Computing cardinalities of Q-curve reductions over finite fields

We present a specialized point-counting algorithm for a class of elliptic curves over F\_{p^2} that includes reductions of quadratic Q-curves modulo inert primes and, more generally, any elliptic curve over F\_{p^2} with a low-degree isogeny to its Galois conjugate curve. These curves have interesting cryptographic applications. Our algorithm is a variant of the Schoof--Elkies--Atkin (SEA) algorithm, but with a new, lower-degree endomorphism in place of Frobenius. While it has the same asymptotic asymptotic complexity as SEA, our algorithm is much faster in practice.Comment: To appear in the proceedings of ANTS-XII. Added acknowledgement of Drew Sutherlan

'Now I care': a qualitative study of how overweight adolescents managed their weight in the transition to adulthood

Objectives: A qualitative study of recalled experiences of early adolescent overweight/obesity revealed low levels of weight-related concern. This further analysis aimed to explore weight-related concern and weight-loss efforts as participants transitioned into adulthood. Design, participants and methods: Participants were 35 young adults from a population-based cohort study who had body mass index (BMI) >95th centile between ages 11 and 15 and participated in semistructured interviews aged 24. At age 24, they were categorised as: ‘slimmers’ (N=13) who had lower BMI Z-scores at 24 than their adolescent peak and were not obese (BMI<30 kg/m2); ‘relapsers’ (N=8, of whom 2 were morbidly obese (BMI>35 kg/m2) at age 24); ‘stable’ (N=3, of whom 1 morbidly obese); and ‘gainers’ (N=11, of whom 5 morbidly obese). Themes were identified and coded using NVivo qualitative data analysis software, blind to participants’ current weight status. Results: Contrasting with the lack of concern recalled in respect of earlier adolescence, weight-related concerns and/or desire to lose weight generally increased around the time of school leaving and almost all participants described some form of exercise (formal/informal) and dietary weight-control strategies. Among ‘slimmers’, there was some (subtle) evidence of more consistent use of exercise, self-monitoring of diet and exercise and of lifestyle changes becoming habitual and/or part of identity. Few participants had accessed professional support. Diet clubs seemed to have been used most by ‘gainers’, some only recently. Labour-market and housing transitions were strong influences, described as facilitating weight losses by some, but increases by others. For some participants, it appeared that weight loss was simply a by-product of these transitions. Conclusions: In contrast to earlier adolescence, even the heaviest participants tended to show actual weight loss action or preparation for action. The transition to adulthood could thus be a key life stage for interventions

A NASA-wide approach toward cost-effective, high-quality software through reuse

NASA Langley Research Center sponsored the second Workshop on NASA Research in Software Reuse on May 5-6, 1992 at the Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. The workshop was hosted by the Research Triangle Institute. Participants came from the three NASA centers, four NASA contractor companies, two research institutes and the Air Force's Rome Laboratory. The purpose of the workshop was to exchange information on software reuse tool development, particularly with respect to tool needs, requirements, and effectiveness. The participants presented the software reuse activities and tools being developed and used by their individual centers and programs. These programs address a wide range of reuse issues. The group also developed a mission and goals for software reuse within NASA. This publication summarizes the presentations and the issues discussed during the workshop

Strict Liability for Prescription Drugs: Which Shall Govern-Comment K or Strict Liability Applicable to Ordinary Products?

This Comment will review the history of strict products liability and the policies which have shaped its development. It will examine the state of the law today regarding strict liability for harm caused by prescription drugs, and demonstrate that comment k should continue to govern prescription drugs. Furthermore, it will point out that sound reasoning and public policy dictate that the modified strict products liability of comment k, rather than ordinary strict products liability, is the appropriate theory to establish liability for prescription drugs; it is also the method most beneficial to society\u27s needs. Finally, this Comment will predict how the California Supreme Court will apply comment k to prescription drugs when the court is faced with the appropriate case

Determination of Arsenic by High Performance Liquid Chromatography Using a Transition Metal C18 Column

Arsenic, a metalloid, occurs naturally in drinking water and has become a major concern in recent years. There have been several reports on the analysis of arsenic utilizing high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with element specific detectors such as atomic absorption detector. The major goal of this research was to develop a method to analyze arsenic HPLC with UV detection. The success of the present research will help other laboratories that are not financially able to have the state of- the-art instruments. Our research focused on method development for the determination of As(ill) and As(V) using reversed-phase HPLC with a transition metal C 18 column. Due to the ionic nature of the arsenic species, and the non-polar packing material of the separation column, an ion-pairing reagent was included in the mobile phase. The mobile phase contained O.020M tetrabutyl-ammonium bromide and 30% acetonitrile. Validation of the methods such as linearity, detection limit, and reproducibility has been also performed

I lost my baby today: Embodied writing and learning in organizations

This article focuses on miscarriage and the sharing of intimate experiences as an example of alternative writing that can be used to challenge and resist dominant masculine discourse in academia. It steps back from patriarchal forms of writing organizations and contributes in three ways: in terms of methodology through the use of multi-voice autoethnography that embraces evocative language; with regard to the subject matter, by sharing a narrative that focuses on the bodily and dirty in day-to-day organizing; and in style, by going beyond traditional structures to foster personal, fragile and reflexive narratives that can enhance the understanding of lived experiences in organizations. More specifically, the first author’s autoethnographic account of perinatal loss in the context of contemporary academia is used as an example of resistance to patriarchal norms of organizing