White Conceptions of Racial Hierarchy: Temporary versus Permanent Preferences

Ideas of race, racial identity, and racial categorization, reflect the inconsistent, context-specific and fluctuating nature of racial meaning (Nagel, 1986; Forbes, 1990; Davis, 1991; Nagel, 1994; Haney-Lopez, 1995; Ignatiev, 1995; Kibria, 1996,1998; Niven & Zilber, 2000; Morning, 2001; Lacy, 2004). Studies of racial hierarchy, specifically, enable an understanding of not only the social construction of race, but also the manner in which ideas of race operate to influence human reality.! Within the United States, race permeates the lives of the native-born and immigrants alike (Bashi & McDaniel, 1997, p. 686, see also Bashi, 1998). More specifically, a continuum between white and black persists and is a critical conceptual schema grounding the many manifestations of racism in the United States. This white-to-black continuum is hierarchical as well with whites at the top and blacks at the bottom (Feagin, 2000, p. 220). While the specific history of the United States facilitates this hierarchy, it has also been found beyond the borders of the United States (Small, 1994, Twine, 1998)

Chaos-based Cryptography for Cloud Computing

Cloud computing and poor security issues have quadrupled over the last six years and with the alleged presence of backdoors in common encryption ciphers, has created a need for personalising the encryption process by the client. In 2007, two Microsoft employees gave a presentation ``On the Possibility of a backdoor in the NIST SP800-90 Dual Elliptic Curve Pseudo Random Number Generators\u27\u27 and was linked in 2013 by the New York Times with notes leaked by Edward Snowden. This confirmed backdoors were placed, allegedly, in a number of encryption systems by the National Security Agency, which if true creates an urgent need for personalising the encryption process by generating locally unbreakable one-time pad ciphers. Hybrid random binary sequences from chaotic oscillators initialised by natural noise, were exported to an online Javascript application which applies a von Neumann deskewing algorithm to improve the cryptographic strength of the encryptor. The application also provides initial statistical p-test for randomness testing. Encoding the \textit{Lenna} image by XORing it with the new cipher provided another test to observe if patterns could be observed in the encoded image. Finally, the cipher was subjected to the NIST suite of statistical tests. All designs were simulated using Orcad PSpice $^{\copyright}$ V16.

The Chirp Function Revisited: A Uniqueness Conjecture for Chirplet Modulation

The chirp function (a unit amplitude quadratic phase-only function with linear frequency modulation) is well known and is used in a wide range of applications including radar, digital communications, information coding and hiding and many other forms of signal and image processing. This is because the chirp provides an optimal solution to the problem of retrieving information from low energy signals with a low Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR). The chirp function also occurs in the solution to many mathematical models used to describe the propagation and scattering of waves (in the Fresnel zone), in quantum mechanics (the quantum shutter problem) and optical fiber communications to name but a few. In a ‘systems and signals’ context, the chirp function is accepted to be unique in that no other function has properties which yield such an optimal solution to the problem of extracting information from noise. In this context, we revisit the chirp function, consider a theorem and conjecture that attempt to quantify its unique properties through an analysis of its Fourier transform and re-establish the principles associated with the chirplet transform for functions of compact support. We then consider the principles of chirplet modulation for the transmission and reconstruction of bit-streams from signals with a low SNRs and show how this approach can be used to secure chirplet modulated signals using the prime number factorisation of a semi-prime derived from the value of the bandwidth of a communications channel

Entropy, Information, Landauer’s limit and Moore’s law

In this paper we explore the link between information and entropy by considering the infamous Maxwell demon thought experiment. A non-rigorous mathematical solution by Le´o Szil´ard established this link for the first time, as did Claude Shannon nineteen years later. In 1961, Rolf Landauer’s mathematical solution resulted in the Landauer limit, which is still being hotly debated, but here we discuss the implication of this limit on Moore’s law and future growth in computing power. A workaround the limit is proposed using an Analogue Artificial Neural Network (AANN). Here, we mimic the action of a human brain synapse formed from memristance connected between two Fitzhugh-Nagumo (FN) neuron models. All designs were simulated in OrCAD PSpice version 16.5, but a master-slave synapse was built, tested and outputs compared to simulation results. The synapse was also connected in a star-type network which displayed chaotic-type behaviour for certain parameter values

On the Development of a One-Time Pad Generator for Personalising Cloud Security

Cloud computing security issues are being reported in newspapers, television, and on the Internet, on a daily basis. Furthermore, in 2013, Edward Snowden alleged backdoors were placed in a number of encryption systems by the National Security Agency causing confidence in public encryption to drop even further. Our solution allows the end-user to add a layer of unbreakable security by encrypting the data locally with a random number generator prior to uploading data to the Cloud. The prototype one-time pad generator is impervious to cryptanalysis because it generates unbreakable random binary sequences from chaos sources initiated from a natural noise. Specialised one-to-Cloud applications for this device means key distribution problems do not exist, even when used at different locations. A JavaScript application maximised the encryptor key entropy using a von Neumann algorithm and modulo-two arithmetic, where the key passed the National Institute of Standards and Technology statistical suite of tests. It is hoped that the final size of the generator should be similar to a typical Universal Serial Bus device

Secrecy and Randomness: Encoding Cloud data Locally using a One-Time Pad

There is no secrecy without randomness, and we address poor cloud security using an analogue chaotic onetime pad encryption system to achieve perfect secrecy. Local encoding returns control to the client and makes stored cloud data unreadable to an adversary. Most cloud service providers encode client data using public encryption algorithms, but ultimately businesses and organisations are responsible for encoding data locally before uploading to the Cloud. As recommended by the Cloud Security Alliance, companies employing authentication and local encryption will reduce or eliminate, EU fines for late data breach discoveries when the EU implements the new general data protection regulations in 2018. Companies failing to detect data breaches within a 72-hour limit will be fined up to four percent of their global annual turnover and estimates of several hundred billion euros could be levied in fines based on the present 146 days average EU breach discovery. The proposed localised encryption system is additional to public encryption, and obeying the rules of one-time pad encryption will mean intercepted encrypted data will be meaningless to an adversary. Furthermore, the encoder has no key distribution problem because applications for it are of “one-to-cloud” type

An Analysis of the Extent to Which Humor is Accepted and Employed in the Workplace for the Enhancement of Productivity and Creativity

Today\u27s business literature is filled with discussions of the many benefits humor can bring to the work environment. Two of these purported benefits, namely, the enhancement of workplace productivity and the enhancement of workplace creativity, have attracted the attention of modern managers challenged with keeping their organizations competitive despite dwindling financial and human resources. Unfortunately, little research has been done to date which actually demonstrates a link between the existence of workplace humor and improved levels of productivity and creativity. Without this demonstration of causality, most managers are reluctant to invest corporate resources in pursuit of workplace humor despite its many purported advantages. As a first step to establishing this relationship, the focus of this exploratory research was to assess the level of employee and management acceptance of workplace humor and to evaluate employee opinions regarding humor\u27s potential to enhance productivity and creativity. The research also evaluated the effect of various moderating variables, including organizational size, type of industry, gender, age and employee level. Using data gathered via a mail survey, the researchers employed Chi-Square contingency table analyses to evaluate the effects of these moderating variables on employee attitudes regarding workplace humor. The study provides a foundation for further research into the relationship between workplace humor and productivity and creativity

One-to-Cloud One-Time Pad Data Encryption: Introducing Virtual Prototyping with PSpice

In this paper, we examine the design and application of a one-time pad encryption system for protecting data stored in the Cloud. Personalising security using a one-time pad generator at the client-end protects data from break-ins, side-channel attacks and backdoors in public encryption algorithms. The one-time pad binary sequences were obtained from modified analogue chaos oscillators initiated by noise and encoded client data locally. Specific ``one-to-Cloud\u27\u27 storage applications returned control back to the end user but without the key distribution problem normally associated with one-time pad encryption. Development of the prototype was aided by ``Virtual Prototyping\u27\u27 in the latest version of Cadence OrCAD PSpice$^\copyright$. This addition allows the prototype simulation schematic to be connected to an actual microcontroller in real time using device model interfacing for bi-directional communication

Current therapeutic approaches to equine protozoal myeloencephalitis

Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis is the most important infectious neurologic disease of horses in the Western Hemisphere. Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis can interfere with a horse\u27s ability to race, work, and perform; untreated, EPM can be lethal. Antemortem diagnosis of EPM is challenging, requiring careful evaluation of the animal\u27s history, clinical signs, and laboratory data, with rigorous exclusion of other causes. Therapeutic approaches to EPM are evolving. First-generation therapeutic approaches for EPM were based on the classic anti–Toxoplasma gondii pyrimethamine–sulfonamide combinations; treatment is prolonged and can be associated with a considerable relapse rate, which may be associated with the difficulty in maintaining effective CNS concentrations of pyrimethamine. Second-generation therapeutic approaches are based on diclazuril and related triazine agentsa; in 2001, toltrazuril sulfoneb (ponazuril) became the first FDA-approved treatment for EPM. Triazine agents may have prolonged plasma half-lives, and their therapeutic efficacy would likely be enhanced by application of loading-dose schedules. A pyrimethamine-sulfonamide combination formulationc received FDA approval in 2004 for the treatment of EPM. Additionally, a diclazuril-based topical feed dressing formulationd received FDA approval in 2011. The ideal therapeutic agents for use against EPM would be effective when administered orally, with high efficacy against Sarcocystis neurona and minimal toxicity for horses. This article reviews the current information available for EPM, including the clinical pharmacology and efficacy of FDA-approved and nonapproved investigational medications for the treatment or prophylaxis of EPM. Equine protozoal myeloencephalitis is caused by 2 apicomplexan protozoal parasites: S neurona and, much less commonly, Neospora hughesi. Location of the causative organism in the CNS is random, so clinical signs of EPM are highly variable. Any combination of neurologic signs is possible, although spinal cord involvement is most common. Onset may be gradual or acute, with the usual pattern being mild clinical signs that progress with time. Furthermore, the intracellular localization of the causative organisms in the CNS creates difficulties for chemotherapeutic approaches and may also interfere with host-based immunologic defenses. Antemortem diagnosis of EPM is particularly challenging, requiring careful evaluation of the animal\u27s history, clinical signs, and laboratory data, with rigorous exclusion of other causes. Definitive diagnosis of EPM is dependent on necropsy detection of typical CNS lesions of the disease or presence of the appropriate causative organisms. Although careful clinical examination remains the most important antemortem diagnostic technique for EPM, laboratory methods have been developed to assist clinical diagnosis. As such, for horses with clinical signs consistent with EPM, it is optimal to perform immunoblotting, an indirect florescent antibody test, or ELISA analyses on blood and CSF samples prior to diagnosis and initiation of treatment. Preventative approaches to EPM are not well defined. Prevention of EPM with daily pyrantel tartratee administration at the current labeled dose has not been effective in immunocompetent horses1 or in interferon-γ knockout mice,2 even though the compound is active against S neurona in vitro.3 An EPM vaccine based on homogenates of S neurona merozoites with conditional licensure has been marketed for prevention of EPM, but this vaccine was removed from the market due to lack of efficacy data in prospective studies