The contribution of Alun R. Hughes to the early development of cave taphonomy: a tribute

Tribute to Alun R. Hughe

The 3D Spin Geometry of the Quantum Two-Sphere

We study a three-dimensional differential calculus on the standard Podles quantum two-sphere S^2_q, coming from the Woronowicz 4D+ differential calculus on the quantum group SU_q(2). We use a frame bundle approach to give an explicit description of the space of forms on S^2_q and its associated spin geometry in terms of a natural spectral triple over S^2_q. We equip this spectral triple with a real structure for which the commutant property and the first order condition are satisfied up to infinitesimals of arbitrary order.Comment: v2: 25 pages; minor change

Presidential address: taphonomy as an aid to African palaeontology

Presidential address for PSSA conferencePalaeontology has its roots in both the earth and life sciences. Its usefulness to geology comes from the light which the understanding of fossils may throw on the stratigraphic relationships of sediments, or the presence of economic deposits such as coal or oil. In biology, the study of fossils has the same objectives as does the study of living animals or plants and such objectives are generally reached in a series of steps which may be set out as follows.Non

The ADHM Construction of Instantons on Noncommutative Spaces

We present an account of the ADHM construction of instantons on Euclidean space-time $\mathbb{R}^4$ from the point of view of noncommutative geometry. We recall the main ingredients of the classical construction in a coordinate algebra format, which we then deform using a cocycle twisting procedure to obtain a method for constructing families of instantons on noncommutative space-time, parameterised by solutions to an appropriate set of ADHM equations. We illustrate the noncommutative construction in two special cases: the Moyal-Groenewold plane $\mathbb{R}^4_\hbar$ and the Connes-Landi plane $\mathbb{R}^4_\theta$.Comment: Latex, 40 page

A study of the effects of micro-gravity on seed germination

This study will identify characteristics of seed germination dependent upon gravity. To accomplish this objective, four different seed types will be germinated in space and then be compared to a control group germinated on Earth. Both the experimental and control groups will be analyzed on the cellular level for the size of cells, structural anomalies, and gravitational effects. The experiment will be conducted in a Get Away Special Canister (GAS Can no. 608) owned by the U.S. Space and Rocket Center and designed for students. The GAS Can will remain in the cargo bay of the Space Shuttle with minimal astronaut interaction

Summary of experiments.

(I) General comments and highlights. (II) Scald: Fungicidal control. 82BA21, 82E18, 82MT19, 82WH23, 82WH23. (III) Scald: Opportunity trial on fungicidal control. 82AL85, 82BA22, 82MT20. (IV) Scald: Epidemic in segregating populations. (V) Scald: Host reaction in hill plots and single plants. 82MT21, 82BA23, (VI) Scald: Seeding rate in evaluating cultivars for resistance. 82MT22, (VII) Net-type net blotch: Screening fungicides. 82BA25, 82KA25. (VIII) Net-type net blotch: Reactions in single plants and hill plots. 82A3, 82BA26. (IX) Spot-type net blotch: Screening fungicides. 82C16. (X) Spot-type net blotch: Potential yield losses. 82C14, 82C15. (XI) Effect of simulated stubble mulching on disease and yield. 82BA36, 82BA35, 82C32, 82MT43,82N27. (XII) Maximising barley yield: Fungicide x growth regulator x cultivar. 82E19,. (XIII) Maximising barley yield: Fungicide x cultivar x nitrogen. (XIV) Variation in pathogenicity of scald, net blotch and powdery mildew. (XV) Unidentified leaf spot on forrest barley. (XVI) Opportunity trial on powdery mildew

Surface Morphology of Human Airway Mucosa: Normal, Carcinoma or Cystic Fibrosis

The study presents preliminary qualitative findings of an investigation of grossly normal main and lobar bronchi at sites distant to well circumscribed tumour (n=15), adjacent to tumour (n=5) or of airways obtained during heart/lung transplantation in patients with cystic fibrosis (CF, n=3). In the normal airways the surface epithelium was on average 50 m thick, pseudostratified and rested on a roughly contoured basement membrane. A variety of cell types were identified although many were obscured by a dense covering of cilia, occasionally interrupted by foci of squamous metaplasia. Submucosal gland structure was observed in chance vertical fractures of the airway wall. Tissue adjacent to tumour showed sloughing, squamous metaplasia, pleomorphism and cell surface projections of stubby microvilli or tortuous microridges. The surface morphology of the three CF patients showed no feature unique to the condition, albeit secretions were found adherent to surface lining associated with isolated bacteria and groups of free cells (probably lymphocytes). In each of the three cases the epithelial surface was densely ciliated, interspersed with mucous (i.e., goblet) cells. Submucosal gland collecting ducts had dilated lumena

Socioeconomic inequalities in attitudes towards cancer: an international cancer benchmarking partnership study.

Socioeconomic status (SES) differences in attitudes towards cancer have been implicated in the differential screening uptake and the timeliness of symptomatic presentation. However, the predominant emphasis of this work has been on cancer fatalism, and many studies focus on specific community subgroups. This study aimed to assess SES differences in positive and negative attitudes towards cancer in UK adults. A population-based sample of UK adults (n=6965, age≥50 years) completed the Awareness and Beliefs about Cancer scale, including six belief items: three positively framed (e.g. 'Cancer can often be cured') and three negatively framed (e.g. 'A cancer diagnosis is a death sentence'). SES was indexed by education. Analyses controlled for sex, ethnicity, marital status, age, self-rated health, and cancer experience. There were few education-level differences for the positive statements, and overall agreement was high (all>90%). In contrast, there were strong differences for negative statements (all Ps<0.001). Among respondents with lower education levels, 57% agreed that 'treatment is worse than cancer', 27% that cancer is 'a death sentence' and 16% 'would not want to know if I have cancer'. Among those with university education, the respective proportions were 34, 17 and 6%. Differences were not explained by cancer experience or health status. In conclusion, positive statements about cancer outcomes attract near-universal agreement. However, this optimistic perspective coexists alongside widespread fears about survival and treatment, especially among less-educated groups. Health education campaigns targeting socioeconomically disadvantaged groups might benefit from a focus on reducing negative attitudes, which is not necessarily achieved by promoting positive attitudes

The JKind Model Checker

JKind is an open-source industrial model checker developed by Rockwell Collins and the University of Minnesota. JKind uses multiple parallel engines to prove or falsify safety properties of infinite state models. It is portable, easy to install, performance competitive with other state-of-the-art model checkers, and has features designed to improve the results presented to users: inductive validity cores for proofs and counterexample smoothing for test-case generation. It serves as the back-end for various industrial applications.Comment: CAV 201