University of Texas System

About: University of Texas System is a education organization based out in Austin, Texas, United States. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Cancer & Population. The organization has 13901 authors who have published 10925 publications receiving 319328 citations. The organization is also known as: UT System.

Computer-assisted densitometric image analysis in periodontal radiography. A methodological study

Abstract: A videobased computer assisted densitometric image analysis (CADIA) system to quantify alveolar bone density changes on standardized dental radiographs was tested. An algorithm was used for grey level correction of a subsequent image to the baseline image. Quantitative information regarding positive and/or negative grey level changes were obtained automatically. Comparison of the ability of CADIA to detect surgically induced bone loss with interpretation of digital subtraction images and conventional radiographic interpretation revealed that CADIA was the most sensitive of the 3 methods, followed by interpretation of digital subtraction images which was considerably more sensitive than conventional radiographic interpretation. CADIA was capable of assessing differences in alveolar bone changes due to periodontal surgery between sites exposed to ostectomy/osteoplasty and control sites and sites exposed to periodontal surgery without ostectomy/osteoplasty. Finally, CADIA was capable of assessing differences in remodeling activity over 4-6 weeks after periodontal surgery between 45 surgical sites and 45 control sites. The system offers an objective method to quantitatively follow alveolar bone density changes over time and appears to be the most sensitive of previously described radiographic interpretation techniques.

SMV-HUNTER: Large Scale, Automated Detection of SSL/TLS Man-in-the-Middle Vulnerabilities in Android Apps

Abstract: Many Android apps use SSL/TLS to transmit sensitive information securely. However, developers often provide their own implementation of the standard SSL/TLS certificate validation process. Unfortunately, many such custom implementations have subtle bugs, have built-in exceptions for self-signed certificates, or blindly assert all certificates are valid, leaving many Android apps vulnerable to SSL/TLS Man-in-the-Middle attacks. In this paper, we present SMV-HUNTER, a system for the automatic, large-scale identification of such vulnerabilities that combines both static and dynamic analysis. The static component detects when a custom validation procedure has been given, thereby identifying potentially vulnerable apps, and extracts information used to guide the dynamic analysis, which then uses user interface enumeration and automation techniques to trigger the potentially vulnerable code under an active Man-in-the-Middle attack. We have implemented SMV-HUNTER and evaluated it on 23,418 apps downloaded from the Google Play market, of which 1,453 apps were identified as being potentially vulnerable by static analysis, with an average overhead of approximately 4 seconds per app, running on 16 threads in parallel. Among these potentially vulnerable apps, 726 were confirmed vulnerable using our dynamic analysis, with an average overhead of about 44 seconds per app, running on 8 emulators in parallel.

Gene expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from children with diabetes

Abstract: The present invention includes composition, methods and systems for detecting, evaluating, diagnosis, tracking and treating Type 1 Diabetes by determining the level of expression of one or more genes listed in Table 1 (e.g., interleukin-lβ (ILlB), early growth response gene 3 (EGR3), and prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2)). The present invention also includes compositions and methods for treating a patient in need thereof with a composition having a therapeutically effective amount of one or more IL- lβ antagonists sufficient to spare pancreatic beta cells, including an anti-IL-lβ receptor and downstream activators.

Synergy of Tumor Necrosis Factor and Interleukin 2 in the Activation of Human Cytotoxic Lymphocytes: Effect of Tumor Necrosis Factor α and Interleukin 2 in the Generation of Human Lymphokine-activated Killer Cell Cytotoxicity

Abstract: Human lymphocytes can respond to interleukin 2 (IL-2) under serumfree conditions with generation of major histocompatibility locus-unrestricted oncolytic activity. This function has been named lymphokine activated killing (LAK). Although IL-2 is sufficient for the development of LAK, this function can be regulated positively by the addition of tumor necrosis factor α or β (TNF-α or -β). The cytotoxic synergy observed with TNF enables production of optimal LAK function at a 10-fold lower IL-2 concentration. Neither TNF-α nor -β is able to induce LAK function in the absence of IL-2. Using TNF-α as a model, we demonstrate that ( a ) the cytotoxic synergy occurs with both fresh human tumors and cell lines; ( b ) the degree of IL-2/TNF-α synergy, for most peripheral blood lymphocyte donors, is dependent upon the IL-2 concentration used for activation with the most striking synergy observed at lower IL-2 doses; ( c ) synergy is specific for TNF-α and can be abrogated by neutralizing antibody against this cytokine; ( d ) addition of high-dose neutralizing antibody to IL-2 alone-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes can reduce the cytotoxicity capacity of these effectors suggesting an immunoregulatory role for endogenous TNF-α; and ( e ) TNF-α addition to IL-2-stimulated peripheral blood lymphocytes does not increase proliferation or cell recovery but does result in enhanced IL-2 receptor expression. Collectively, our results suggest that TNF-α (and -β) have immunopotentiating roles in the amplification of non-major histocompatibility locus-restricted lymphocyte effector function.