Heat-Storage Modules Containing LiNO3-3H2O and Graphite Foam

A heat-storage module based on a commercial open-cell graphite foam (Poco-Foam or equivalent) imbued with lithium nitrate trihydrate (LiNO3-3H2O) has been developed as a prototype of other such modules for use as short-term heat sources or heat sinks in the temperature range of approximately 28 to 30 C. In this module, the LiNO3-3H2O serves as a phase-change heat-storage material and the graphite foam as thermally conductive filler for transferring heat to or from the phase-change material. In comparison with typical prior heat-storage modules in which paraffins are the phase-change materials and aluminum fins are the thermally conductive fillers, this module has more than twice the heat-storage capacity per unit volume

Efficient Batch Zero-Knowledge Arguments for Low Degree Polynomials

Bootle et al. (EUROCRYPT 2016) construct an extremely efficient zero-knowledge argument for arithmetic circuit satisfiability in the discrete logarithm setting. However, the argument does not treat relations involving commitments, and furthermore, for simple polynomial relations, the complex machinery employed is unnecessary. In this work, we give a framework for expressing simple relations between commitments and field elements, and present a zero-knowledge argument which, by contrast with Bootle et al., is constant-round and uses fewer group operations, in the case where the polynomials in the relation have low degree. Our method also directly yields a batch protocol, which allows many copies of the same relation to be proved and verified in a single argument more efficiently with only a square-root communication overhead in the number of copies. We instantiate our protocol with concrete polynomial relations to construct zero-knowledge arguments for membership proofs, polynomial evaluation proofs, and range proofs. Our work can be seen as a unified explanation of the underlying ideas of these protocols. In the instantiations of membership proofs and polynomial evaluation proofs, we also achieve better efficiency than the state of the art

Foundations of Fully Dynamic Group Signatures

Group signatures are a central cryptographic primitive that has received a considerable amount of attention from the cryptographic community. They allow members of a group to anonymously sign on behalf of the group. Membership is overseen by a designated group manager. There is also a tracing authority that can revoke anonymity by revealing the identity of the signer if and when needed, to enforce accountability and deter abuse. For the primitive to be applicable in practice, it needs to support fully dynamic groups, i.e. users can join and leave at any time. In this work we take a close look at existing security definitions for fully dynamic group signatures. We identify a number of shortcomings in existing security definitions and fill the gap by providing a formal rigorous security model for the primitive. Our model is general and is not tailored towards a specific design paradigm and can therefore, as we show, be used to argue about the security of different existing constructions following different design paradigms. Our definitions are stringent and when possible incorporate protection against maliciously chosen keys. In the process, we identify a subtle issue inherent to one design paradigm, where new members might try to implicate older ones by means of back-dated signatures. This is not captured by existing models. We propose some inexpensive fixes for some existing constructions to avoid the issue

Linear-Time Zero-Knowledge Proofs for Arithmetic Circuit Satisfiability

We give computationally efficient zero-knowledge proofs of knowledge for arithmetic circuit satisfiability over a large field. For a circuit with N addition and multiplication gates, the prover only uses O(N)O(N) multiplications and the verifier only uses O(N)O(N) additions in the field. If the commitments we use are statistically binding, our zero-knowledge proofs have unconditional soundness, while if the commitments are statistically hiding we get computational soundness. Our zero-knowledge proofs also have sub-linear communication if the commitment scheme is compact. Our construction proceeds in three steps. First, we give a zero-knowledge proof for arithmetic circuit satisfiability in an ideal linear commitment model where the prover may commit to secret vectors of field elements, and the verifier can receive certified linear combinations of those vectors. Second, we show that the ideal linear commitment proof can be instantiated using error-correcting codes and non-interactive commitments. Finally, by choosing efficient instantiations of the primitives we obtain linear-time zero-knowledge proofs

Interview with Rosa Elmore Bootle

In her July 3, 1974 interview with Ann Yarborough Evans, Rosa Bootle remembers her time as a Winthrop student and the various traditions she partook in. This interview was conducted for inclusion into the Louise Pettus Archives and Special Collections Oral History Program.https://digitalcommons.winthrop.edu/oralhistoryprogram/1033/thumbnail.jp

Phase I and pharmacokinetic study of the polyamine synthesis inhibitor SAM486A in combination with 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin in metastatic colorectal cancer

PURPOSE: The purpose of our study was to determine the maximum-tolerated\n dose, dose-limiting toxicity, safety profile, and pharmacokinetics of the\n polyamine synthesis inhibitor SAM486A given in combination with\n 5-fluorouracil/leucovorin (5-FU/LV) in cancer patients. EXPERIMENTAL\n DESIGN: Patients with advanced colorectal cancer were treated with 5-FU\n [bolus (400 mg/m(2)) followed by a 22-h infusion (600 mg/m(2))] and LV\n (200 mg/m(2)) and escalating doses of SAM486A, 1-3-h infusion daily for 3\n days. Plasma sampling was performed to characterize the pharmacokinetics\n and pharmacodynamics of the combination RESULTS: Twenty-seven patients\n with metastatic colorectal cancer and 1 with pseudomyxoma peritonei were\n treated. Twenty-six patients received SAM486A in the combination at doses\n ranging from 25 to 150 mg/m(2)/day. Dose-limiting toxicity consisting of\n fatigue grade 3 was seen at 150 mg/m(2)/day. Other adverse events included\n neutropenia, hand and foot syndrome, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and\n constipation. Fifteen of 26 patients evaluable for best response according\n to the Southwest Oncology Group criteria achieved a partial response [8\n (30%) of 26] or stable disease [9 (35%) of 26]. SAM486A did not influence\n the pharmacokinetics of 5-FU, and SAM486A clearance was similar to that\n when used as a single agent. CONCLUSIONS: The novel molecular agent\n SAM486A is tolerable and safe in combination with a standard 5-FU regimen\n in patients with advanced colorectal cancer. The dose of SAM486A\n recommended for additional studies with this combination is 125\n mg/m(2)/day. A disease-directed evaluation of SAM486A using this regimen\n is warranted

A peptide derived from TIMP-3 inhibits multiple angiogenic growth factor receptors and tumour growth and inflammatory arthritis in mice

The binding of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to VEGF receptor-2 (VEGFR-2) on the surface of vascular endothelial cells stimulates many steps in the angiogenic pathway. Inhibition of this interaction is proving of value in moderating the neovascularization accompanying age-related macular degeneration and in the treatment of cancer. Tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinases-3 (TIMP-3) has been shown to be a natural VEGFR-2 specific antagonist—an activity that is independent of its ability to inhibit metalloproteinases. In this investigation we localize this activity to the C-terminal domain of the TIMP-3 molecule and characterize a short peptide, corresponding to part of this domain, that not only inhibits all three VEGF-family receptors, but also fibroblast growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor receptors. This multiple-receptor inhibition may explain why the peptide was also seen to be a powerful inhibitor of tumour growth and also a partial inhibitor of arthritic joint inflammation in vivo

Foundations of Fully Dynamic Group Signatures

Group signatures allow members of a group to anonymously sign on behalf of the group. Membership is administered by a designated group manager. The group manager can also reveal the identity of a signer if and when needed to enforce accountability and deter abuse. For group signatures to be applicable in practice, they need to support fully dynamic groups, i.e., users may join and leave at any time. Existing security definitions for fully dynamic group signatures are informal, have shortcomings, and are mutually incompatible. We fill the gap by providing a formal rigorous security model for fully dynamic group signatures. Our model is general and is not tailored toward a specific design paradigm and can therefore, as we show, be used to argue about the security of different existing constructions following different design paradigms. Our definitions are stringent and when possible incorporate protection against maliciously chosen keys. We consider both the case where the group management and tracing signatures are administered by the same authority, i.e., a single group manager, and also the case where those roles are administered by two separate authorities, i.e., a group manager and an opening authority. We also show that a specialization of our model captures existing models for static and partially dynamic schemes. In the process, we identify a subtle gap in the security achieved by group signatures using revocation lists. We show that in such schemes new members achieve a slightly weaker notion of traceability. The flexibility of our security model allows to capture such relaxation of traceability