Moral Uncertainty in Technomoral Change: Bridging the Explanatory Gap

This paper explores the role of moral uncertainty in explaining the morally disruptive character of new technologies. We argue that existing accounts of technomoral change do not fully explain its disruptiveness. This explanatory gap can be bridged by examining the epistemic dimensions of technomoral change, focusing on moral uncertainty and inquiry. To develop this account, we examine three historical cases: the introduction of the early pregnancy test, the contraception pill, and brain death. The resulting account highlights what we call “differential disruption” and provides a resource for fields such as technology assessment, ethics of technology, and responsible innovation

PRODUKSI BIOETANOL DARI HIDROLISAT AMPAS SAGUBERDASARKAN VARIASI JUMLAH RAGI ROTI (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) DAN WAKTU FERMENTASI

Ampas sagu merupakan limbah yang dihasilkan dari pengolahan sagu, yang masih  kaya akan karbohidrat dan bahan organik lainnya. Ampas sagu juga mengandung selulosa sebesar 20% yang dapat diuraikan menjadi glukosa (hidrolisat) melalui proses hidrolisis asam sulfat di mana glukosa ini dapat menjadi bahan dasar fermentasi untuk  menghasilkan bioetanol. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk memperoleh kondisi optimum produksi bioetanol dengan memvariasikan jumlah ragi roti (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), dan lama waktu fermentasi. Hidrolisat ampas sagu (Metroxylon sp.) dengan pH awal 1,4 ditambahkan dengan larutan NaOH 80% hingga diperoleh pH 5. Ragi (Saccharomyces cerevisiae)  merupakan golongan khamir yang mampu memfermentasikan berbagai karbohidrat sederhana dan mengubah glukosa menjadi alkohol dan karbon dioksida (CO2). Jumlah ragi yang dipakai adalah 3 g, 4 g, dan 5 g, sedangkan fermentasi hidrolisat dilakukan pada pH 5 dalam skala waktu 1-10 hari. Hasil  fermentasi  (bioetanol)  dimurnikan  dengan  metode  destilasi.  Data  penelitian  menunjukkan  bahwa  kadar  bioetanol terbanyak adalah 4,25% dengan kondisi optimum jumlah ragi 4 g, waktu fermentasi 6 hari dan pH fermentasi 5. Jadi data penelitian ini dapat menjadi informasi dalam membuat rancangan optimasi produksi bioetanol selanjutnya Kata Kunci : Ampas sagu (Metroxylon sp.), bioetanol, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, fermentasi

Visions, Values, and Videos: Revisiting Envisionings in Service of UbiComp Design for the Home

UbiComp has been envisioned to bring about a future dominated by calm computing technologies making our everyday lives ever more convenient. Yet the same vision has also attracted criticism for encouraging a solitary and passive lifestyle. The aim of this paper is to explore and elaborate these tensions further by examining the human values surrounding future domestic UbiComp solutions. Drawing on envisioning and contravisioning, we probe members of the public (N=28) through the presentation and focus group discussion of two contrasting animated video scenarios, where one is inspired by "calm" and the other by "engaging" visions of future UbiComp technology. By analysing the reasoning of our participants, we identify and elaborate a number of relevant values involved in balancing the two perspectives. In conclusion, we articulate practically applicable takeaways in the form of a set of key design questions and challenges.Comment: DIS'20, July 6-10, 2020, Eindhoven, Netherland

Dioxin Toxicity In Vivo Results from an Increase in the Dioxin-Independent Transcriptional Activity of the Aryl Hydrocarbon Receptor

The Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr) is the nuclear receptor mediating the toxicity of dioxins -widespread and persistent pollutants whose toxic effects include tumor promotion, teratogenesis, wasting syndrome and chloracne. Elimination of Ahr in mice eliminates dioxin toxicity but also produces adverse effects, some seemingly unrelated to dioxin. Thus the relationship between the toxic and dioxin-independent functions of Ahr is not clear, which hampers understanding and treatment of dioxin toxicity. Here we develop a Drosophila model to show that dioxin actually increases the in vivo dioxin-independent activity of Ahr. This hyperactivation resembles the effects caused by an increase in the amount of its dimerisation partner Ahr nuclear translocator (Arnt) and entails an increased transcriptional potency of Ahr, in addition to the previously described effect on nuclear translocation. Thus the two apparently different functions of Ahr, dioxin-mediated and dioxin-independent, are in fact two different levels (hyperactivated and basal, respectively) of a single function

WASP family proteins and formins compete in pseudopod- and bleb-based migration

Actin pseudopods induced by SCAR/WAVE drive normal migration and chemotaxis in eukaryotic cells. Cells can also migrate using blebs, in which the edge is driven forward by hydrostatic pressure instead of actin. In Dictyostelium discoideum, loss of SCAR is compensated by WASP moving to the leading edge to generate morphologically normal pseudopods. Here we use an inducible double knockout to show that cells lacking both SCAR and WASP are unable to grow, make pseudopods or, unexpectedly, migrate using blebs. Remarkably, amounts and dynamics of actin polymerization are normal. Pseudopods are replaced in double SCAR/WASP mutants by aberrant filopods, induced by the formin dDia2. Further disruption of the gene for dDia2 restores cells’ ability to initiate blebs and thus migrate, though pseudopods are still lost. Triple knockout cells still contain near-normal F-actin levels. This work shows that SCAR, WASP, and dDia2 compete for actin. Loss of SCAR and WASP causes excessive dDia2 activity, maintaining F-actin levels but blocking pseudopod and bleb formation and migration

Are Local Economic Development Incentives Promoting Job Growth? An Empirical Case Study

At a time when cities are competing with one another to attract or retain jobs within a globalizing economy, city governments are providing an array of financial incentives to stimulate job growth and retain existing jobs, particularly in high cost locations. This paper provides the first systematic and comprehensive analysis of datasets on economic development incentives in New York City over the last fifteen years. The evidence on job retention and creation is mixed. Although many companies do not meet their agreed-upon job targets in absolute terms, the evidence suggests that companies receiving subsidies outperform their respective industries in terms of employment growth, that is, the grow more, or decline less. We emphasize that this finding is difficult to interpret, since firms receiving incentives may not be representative of the industry as a whole. In other words, their above-average performance may simply reflect the fact that the Economic Development Corporation (EDC) selects economically promising companies within manufacturing (or other industries) when granting incentives. At the same time, it is also possible that receiving incentives helps these companies to become stronger