Parallel Symmetric Attack on NTRU using Non-Deterministic Lattice Reduction

Currently, the most efficient passive attack on the NTRU public-key cryptosystem, proposed by Coppersmith and Shamir [1], is based on finding a short enough vector in an integral lattice. An NTRU lattice possesses a cyclic automorphism group whose symmetry may be exploited. We have designed methods for reducing bases of NTRU integral lattices based on this symmetry. In addition to these methods, we use hill-descending techniques to combine new and proposed lattice-reduction algorithms. This approach includes deterministic and non-deterministic components which may be efficiently parallelized.     

Topochemical characterization of materials using 3D-SIMS

Summary The potential of 3D-SIMS for characterization of high molybdenum powder and sintered high purity molybdenum will be demonstrated. The concentration of the measured trace elements in the sintered molybdenum did not exceed 200 ppb. In the powder the concentration was found to be about 1 ppm. For material scientists it is very important to ascertain if the trace elements are homogeneously distributed or precipitated. Although the concentration of the elements of interest was rather low, qualitative images of the three dimensional distribution can be obtained.     

Imaging surface spectroscopy for two- and three-dimensional characterization of materials

Secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) exhibits a unique potential for the measurement of two-and three-dimensional distributions of trace elements in advanced materials, which is demonstrated on relevant technological problems. One example is the characterization of high purity iron. With this material segregation experiments have been performed and the initial and final distribution of the trace elements have been measured. Another example is the investigation of the corrosion behaviour of high purity chromium. Samples oxidized with (16)O and (18)O have been measured to explain the growing and adhesion of the oxide layer. All imaging techniques generate a vast quantitiy of data. In order to extract the important information the assistance of chemometric tools is essential. Detection of chemical phases by classification using neural networks or de-noising of scanning-SIMS images by wavelet-filtering demonstrates the increase of the performance of analytical imaging techniques.     

Reversible reduction drives anion ejection and C60 binding within an FeII4L6 cage

Fe^II₄L₆ tetrahedral cage 1 was prepared from a redox-active dicationic naphthalenediimide (NDI) ligand. The +20 charge of the cage makes it a good host for anionic guests, with no binding observed for neutral aromatic molecules. Following reduction by Cp₂Co, the cage released anionic guests; subsequent oxidation by AgNTf₂ led to re-uptake of anions. In its reduced form, however, 1 was observed to bind neutral C₆₀. The fullerene guest was subsequently ejected following cage re-oxidation. The guest release process was found to be facilitated by anion-mediated transport from organic to aqueous solution. Cage 1 thus employs electron transfer as a stimulus to control the uptake and release of both neutral and charged guests, through distinct pathways.

Fe^II₄L₆ cage 1 binds anionic guests but not neutral guests. In its reduced form, the cage can bind neutral C₆₀. Reduction and oxidation of the cage could thus be used as a stimulus to control the uptake and release of both neutral and charged guests.     

Simultaneous quantification of total medium- and long-chain fatty acids in human milk by capillary gas chromatography with split injection

Four different quantification methods for the capillary gas chromatographic determination of medium-chain fatty acids (6:0-12:0) and myristic acid in human milk samples, using a split injector, were compared. Odd-carbon-numbered fatty acids (5:0-17:0) were added as internal standards. Each medium-chain fatty acid and myristic acid was calculated on the basis of: the peak area of the internal standard with one methylene group less; the peak area of the internal standard with one methylene group more; half the sum of the peak areas of the internal standards with one methylene group less and more (bracketting method); the peak area of 17:0. The peak-area ratio of each analyte and 17:0 in a standard was found to be subject to an unacceptably high coefficient of variation. From the methods using internal standards with one methylene group more and less, the bracketting method was found to be the best, resulting in recoveries close to 100%, with the lowest coefficients of variation. The method was applied for the determination of the fatty acid composition of mature milk samples of 47 Cura?aoan women.     

Measurement of the elastic modulus of single bacterial cellulose fibers using atomic force microscopy

The ability of the atomic force microscope to measure forces with subnanonewton sensitivity at nanometer-scale lateral resolutions has led to its use in the mechanical characterization of nanomaterials. Recent studies have shown that the atomic force microscope can be used to measure the elastic moduli of suspended fibers by performing a nanoscale three-point bending test, in which the center of the fiber is deflected by a known force. We extend this technique by modeling the deflection measured at several points along a suspended fiber, allowing us to obtain more accurate data, as well as to justify the mechanical model used. As a demonstration, we have measured a value of 78 +/- 17 GPa for Young's modulus of bacterial cellulose fibers with diameters ranging from 35 to 90 nm. This value is considerably higher than previous estimates, obtained by less direct means, of the mechanical strength of individual cellulose fibers.     

Investigation of the formation and properties of protective oxide layers on high purity chromium with SIMS imaging techniques

Spallation of the protective oxide layer formed during hot gas oxidation is the main reason for the corrosion of high purity powder metallurgically produced chromium[1]. To explain the formation and occasional spallation of the oxide layer a chromium sample subjected to two consecutive oxidation processes in¹⁶O and¹⁸O atmosphere at high temperature was characterised by 2D and 3D SIMS.The formation of the protective oxide can be described by the diffusion of chromium from the bulk to the surface and the reaction of the chromium atoms with the oxygen from the gaseous phase. The very low solubility of nitrogen in chromium oxide indicates its inability to diffuse through the growing oxide layer and explains the enrichment of nitrogen (same mechanism applies for chlorine) in the interface metal/oxide. The accumulation of trace elements within the interface during the oxidation process explains the reduced adhesion power of the passivation layer and its spallation.Dedicated to Professor Dr. rer. nat. Dr. h.c. Hubertus Nickel on the occasion of his 65th birthday     

SIMS Investigations on the Distribution of Trace Elements in Modified Aluminium–Silicon–Magnesium Alloys

 Strontium modified aluminium–silicon cast alloys are well known for their outstanding mechanical properties as they combine excellent strength with good ductility that is due to a modification of brittle Si in the eutectic with traces of Sr (0.3–0.5 wt%). Although the level of Sr addition is very low, formation of ternary AlSiSr phases with deleterious effects on the ductility can take place. Consequently, there is a certain need of alternative modifying elements. Following the theory of Lu and Hellawell which predicts an optimal atomic size for good modification, Eu, which has an atomic radius close to that optimal size, was additionally used as a modifying element. This study presents SIMS (secondary ion mass spectrometer) investigations of the 3D-distributions of the main alloying and trace elements in Al–Si feedstock alloys for thixocasting modified with Sr and Eu, respectively. Received October 1, 2001; accepted May 21, 2002