Securing By Design

This article investigates how modern neo-liberal states are 'securing by design' harnessing design to new technologies in order to produce security, safety, and protection. We take a critical view toward 'securing by design' and the policy agendas it produces of 'designing out insecurity' and 'designing in protection' because securing by design strategies rely upon inadequate conceptualisations of security, technology, and design and inadequate understandings of their relationships to produce inadequate 'security solutions' to readymade 'security problems'. This critique leads us to propose a new research agenda we call Redesigning Security. A Redesigning Security Approach begins from a recognition that the achievement of security is more often than not illusive, which means that the desire for security is itself problematic. Rather than encouraging the design of 'security solutions' a securing by design a Redesigning Security Approach explores how we might insecure securing by design. By acknowledging and then moving beyond the new security studies insight that security often produces insecurity, our approach uses design as a vehicle through which to raise questions about security problems and security solutions by collaborating with political and critical design practitioners to design concrete material objects that themselves embody questions about traditional security and about traditional design practices that use technology to depoliticise how technology is deployed by states and corporations to make us 'safe'

Distributing Coalition Value Calculations to Coalition Members

Within characteristic function games, agents have the option of joining one of many different coalitions, based on the utility value of each candidate coalition. However, determining this utility value can be computationally complex since the number of coalitions increases exponentially with the number of agents available. Various approaches have been proposed that mediate this problem by distributing the computational load so that each agent calculates only a subset of coalition values. However, current approaches are either highly inefficient due to redundant calculations, or make the benevolence assumption (i.e. are not suitable for adversarial environments). We introduce DCG, a novel algorithm that distributes the calculations of coalition utility values across a community of agents, such that: (i) no inter-agent communication is required; (ii) the coalition value calculations are (approximately) equally partitioned into shares, one for each agent; (iii) the utility value is calculated only once for each coalition, thus redundant calculations are eliminated; (iv) there is an equal number of operations for agents with equal sized shares; and (v) an agent is only allocated those coalitions in which it is a potential member. The DCG algorithm is pre- sented and illustrated by means of an example. We formally prove that our approach allocates all of the coalitions to the agents, and that each coalition is assigned once and only once

Probing negative dimensional integration: two-loop covariant vertex and one-loop light-cone integrals

Negative dimensional integration method (NDIM) seems to be a very promising technique for evaluating massless and/or massive Feynman diagrams. It is unique in the sense that the method gives solutions in different regions of external momenta simultaneously. Moreover, it is a technique whereby the difficulties associated with performing parametric integrals in the standard approach are transferred to a simpler solving of a system of linear algebraic equations, thanks to the polynomial character of the relevant integrands. We employ this method to evaluate a scalar integral for a massless two-loop three-point vertex with all the external legs off-shell, and consider several special cases for it, yielding results, even for distinct simpler diagrams. We also consider the possibility of NDIM in non-covariant gauges such as the light-cone gauge and do some illustrative calculations, showing that for one-degree violation of covariance (i.e., one external, gauge-breaking, light-like vector $n_{\mu}$) the ensuing results are concordant with the ones obtained via either the usual dimensional regularization technique, or the use of principal value prescription for the gauge dependent pole, while for two-degree violation of covariance --- i.e., two external, light-like vectors $n_{\mu}$, the gauge-breaking one, and (its dual) $n^{\ast}_{\mu}$ --- the ensuing results are concordant with the ones obtained via causal constraints or the use of the so-called generalized Mandelstam-Leibbrandt prescription.Comment: 17 pages, 3 ps figures, Revte

Evaluating a new generation of wearable high-density diffuse optical tomography (HD-DOT) technology via retinotopic mapping in the adult brain

We investigated the performance of a novel HD-DOT system by replicating a series of classic visual stimulation paradigms. Haemodynamic response functions and cortical activation maps replicated the results obtained with larger fibre-based systems

Measurements of extragalactic background light from the far UV to the far IR from deep ground- and space-based galaxy counts

Funding: Australian Research Council via Discovery Project DP130103505 (SPD).We combine wide and deep galaxy number-count data from the Galaxy And Mass Assembly, COSMOS/G10, Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Early Release Science, HST UVUDF, and various near-, mid-, and far-IR data sets from ESO, Spitzer, and Herschel. The combined data range from the far UV (0.15 μm) to far-IR (500 μm), and in all cases the contribution to the integrated galaxy light (IGL) of successively fainter galaxies converges. Using a simple spline fit, we derive the IGL and the extrapolated IGL in all bands. We argue that undetected low-surface-brightness galaxies and intracluster/group light are modest, and that our extrapolated-IGL measurements are an accurate representation of the extragalactic background light (EBL). Our data agree with most earlier IGL estimates and with direct measurements in the far IR, but disagree strongly with direct estimates in the optical. Close agreement between our results and recent very high-energy experiments (H.E.S.S. and MAGIC) suggests that there may be an additional foreground affecting the direct estimates. The most likely culprit could be the adopted model of zodiacal light. Finally we use a modified version of the two-component model to integrate the EBL and obtain measurements of the cosmic optical background (COB) and cosmic infrared background of 24+4-4 nW m−2sr−1 and 26+5-5 nW m−2sr−1 respectively (48%:52%). Over the next decade, upcoming space missions such as Euclid and the Wide Field Infrared Space Telescope will have the capacity to reduce the COB error to <1%, at which point comparisons to the very high-energy data could have the potential to provide a direct detection and measurement of the reionization field.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Measurements of extragalactic background light from the far uv to the far ir from deep ground- and space-based galaxy counts

We combine wide and deep galaxy number-count data from the Galaxy And Mass Assembly, COSMOS/G10, Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Early Release Science, HST UVUDF, and various near-, mid-, and far-IR data sets from ESO, Spitzer, and Herschel. The combined data range from the far UV (0.15 μm) to far-IR (500 μm), and in all cases the contribution to the integrated galaxy light (IGL) of successively fainter galaxies converges. Using a simple spline fit, we derive the IGL and the extrapolated IGL in all bands. We argue that undetected low-surface-brightness galaxies and intracluster/group light are modest, and that our extrapolated-IGL measurements are an accurate representation of the extragalactic background light (EBL). Our data agree with most earlier IGL estimates and with direct measurements in the far IR, but disagree strongly with direct estimates in the optical. Close agreement between our results and recent very high-energy experiments (H.E.S.S. and MAGIC) suggests that there may be an additional foreground affecting the direct estimates. The most likely culprit could be the adopted model of zodiacal light. Finally we use a modified version of the two-component model to integrate the EBL and obtain measurements of the cosmic optical background (COB) and cosmic infrared background of ${24}_{-4}^{+4}$ nW m−2 sr−1 and ${26}_{-5}^{+5}$ nW m−2 sr−1 respectively (48%:52%). Over the next decade, upcoming space missions such as Euclid and the Wide Field Infrared Space Telescope will have the capacity to reduce the COB error to <1%, at which point comparisons to the very high-energy data could have the potential to provide a direct detection and measurement of the reionization field

Gender violence in schools: taking the ‘girls-as-victims’ discourse forward

This paper draws attention to the gendered nature of violence in schools. Recent recognition that schools can be violent places has tended to ignore the fact that many such acts originate in unequal and antagonistic gender relations, which are tolerated and ‘normalised’ by everyday school structures and processes. After examining some key concepts and definitions, we provide a brief overview of the scope and various manifestations of gender violence in schools, noting that most research to date has focused on girls as victims of gender violence within a heterosexual context and ignores other forms such as homophobic and girl violence. We then move on to look at a few interventions designed to address gender violence in schools in the developing world and end by highlighting the need for more research and improved understanding of the problem and how it can be addressed

Linac-Based Radiosurgery for Patients With Brain Oligometastases From a Breast Primary, in the Trastuzumab Era-Impact of Tumor Phenotype and Prescribed SRS Dose

Background: The role of stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) in the treatment of limited numbers of brain metastases in selected breast cancer patients is well-established.Aims: To analyse outcome from a single institutional experience with SRS, to identify any significant prognostic factors and to assess the influence of Her-2, estrogen receptor status, and prescribed dose on outcome.Methods: The medical records of 56 patients treated at in a single institution between 2009 and 2014 were reviewed. Demographic, treatment related and outcome data were analyzed to identify prognostic factors in this patient population. The primary endpoints were overall survival and local control. Secondary endpoint was distant intra-cranial progression-free survival.Results: The median follow- up time for the entire cohort was 10.33 months (1.25–97.28). The overall median survival was 12.5months (95%CI = 5.8–19.2), with 53.3%, and 35.8% surviving at 1- and 2- years post-SRS. After adjustment for the effect of Her 2 status, uncontrolled extra-cranial disease at the time of SRS predicted for shorter survival (HR for death = 3.1, 95% CI = 1.4–6.9, p = 0.006). At the time of death, 75% of the patients had active, uncontrolled intra-cranial disease, with 56% these patients presenting intra-cranial disease only. Sustained local control was observed in 56 (59.6%) of 94 treated metastases. In univariate analysis, Her2 status, ERHer2 group status?, and prescribed SRS dose were highly significant for local progression free-survival (LPFS). After adjustment for the effect of Her 2 status, patients receiving 12–16 Gy can expect shorter LPFS than those receiving 18–20 Gy (HR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.0–2.8, p = 0.043). After adjustment for the effect of dose group, patients with Her 2 negative cancer can expect shorter LPFS than those with Her 2 positive cancer (HR = 2.6, 95% CI = 1.5–4.4, p &lt; 0.0005). Use of prior WBRT did not impact survival, local or distant intra-cranial progression-free survival.Conclusions: Survival outcome is similar to the published literature. Improved outcomes are observed in patients with Her 2-positive, controlled extracranial disease at the time of SRS and higher SRS dose delivered. Achieving intra-cranial control appears to be an important factor for the survival of the breast cancer patients in the era of targeted therapies

Evaluating a new generation of wearable high-density diffuse optical tomography technology via retinotopic mapping of the adult visual cortex

High-density diffuse optical tomography (HD-DOT) has been shown to approach the resolution and localization accuracy of blood oxygen level dependent-functional magnetic resonance imaging in the adult brain by exploiting densely spaced, overlapping samples of the probed tissue volume, but the technique has to date required large and cumbersome optical fiber arrays. : To evaluate a wearable HD-DOT system that provides a comparable sampling density to large, fiber-based HD-DOT systems, but with vastly improved ergonomics. : We investigated the performance of this system by replicating a series of classic visual stimulation paradigms, carried out in one highly sampled participant during 15 sessions to assess imaging performance and repeatability. : Hemodynamic response functions and cortical activation maps replicate the results obtained with larger fiber-based systems. Our results demonstrate focal activations in both oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin with a high degree of repeatability observed across all sessions. A comparison with a simulated low-density array explicitly demonstrates the improvements in spatial localization, resolution, repeatability, and image contrast that can be obtained with this high-density technology. : The system offers the possibility for minimally constrained, spatially resolved functional imaging of the human brain in almost any environment and holds particular promise in enabling neuroscience applications outside of the laboratory setting. It also opens up new opportunities to investigate populations unsuited to traditional imaging technologies. [Abstract copyright: © 2021 The Authors.