State-independent preparation uncertainty relations

The standard state-dependent Heisenberg-Robertson uncertainly-relation lower bound fails to capture the quintessential incompatibility of observables as the bound can be zero for some states. To remedy this problem, we establish a class of tight (i.e., inequalities are saturated)variance-based sum-uncertainty relations derived from the Lie algebraic properties of observables and show that our lower bounds depend only on the irreducible representation assumed carried by the Hilbert space of state of the system. We illustrate our result for the cases of the Weyl-Heisenberg algebra, special unitary algebras up to rank 4, and any semisimple compact algebra. We also prove the usefulness of our results by extending a known variance-based entanglement detection criterion.Comment: 7 pages, 1 figur

<i>Aporosa</i> Blume from the paleoequatorial rainforest of Bikaner, India: Its evolution and diversification in deep time

The Gondwanan origin, northward migration and subsequent collision with Asia means that the Indian subcontinent is of particular interest regarding the origin and dispersal of numerous plants and animal species. With this in mind, we describe a fossil leaf of Aporosa Blume (Phyllanthaceae) from the Paleogene of the Indian subcontinent and discuss its evolution and diversification with respect to the moving Indian plate and its connection with Southeast Asia since the early Cenozoic. At present, Aporosa Blume is confined to Southeast Asia with a few species in India and New Guinea. It is represented by six endemic species growing in the evergreen forests of India and Sri Lanka, including Aporosa acuminata Thwaites, which is morphologically close to the here described fossil from Bikaner, Rajasthan, India. From the age of the fossil and the distribution of its modern comparable form, it is assumed that Aporosa originated on the Indian subcontinent and then was distributed to Southeast Asia, supporting the ‘Out of India’ hypothesis. Diversification of the genus might have taken place either in the Paleogene or Neogene. Our fossil leaf material also indicates the existence of palaeoequatorial (< 10° N) tropical rain forests in western India during the Paleogene in contrast to dry and desertic climate occurring today

Public Policy and Social Good: Theory, Practice and Beyond

In this paper I argue that the most fundamental goal of any public policy is to assist the realization of social good. I take it that the idea of social good has developed differently in different political and moral traditions, and focus my analysis on the interplay of liberalism, virtue ethics and the Capability Approach. I argue that the liberal conception of social good, as espoused by its leading exponents, is somewhat problematic, and that it fails to account for meaningful civic associations. Even though liberal thinkers often prioritize an individual’s freedom and autonomy, they do not provide us with concreto principles that can facilitate the realization of these goals. I draw upon the practical functioning of leading liberal democracies, including the United States, Canada and India, emphasizing the role of normative political constraints in policy making. I conclude that the liberal conception of social good stands in an acute need of a fresh principle that can rectify the above anomalies and reinvigorate its moral force, and that such a principle can probably be constructed with the help of Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach and Aristotle’s Virtue Theory.The “Annales. Ethics in Economic Life” is affiliated and co-financed by the Faculty of Economics and Sociology of the University of Lodz

Studies on Thermo-osmosis of NaCl & K2SO4 Solutions

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Work based learners’ engagement with the university: an exploratory study

This exploratory study was carried out in the context of current literature on higher education supporting the critical role of student engagement for retention, quality of learning, achievement and graduation and as such serves as a proxy for quality. Therefore institutional efforts to increase the quality of education provision need to focus on ways in which student engagement can be enriched. This present study adopted a holistic approach to include what the literature regards as the two main components of student engagement: the learner's context and motivations, and the approach and strategies of a higher education institution (HEI). The study's primary aims were to gain an understanding of the WBL student's experience; identify any gaps that exist between current provision and expectations; and achieve indicators of good practice at institutional level to strengthen work-based learners' engagement. A sample of seven Work Based Learning (WBL) students from the London campus, at undergraduate and postgraduate levels, who graduated from Middlesex University's Institute for Work Based Learning (IWBL) in 2009, was interviewed by two independent researchers. In addition, relevant data was drawn from a student evaluation survey conducted by IWBL in July 2009. As student engagement is seen to be a dual interaction between students' expectations and institutional strategies, informal and formal conversations and interviews were also held with members of IWBL staff