Te Rau Matatini: Māori mental health workforce development

Outlines the development and current projects of Te Rau Matatini, a charitable trust aiming to strengthen the Maori mental health workforce

Stockpiling Zero-day Exploits: The Next International Weapons Taboo

In the current state of global affairs, a market exists for zero-day exploits where researchers, nation states, industry, academia, and criminal elements develop, buy, and sell these commodities. Whether they develop zero-days or purchase them, nation states commonly stockpile them for the future. They may then use them for purposes such as: espionage, offensive cyber operations, or deterrent effect. The immediate effect of this stockpiling though is that the exploit is not divulged to the public and is therefore not remediated. In our increasingly networked and code dependent world, this creates the potential for a cyber disaster with yet unimaginable impacts on global stability. It is therefore imperative that nation states responsibly divulge zero-day exploits through an international framework for the global good. Moving from the current state of affairs to one where responsible release of zero-day exploits is the norm will not be easy. There are many stake holders who argue that keeping stockpiles is beneficial or that this is an area that is not feasible to regulate. However, as we have seen with weapons such as nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons, it is possible to develop international regimes that prohibit the use of such weapons due to their extraordinary capabilities and impact. Alternatively, should these exploits be seen as equally pernicious as contagious diseases, nations may join together to form organizations similar to the WHO that can address international cyber issues. If a taboo against the use of zero-day exploits can be established, i.e., we make their use morally illegitimate, the security of all users will be improved

The Pratyutpanna-buddha-sammukhavasthita-samadhi-sutra : an annotated English translation of the Tibetan version with several appendices

The present work consists of a study of the Pratyutpanna-buddha-sammukhavasthita- samadhi-sutra (hereafter: PraS), a relatively early example of Mahayana Buddhist canonical literature. After a brief Introduction (pp. xxi-xli), which attempts to place the PraS in its historical context, the major portion of the work (pp. 1-186) is devoted to an annotated English translation of the Tibetan version of the sutra, with detailed reference to the three main Chinese translations. Appendix A (pp. 187-252) then attempts a resolution of some of the many problems surrounding the various Chinese versions of the PraS. These are examined both from the point of view of internal evidence and on the basis of bibliographical information furnished by the Chinese Buddhist scripture-catalogues. Some tentative conclusions are advanced concerning the textual history of the PraS in China. Appendix B (pp. 253-279) contains a study of the sole surviving fragment of the 'original’ Sanskrit text of the PraS. This fragment is edited, translated, and compared with the corresponding portions of the Chinese and Tibetan versions. Appendix C (pp. 280-327) consists of a Glossary of selected terms found in the PraS, and contains material drawn from all available translations of the work--the Tibetan, the three Chinese versions, and my own English rendering of the Tibetan--arranged according to Sanskrit equivalents and in Sanskrit alphabetical order. This Glossary is intended partly to act as an index to the text, and partly to facilitate further study of the Chinese translations

A generic interface between COSMIC/NASTRAN and PATRAN (R)

Despite its powerful analytical capabilities, COSMIC/NASTRAN lacks adequate post-processing adroitness. PATRAN, on the other hand is widely accepted for its graphical capabilities. A nonproprietary, public domain code mnemonically titled CPI (for COSMIC/NASTRAN-PATRAN Interface) is designed to manipulate a large number of files rapidly and efficiently between the two parent codes. In addition to PATRAN's results file preparation, CPI also prepares PATRAN's P/PLOT data files for xy plotting. The user is prompted for necessary information during an interactive session. Current implementation supports NASTRAN's displacement approach including the following rigid formats: (1) static analysis, (2) normal modal analysis, (3) direct transient response, and (4) modal transient response. A wide variety of data blocks are also supported. Error trapping is given special consideration. A sample session with CPI illustrates its simplicity and ease of use

New techniques for the automatic registration of microwave and optical remotely sensed images

Remote sensing is a remarkable tool for monitoring and mapping the land and ocean surfaces of the Earth. Recently, with the launch of many new Earth observation satellites, there has been an increase in the amount of data that is being acquired, and the potential for mapping is greater than ever before. Furthermore, sensors which are currently operational are acquiring data in many different parts of the electromagnetic spectrum. It has long been known that by combining images that have been acquired at different wavelengths, or at different times, the ability to detect and recognise features on the ground is greatly increased. This thesis investigates the possibilities for automatically combining radar and optical remotely sensed images. The process of combining images, known as data integration, is a two step procedure: geometric integration (image registration) and radiometric integration (data fusion). Data fusion is essentially an automatic procedure, but the problems associated with automatic registration of multisource images have not, in general, been resolved. This thesis proposes a method of automatic image registration based on the extraction and matching of common features which are visible in both images. The first stage of the registration procedure uses patches as the matching primitives in order to determine the approximate alignment of the images. The second stage refines the registration results by matching edge features. Throughout the development of the proposed registration algorithm, reliability, robustness and automation were always considered priorities. Tests with both small images (512x512 pixels) and full scene images showed that the algorithm could successfully register images to an acceptable level of accuracy

Examining the Role of Race, Gender, and Class in African-American Police Perceptions in Rural Kentucky

Prior research has consistently demonstrated the role of race in understanding racial and ethnic differences in perceptions of the police. This research has overwhelmingly shown that Blacks and Latinos hold lower levels of trust and confidence in the police than do Whites and other racial minorities. The increased skepticism of the police expressed by minority citizens is commonly associated with racial profiling and documented racial disparities in police behavior. Although policing research has empirically demonstrated the influence of race on perceptions of the police, few studies have explored police perceptions from a rural context. By employing the Citizen\u27s Attitudes Towards Police measure used by Frank, Smith, & Novak (2005), the purpose of this study is to examine whether rural context in evaluating police behavior diverges from what the urban context suggests. The results suggest that similar to Blacks in urban areas, lower-income Blacks hold negative views of police in general. This study also incorporates an intersectional analysis by interrogating the role of gender, age, and neighborhood context in influencing the Black\u27s perceptions of police