Mechanics of Cellular Adhesion to Artificial Artery Templates

ABSTRACT

We are using polymer templates to grow artificial artery grafts in vivo for the replacement of diseased blood vessels. We have previously shown that adhesion of macrophages to the template starts the graft formation. We present a study of the mechanics of macrophage adhesion to these templates on a single cell and single bond level with optical tweezers. For whole cells, in vitro cell adhesion densities decreased significantly from polymer templates polyethylene to silicone to Tygon (167, 135, and 65 cells/mm^sup 2^). These cell densities were correlated with the graft formation success rate (50%, 25%, and 0%). Single-bond rupture forces at a loading rate of 450 pN/s were …

China benchmark stock index falls nearly 7 percent in second day of global sell-off

China's main stock index fell nearly 7 percent in early trading Tuesday in the second day of a sell-off in global markets on worries about the state of the U.S. economy.

The Shanghai Composite Index dipped to its lowest level in five months early in the day before regaining ground to end morning trading at 4,714.30, down 4.1 percent.

The Shenzhen Composite Index dipped as much as 6 percent in early trading but was down 4.1 percent by midday.

The drop tracked second-day losses in other major Asian markets. Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 index has dropped more than 4 percent Tuesday, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index is off around 8 percent near …

Hair-raising tales may scare stylist’s clients from chairs

Dear Abby: I am a weekly client at an upscale hair salon. I and most of the other customers are over 65. The owner, "Valentino," is a 50ish widower who likes to brag about his romantic conquests. My friends and I agree that his revelations are inappropriate and unprofessional.

Val is an excellent hairdresser. Should we ignore his behavior, or quit cold turkey and live with bad hair days?

Embarrassed in the Big Easy

Dear Embarrassed: I have a better idea. Take Valentino aside and tell him privately, as a friend, that hearing the details of his sex life is embarrassing, and that some of his clients have mentioned they're considering changing hairdressers because of …

Utilities face security, competition as major issues

Making sure that power and water flow smoothly means more than the flick of a switch or the turn of a faucet. Competition, reliability and security are the major issues public utility companies and utilityrelated government agencies face in 2003. These agencies also are looking at ways to cut costs for consumers.

Lack of consumer choices for electricity, phone and water providers is an issue of importance for Irwin "Sonny" Popowsky, the consumer advocate of Pennsylvania on utility matters. "One issue is how to protect customers, particularly residential customers, in an era when there are so few choices," he said. 'Large business customers have more choices,, but that's not the …

Tourism booming in Rio de Janeiro

RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — Rio de Janeiro officials say the city is seeing a boom in tourism.

The municipal tourism department known as Riotur says the city expects to receive 3 million more visitors this summer than last summer. That's a 12.4 percent increase projected for the south-of-the-equator summer months of January, February and March.

Riotur officials said last week the greater number of visitors will …

Hall of Shame Other Inductees; Tighten your security practices, pronto - or your company will make this list, too.

The credit records of 3.9 million Citigroup customers disappear after United Parcel Service loses a box of backup tapes. The card numbers of 40 million MasterCard, Visa, American Express and Discover account holders are exposed to hackers because a Tucson, Ariz.-based transaction processor stored information longer than it should have. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., the federal agency responsible for protecting bank accounts, informed 6,000 present and former employees that their personal data had been stolen in 2004.

It was a rough June.

Every time you think screw-ups involving the security of data about American companies' most prized possessions - their customers - can't get worse, a new, bigger one comes along.

Preventing these issues isn't that complicated, says Alan Brill, senior managing director at data security vendor Kroll Ontrack: Encrypt data in transit; use better procedures to handle personal information such as Social Security numbers; don't hang on to data longer than necessary; and fortify networks internally and externally, using processes that limit access to only those who need it.

But there's no glory in following those security practices. ChoicePoint may have seen its stock drop 15%, wiping out $630 million of shareholder wealth in February, when the company confirmed that it had lost personal data on 145,000 people. But most companies roll the dice and then play the victim card when they are hacked or snookered into handing over personal information to crooks.

"These things just shouldn't be happening," says Jim Stickley, chief technology officer for TraceSecurity. "There's just no good reason not to have good security policies and practices. A lot of companies are still living with that 'it can't happen to me' mentality."

The big question: What can entice companies to beef up security? At this point, it's unclear. But shame can be a good motivator. So, herewith, the first inductees into the Baseline Security Hall of Shame. The running list will be compiled as needed and run in full in our special year-end issue, "The Year of Living Dangerously."

Nominations for the Hall of Shame can be sent to baseline@ziffdavis.com.

LOWLIGHT OF THE MONTH

CardSystems Solutions, Tucson, Ariz., loses 40 million credit card numbers after an unauthorized individual infiltrated the company's network and took customer data. Details about the theft are sketchy. MasterCard, Visa and CardSystems aren't commenting beyond their statements.

CardSystems says it discovered the breach on May 22 and called the Federal Bureau of Investigation the following day.

The folly of not following procedure. MasterCard and Visa noted that CardSystems stored more data than it should have and violated security protocols. Why was CardSystems allowed to operate if it wasn't in compliance with card issuer security standards? Apparently, CardSystems was secure at this time last year. Baseline has learned that CardSystems was verified as meeting Visa's security standards in June 2004, but began storing more data than it should have shortly thereafter.

Now that it has been hacked, CardSystems is "completing the installation of enhanced/additional security procedures."

What to do, next time. Verify transaction processor security more often. Just because a processor is in compliance with Visa and MasterCard security requirements on Tuesday, doesn't mean it will be on Thursday.

Be proactive. If CardSystems truly believes its June 17 statement - in which it said that "our customers and their customers are our lifeblood" - maybe it should have beefed up security ahead of a breach.

CardSystems is far from alone when it comes to information security woes.

BANK OF AMERICA

The bank loses backup tapes containing 1.2 million federal-employee records.

CHOICEPOINT

Allows 145,000 Social Security numbers and credit histories to be stolen by crooks posing as businessmen.

CITIGROUP

Loses backup tapes containing 3.9 million credit records. Company says it will now encrypt data.

DSW SHOE WAREHOUSE

Reports that between mid-November 2004 and mid-February 2005, transaction data on 1.4 million credit card accounts and 96,000 checks was stolen.

LEXIS-NEXIS

Suffers 59 different intrusions that result in a haul of 310,000 customer Social Security numbers, driver's license numbers and addresses.

POLO RALPH LAUREN

Fashion icon hangs on to credit card information too long in its point-of-sale systems and loses the personal data of 180,000 HSBC North America customers.

WACHOVIA

Edina, Minn., man receives the 1099 forms of 73 individuals who held escrow accounts with the bank. Company launches interactive identity-theft quiz on its Web site.

Top 3 in world muddled in the middle at US Open

BETHESDA, Maryland (AP) — World rankings proved to be worth only so much in the opening round at the U.S. Open.

The top-ranked trio of No. 1 Luke Donald, No. 2 Lee Westwood and No. 3 Martin Kaymer went out as a group and all failed to break par at Congressional Country Club on Thursday. They finished a total of 10-over, collecting 17 bogeys and a double between them, with only 9 birdies.

Donald and Westwood, both Englishmen, shot 74 and 75. Kaymer, a German, finished with a 74.

"I think all three of us struggled a bit," Donald said. "There were no fireworks. We didn't get on a run and sometimes you need one or two guys to get on a run to get everyone going. It just didn't happen.

"It was," he added, "kind of a solemn group, I guess."

The problem certainly wasn't the start. Going off the 10th tee, both Donald and Kaymer made birdies, and the Englishman hit another 4-iron flush into the 11th green for a second straight birdie.

"I was loving the start," Donald said. But his red numbers were quickly wiped out by what he called an "untidy" span that began with a 3-putt bogey from 40 feet on No. 13, then extended to bogeys on three of the next four holes and a double at No. 18.

"It wasn't a matter of just I drove it poorly. It was I didn't hit enough fairways and when I hit fairways, I was short-siding myself," Donald said. "When I had those 6- to 8-footers to save some pars, I wasn't making them. It was a struggle today."

Westwood's problems proved even more frustrating because of his certainty that the long and brutal Congressional course — softened up by a morning rain — offered good scoring opportunities.

"I'm quite surprised nobody has gone out this morning and shot 66," Westwood said.

Asked whether the Open setup, with its fast greens, narrow fairways and graduated rough, heaped additional pressure on the players, Westwood replied, "Any course is a mental grind if you're not sharp. The U.S. Open is no different. ...

"I didn't hit enough fairways. I didn't hit enough good irons. My short game was pretty sharp actually. I just made too many mistakes."

Kaymer blamed his problems on an inconsistent driver. He hit eight of 14 fairways, one better than either of his playing partners, but said an inability to take advantage of the course off the tee cost him all the way around.

"My short game kept me alive," he said.

So did a good attitude.

"A little strange for me playing with five English guys," laughed Kaymer, whose caddie, Christian Donald, is Luke's brother. "But we all get along very well."