involve endocytosis, and surface receptor levels are unaltered. The rate and extent of down-regulation is potentiated by serotonin transporter function (IC(50) of 2.3 ± 1.0 μm, t(½) = 3.4 min). Interestingly, the level of 5-HT uptake correlates with the extent of down-regulation. Using TX-114 extraction, we find that accumulated 5-HT remains soluble and not membrane-bound. This cytoplasmically sequestered 5-HT is readily releasable from both COS-7 cells and the guinea pig ileum. Moreover, the 5-HT level released is sufficient to prevent recovery from receptor desensitization in the guinea pig ileum. Together, these findings suggest the existence of a novel mechanism of down-regulation where the chronic release of sequestered 5-HT prolongs receptor desensitization

Quiver Bundles and Wall Crossing for Chains

Holomorphic chains on a Riemann surface arise naturally as fixed points of the natural C*-action on the moduli space of Higgs bundles. In this paper we associate a new quiver bundle to the Hom-complex of two chains, and prove that stability of the chains implies stability of this new quiver bundle. Our approach uses the Hitchin-Kobayashi correspondence for quiver bundles. Moreover, we use our result to give a new proof of a key lemma on chains (due to \'Alvarez-C\'onsul, Garc\'ia-Prada and Schmitt), which has been important in the study of Higgs bundle moduli; this proof relies on stability and thus avoids the direct use of the chain vortex equations

Probing ISM Structure in Trumpler 14 & Carina I Using The Stratospheric Terahertz Observatory 2

We present observations of the Trumpler 14/Carina I region carried out using the Stratospheric Terahertz Observatory 2 (STO2). The Trumpler 14/Carina I region is in the west part of the Carina Nebula Complex, which is one of the most extreme star-forming regions in the Milky Way. We observed Trumpler 14/Carina I in the 158 $\mu$m transition of [C\,{\sc ii}] with a spatial resolution of 48$''$ and a velocity resolution of 0.17 km s$^{-1}$. The observations cover a 0.25$^\circ$ by 0.28$^\circ$ area with central position {\it l} = 297.34$^\circ$, {\it b} = -0.60$^\circ$. The kinematics show that bright [C\,{\sc ii}] structures are spatially and spectrally correlated with the surfaces of CO clouds, tracing the photodissociation region and ionization front of each molecular cloud. Along 7 lines of sight that traverse Tr 14 into the dark ridge to the southwest, we find that the [C\,{\sc ii}] luminosity from the HII region is 3.7 times that from the PDR. In same los we find in the PDRs an average ratio of 1:4.1:5.6 for the mass in atomic gas:dark-CO gas: molecular gas traced by CO. Comparing multiple gas tracers including HI 21cm, [C\,{\sc ii}], CO, and radio recombination lines, we find that the HII regions of the Carina Nebula Complex are well-described as HII regions with one-side freely expanding towards us, consistent with the champagne model of ionized gas evolution. The dispersal of the GMC in this region is dominated by EUV photoevaporation; the dispersal timescale is 20-30 Myr.Comment: ApJ accepte

High speed chalcogenide glass electrochemical metallization cells with various active metals

We fabricated electrochemical metallization (ECM) cells using a GaLaSO solid electrolyte, a InSnO inactive electrode and active electrodes consisting of various metals (Cu, Ag, Fe, Cu, Mo, Al). Devices with Ag and Cu active metals showed consistent and repeatable resistive switching behaviour, and had a retention of 3 and >43 days, respectively; both had switching speeds of < 5 ns. Devices with Cr and Fe active metals displayed incomplete or intermittent resistive switching, and devices with Mo and Al active electrodes displayed no resistive switching ability. Deeper penetration of the active metal into the GaLaSO layer resulted in greater resistive switching ability of the cell. The off-state resistivity was greater for more reactive active metals which may be due to a thicker intermediate layer

UBC-Nepal Expedition: An experimental overview of the 2016 University of British Columbia Scientific Expedition to Nepal Himalaya

The University of British Columbia Nepal Expedition took place over several months in the fall of 2016 and was comprised of an international team of 37 researchers. This paper describes the objectives, study characteristics, organization and management of this expedition, and presents novel blood gas data during acclimatization in both lowlanders and Sherpa. An overview and framework for the forthcoming publications is provided. The expedition conducted 17 major studies with two principal goals—to identify physiological differences in: 1) acclimatization; and 2) responses to sustained high-altitude exposure between lowland natives and people of Tibetan descent. We performed observational cohort studies of human responses to progressive hypobaric hypoxia (during ascent), and to sustained exposure to 5050 m over 3 weeks comparing lowlander adults (n = 30) with Sherpa adults (n = 24). Sherpa were tested both with (n = 12) and without (n = 12) descent to Kathmandu. Data collected from lowlander children (n = 30) in Canada were compared with those collected from Sherpa children (n = 57; 3400–3900m). Studies were conducted in Canada (344m) and the following locations in Nepal: Kathmandu (1400m), Namche Bazaar (3440m), Kunde Hospital (3480m), Pheriche (4371m) and the Ev-K2-CNR Research Pyramid Laboratory (5050m). The core studies focused on the mechanisms of cerebral blood flow regulation, the role of iron in cardiopulmonary regulation, pulmonary pressures, intra-ocular pressures, cardiac function, neuromuscular fatigue and function, blood volume regulation, autonomic control, and micro and macro vascular function. A total of 335 study sessions were conducted over three weeks at 5050m. In addition to an overview of this expedition and arterial blood gas data from Sherpa, suggestions for scientists aiming to perform field-based altitude research are also presented. Together, these findings will contribute to our understanding of human acclimatization and adaptation to the stress of residence at high-altitude

A Literature Review of Renal Surgical Anatomy and Surgical Strategies for Partial Nephrectomy

CONTEXT: A detailed understanding of renal surgical anatomy is necessary to optimize preoperative planning and operative technique and provide a basis for improved outcomes. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the literature regarding pertinent surgical anatomy of the kidney and related structures, nephrometry scoring systems, and current surgical strategies for partial nephrectomy (PN). EVIDENCE ACQUISITION: A literature review was conducted. EVIDENCE SYNTHESIS: Surgical renal anatomy fundamentally impacts PN surgery. The renal artery divides into anterior and posterior divisions, from which approximately five segmental terminal arteries originate. The renal veins are not terminal. Variations in the vascular and lymphatic channels are common; thus, concurrent lymphadenectomy is not routinely indicated during PN for cT1 renal masses in the setting of clinically negative lymph nodes. Renal-protocol contrast-enhanced computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging is used for standard imaging. Anatomy-based nephrometry scoring systems allow standardized academic reporting of tumor characteristics and predict PN outcomes (complications, remnant function, possibly histology). Anatomy-based novel surgical approaches may reduce ischemic time during PN; these include early unclamping, segmental clamping, tumor-specific clamping (zero ischemia), and unclamped PN. Cancer cure after PN relies on complete resection, which can be achieved by thin margins. Post-PN renal function is impacted by kidney quality, remnant quantity, and ischemia type and duration. CONCLUSIONS: Surgical renal anatomy underpins imaging, nephrometry scoring systems, and vascular control techniques that reduce global renal ischemia and may impact post-PN function. A contemporary ideal PN excises the tumor with a thin negative margin, delicately secures the tumor bed to maximize vascularized remnant parenchyma, and minimizes global ischemia to the renal remnant with minimal complications. PATIENT SUMMARY: In this report we review renal surgical anatomy. Renal mass imaging allows detailed delineation of the anatomy and vasculature and permits nephrometry scoring, and thus precise, patient-specific surgical planning. Novel off-clamp techniques have been developed that may lead to improved outcomes