Search

The web's top search engine has got rich from cleverly picking the right few pages out the trillions online. What kind of upstart could usurp its crown?

A combined seismic reflection and refraction approach to coastal site investigation is described using case studies at two sites in South Wales, UK. The land-based surveys, using the BISON 9024 seismograph, were carried out in the intertidal zone with a target depth of 4m to 40m below surface. The reflection data show a dominant frequency of 550Hz which, coupled with seismic velocities averaging 16OOm/s, produces a quater-wavelength vertical resolution of 0.7m. Results have imaged local rockhead and lithological boundaries in the overlying unconsolidated sediments. Comparisons of hammer, buffalo gun and detonator sources are shown and their relative suitability for use in the intertidal zone is discussed. In interpreting shallow reflection data the requirement of rockhead depth control from seismic refraction surveying and/or boreholes is emphasised. This is of particular importance if the bedrock is deeply weathered and has a lower acoustic impedance contrast with overlying sediments than other reflecting interfaces. Combined refraction and reflection surveys can provide detailed information on rockhead depth and overlying sediment geometries. This information can be valuable to the coastal engineer in both the design and location of man-made structures.

Should scientists learn a lesson or two from Hollywood when it comes to talking to the public?

A mathematician dealing with achondroplasia, a sheep farmer coping with facial disfigurement and a nurse who has turned to taxidermy: Ann Lingard's tale weaves together a handful of lives to show how people grow to become much more than the sum of their biological parts

A 27-year-old competitive surfer presented with a history of a painful right ankle. He was able to recall an injury to his right ankle 4–5 years previously, sustained while surfing. The mechanism described was that he had dropped a considerable height during take-off, sustaining an impact injury from the board. He recalled immediate pain and swelling followed by 2–3 weeks of pain and a limp; he continued to surf, albeit with difficulty, despite this. Investigations found him to have a bony spur on the anterolateral part of the talus. This case shows how this injury is similar to those observed in other sports.

On the dark side of the Earth, space is riddled with giant plasma tornadoes that power shimmering auroral displays, new observations reveal

The United States Marine Corps (USMC) will be fielding the SINCGARS frequency-hopping radio system during the next 5 years. There will be units within the Corps during the transition period in which both the conventional fixed-frequency radio and the SINCGARS radio will be employed in the same area at the same time. The Marine Corps Communications Architecture Analysis Model (MCCAAM) presented in this thesis will give Marine Corps decision makers, analysts, and communications officers the ability to quantify the effectiveness of alternative tactical radio system configurations within a given Marine Air-Ground Task Force (MAGTF) environment. Using a unique traffic workload paradigm to generate realistic message traffic, this object-oriented simulation model assesses the overall performance of a given architecture with a specified mix of fixed-frequency and frequency-hopping radios through a penalty accrual process or through aggregating traditional communications MOEs. USMC decision makers and communications officers can use the results of the system performance rankings and associated sensitivity trade-off analysis to determine where best to allocate the new frequency hopping radios, as they become available, in order to maximize the overall FM communications performance of a given MAGTF. http://archive.org/details/objectorientedmo00west Captain, United States Marine Corps Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited.

Scientists must reconnect their work to the needs and interests of society or they're doomed, says author Michael Brooks

Quantum uncertainties in space-time will make it impossible to ever know for sure that all of nature's forces were once unified

A study of a “multiverse” in which fundamental constants related to stars are varied shows that a quarter of the universes may be able to support life

If string theory and what we know about the nature of a hypothetical particle called the axion is right, the universe's expansion is more complex than we thought

The Vatican's continued demonising of modern reproductive technologies is making it look increasingly out of touch and irrelevant, says Michael Brooks

Uncertainty over the position and momentum of hydrogen nuclei in water molecules can explain some of the stuff's strange properties

Beyond the fringes of science fiction lie serious questions about what nature deems truly impossible, says Michael Brooks

Will discovering alien life lead to peace on Earth and a reconciliation of science and religion?

There's no harm in scientists accepting funding from rich benfactors whose ideas they disagree with, says Michael Brooks

To contribute more comprehensive information about the characteristics of asthma, this article analyzed patients served by the University of Alabama at Birmingham Comprehensive Asthma Program. Their physicians rated one fifth of these patients as having "severe" asthma with the remainder about equally divided between "moderate" and "mild." One in two first received a diagnosis of asthma ten or more years previously. Common comorbidities were hypertension, obesity, rhinitis, bronchitis, sinusitis, and arthritis. One half had visited an emergency room or been hospitalized for asthma in the past year. Inhaled bronchodilators and continuous theophylline were the most commonly prescribed medications. Side effects, especially tachycardia and insomnia, were common and almost exclusively associated with theophylline or corticosteroid therapy. Spirometric assessment showed chronic airflow obstruction in those with more severe asthma. Prevalence of respiratory symptoms, intensity of medication regimen, incidence of side effects, and health care utilization increased as asthma severity increased. UAB-University of Alabama at Birmingham

When people are influenced only by their peers, extremism can quickly take hold and become the dominant force

A study of quasar light that appeared to shut down the debate on a varying alpha was flawed

Some subjects always get left until the end at conferences: apoptosis, dephosphorylation and cytokinesis are classic examples. This web page, hosted by Julie Canman at the University of North Carolina, was formed by a group who were determined to fight back. In their words: "We are tired of cytokinesis being an afterthought in journal clubs, and of hearing groans every time the word cytokinesis is mentioned. To ensure proper representation of our cause, we have founded the Cytokinetic Mafia".

Background During the past 15 years, programs to improve self-management practices in adults with asthma have reported improvement in functional status and reduction of inappropriate use of health care services. However, these programs usually represent an ideal approach, applying multiple patient education methods. Consequently, when these programs are found to be efficacious, it is important to replicate the programs as well as to evaluate less complex methods that may be more appropriate for nonacademic health care settings. Methods We compared the following 3 standardized self-management treatments in a randomized, controlled trial: (1) a replication of the self-management program developed at a university medical center that was previously shown to be efficacious; (2) a modified version of this program including only the core elements; and (3) a usual-care program. Outcome measures included medication and inhaler regimen adherence, asthma symptoms, respiratory illness, functional status, and use of health care resources. Results All 3 groups improved on measures of respiratory illnesses, use of health care services, and functional status. Patients in both education groups did no better than the usual-care group. Conclusions The results are inconsistent with the results of the first asthma self-management study at this institution and with those of efficacy studies of similar programs. Two factors, selection of the patient population and historical changes in asthma treatment, most likely contributed to the lack of impact of the self-management programs. As a result of the improved standards for usual care due to both factors, the opportunity to effect patient outcomes was substantially reduced.

Angiosarcoma of the breast is a rare tumour. We report a young woman who required an urgent mastectomy for bleeding. Metastatic disease resulted in her spleen rupturing after minor abdominal trauma. This has not been previously described.

This paper honors the memory of Hans Mauksch and his contributions to teaching in sociology. A current trend in higher education is the application of various technologies to the processes of teaching and learning. Related issues include the nature of scholarship, the search for academic community, the nature of student development and persistence, and the relationship of these concepts to paradigms variously stressing teaching and learning. Literature in each of these areas is reviewed and linked to the concepts of virtual education and distance learning in order to address the consequences such applications of technology might have on higher education in the future