2,951 research outputs found
The work value of information
We present quantitative relations between work and information that are valid
both for finite sized and internally correlated systems as well in the
thermodynamical limit. We suggest work extraction should be viewed as a game
where the amount of work an agent can extract depends on how well it can guess
the micro-state of the system. In general it depends both on the agent's
knowledge and risk-tolerance, because the agent can bet on facts that are not
certain and thereby risk failure of the work extraction. We derive strikingly
simple expressions for the extractable work in the extreme cases of effectively
zero- and arbitrary risk tolerance respectively, thereby enveloping all cases.
Our derivation makes a connection between heat engines and the smooth entropy
approach. The latter has recently extended Shannon theory to encompass finite
sized and internally correlated bit strings, and our analysis points the way to
an analogous extension of statistical mechanics.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure
Representation and self-presentation in late antique Egypt: ‘Coptic’ textiles in the British Museum
Modern Akhmim was a productive source of “Coptic” textiles entering international collections in the late nineteenth century. Fragments said to have come from the site constitute the majority of registered textiles held by the Ancient Egypt and Sudan Department, The British Museum. In Late Antiquity, Akhmim was the location of Panopolis/Shmin, one of about forty metropoleis and a city relatively well documented in contemporary textual and other archaeological sources. This is precisely the period in which most of Egypt’s residents became Christian. The abundance of material culture representing Panopolis/Shmin provides an opportunity to explore and challenge the categories scholars have traditionally used to describe late antique Egypt: Christian/pagan, rural/urban, poor/wealthy, Coptic/Greek. This paper will establish the grounds for attributing the BM corpus to the site; discuss the context of their ancient production and function; and explore the expression of cultural and personal identity via textiles, arguing for conservatism in religious and burial practice in late antique Egypt
Policy Implications and Rrecommendations: Now What?
The EU Kids Online survey represents the most substantial knowledge base to date about young people’s online experiences in Europe. Chapters in this volume highlight findings that provide new kinds of evidence of significant interest for policy makers. They address questions which range from how to respond to the fact that the internet is now firmly in children’s lives; how to develop appropriate strategies for internet safety while responding to shifting patterns of access and use; how to manage those enduring risks to children’s welfare that appear to be amplified in the online world, and deal with risks that are genuinely new; how to best mobilise mediation that can be effective; and how, in the context of wide diversity across Europe, to promote equality and inclusiveness?
In this chapter, we discuss the principal contours of the policy response to these questions thus far, asking whether current policy is working and what, if any, are the gaps in policy formulations on internet safety? Online safety has been debated in policy circles ever since the World Wide Web was opened for commercial and public participation, often without reliable research on its appropriateness or effectiveness. Responding to demands for greater regulation and control, policy makers have since the mid 1990s sought to support the opportunities of the Information Society, whilst minimizing its apparent downsides and increased risks for children and families brought about by a largely unregulated internet. Responses have included legislative, regulatory, law enforcement, awareness and educational measures involving a diverse number of stakeholders. The European Union has been to the fore in this regard, but so also has the Council of Europe, the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), UNICEF, UNESCO, and the Internet Governance Forum, to name but a few of the international actors within the increasingly busy space for policy debate on internet safety
Where policy and practice collide: Comparing US,South African and European Union approaches toprotecting children online
That children have a right to protection when they go online is an internationally well-established principle, upheld in laws that seek to safeguard children from online abuse and exploitation. However, children’s own transgressive behaviour can test the boundaries of this protection regime, creating new dilemmas for lawmakers the world over. This article examines the policy response from both the Global North and South to young people’s online behaviour that may challenge adult conceptions of what is acceptable, within existing legal and policy frameworks. It asks whether the ‘childhood innocence’ implied in much protection discourse is a helpful basis for promoting children’s rights in the digital age. Based on a comparative analysis of the emerging policy trends in Europe, South Africa and the United States, the article assesses the implications for policy-makers and child welfare specialists as they attempt to redraw the balance between children’s online safety whilst supporting their agency as digital citizens
Consumer Food Waste Behaviors in Relation to Open Date Label Misinterpretation
In the United States, the legal framework for product date labeling is minimal and varies across states. Manufacturers have the discretion to use any date label that they deem appropriate, and this lack of uniformity leaves room for misinterpretation by both retailers and consumers. Previous studies have examined consumer misinterpretation of date labels and how this lack of knowledge correlates to food waste behaviors. This study was aimed at understanding how consumers apply their knowledge about date labels to make decisions about purchasing and discarding food. The research was conducted via an intercept survey outside of a grocery store to obtain information directly from consumers. Survey results showed evidence that consumers often misunderstand the meaning of date labels, particularly “best-by” and “use-by.” Results also revealed that lack of understanding varied among different age groups. Decisions about purchasing and discarding food seem to be connected more to the apparent quality of food from a sensory perspective, rather than to a direct and significant link between the date label and the safety or quality of the product
Determining the Structure of Phospholipase C Epsilon
The phospholipase C (PLC) epsilon subfamily of PLC enzymes are found at highest concentration within the cardiovascular system. Improper functioning of the enzyme, whether due to overstimulation or changes in expression, has far-reaching effects within the human body Stunted heart valve development and cardiac hypertrophy and are two such examples. The mechanisms by which PLC epsilon activity is regulated in these processes remain unknown, as does the physical structure of the enzyme. In this study, we seek to determine the structure of a PLC epsilon fragment that retains enzymatic activity and is amenable to crystallization. Mutagenesis of PLC epsilon cDNA was performed to remove two peripheral flexible domains of the enzyme that are dispensable for catalysis. This DNA was subsequently used to generate a baculovirus and infect insect cells for protein expression. The protein of interest was harvested, purified, and subjected to crystallization screening. By removing domains known to be flexible, we are more likely to obtain well-ordered crystals, amenable for determining a high-resolution structure. The structure of this domain variant will next be determined via X-ray diffraction. This structure is a key starting point for unravelling the complete structure of PLC epsilon and better understanding its mechanism of action
Perancangan Redesain Kemasan Makanan Ringan Roti Kecik Merk Ganep's Sebagai Buah Tangan Khas Kota Surakarta.
Perusahaan Ganep's sudah berdiri sejak tahun 1881, dengan produk awal mereka yaitu Roti Kecik yang hingga kini menjadi produk unggulan mereka. Perusahaan ini jugalah yang menciptakan Roti Kecik pertama kalinya. xsBeberapa makanan yang turut dijual berasal dari UKM yang berada di kota Surakarta. Permasalahannya ada di desain kemasan yang terlalu berbeda beda, sehingga kurang menunjukkannya identitas dan keseragaman dari Perusahaan ini, selain itu kemasan tersebut kurang menunjukkan kota Surakarta. Akibatnya, kemasan yang dihasilkan kurang menunjukkan ciri khas kota Surakarta, untuk itu perlu dilakukan redesain kemasan yang sesuai dengan standard kemasan, berkonsep dan memiliki identitas yang kuat
Rekayasa Geoteknik Dalam Desain Embung Doudsendow Diatas Lapisan Tanah Lunak
Pemilihan tahapan konstruksi pada dam timbunan tanah (Earthfill Dam) dengan teknik yang efektif dilakukan diatas tanah dasar lunak (soft subsoil) dimana konsolidasi dapat menyebabkan penurunan akibat beban. Makalah ini menunjukkan studi perilaku dan stabilitas embung Doudsendow dalam tahapan konstruksi diatas lapisan tanah dasar lunak menggunakan metode elemen batas (Finite Elemen Methods,FEM) dengan bantuan program Plaxis. Perilaku tanah diselidiki dilaboratorium serta nilai dari tiap Perubahan tahapan dievaluasi. Pendekatan metode numerik dengan program Plaxis digunakan sebagai pemecahan praktis masalah geoteknik
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