JPEG steganography with particle swarm optimization accelerated by AVX

Digital steganography aims at hiding secret messages in digital data transmitted over insecure channels. The JPEG format is prevalent in digital communication, and images are often used as cover objects in digital steganography. Optimization methods can improve the properties of images with embedded secret but introduce additional computational complexity to their processing. AVX instructions available in modern CPUs are, in this work, used to accelerate data parallel operations that are part of image steganography with advanced optimizations.Web of Science328art. no. e544

Identificación y selección de híbridos somáticos obtenidos mediante fusión de protoplastos

Efficient selection of hybrid plants produced by protoplast fusion is very important. Several advances have been made on the subject in recent decades. The methods used for the identification of somatic hybrids include selection by morphological characteristics (growth, leaf, stem, flower or fruit type, flower color or type of inflorescence), micromanipulation (or manual selection), flow cytometry, complementation, chromosome counting, isozyme detection and the use of molecular markers, such as random amplification of polymorphic DNA (RAPD), genomic in situ hybridization (GISH), simple sequence repeats or microsatellites (SSR), the inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR), restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLP) and amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLP). Isozyme analysis was a very common selection method for many years. Although, molecular techniques based on DNA have become reliable methods to detect somatic hybrids. Flow cytometry offers a more rapid and sensitive method for the selection of hybrid cells. However, the equipment needed for its implementation is very expensive. Use of more than one method for early detection of somatic hybrids increases the selection efficiency. This review describes the methods used for detection of somatic hybrids and presents a list of examples on their use from 1974 on.Key words: isozymes, molecular techniquesEl poder seleccionar eficientemente las plantas híbridas producidas a partir de fusión de protoplastos es fundamental. Se han logrado muchos avances en el tema en las últimas décadas. Entre los métodos utilizados para la identificación de híbridos somáticos se encuentran la selección por características morfológicas (tipo de crecimiento, tipo de hoja, tallo, flor o fruto, color de la flor o tipo de inflorescencia), la selección mediante micromanipulación (o manual), la citometría de flujo, la complementación, el conteo de cromosomas, la detección por isoenzimas y la utilización de marcadores moleculares, tales como el polimorfismo mediante amplificación al azar o RAPD, la hibridación genómica in situ (GISH), las secuencias repetitivas simples (SSR) o microsatélites, las secuencias intergénicas repetitivas simples (ISSR), los polimorfismos en la longitud de los fragmentos de restricción (RFLP) y los polimorfismos en la longitud de los fragmentos amplificados (AFLP). También, el análisis isoenzimático ha sido uno de los métodos de selección más utilizados por muchos años. Aunque las técnicas moleculares basadas en el ADN se han convertido en métodos confiables para la detección de híbridos somáticos, la citometría de flujo ofrece la alternativa más rápida y sensible para la selección de las células híbridas. No obstante, los equipos necesarios para su aplicación son de un precio muy elevado. La aplicación de más de un método de detección temprana de híbridos somáticos permite aumentar la eficiencia en su selección. En esta reseña bibliográfica se describen los métodos más utilizados para la detección de híbridos somáticos y se hace un listado exaustivo, con ejemplos de su utilización a partir de 1974.Palabras clave: isoenzimas, técnicas moleculare

In the Supreme Court of the United States Barbara Grutter, Petitioner, v. Lee Bollinger, et al., Respondents. On Writ of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

Brief of the University of Michigan Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, the University of Michigan Black Law Students\u27 Alliance, the University of Michigan Latino Law Students Association, and the University of Michigan Native American Law Students Association as Amici Curiae in Support of Respondent

Floración in vitro – revisión de literatura

In vitro flowering can be induced at different stages during development of in vitro plants by changes in chemical and physical factors related to the tissue culture process. Among the physical factors, photoperiod and temperature have been studied more detailed. Their inductive effect may vary in different species. Some physical factors can also be replaced by chemical stimuli. The chemical factors more frequently described in the literature are some growth regulators and the sucrose/nitrogen ratio. Cytokinins may induce flower development from various organs, but high concentrations can inhibit flowering and cause sprouting of vegetative buds. Gibberellins and polyamines (mostly spermidine) have a positive effect on flower induction. While, ethylene and auxin seem to be powerful inhibitors of in vitro flowering. However, auxins seem to be necessary during the early stages of floral development. An increase in the concentration of sucrose in the culture medium favor development of flowers in vitro, whereas a high concentration of nitrogen can stimulate vegetative growth of explants. Nevertheless, if the nitrogen concentration is too low, explants do not develop well. The aim of this literature review is to discuss most common factors related to in vitro flowering and to list the most relevant scientific literature about the subject from 1980 on.Key words: flower induction, growth regulators, inducers, tissue cultureAbreviaturas: 2,4-D Ácido 2,4-diclorofenoxiacético, 2iP 2–isopentiladenina, ABA Ácido abscísico, AC Agua de coco, AG3 Ácido giberélico, AIA Ácido indol acético, AIB Ácido indol butírico, ANA Ácido naftalen acético, BAP Benciladenina, CAct Carbón activado, CasHid Caseína hidrolizada, DSDPs Plantas de día corto desplazado, GAx Giberelina x, LDPs Plantas de día largo, MES Ácido 2 (N-morfolino) etanosulfónico, MS Murashige y Skoog (1962), MT Murashige y Tucker (1969), PSF Plantas sensibles al fotoperíodo, Put Putrescina, PVP Polivinilpirrolindona, SAM S-adenosil-L-metionina, SAMDC S-adenosil-L-metionina descarboxilasa, SDPs Plantas de día corto, Spd Espermidina, Spm Espermina, TDZ TidiazuronLa floración in vitro puede ser inducida en diferentes estadios durante el desarrollo de las plantas in vitro mediante variaciones en los factores físicos y químicos relacionados con el cultivo de tejidos. Dentro de los factores físicos, el fotoperíodo y la temperatura son los que se han estudiado con más detalle. Su efecto inductivo puede variar en diferentes especies. Algunos factores físicos también pueden ser sustituidos por estímulos químicos. Los factores químicos que han sido descritos con más frecuencia en la literatura son algunos reguladores de crecimiento y la relación sacarosa/nitrógeno. Las citoquininas pueden inducir el desarrollo floral a partir de varios órganos; no obstante, altas concentraciones pueden inhibir la floración y ocasionar brotación de yemas vegetativas. Las giberelinas y las poliaminas (principalmente espermidina) presentan un efecto positivo en la inducción floral. De forma contrastante, el etileno y las auxinas han mostrado ser poderosos inhibidores de la floración in vitro. Sin embargo, las auxinas parecen ser necesarias durante los primeros estadios del desarrollo floral. Un aumento en la concentración de sacarosa en el medio de cultivo puede favorecer el desarrollo de flores in vitro; mientras que concentraciones altas de nitrógeno pueden estimular el desarrollo vegetativo de los explantes. No obstante, si las concentraciones de nitrógeno son muy bajas, el explante no se desarrolla bien. La presente revisión de literatura tiene como fin discutir los factores más comunes que participan en la inducción de la floración in vitro, así como presentar la literatura científica más relevante en el tema a partir de 1980.Palabras clave: cultivo de tejidos, inducción floral, inductores, reguladores de crecimient

In the Supreme Court of the United States Barbara Grutter, Petitioner, v. Lee Bollinger, et al., Respondents. On Writ of Certiorari to the United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit

Brief of the University of Michigan Asian Pacific American Law Students Association, the University of Michigan Black Law Students\u27 Alliance, the University of Michigan Latino Law Students Association, and the University of Michigan Native American Law Students Association as Amici Curiae in Support of Respondent

D’Agents: Security in a Multiple-Language, Mobile-Agent System

Abstract. Mobile-agent systems must address three security issues: protecting an individual machine, protecting a group of machines, and protecting an agent. In this chapter, we discuss these three issues in the context of D’Agents, a mobile-agent system whose agents can be written in Tcl, Java and Scheme. (D’Agents was formerly known as Agent Tcl.) First we discuss mechanisms existing in D’Agents for protecting an individual machine: (1) cryptographic authentication of the agent’s owner, (2) resource managers that make policy decisions based on the owner’s identity, and (3) secure execution environments for each language that enforce the decisions of the resource managers. Then we discuss our planned market-based approach for protecting machine groups. Finally we consider several (partial) solutions for protecting an agent from a malicious machine.

Mechanical tuning of the evaporation rate of liquid on crossed fibers

We investigate experimentally the drying of a small volume of perfectly wetting liquid on two crossed fibers. We characterize the drying dynamics for the three liquid morphologies that are encountered in this geometry: drop, column and a mixed morphology, in which a drop and a column coexist. For each morphology, we rationalize our findings with theoretical models that capture the drying kinetics. We find that the evaporation rate depends significantly on the liquid morphology and that the drying of liquid column is faster than the evaporation of the drop and the mixed morphology for a given liquid volume. Finally, we illustrate that shearing a network of fibers reduces the angle between them, changes the morphology towards the column state, and so enhances the drying rate of a volatile liquid deposited on it

A Dynamic Analysis of Tuberculosis Dissemination to Improve Control and Surveillance

Background: Detailed analysis of the dynamic interactions among biological, environmental, social, and economic factors that favour the spread of certain diseases is extremely useful for designing effective control strategies. Diseases like tuberculosis that kills somebody every 15 seconds in the world, require methods that take into account the disease dynamics to design truly efficient control and surveillance strategies. The usual and well established statistical approaches provide insights into the cause-effect relationships that favour disease transmission but they only estimate risk areas, spatial or temporal trends. Here we introduce a novel approach that allows figuring out the dynamical behaviour of the disease spreading. This information can subsequently be used to validate mathematical models of the dissemination process from which the underlying mechanisms that are responsible for this spreading could be inferred. Methodology/Principal Findings: The method presented here is based on the analysis of the spread of tuberculosis in a Brazilian endemic city during five consecutive years. The detailed analysis of the spatio-temporal correlation of the yearly geo-referenced data, using different characteristic times of the disease evolution, allowed us to trace the temporal path of the aetiological agent, to locate the sources of infection, and to characterize the dynamics of disease spreading. Consequently, the method also allowed for the identification of socio-economic factors that influence the process. Conclusions/Significance: The information obtained can contribute to more effective budget allocation, drug distribution and recruitment of human skilled resources, as well as guiding the design of vaccination programs. We propose that this novel strategy can also be applied to the evaluation of other diseases as well as other social processes.Instituto do Milenio REDE-TBConselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Cientifico e Tecnologico (CNPq)Coordenacao de Aperfeicoamento de Pessoal de Nivel Superior (CAPES)Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado de Sao Paulo (FAPESP)Fundacao de Amparo a Ciencia e Tecnologia do Estado de Pernambuco (FACEPE)[0012-05.03/04]Fundacao de Amparo a Ciencia e Tecnologia do Estado de Pernambuco (FACEPE)[0203-1.05/08

The α2β1 integrin mediates the malignant phenotype on type I collagen in pancreatic cancer cell lines

Pancreatic cancer is characterised by a hallmark desmoplastic response that includes upregulated expression of the extracellular matrix, and type I collagen in particular. Recent studies indicate that pancreatic cancer cells stimulate type I collagen synthesis in adjacent stellate cells, and that this upregulated type I collagen expression promotes the malignant phenotype in tumour cells as defined by increased proliferation, resistance to chemically induced apoptosis, and increased tumorigenesis. The integrin specificity of this interaction between type I collagen and tumour cells was not identified, however. In the present study, we examined eight pancreatic cancer cell lines for adhesion, proliferation, and migration, on types I and IV collagen, fibronectin, laminin, and vitronectin, as well as integrin expression. Our results indicate, for the overwhelming majority of cell lines, that type I collagen promotes the strongest adhesion, proliferation, and migration relative to the other substrates tested. Utilising function-blocking monoclonal antibodies directed against particular integrin subunits in cell adhesion and migration inhibition assays, we demonstrate further that the malignant phenotype on type I collagen is mediated specifically by the α2β1 integrin. These results identify α2β1 integrin-mediated adhesion to type I collagen as a potential therapeutic target in the treatment of pancreatic cancer