Thermal Energy Generation in the Earth

We show that a recently introduced class of electromagnetic composite particles can explain some discrepancies in observations involving heat and helium released from the earth. Energy release during the formation of the composites and subsequent nuclear reactions involving the composites are described that can quantitatively account for the discrepancies and are expected to have implications in other areas of geophysics, for example, a new picture of heat production and volcanism in the earth is presented.Comment: 11 pages, 7 figure

Does providing scientific information affect climate change and GMO policy preferences of the mass public? Insights from survey experiments in Germany and the United States

The use of information provision has been criticized as an ineffective way to increase support for evidence-based environmental policies, but it remains a dominant strategy among policy communicators. Using a survey experiment on climate change and genetically modified food (GMO) policy preferences in Germany and the United States (N = 3,000 total), we investigate how information provision shapes environmental policy attitudes and whether this effect is moderated by trust in science and trust in the source of messages. Findings show that information provision significantly shifted policy preferences towards the prevailing scientific opinion, but primarily among individuals whose prior attitudes conflicted with the scientific message. While trust in GMO science moderated message effectiveness in the U.S., generally the effects did not depend on levels of trust in science or trust in the message source. Results are similar for both countries, suggesting that the findings could be relevant to different political contexts

Ya\u27ll Don\u27t Hate White Supremacy Enough for Me: How Performative DEI Prevents Anti-Racism and Accountability in Higher Education

Many institutions of higher learning and more specifically predominately white institutions (PWIs) have created divisions, teams, and administrative roles aimed at transforming problematic and racism-centered institutions. However, the teams and leaders almost never have true autonomy or institutional support in creating an environment not centered in whiteness or white feelings but one centered in disruption of the status quo and truly anti-racist. As scholars and practitioners, we find ourselves being requested to tailor our talks or teaching in a way that is digestible for white people. Meanwhile, students of color are being berated at athletic events, in their classes, and on social media by the same individuals we are asked to spare. In order for higher education to truly meet the moment we have to de-center whiteness, white feelings, and white mediocrity as a starting point. We have to consider the more marginalized and how we must better be of service to them

Identification of two novel glial-restricted cell populations in the embryonic telencephalon arising from unique origins

BACKGROUND: Considerably less attention has been given to understanding the cellular components of gliogenesis in the telencephalon when compared to neuronogenesis, despite the necessity of normal glial cell formation for neurological function. Early proposals of exclusive ventral oligodendrocyte precursor cell (OPC) generation have been challenged recently with studies revealing the potential of the dorsal telencephalon to also generate oligodendrocytes. The identification of OPCs generated from multiple regions of the developing telencephalon, together with the need of the embryonic telencephalon to provide precursor cells for oligodendrocytes as well as astrocytes in ventral and dorsal areas, raises questions concerning the identity of the precursor cell populations capable of generating macroglial subtypes during multiple developmental windows and in differing locations. RESULTS: We have identified progenitor populations in the ventral and dorsal telencephalon restricted to the generation of astrocytes and oligodendrocytes. We further demonstrate that the dorsal glial progenitor cells can be generated de novo from the dorsal telencephalon and we demonstrate their capacity for in vivo production of both myelin-forming oligodendrocytes and astrocytes upon transplantation. CONCLUSION: Based on our results we offer a unifying model of telencephalic gliogenesis, with the generation of both oligodendrocytes and astrocytes from spatially separate, but functionally similar, glial restricted populations at different developmental times in the dorsal and ventral CNS

ASP-based Discovery of Semi-Markovian Causal Models under Weaker Assumptions

In recent years the possibility of relaxing the so-called Faithfulness assumption in automated causal discovery has been investigated. The investigation showed (1) that the Faithfulness assumption can be weakened in various ways that in an important sense preserve its power, and (2) that weakening of Faithfulness may help to speed up methods based on Answer Set Programming. However, this line of work has so far only considered the discovery of causal models without latent variables. In this paper, we study weakenings of Faithfulness for constraint-based discovery of semi-Markovian causal models, which accommodate the possibility of latent variables, and show that both (1) and (2) remain the case in this more realistic setting

Electromagnetic Structure Resonances in Inhomogeneous Plasma Layers

Laser-light absorption and radiation forces are investigated for weakly collisional (_/__1), rigid, two-step plasma profiles in planar and spherical geometry. For the first step near critical density, the second step above critical, and appropriate step lengths, we find strong absorption even for weakly collisional plasmas. We show, however, that the radiation forces may not permit such profiles to persist in realistic, dynamic situations.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/86119/1/PhysRevLett.40.30-RKO.pd

Laser-driven micro-explosive bonding of aluminium films to copper and silicon

Laser explosive microfabrication was used to bond micrometre-thick aluminium films to both copper and silicon substrates. Bonding was observed in both systems for laser intensities greater than about 1 × 10 9 W cm −2 and resulted in contiguous, uniform films when performed in a rough vacuum of 25 to 70 millitorr. At intensities greater than 9 × 109 W cm-2 the transferred films were generally black in colour due to oxidation in the aluminium-on-copper shots and due to substrate vaporization in the aluminium-on-silicon shots. SEM examination of the bond interfaces indicated mixing of film and substrate through wave formation and possibly through liquid-phase mixing due to thermal conduction of the laser pulse. Tape adhesion testing of the laser-bonded films showed a significant increase in adhesion over vapour-deposited films in both Al-Cu and Al-Si. Vapour-deposited films were easily removed in their entirety by a single tape pull while metallic portions of the laser-bonded films resisted removal by the tape in all but two tests. The enhanced adhesion evident in the laser-bonded films was a result of intermixing observed at the film-substrate interface.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/44689/1/10853_2005_Article_BF01115786.pd