title: The critical role of technical and social principles and values in encryption regulation

authors: Dizon, Michael

abstract: Encryption is a complex and enigmatic technology that poses significant challenges to regulators. While encryption is crucial to preserving the security and privacy of information and communications, it can also be used for illegal purposes and means and impede criminal investigations. Governments around the world have been proposing various ways to regulate this technology since the widespread presence and use of computers and the internet in the 1990s. Legislators have unsurprisingly taken a very law-centred approach to regulating encryption. They assume that the enactment of laws can definitively solve the problems brought about by new or disruptive technologies such as encryption. This regulatory mindset is encapsulated in a statement made by former Austrian Prime Minister Turnbull about how law trumps the underlying mathematics of encryption. He said, “The laws of Australia prevail in Australia, I can assure you of that. The laws of mathematics are very commendable, but the only law that applies in Australia is the law of Australia”. The issue with this exceedingly narrow and one-sided view of the relationship between law and technology is that it neglects to take into account important non-legal factors and considerations that are necessary in order to properly deal with encryption or any technology for that matter. Focusing solely on the laws and legal aspects of encryption without sufficient recognition of its technical and social contexts and conditions can result in the adoption of laws that are either ineffectual or unacceptable to the relevant stakeholders or society as a whole. This presentation will discuss the attendant technical and social principles and values of encryption that must be considered when seeking to develop appropriate laws and policies. Through the examination of the often overlooked technical and social dimensions of encryption, this presentation can provide key insights into how to better regulate encryption and technology more generally.

text: The critical role of technical and social principles and values in encryption regulation Encryption is a complex and enigmatic technology that poses significant challenges to regulators. While encryption is crucial to preserving the security and privacy of information and communications, it can also be used for illegal purposes and means and impede criminal investigations. Governments around the world have been proposing various ways to regulate this technology since the widespread presence and use of computers and the internet in the 1990s. Legislators have unsurprisingly taken a very law-centred approach to regulating encryption. They assume that the enactment of laws can definitively solve the problems brought about by new or disruptive technologies such as encryption. This regulatory mindset is encapsulated in a statement made by former Austrian Prime Minister Turnbull about how law trumps the underlying mathematics of encryption. He said, “The laws of Australia prevail in Australia, I can assure you of that. The laws of mathematics are very commendable, but the only law that applies in Australia is the law of Australia”. The issue with this exceedingly narrow and one-sided view of the relationship between law and technology is that it neglects to take into account important non-legal factors and considerations that are necessary in order to properly deal with encryption or any technology for that matter. Focusing solely on the laws and legal aspects of encryption without sufficient recognition of its technical and social contexts and conditions can result in the adoption of laws that are either ineffectual or unacceptable to the relevant stakeholders or society as a whole. This presentation will discuss the attendant technical and social principles and values of encryption that must be considered when seeking to develop appropriate laws and policies. Through the examination of the often overlooked technical and social dimensions of encryption, this presentation can provide key insights into how to better regulate encryption and technology more generally.

year: 2021-07-21

title: Bioconversion of Glycerol to Dihydroxyacetone by immobilized Gluconacetobacter xylinus cells

authors: Black, Cathryn Sesengel

subjects: Glycerol

abstract: Dihydroxyacetone, (DHA) is one of the primary ingredients used in tanning products by the cosmetic industry. DHA reacts with the free amino acids on the epidermis to form a tan-like appearance. DHA is also a building block for lactic acid; that is, a common ingredient in the food industry. In the pharmaceutical industry, DHA is used as a precursor for 1, 2-propylene glycerol and methotrexate. 
Due to the Food and Drug Administration’s strict regulations, DHA is produced via microbial synthesis. This is because the chemical synthesis involves toxic chemical reactions with epichlorohydrin. This poses problems with a chemical widely used for human application. Currently, the industrial process of DHA is carried out under microbial synthesis of glycerol. The strain, Gluconobacter oxydans produces high DHA yields although its productivity is low. As a result, its high cost of production is reflected in its price.
Glycerol is the only organic compound that can be converted into DHA. The conversion requires oxidation of the secondary hydroxyl group by glycerol dehydrogenase (GlyDH). In this study, DHA was converted from glycerol using Gluconacetobacter xylinus (G.xylinus) in a large-scale reactor. Previously the strain, G.xylinus, has been shown to produce high DHA yields under immobilization. 
In this study, G.xylinus was immobilized inside two carrier materials- calcium alginate and chitosan-coated alginate beads. A series of investigations were carried out to determine the DHA conversion efficiency using the mentioned carriers. The conversion efficiency of alginate immobilized cells was investigated under varying initial glycerol concentrations of: 1%, 2%, 4% and 7% (w/v) and aeration rates of: 0.3, 0.6 and 1.0 vvm. This study found that the optimal glycerol concentration was at 2% (w/v) and the optimal aeration rate was at 0.3 vvm. The DHA conversion efficiency of chitosan-alginate immobilized cells was also tested under the same aeration rate previously mentioned. The investigation found that chitosan coating provided greater stability to the alginate matrix with increased aeration rate. The optimal aeration rate was found at 1.0 vvm.

text: Bioconversion of Glycerol to Dihydroxyacetone by immobilized Gluconacetobacter xylinus cells Dihydroxyacetone, (DHA) is one of the primary ingredients used in tanning products by the cosmetic industry. DHA reacts with the free amino acids on the epidermis to form a tan-like appearance. DHA is also a building block for lactic acid; that is, a common ingredient in the food industry. In the pharmaceutical industry, DHA is used as a precursor for 1, 2-propylene glycerol and methotrexate. 
Due to the Food and Drug Administration’s strict regulations, DHA is produced via microbial synthesis. This is because the chemical synthesis involves toxic chemical reactions with epichlorohydrin. This poses problems with a chemical widely used for human application. Currently, the industrial process of DHA is carried out under microbial synthesis of glycerol. The strain, Gluconobacter oxydans produces high DHA yields although its productivity is low. As a result, its high cost of production is reflected in its price.
Glycerol is the only organic compound that can be converted into DHA. The conversion requires oxidation of the secondary hydroxyl group by glycerol dehydrogenase (GlyDH). In this study, DHA was converted from glycerol using Gluconacetobacter xylinus (G.xylinus) in a large-scale reactor. Previously the strain, G.xylinus, has been shown to produce high DHA yields under immobilization. 
In this study, G.xylinus was immobilized inside two carrier materials- calcium alginate and chitosan-coated alginate beads. A series of investigations were carried out to determine the DHA conversion efficiency using the mentioned carriers. The conversion efficiency of alginate immobilized cells was investigated under varying initial glycerol concentrations of: 1%, 2%, 4% and 7% (w/v) and aeration rates of: 0.3, 0.6 and 1.0 vvm. This study found that the optimal glycerol concentration was at 2% (w/v) and the optimal aeration rate was at 0.3 vvm. The DHA conversion efficiency of chitosan-alginate immobilized cells was also tested under the same aeration rate previously mentioned. The investigation found that chitosan coating provided greater stability to the alginate matrix with increased aeration rate. The optimal aeration rate was found at 1.0 vvm.

year: 2013

title: Harakeke (Phormium tenax) ecology and historical management by Maori: The changing landscape in New Zealand

authors: Wehi, Priscilla M.

subjects: ethnobotany

abstract: Harakeke (Phormium tenax: Phormiaceae) is an important weaving resource for the indigenous Maori people of New Zealand. This research project investigates Maori knowledge of harakeke ecology and management practices prior to the early 20th century within the context of a study of relevant environmental parameters that limit its natural distribution. Ecological information referring to harakeke was analysed from interviews with elders and ancestral sayings (whakatauki). As well, documents from the late 181h to the early 20th century were examined, and environmental parameters for both harakeke and wharariki (Phormium cookianum) were quantified and analysed using correlative models. 
Interviews with 11 elders (from Waikato and Northland) identified key issues in harakeke management, including 'correct' harvesting procedures, use of natural harakeke stands, and specific use of different varieties. Planting practices varied regionally. Three different methods of excess harakeke disposal were reported, including burning. The 15 whakatauki analysed emphasise the interconnectedness of ecosystems, including pollinator-plant relationships for kaka and bellbirds. Four whakataukirefer to environmental tolerances for harakeke and two to the use of fire to stimulate harakeke growth. Others refer to competition between shoots, nutrient requirements, and the growth and multiplication of harakeke offsets. 
Numerous early reports indicate that harakeke has been cultivated throughout much of New Zealand, with cultivations ranging in size from a few bushes to at least several acres. Thirty six varieties were linked to specific weaving uses. Twenty varieties were cultivated, but ten prized fibre varieties were also harvested from natural stands. Numbers of recorded varieties varied between districts, with 31 recorded in Taranaki but only two recorded by name for Northland. Valued varieties, including raumoa and oue, were dispersed throughout the North Island. Mapping different varieties revealed a wide spatial spread for varieties such as rataroa and oue. Specific management techniques included seed germination as well as vegetative propagation. Early records of harakeke pests were not found. Records of harakeke irrigation and the use of fire indicate that Maori created suitable conditions for new cultivations or pii harakeke, which may also have prevented insect infestation. Cumulatively, there is evidence of extensive active management of harakeke. Wharariki and harakeke were found to have distinct environmental niches, with wharariki better able to withstand cooler temperatures, higher rainfall and greater frequency of ground frost than harakeke.
Predictive mapping of harakeke for the northern region of New Zealand shows a low probability of naturally occurring harakeke in much of the Northland and Waikato interior, and a high probability in coastal areas with warm temperatures. It seems likely that Maori transported harakeke into areas where it was unlikely to have occurred naturally and that some apparently 'natural' stands ofharakeke were created and maintained by Maori.
Maori cultivation, dispersal and active management of harakeke, as well as possible creation of wetland areas, emphasises the importance of harakeke as an economic resource prior to European colonisation, and indicates how the New Zealand landscape may have been transformed. Maori ecological knowledge can contribute new perspectives to restoration ecology and ecosystem research.

text: Harakeke (Phormium tenax) ecology and historical management by Maori: The changing landscape in New Zealand Harakeke (Phormium tenax: Phormiaceae) is an important weaving resource for the indigenous Maori people of New Zealand. This research project investigates Maori knowledge of harakeke ecology and management practices prior to the early 20th century within the context of a study of relevant environmental parameters that limit its natural distribution. Ecological information referring to harakeke was analysed from interviews with elders and ancestral sayings (whakatauki). As well, documents from the late 181h to the early 20th century were examined, and environmental parameters for both harakeke and wharariki (Phormium cookianum) were quantified and analysed using correlative models. 
Interviews with 11 elders (from Waikato and Northland) identified key issues in harakeke management, including 'correct' harvesting procedures, use of natural harakeke stands, and specific use of different varieties. Planting practices varied regionally. Three different methods of excess harakeke disposal were reported, including burning. The 15 whakatauki analysed emphasise the interconnectedness of ecosystems, including pollinator-plant relationships for kaka and bellbirds. Four whakataukirefer to environmental tolerances for harakeke and two to the use of fire to stimulate harakeke growth. Others refer to competition between shoots, nutrient requirements, and the growth and multiplication of harakeke offsets. 
Numerous early reports indicate that harakeke has been cultivated throughout much of New Zealand, with cultivations ranging in size from a few bushes to at least several acres. Thirty six varieties were linked to specific weaving uses. Twenty varieties were cultivated, but ten prized fibre varieties were also harvested from natural stands. Numbers of recorded varieties varied between districts, with 31 recorded in Taranaki but only two recorded by name for Northland. Valued varieties, including raumoa and oue, were dispersed throughout the North Island. Mapping different varieties revealed a wide spatial spread for varieties such as rataroa and oue. Specific management techniques included seed germination as well as vegetative propagation. Early records of harakeke pests were not found. Records of harakeke irrigation and the use of fire indicate that Maori created suitable conditions for new cultivations or pii harakeke, which may also have prevented insect infestation. Cumulatively, there is evidence of extensive active management of harakeke. Wharariki and harakeke were found to have distinct environmental niches, with wharariki better able to withstand cooler temperatures, higher rainfall and greater frequency of ground frost than harakeke.
Predictive mapping of harakeke for the northern region of New Zealand shows a low probability of naturally occurring harakeke in much of the Northland and Waikato interior, and a high probability in coastal areas with warm temperatures. It seems likely that Maori transported harakeke into areas where it was unlikely to have occurred naturally and that some apparently 'natural' stands ofharakeke were created and maintained by Maori.
Maori cultivation, dispersal and active management of harakeke, as well as possible creation of wetland areas, emphasises the importance of harakeke as an economic resource prior to European colonisation, and indicates how the New Zealand landscape may have been transformed. Maori ecological knowledge can contribute new perspectives to restoration ecology and ecosystem research.

year: 2005