Exploring C++

This book is intended for use by C programmers who want to learn C++ . . . fast. It may also be helpful for Java programmers learning C++ . It assumes that the reader knows basic programming including types, control structures, functions, arrays, pointers, and simple data structures. The material should help you develop a deep understanding of clean program design and the features that make C++ a powerful and flexible language.https://digitalcommons.newhaven.edu/electricalcomputerengineering-books/1001/thumbnail.jp

Etablierung der AFLP-Methode für das Valeriana officinalis Aggregat

Die Systematik des heterogenen Valeriana officinalis Aggregates ist gegenwärtig nicht eindeutig aufgeklärt. Die Aufgliederung des Taxons in zahlreiche Unterarten bzw. Kleinarten basiert auf einem natürlichen `Typenkonzept´, dem Datensätze unvollendeter morphologischer und karyologischer Untersuchungen zugrunde liegen. 2008 wurde demnach ein Forschungsprojekt mit der Zielsetzung, die Taxonomie und die evolutive Entwicklung der Artengruppe zu definieren, initiiert. Die Grundlage multivariater Analysen wird Pflanzenmaterial aus 82 Populationen (1618 Individuen) von Valeriana officinalis agg., die in Vorarlberg, Tirol (Nord-, Südtirol), Bayern, Schweiz und Niederösterreich gesammelt werden, sein. Die interdisziplinäre Ausrichtung des Projektes ist durch die gleichwertige Anwendung etablierter Methoden wie Durchfluss-Zytometrie, Chromosomenzählung, Morphometrie, Vegetationsanalyse und molekularbiologischer Methoden wie e.g. AFLP charakterisiert. Die Aufgabe dieser Diplomarbeit war die Etablierung der AFLP-Methode für die Artengruppe sowie deren Erprobung mit 89 Individuen aus 18 Populationen, die einen Teil des 2009 bereits vorhandenen Pflanzenmaterials von 50 Populationen (je 20 Individuen) und 88 Einzelpflanzen darstellten. Das Ergebnis sollte eine Evaluierung dieses Verfahrens hinsichtlich der Anwendung für das Gesamtprojekt ermöglichen. In einem Screening wurden zwölf AFLP-Primerkombinationen mit sieben Individuen unterschiedlicher Ploidiestufen hinsichtlich Variabilität und Qualität der detektierten Banden getestet. Drei Primerkombinationen wurden ausgewählt und eine Reproduzierbarkeit der Phänotypen mit dem Ergebnis von max. 98,5 % bestimmt. Diese Kombinationen und drei weitere, vom Institut für Pflanzenbau und Pflanzenzüchtung an der Bayrischen Landesanstalt für Landwirtschaft erhaltene, wurden für die AFLP-Analyse von 89 Individuen unterschiedlichen Zytotyps aus 18 Populationen verwendet. Mit sechs Primerpaaren wurden 312 DNA-Banden generiert, von denen 99,7% polymorph und 0,3% monomorph waren. Die unabhängige Wiederholbarkeit der 6 Primerkombinationen erreichte 95,8 % die der parallelen Replikate 98,9%. Der mit dem dem 2D_EUCLID Distanz-Algorithmus nach Saukel (Saukel, J. et al. 2004) generierte Scatterplot ergab eine Auftrennung der Akzessionen in drei Gruppen, die weitgehend den, für dieselben Individuen mit anderen Verfahren festgestellten, bekannten Ploidiestufen diploid, tetraploid und oktoploid entsprach. Die molekularen Daten zeigten vorwiegend eine genetische Struktur, die sich in der zytologischen Differenzierung in unterschiedliche Ploidieniveaus manifestierte, auf. Eine darüber hinausreichende genetische Charakterisierung der Phänotypen war in der aktuellen Studie nicht erkennbar. Sie kann möglicherweise durch die Analyse der Gesamtheit des Pflanzenmaterials unter Verwendung der AFLP-Primerkombinationen, die die geringste Fehlerrate bei unabhängiger Wiederholung aufwiesen, erzielt werden. Die Differenzierungen genetischer Muster aller Populationen können hinsichtlich Übereinstimmung oder Divergenz mit den Ergebnissen morphometrischer und weiterer in dem Projekt angewandter Methoden verglichen werden. Es besteht die Möglichkeit, dass daraus resultierend, neue Informationen in die Taxonomie von Valeriana officinalis agg. einfließen werden

An Empirical Comparison of Widely Adopted Hash Functions in Digital Forensics: Does the Programming Language and Operating System Make a Difference?

Hash functions are widespread in computer sciences and have a wide range of applications such as ensuring integrity in cryptographic protocols, structuring database entries (hash tables) or identifying known files in forensic investigations. Besides their cryptographic requirements, a fundamental property of hash functions is efficient and easy computation which is especially important in digital forensics due to the large amount of data that needs to be processed when working on cases. In this paper, we correlate the runtime efficiency of common hashing algorithms (MD5, SHA-family) and their implementation. Our empirical comparison focuses on C-OpenSSL, Python, Ruby, Java on Windows and Linux and C♯ and WinCrypto API on Windows. The purpose of this paper is to recommend appropriate programming languages and libraries for coding tools that include intensive hashing processes. In each programming language, we compute the MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256 and SHA-512 digest on datasets from 2 MB to 1 GB. For each language, algorithm and data, we perform multiple runs and compute the average elapsed time. In our experiment, we observed that OpenSSL and languages utilizing OpenSSL (Python and Ruby) perform better across all the hashing algorithms and data sizes on Windows and Linux. However, on Windows, performance of Java (Oracle JDK) and C WinCrypto is comparable to OpenSSL and better for SHA-512. Keywords: Digital forensics, hashing, micro benchmarking, security, tool buildin

An Empirical Comparison of Widely Adopted Hash Functions in Digital Forensics: Does the Programming Language and Operating System Make a Difference?

Hash functions are widespread in computer sciences and have a wide range of applications such as ensuring integrity in cryptographic protocols, structuring database entries (hash tables) or identifying known files in forensic investigations. Besides their cryptographic requirements, a fundamental property of hash functions is efficient and easy computation which is especially important in digital forensics due to the large amount of data that needs to be processed when working on cases. In this paper, we correlate the runtime efficiency of common hashing algorithms (MD5, SHA-family) and their implementation. Our empirical comparison focuses on C-OpenSSL, Python, Ruby, Java on Windows and Linux and C and WinCrypto API on Windows. The purpose of this paper is to recommend appropriate programming languages and libraries for coding tools that include intensive hashing processes. In each programming language, we compute the MD5, SHA-1, SHA-256 and SHA-512 digest on datasets from 2MB to 1 GB. For each language, algorithm and data, we perform multiple runs and compute the average elapsed time. In our experiment, we observed that OpenSSL and languages utilizing OpenSSL (Python and Ruby) perform better across all the hashing algorithms and data sizes on Windows and Linux. However, on Windows, performance of Java (Oracle JDK) and C WinCrypto is comparable to OpenSSL and better for SHA-512

Quantitative convergence of the vectorial Allen-Cahn equation towards multiphase mean curvature flow

Phase-field models such as the Allen-Cahn equation may give rise to the formation and evolution of geometric shapes, a phenomenon that may be analyzed rigorously in suitable scaling regimes. In its sharp-interface limit, the vectorial Allen-Cahn equation with a potential with $N\geq 3$ distinct minima has been conjectured to describe the evolution of branched interfaces by multiphase mean curvature flow. In the present work, we give a rigorous proof for this statement in two and three ambient dimensions and for a suitable class of potentials: As long as a strong solution to multiphase mean curvature flow exists, solutions to the vectorial Allen-Cahn equation with well-prepared initial data converge towards multiphase mean curvature flow in the limit of vanishing interface width parameter $\varepsilon\searrow 0$. We even establish the rate of convergence $O(\varepsilon^{1/2})$. Our approach is based on the gradient flow structure of the Allen-Cahn equation and its limiting motion: Building on the recent concept of "gradient flow calibrations" for multiphase mean curvature flow, we introduce a notion of relative entropy for the vectorial Allen-Cahn equation with multi-well potential. This enables us to overcome the limitations of other approaches, e.g. avoiding the need for a stability analysis of the Allen-Cahn operator or additional convergence hypotheses for the energy at positive times.Comment: 53 page

Sub-20 nm Core-Shell-Shell Nanoparticles for Bright Upconversion and Enhanced Förster Resonant Energy Transfer.

Upconverting nanoparticles provide valuable benefits as optical probes for bioimaging and Förster resonant energy transfer (FRET) due to their high signal-to-noise ratio, photostability, and biocompatibility; yet, making nanoparticles small yields a significant decay in brightness due to increased surface quenching. Approaches to improve the brightness of UCNPs exist but often require increased nanoparticle size. Here we present a unique core-shell-shell nanoparticle architecture for small (sub-20 nm), bright upconversion with several key features: (1) maximal sensitizer concentration in the core for high near-infrared absorption, (2) efficient energy transfer between core and interior shell for strong emission, and (3) emitter localization near the nanoparticle surface for efficient FRET. This architecture consists of β-NaYbF4 (core) @NaY0.8-xErxGd0.2F4 (interior shell) @NaY0.8Gd0.2F4 (exterior shell), where sensitizer and emitter ions are partitioned into core and interior shell, respectively. Emitter concentration is varied (x = 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and 80%) to investigate influence on single particle brightness, upconversion quantum yield, decay lifetimes, and FRET coupling. We compare these seven samples with the field-standard core-shell architecture of β-NaY0.58Gd0.2Yb0.2Er0.02F4 (core) @NaY0.8Gd0.2F4 (shell), with sensitizer and emitter ions codoped in the core. At a single particle level, the core-shell-shell design was up to 2-fold brighter than the standard core-shell design. Further, by coupling a fluorescent dye to the surface of the two different architectures, we demonstrated up to 8-fold improved emission enhancement with the core-shell-shell compared to the core-shell design. We show how, given proper consideration for emitter concentration, we can design a unique nanoparticle architecture to yield comparable or improved brightness and FRET coupling within a small volume

Conservation in conversation: People's perspectives on a woodland with high conservation value-A qualitative study

Concepts such as ecosystem services and nature's contributions to people are frameworks for articulating the value of nature and biodiversity conservation. Yet it remains difficult to argue for the conservation of species and habitats where they are inconspicuous or 'non-charismatic'. This paper investigates the perceptions of a woodland area in rural western Scotland, designated for its high conservation value and characterised by habitats, rare species and species assemblages with limited appreciation by non-experts and no obvious 'utility' value. Based on interviews with residents and visitors as well as workshops with participants representing different types of local expertise, we show how people experience and perceive the benefits from such woodlands. Overall, our study participants emphasised values and ecosystem services that benefitted humans, strongly drawing on stories of cultural or historical land use to argue for more material opportunities to be created. For those participants without ecological expertise, the designated conservation value, albeit respected and accepted, remained vague and bland. Participants also articulated a strong underlying development logic, pushing in some way for 'more' to be made from the woodlands so that more people could receive benefits from the woodland either directly (e.g. mental restoration; increased use for recreation) or indirectly (e.g. through creating jobs in the local tourism industry). Our findings suggest that managing for conservation alone might cause challenges in acceptability, especially where the species and habitats conserved are of little obvious value to the non-specialist. At the same time, participants recognised that they valued the woodland being unique in some way, and that increasing the material use of the woods might harm the very essence of what made it special

Tracking shifts in forest structural complexity through space and time in human‐modified tropical landscapes

Habitat structural complexity is an emergent property of ecosystems that directly shapes their biodiversity, functioning and resilience to disturbance. Yet despite its importance, we continue to lack consensus on how best to define structural complexity, nor do we have a generalised approach to measure habitat complexity across ecosystems. To bridge this gap, here we adapt a geometric framework developed to quantify the surface complexity of coral reefs and apply it to the canopies of tropical rainforests. Using high‐resolution, repeat‐acquisition airborne laser scanning data collected over 450 km2 of human‐modified tropical landscapes in Borneo, we generated 3D canopy height models of forests at varying stages of recovery from logging. We then tested whether the geometric framework of habitat complexity – which characterises 3D surfaces according to their height range, rugosity and fractal dimension – was able to detect how both human and natural disturbances drive variation in canopy structure through space and time across these landscapes. We found that together, these three metrics of surface complexity captured major differences in canopy 3D structure between highly degraded, selectively logged and old‐growth forests. Moreover, the three metrics were able to track distinct temporal patterns of structural recovery following logging and wind disturbance. However, in the process we also uncovered several important conceptual and methodological limitations with the geometric framework of habitat complexity. We found that fractal dimension was highly sensitive to small variations in data inputs and was ecologically counteractive (e.g. higher fractal dimension in oil palm plantations than old‐growth forests), while rugosity and height range were tightly correlated (r = 0.75) due to their strong dependency on maximum tree height. Our results suggest that forest structural complexity cannot be summarised using these three descriptors alone, as they overlook key features of canopy vertical and horizontal structure that arise from the way trees fill 3D space. Keywords: Forest disturbance, LiDAR, logging, recovery, remote sensing, structural complexit

Molecular Markers in Cutaneous Squamous Cell Carcinoma

Nonmelanoma skin carcinoma (NMSC) is the most frequent cancer in the USA with over 1.3 million new diagnoses a year; however due to an underappreciation of its associated mortality and growing incidence and its ability to be highly aggressive, the molecular mechanism is not well delineated. Whereas the molecular profiles of melanoma have been well characterized, those for cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) have trailed behind. This importance of the new staging paradigm is linked to the ability currently to better clinically cluster similar biologic behavior in order to risk-stratify lesions and patients. In this paper we discuss the trends in NMSC and the etiologies for the subset of NMSC with the most mortality, cutaneous SCC, as well as where the field stands in the discovery of a molecular profile. The molecular markers are highlighted to demonstrate the recent advances in cSCC

Mitigating The Burden Of Diabetes In Sub-Saharan Africa Through An Integrated Diagonal Health Systems Approach

Diabetes is a chronic non-communicable disease (NCD) presenting growing health and economic burdens in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Diabetes is unique due to its cross-cutting nature, impacting multiple organ systems and increasing the risk for other communicable and non-communicable diseases. Unfortunately, the quality of care for diabetes in SSA is poor, largely due to a weak disease management framework and fragmented health systems in most sub-Saharan African countries. We argue that by synergizing disease-specific vertical programs with system-specific horizontal programs through an integrated disease-system diagonal approach, we can improve access, quality, and safety of diabetes care programs while also supporting other chronic diseases. We recommend utilizing the six World Health Organization (WHO) health system building blocks – 1) leadership and governance, 2) financing, 3) health workforce, 4) health information systems, 5) supply chains, and 6) service delivery – as a framework to design a diagonal approach with a focus on health system strengthening and integration to implement and scale quality diabetes care. We discuss the successes and challenges of this approach, outline opportunities for future care programming and research, and highlight how this approach can lead to the improvement in the quality of care for diabetes and other chronic diseases across SSA