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We show that Multivariate Public Key Cryptosystems (MPKCs) over fields of small odd prime characteristic, say 31, can be highly efficient. Indeed, at the same design security of 2^{80} under the best known attacks, odd-char MPKC is generally faster than prior MPKCs over \GF{2^k}, which are in turn faster than "traditional'' alternatives. This seemingly counter-intuitive feat is accomplished by exploiting the comparative over-abundance of small integer arithmetic resources in commodity hardware, here embodied by SSE2 or more advanced special multimedia instructions on modern x86-compatible CPUs. We explain our implementation techniques and design choices in implementing our chosen MPKC instances modulo small a odd prime. The same techniques are also applicable in modern FPGAs which often contains a large number of multipliers.

We consider a two-dimensional particle of charge e interacting with a homogeneous magnetic field perpendicular to the plane and a potential well which is transported along a closed loop in the plane. We show that a bound state corresponding to a simple isolated eigenvalue acquires at that Berry's phase equal to 2 sgn e times the number of flux quanta through the oriented area encircled by the loop. We also argue that this is a purely quantum effect since the corresponding Hannay angle is zero.

We study a free quantum motion on periodically structured manifolds composed of elementary two-dimensional'cells' connected either by linear segments or through points where the two cells touch. The general theory is illustrated with numerous examples in which the elementary components are spherical surfaces arranged into chains in a straight or zigzag way, or two-dimensional square lattice'carpets'. We show that the spectra of such systems have an infinite number of gaps and that the latter dominate the spectrum at high energies.

We discuss quantum graphs consisting of a compact part and semi-infinite leads. Such a system may have embedded eigenvalues if some edge lengths in the compact part are rationally related. If such a relation is perturbed, these eigenvalues may turn into resonances; we analyze this effect both generally and in simple examples.