Report on the EU-US Workshop on Large Scientific Databases

This joint workshop was set up under the auspices of the Joint European Commission/National Science Foundation Strategy Group that met in Budapest in September 1998. The meeting derived from a joint collaboration agreement between the EC and NSF, signed by Dr. George Metakides (Director of Information Technologies for the EC) and Prof. Juris Hartmanis (Director of Computer and Information Science and Engineering at the NSF). Some themes that were identified include: digital libraries human-centered computing and virtual environments large scientific databases, and intelligent implants This report expresses the conclusions and recommendations of the Workshop on Large Scientific Databases, held in Annapolis, Maryland, USA in September 1999. The purpose of the workshop was to develop a report to the funding agencies outlining a possible solicitation to the research community, with emphasis on joint European-US work on Large Scientific Databases. Before the workshop, each participant submitted a position paper (these are available at the web site http://www.cacr.caltech.edu/euus). The results of the position papers, presentations, and group discussion are summarized in this report. There were 12 participants from Europe and 12 from the United States, and they are listed at the end of this report. The last section of this report describes possible funding mechanisms

The state of workplace union reps organisation in Britain today

This article provides a brief evaluation of the state of workplace union reps’ organization in Britain as we approach the second decade of the 2000s. It documents the severe weakening of workplace union organization over the last 25 years, which is reflected in the declining number of reps, reduced bargaining power and the problem of bureaucratization. But it also provides evidence of the continuing resilience, and even combativity in certain areas of employment, of workplace union reps organization, and considers the future potential for a revival of fortunes

The Lawn Hill annulus: An Ordovician meteorite impact into water-saturated dolomite

The Lawn Hill Impact Structure (LHIS) is located 250 km N of Mt Isa in NW Queensland, Australia, and is marked by a highly deformed dolomite annulus with an outer diameter of ~18 km, overlying low metamorphic grade siltstone, sandstone, and shale, along the NE margin of the Georgina Basin. This study provides detailed field observations from sections of the Lawn Hill annulus and adjacent areas that demonstrate a clear link between the deformation of the dolomite and the Lawn Hill impact. 40Ar-39Ar dating of impact-related melt particles provides a time of impact in the Ordovician (472 ± 8 Ma) when the Georgina Basin was an active depocenter. The timing and stratigraphic thickness of the dolomite sequence in the annulus suggest that there was possibly up to 300 m of additional sedimentary rocks on top of the currently exposed Thorntonia Limestone at the time of impact. The exposed annulus is remarkably well preserved, with preservation attributed to postimpact sedimentation. The LHIS has an atypical crater morphology with no central uplift. The heterogeneous target materials at Lawn Hill were probably low-strength, porous, and water-saturated, with all three properties affecting the crater morphology. The water-saturated nature of the carbonate unit at the time of impact is thought to have influenced the highly brecciated nature of the annulus, and restricted melt production. The impact timing raises the possibility that the Lawn Hill structure may be a member of a group of impacts resulting from an asteroid breakup that occurred in the mid-Ordovician (470 ± 6 Ma)

Stomatin-like Protein 2 Links Mitochondria to T-Cell Receptor Signalosomes at the Immunological Synapse and Enhances T-Cell Activation

T cell activation through the antigen receptor (TCR) requires sustained signalling from microclusters in the peripheral region of the immunological synapse (IS). The bioenergetics of such prolonged signaling have been linked to the redistribution of mitochondria to the IS. Here, we report that stomatin-like protein-2 (SLP-2) plays an important role in this process by bridging polarized mitochondria to these signaling TCR microclusters or signalosomes in the IS in a polymerized actin-dependent manner. In this way, SLP-2 helps to sustain TCR-dependent signalling and enhances T cell activation

Mechanical Translation

Contains research objectives and reports on four research projects.National Science Foundation (Grant G-24047

Using Middle-Out Reasoning to Control the Synthesis of Tail-Recursive Programs

We describe a novel technique for the automatic synthesis of tail-recursive programs. The technique is to specify the required program using the standard equations and then synthesise the tail-recursive program using the proofs as programs technique. This requires the specification to be proved realisable in a constructive logic. Restrictions on the form of the proof ensure that the synthesised program is tail-recursive. Th

Pre-melt-season sediment plume variability at Jokulsarlon, Iceland: a preliminary evaluation using in-situ spectroradiometry and satellite imagery

High-latitude atmospheric warming is impacting freshwater cycling, requiring techniques for monitoring the hydrology of sparsely-gauged regions. The submarine runoff of tidewater glaciers presents a particular challenge. We evaluate the utility of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) imagery for monitoring turbid meltwater plume variability in the glacier lagoon Jökulsárlón, Iceland, for a short interval before the onset of the main melt season. Total Suspended Solids concentrations (TSS) of surface waters are related to remotely-sensed reflectance via empirical calibration between in-situ-sampled TSS and reflectance in a MODIS band 1-equivalent wavelength window. This study differs from previous ones in its application to an overturning tidewater glacier plume, rather than one derived from river runoff. The linear calibration improves on previous studies by facilitating a wider range of plume metrics than areal extent, notably pixel-by-pixel TSS values. Increasing values of minimum plume TSS over the study interval credibly represent rising overall turbidity in the lagoon as melting accumulates. Plume extent responds principally to consistently-strong offshore winds. Further work is required to determine the temporal persistence of the calibration, but remote plume observation holds promise for monitoring hydrological outputs from ungauged or ungaugeable systems

Nominal Logic Programming

Nominal logic is an extension of first-order logic which provides a simple foundation for formalizing and reasoning about abstract syntax modulo consistent renaming of bound names (that is, alpha-equivalence). This article investigates logic programming based on nominal logic. We describe some typical nominal logic programs, and develop the model-theoretic, proof-theoretic, and operational semantics of such programs. Besides being of interest for ensuring the correct behavior of implementations, these results provide a rigorous foundation for techniques for analysis and reasoning about nominal logic programs, as we illustrate via examples.Comment: 46 pages; 19 page appendix; 13 figures. Revised journal submission as of July 23, 200

Ascaridial Volvulus: An Uncommon Cause of Ileal Perforation

Ascariasis is a common worm infestation in developing and under-developed countries. It is caused by the ingestion of food contaminated with Ascaris eggs from faeces and is more common in places with poor sanitation. Almost 25% of the world population is infested by Ascaris lumbricoides. Although ascariasis is a chronic disease, it can present as acute abdomen rarely. The wandering nature of Ascaris in and out of the bowel causes various abdominal complications such as intestinal obstruction, perforation, biliary ascariasis, pancreatic ascariasis, liver abscess, appendicitis, and Meckel’s diverticulitis. Intestinal obstruction is the most common complication seen in children and is usually due to mechanical bowel obstruction, volvulus or intussusception. Mechanical obstruction by a bolus of worms is the most common cause of bowel obstruction. Perforation of bowel is rarely reported and it usually occurs in the diseased segment of bowel or following trauma. Perforation of an ileal volvulus secondary to ascariasis has been reported rarely. We present a 4-year-old boy who presented to the emergency room with features of bowel perforation and sepsis, after unsuccessful management for intestinal obstruction in another hospital. On laparotomy, the small bowel was teaming with Ascaris worms. Ileum showed a volvulus with closed loop obstruction and perforation. Peritoneal lavage with resection and ileostomy was done, which was closed at a later date. Anti-helminthic agents were started postoperatively and the boy recovered uneventfully