On data complexity of distinguishing attacks versus message recovery attacks on stream ciphers

We revisit the different approaches used in the literature to estimate the data complexity of distinguishing attacks on stream ciphers and analyze their inter-relationships. In the process, we formally argue which approach is applicable (or not applicable) in what scenario. To our knowledge, this is the first kind of such an exposition. We also perform a rigorous statistical analysis of the message recovery attack that exploits a distinguisher and show that in practice there is a significant gap between the data complexities of a message recovery attack and the underlying distinguishing attack. This gap is not necessarily determined by a constant factor as a function of the false positive and negative rate, as one would expect. Rather this gap is also a function of the number of samples of the distinguishing attack. We perform a case study on RC4 stream cipher to demonstrate that the typical complexities for message recovery attack inferred in the literature are but under-estimates and the actual estimates are quite larger.     

Boat-like Au nanoparticles embedded mesoporous γ-Al2O3 films: an efficient SERS substrate

A new water-dispersible nanostructure based on magnetite (Fe₃O₄) and usnic acid (UA) was prepared in a well-shaped spherical form by a precipitation method. Nanoparticles were well individualized and homogeneous in size. The presence of Fe₃O₄@UA was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The UA was entrapped in the magnetic nanoparticles during preparation and the amount of entrapped UA was estimated by thermogravimetric analysis. Fabricated nanostructures were tested on planktonic cells growth (minimal inhibitory concentration assay) and biofilm development on Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) and Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) reference strains. Concerning the influence of Fe₃O₄@UA on the planktonic bacterial cells, the functionalized magnetic nanoparticles exhibited a significantly improved antimicrobial activity against E. faecalis and E. coli, as compared with the Fe₃O₄ control. The UA incorporated into the magnetic nanoparticles exhibited a very significant inhibitory effect on the biofilm formed by the S. aureus and E. faecalis, on a wide range of concentrations, while in case of the Gram-negative microbial strains, the UA-loaded nanoparticles inhibited the E. coli biofilm development, only at high concentrations, while for P. aeruginosa biofilms, no inhibitory effect was observed. The obtained results demonstrate that the new water-dispersible Fe₃O₄@UA nanosystem, combining the advantages of the intrinsic antimicrobial features of the UA with the higher surface to volume ratio provided by the magnetic nanocarrier dispersible in water, exhibits efficient antimicrobial activity against planktonic and adherent cells, especially on Gram-positive strains.     

Elementary abelian 2-group actions on flag manifolds and applications

Let denote the unoriented cobordism ring. Let and let denote the equivariant cobordism ring of smooth manifolds with smooth -actions having finite stationary points. In this paper we show that the unoriented cobordism class of the (real) flag manifold is in the subalgebra generated by , where , and . We obtain sufficient conditions for indecomposability of an element in . We also obtain a sufficient condition for algebraic independence of any set of elements in . Using our criteria, we construct many indecomposable elements in the kernel of the forgetful map in dimensions , for , and show that they generate a polynomial subalgebra of .

     

A fluorescent fluoride ion probe based on a self-organized ensemble of 5-hydroxyflavone-Al(III) complex

In the presence of Al(III) ions, 5-hydroxyflavone (5HF) through a complexation reaction in MeOH, shows dual fluorescence, characterized by a newly developed peak at 554nm upon excitation at 363nm. In this communication, the subsequent ligand exchange reaction of the complex with fluoride ion causing a fluorescence enhancement followed by a decrease in fluorescence intensity involving an intermediate mechanistic pathway, delivering a quantitative estimation route for fluoride ion in the concentration range from 5x10(-5) to 7x10(-4)M, has been reported. The ligand exchange reaction, without interference from other common anions, has been investigated by UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopies combined with the AM1 semi-empirical self-consistent field quantum chemical calculations within UHF formalism in their ground state.     

Anthracene coupled trans-pyridylcinnamide: a new fluororeceptor for selective sensing of dicarboxylates

trans-Pyridylcinnamide has been established as an alternative hydrogen bonding synthon, in place of urea for carboxylate binding. This alternative motif has been used in the design and synthesis of new fluorescent ‘On-Off’ signalling chemical sensor 1, which is found to bind aliphatic dicarboxylates with moderate binding constants. The recognition ability has been established by fluorescence, UV-vis and ¹H NMR spectroscopic methods. The receptor is found to be selective for long chain pimelate.     

Micellar shape transition under dilute salt-free conditions: promotion and self-fluorescence monitoring of stimuli-responsive viscoelasticity by 1- and 2-naphthols

Effect of 1 and 2-naphthols on the shape transition of cetyl trimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and cetylpyridinium bromide (CPB) micelles are studied. Stimuli-responsive viscoelastic gels of long wormlike micelles are formed at low surfactant concentrations in the presence of neutral naphthols, where H-bonding plays a key role in micellar shape transition in the absence of any charge screening. Micelle-embedded naphthols also act as novel self-fluorescence probes for monitoring viscoelasticity of the system as a function of applied shear. 1H NMR study shows that the solubilization sites of naphthols in the micelle are located near the surface. While UV absorption and Fourier transform infrared studies confirm the presence of intermolecular H-bonds in micelle embedded naphthols, transmission electron micrographs of vacuum-dried samples at room temperature demonstrate the transition in shape from sphere to rodlike micelles.     

Valence-state analysis through spectroelectrochemistry in a series of quinonoid-bridged diruthenium complexes [(acac)(2)Ru(mu-L)Ru(acac)(2)](n) (n=+2, +1, 0, -1, -2)

The quinonoid ligand-bridged diruthenium compounds [(acac)(2)Ru(mu-L(2-))Ru(acac)(2)] (acac(-)=acetylacetonato=2,4-pentanedionato; L(2-)=2,5-dioxido-1,4-benzoquinone, 1; 3,6-dichloro-2,5-dioxido-1,4-benzoquinone, 2; 5,8-dioxido-1,4-naphthoquinone, 3; 2,3-dichloro-5,8-dioxido-1,4-naphthoquinone, 4; 1,5-dioxido-9,10-anthraquinone, 5; and 1,5-diimido-9,10-anthraquinone, 6) were prepared and characterized analytically. The crystal structure analysis of 5 in the rac configuration reveals two tris(2,4-pentanedionato)ruthenium moieties with an extended anthracenedione-derived bis(ketoenolate) pi-conjugated bridging ligand. The weakly antiferromagnetically coupled {Ru(III)(mu-L(2-))Ru(III)} configuration in 1-6 exhibits complicated overall magnetic and EPR responses. The simultaneous presence of highly redox-active quinonoid-bridging ligands and of two ruthenium centers capable of adopting the oxidation states +2, +3, and +4 creates a large variety of possible oxidation state combinations. Accordingly, the complexes 1-6 exhibit two reversible one-electron oxidation steps and at least two reversible reduction processes. Shifts to positive potentials were observed on introduction of Cl substituents (1-->2, 3-->4) or through replacement of NH by O (6-->5). The ligand-to-metal charge transfer (LMCT) absorptions in the visible region of the neutral molecules become more intense and shifted to lower energies on stepwise reduction with two electrons. On oxidation, the para-substituted systems 1-4 exhibit monocation intermediates with intervalence charge transfer (IVCT) transitions of Ru(III)Ru(IV) mixed-valent species. In contrast, the differently substituted systems 5 and 6 show no such near infrared (NIR) absorption. While the first reduction steps are thus assigned to largely ligand-centered processes, the oxidation appears to involve metal-ligand delocalized molecular orbitals with variable degrees of mixing.     

Visible-Light-Mediated Self-Sensitized Oxidative and Regioselective C(sp2)−H Selenylation and Sulfenylation of Substituted 2-Amino-1,4-Naphthoquinones

A photochemical method based on visible-light (white LEDs/sunlight) irradiation has been developed for the regioselective and oxidative C(sp²)−H selenylation and sulfenylation of substituted 2-amino-1,4-naphthoquinones under oxygen atmosphere. The photochemical process does not require any external photoredox catalysts. The other notable advantages of this protocol are metal-free synthesis, visible light/sunlight as energy sources, good substrate scope, and moderate to good yields (41–91 %) with high regioselectivity.     

X-ray crystallography of methyl (6-amino-5-cyano-2-methyl-4-(2-nitrophenyl)-4<Emphasis Type="Italic">H</Emphasis>-pyran)-3-carboxylate

The organic carbonitrile namely methyl (6-amino-5-cyano-2-methyl-4-(2-nitrophenyl)-4H-pyran)- 3-carboxylate is synthesized via one-pot multi-component reaction at room temperature using commercially available urea as inexpensive and environmentally benign organo-catalyst and its crystal structure is determined by X-ray technique. The crystals are monoclinic, sp. gr. C2/c, a = 12.3069(8) Å, b = 9.7023(7) Å, c = 24.812(2) Å, β = 94.862(6)°, Z = 8. The dihedral angle between pyran and phenyl rings is 87.8(1)°; the pyran ring is almost planar The dihedral angle between the mean planes of phenyl ring and nitro group is 44.4(2)°. The crystal structure is stabilized by N?H···N and N?H···O hydrogen bonds. In addition, C?H···π interactions are also observed in the crystal structure.     

Nanocrystalline mesoporous palladium activated tin oxide thin films as room-temperature hydrogen gas sensors

A unique nanocrystalline, mesoporous PdO-SnO(2) film exhibiting high sensitivity and selectivity to hydrogen gas at room temperature has been developed.