Efficient Construction of the Boomerang Connection Table

Recently, the Boomerang Connection Table was introduced by Cid et al. as a tool to better evaluate the probability of a boomerang distinguisher. To compute the BCT of an $n$-bit to $n$-bit S-box, the inventors of the BCT proposed an algorithm that takes $O(2^{3n})$ time. We show that one can construct the same table in only $O(2^{2n})$ time

A NOVEL DESIGN APPROACH IN REGULATOR SYSTEM FOR ENERGY CONSERVATION

Abstract—in currently conservation of the electricity is a vital factor which is effectively involved in economy of electricity generation. This paper presents a novel idea to save the electrical energy in the regulator. The energy consumed by any fan is not reduced by the regulator. The energy consumed becomes two parts. One is lost as heat energy in the regulator and the balance is used for rotating the fan. Even though fan runs slow, it consumes the same energy as it runs fast. In this new regulator, inductors are used instead of resistors. Resistor converts the electricity into heat but inductor converts it into emf and another inductor produces the same electricity from that emf. Since step up transformer is used serious with the fan. The consumed power by the transformer is returned and remaining power only can be consumed by the fan. If we use this technique, we can save 35- 38% of electricity. We can also control more than ten fans by using single regulator. It is hoped that this small product can make a big change in the power consumption. Keywords—Energy saving regulator, AC voltage controller, Step up transformer based regulator, Series transformer

A TRAGEDY OF THE PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE ‘COMMONS’? Global Science, Intellectual Property and the Digital Technology Boomerang

Radical legal innovations in intellectual property protection have been introduced by the little noticed European Database Directive of March 1996. This initiative, part of the larger institutional transformations initiated in response to the economic ramifications of rapid progress in digital information technologies, poses numerous contentious issues in law and economics. These are likely to create ambiguities for business and non-profit activities in this area for years to come, and the terms on which those issues are resolved will materially affect the costs and organizational feasibility of scientific projects that are of global reach and significance. This is the case especially in fields such as geology, oceanography and climatology, which depend heavily upon the collection, management and analysis of large volumes of observational data that cannot be regenerated. More generally the conduct of open, collaborative science – along with many of the benefits that flow from it for the developed and the developing economies alike – may be seriously jeopardized by the consequences of the new database protections. This raises the spectre of a new and different “tragedy of the commons,” one created by continuing the unbalanced pressure to extract greater economic rents by means of controlling access to information. “Over-fencing,” which is to say, the erection of artificial cost barriers to the production of reliable public knowledge by means of reliable public knowledge, threatens the future of “the public knowledge commons” that historically has proved critically important for rapid advance in science and technology. The paper sets out the economic case for the effectiveness of open, collaborative research, and the forces behind the recent, countervailing rush to strengthen and expand the scope of intellectual property rights protection. Focusing upon innovations in copyright law and the sui generis protection of hitherto unprotected content, it documents the genesis and analyzes the economic implications of the EC’s Database Directive, and related legislative proposals (H.R. 3125, H.R. 354 and H.R. 1858) in the US. The discussion concludes by advancing a number of modest remedial proposals that are intended to promoted greater efforts to arrive at satisfactory policy solutions for this aspect of “the digital dilemma.”intellectual property rights, copyright, sui generis protection of expressive material, economics of information-goods, open science, “fair use,” scientific databases.

Tragedy of the Public Knowledge 'Commons'? Global Science, Intellectual Property and the Digital Technology Boomerang

Radical legal innovations in intellectual property protection have been introduced by the little noticed European Database Directive of March 1996. This initiative, part of the larger institutional transformations initiated in response to the economic ramifications of rapid progress in digital information technologies, poses numerous contentious issues in law and economics. These are likely to create ambiguities for business and non-profit activities in this area for years to come, and the terms on which those issues are resolved will materially affect the costs and organizational feasibility of scientific projects that are of global reach and significance. This is the case especially in fields such as geology, oceanography and climatology, which depend heavily upon the collection, management and analysis of large volumes of observational data that cannot be regenerated. More generally the conduct of open, collaborative science - along with many of the benefits that flow from it for the developed and the developing economies alike - may be seriously jeopardized by the consequences of the new database protections. This raises the spectre of a new and different "tragedy of the commons," one created by continuing the unbalanced pressure to extract greater economic rents by means of controlling access to information. "Over-fencing," which is to say, the erection of artificial cost barriers to the production of reliable public knowledge by means of reliable public knowledge, threatens the future of "the public knowledge commons" that historically has proved critically important for rapid advance in science and technology. The paper sets out the economic case for the effectiveness of open, collaborative research, and the forces behind the recent, countervailing rush to strengthen and expand the scope of intellectual property rights protection. Focusing upon innovations in copyright law and the sui generis protection of hitherto unprotected content, it documents the genesis and analyzes the economic implications of the EC''s Database Directive, and related legislative proposals (H.R. 3125, H.R. 354 and H.R. 1858) in the US. The discussion concludes by advancing a number of modest remedial proposals that are intended to promote greater efforts to arrive at satisfactory policy solutions for this aspect of "the digital dilemma."economics of technology ;

Enhancing climate change communication: strategies for profiling and targeting Australian interpretive communities

Abstracthis research aimed to provide practical information about how to design communications on climate change adaptation and target these to the Australian population.   This was achieved by: (1) identifying and increasing awareness of different climate change audiences in Australia, and (2) evaluating how each audience responds to different types of climate change messages. Phase 1 of the study used audience segmentation analysis to identify the main climate change interpretive communities within Australia; that is, groups of Australians who share similar views and understandings about climate change.   A nationwide sample consisting of 3,096 Australian residents (aged 15 to 108 years, 47% male and 53% female) completed an online survey assessing a broad range of psychological and behavioural factors related to climate change.   Latent profile analysis applied to the psychological variables suggested that this Australian sample consists of five distinct interpretive communities: Alarmed (26%), Concerned (39%), Uncertain (14%), Doubtful (12%), and Dismissive (9%). Validation analyses revealed that these groups differed in terms of how they responded to perceived climate change threats, and also in their support for particular climate change mitigation and adaptation policies.   Phase 2 of the project examined how Australian interpretive communities respond to climate change adaptation messages and identified the specific message attributes that drive these responses. 1,031 Australian residents (aged 18 to 66 years, 49.8% male, 50.2% female) completed an online survey assessing a similar set of psychological and behavioural responses to climate change to those assessed in Phase 1.   Respondents subsequently viewed six climate change adaptation messages that were randomly allocated from a pool of 60 messages sourced from the internet.   Messages were pre-coded on 10 communication cues (e.g., language complexity, normative influence), and respondents rated them on four judgement dimensions: perceived threat, perceived efficacy, fear control (message rejection), and danger control (message acceptance).   Latent profile analysis applied to the psychological variables identified three climate change interpretive communities in this sample: Alarmed (34.4%), Uncommitted (45.2%), and Dismissive (20.3%).   Judgement analysis methodology (Cooksey, 1996) found that the three interpretive communities based their threat and efficacy evaluations on unique combinations of communication cues, and that high perceived threat and high perceived efficacy were related to message acceptance for all communities.   Effective messages for Dismissive respondents used simple language and did not emphasise descriptive social norms.   Uncommitted audience members responded positively to messages that focused on preventing losses and had a strong emotional component.   Alarmed respondents preferred messages that focused on local issues and had a collectivist frame. Providing specific adaptation advice in messages was found to be effective for all communities. The results largely support the Extended Parallel Processing Model of risk communication (Witte, 1992), and suggest that message attributes should be adjusted to effectively communicate with different climate change interpretive communities within Australia.Please cite this report as:Hine, D, Phillips, W, Reser, J, Cooksey, R, Marks, A, Nunn, P, Watt, S, Ellul, M 2013 Enhancing climate change communication: Strategies for profiling and targeting Australian interpretive communities, National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility, Gold Coast, pp. 95.his research aimed to provide practical information about how to design communications on climate change adaptation and target these to the Australian population.   This was achieved by: (1) identifying and increasing awareness of different climate change audiences in Australia, and (2) evaluating how each audience responds to different types of climate change messages. Phase 1 of the study used audience segmentation analysis to identify the main climate change interpretive communities within Australia; that is, groups of Australians who share similar views and understandings about climate change.   A nationwide sample consisting of 3,096 Australian residents (aged 15 to 108 years, 47% male and 53% female) completed an online survey assessing a broad range of psychological and behavioural factors related to climate change.   Latent profile analysis applied to the psychological variables suggested that this Australian sample consists of five distinct interpretive communities: Alarmed (26%), Concerned (39%), Uncertain (14%), Doubtful (12%), and Dismissive (9%). Validation analyses revealed that these groups differed in terms of how they responded to perceived climate change threats, and also in their support for particular climate change mitigation and adaptation policies.   Phase 2 of the project examined how Australian interpretive communities respond to climate change adaptation messages and identified the specific message attributes that drive these responses. 1,031 Australian residents (aged 18 to 66 years, 49.8% male, 50.2% female) completed an online survey assessing a similar set of psychological and behavioural responses to climate change to those assessed in Phase 1.   Respondents subsequently viewed six climate change adaptation messages that were randomly allocated from a pool of 60 messages sourced from the internet.   Messages were pre-coded on 10 communication cues (e.g., language complexity, normative influence), and respondents rated them on four judgement dimensions: perceived threat, perceived efficacy, fear control (message rejection), and danger control (message acceptance).   Latent profile analysis applied to the psychological variables identified three climate change interpretive communities in this sample: Alarmed (34.4%), Uncommitted (45.2%), and Dismissive (20.3%).   Judgement analysis methodology (Cooksey, 1996) found that the three interpretive communities based their threat and efficacy evaluations on unique combinations of communication cues, and that high perceived threat and high perceived efficacy were related to message acceptance for all communities.   Effective messages for Dismissive respondents used simple language and did not emphasise descriptive social norms.   Uncommitted audience members responded positively to messages that focused on preventing losses and had a strong emotional component.   Alarmed respondents preferred messages that focused on local issues and had a collectivist frame. Providing specific adaptation advice in messages was found to be effective for all communities. The results largely support the Extended Parallel Processing Model of risk communication (Witte, 1992), and suggest that message attributes should be adjusted to effectively communicate with different climate change interpretive communities within Australia

A Systems Thinking Approach to Green Schools

The school facility is positioned to provide contextual cues for informal and formal learning in environmental education (EE). Evidence suggests that incorporating the school facility with EE also provides a context in which students can engage with environmental issues like waste management and energy conservation. Using the school building as a learning tool has been well documented and is supported as an instructional approach in Ontario’s public schools. The purpose of this study is to explore the interacting attributes of Ontario EcoSchools to identify themes supporting the integration of the school facility with EE. This qualitative study examines how this occurs within the context of whole school sustainability. This is achieved through a secondary data analysis of the results from 2017/2018 EcoSchool Platinum applications to determine how these schools are integrating the school facility with EE. Platinum certification allows high achieving schools to deepen their existing green school program. A school’s building and operations are important components in achieving school board policies for EE and sustainability while also supporting national and provincial climate change mitigation and sustainability objectives. The findings in this investigation highlight the themes, Formal/Curriculum Learning, Non-formal Learning, Building Attributes, Cross-Cutting and Partnerships within the school facility that is a sub-system functioning as a place where students are learning about environmental issues through direct and indirect engagement with their surroundings. Integrating the school facility with EE reflected non-linear approaches to EE where students were reflexive as they engaged in sustainable practice while co-creating their sense of place with the school facility

Analysis, classification and construction of optimal cryptographic Boolean functions

Modern cryptography is deeply founded on mathematical theory and vectorial Boolean functions play an important role in it. In this context, some cryptographic properties of Boolean functions are defined. In simple terms, these properties evaluate the quality of the cryptographic algorithm in which the functions are implemented. One cryptographic property is the differential uniformity, introduced by Nyberg in 1993. This property is related to the differential attack, introduced by Biham and Shamir in 1990. The corresponding optimal functions are called Almost Perfect Nonlinear functions, shortly APN. APN functions have been constructed, studied and classified up to equivalence relations. Very important is their classification in infinite families, i.e. constructing APN functions that are defined for infinitely many dimensions. In spite of an intensive study of these maps, many fundamental problems related to APN functions are still open and relatively few infinite families are known so far. In this thesis we present some constructions of APN functions and study some of their properties. Specifically, we consider a known construction, L1(x^3)+L2(x^9) with L1 and L2 linear maps, and we introduce two new constructions, the isotopic shift and the generalised isotopic shift. In particular, using the two isotopic shift constructing techniques, in dimensions 8 and 9 we obtain new APN functions and we cover many unclassified cases of APN maps. Here new stands for inequivalent (in respect to the so-called CCZ-equivalence) to already known ones. Afterwards, we study two infinite families of APN functions and their generalisations. We show that all these families are equivalent to each other and they are included in another known family. For many years it was not known whether all the constructed infinite families of APN maps were pairwise inequivalent. With our work, we reduce the list to those inequivalent to each other. Furthermore, we consider optimal functions with respect to the differential uniformity in fields of odd characteristic. These functions, called planar, have been valuable for the construction of new commutative semifields. Planar functions present often a close connection with APN maps. Indeed, the idea behind the isotopic shift construction comes from the study of isotopic equivalence, which is defined for quadratic planar functions. We completely characterise the mentioned equivalence by means of the isotopic shift and the extended affine equivalence. We show that the isotopic shift construction leads also to inequivalent planar functions and we analyse some particular cases of this construction. Finally, we study another cryptographic property, the boomerang uniformity, introduced by Cid et al. in 2018. This property is related to the boomerang attack, presented by Wagner in 1999. Here, we study the boomerang uniformity for some known classes of permutation polynomials.Doktorgradsavhandlin

String Theory and Hybrid Inflation/Acceleration

We find a description of hybrid inflation in (3+1)-dimensions using brane dynamics of Hanany-Witten type. P-term inflation/acceleration of the universe with the hybrid potential has a slow-roll de Sitter stage and a waterfall stage which leads towards an N=2 supersymmetric ground state. We identify the slow-roll stage of inflation with a non-supersymmetric `Coulomb phase' with Fayet-Iliopoulos term. This stage ends when the mass squared of one of the scalars in the hypermultiplet becomes negative. At that moment the brane system starts undergoing a phase transition via tachyon condensation to a fully Higgsed supersymmetric vacuum which is the absolute ground state of P-term inflation. A string theory/cosmology dictionary is provided, which leads to constraints on parameters of the brane construction from cosmological experiments. We display a splitting of mass levels reminiscent of the Zeeman effect due to spontaneous supersymmetry breaking.Comment: 1+21 pages, 5 figures, LaTeX; one figure added; included computation of supertrace of mass squared for the string theory and discussion of relation to spontaneous breaking of supersymmetry; several typos corrected; references adde