On the application of the theory of emergence and of the law of maximum entropy production to social processes

As there would be appear to be no limit to the process of successive emergence, the emergence of suprahuman autopoietic systems seems possible, if not yet necessary. Maybe there really are constraints on human behavior which would not permit such entities to emerge, or maybe the emergence of such entities entails the dissipation of more free energy than available at present. But unless such conditions are present, then, it appears to me, the emergence of suprahuman autopoietic systems is not just probable, it is inevitable.In any event, whether or not they share my concern about suprahuman autopoietic systems, all concerned with metaphor manufacture should attend to this important insight from Swenson (1989a, b, c, d) and should not be deterred by my so inadequate reflection of a new and important view of how the organizational world works.     

Global warming and climate forcing by recent albedo changes on Mars

For hundreds of years, scientists have tracked the changing appearance of Mars, first by hand drawings and later by photographs. Because of this historical record, many classical albedo patterns have long been known to shift in appearance over time. Decadal variations of the martian surface albedo are generally attributed to removal and deposition of small amounts of relatively bright dust on the surface. Large swaths of the surface (up to 56 million km2) have been observed to darken or brighten by 10 per cent or more. It is unknown, however, how these albedo changes affect wind circulation, dust transport and the feedback between these processes and the martian climate. Here we present predictions from a Mars general circulation model, indicating that the observed interannual albedo alterations strongly influence the martian environment. Results indicate enhanced wind stress in recently darkened areas and decreased wind stress in brightened areas, producing a positive feedback system in which the albedo changes strengthen the winds that generate the changes. The simulations also predict a net annual global warming of surface air temperatures by approximately 0.65 K, enhancing dust lifting by increasing the likelihood of dust devil generation. The increase in global dust lifting by both wind stress and dust devils may affect the mechanisms that trigger large dust storm initiation, a poorly understood phenomenon, unique to Mars. In addition, predicted increases in summertime air temperatures at high southern latitudes would contribute to the rapid and steady scarp retreat that has been observed in the south polar residual ice for the past four Mars years. Our results suggest that documented albedo changes affect recent climate change and large-scale weather patterns on Mars, and thus albedo variations are a necessary component of future atmospheric and climate studies.     

Hume'sAbstract exhumed

‘As it is now clear that Hume is the Author of theAbstract, this short work can be enthusiastically recommended to those who wish to consider Hume's own account of the chief argument of theTreatise’ (Norton, 1993a). This ‘simplification’ of Hume'sAbstract aims to make it more accessible to a wider audience, especially to readers who do not have English as their first language. Some of Hume's own invented terms have been translated, many of his longer sentences divided, and most of his expressions simplified. The sequence of his arguments is preserved. Where needed, his arguments have been set out in traditional form. Topic headings have been added and some definitions appended. To ease reference to theAbstract, as published in Hume (1740b), the page numbers have been inserted near their correct position in square brackets.     

Gene deletion and restriction fragment length polymorphisms at the human ornithine transcarbamylase locus

Deficiency of ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC; EC 2.1.3.3), a hepatic mitochondrial enzyme involved in the detoxification of ammonia, is a severe inborn error of metabolism. It is an X-linked disorder which results characteristically in ammonia intoxication, protein intolerance and mental retardation. Early death of affected hemizygous male infants is common, while clinical manifestations in heterozygous females are variable due to random X-chromosome inactivation. Prenatal diagnosis by amniocentesis has not been feasible because OTC is not expressed in amniocytes and because no unusual metabolites can be detected in amniotic fluid. Fetal liver biopsy has been performed for some families at risk, but the dangers inherent in this procedure severely limit its usefulness. In this report, we describe the use of a nearly full-length cloned human cDNA to begin to characterize normal and mutant human OTC genes. One of 15 affected males was found to have a partial deletion of the OTC gene. Two distinct restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) were identified at the OTC locus using the restriction endonuclease MspI; 69% of women tested were heterozygous for one or both polymorphisms. Identification of these common polymorphisms makes it possible to offer prenatal diagnosis to a large fraction of obligate carriers and to provide information on carrier status to some females at risk.     

Competition and mutualism among the gut helminths of a mammalian host

Most animal species are infected with multiple parasite species; however, the role of interspecific parasite interactions in influencing parasite dynamics and shaping parasite communities has been unclear. Although laboratory studies have found evidence of cross-immunity, immunosuppression and competition, analyses of hosts in the field have generally concluded that parasite communities are little more than random assemblages. Here we present evidence of consistent interspecific interactions in a natural mammalian system, revealed through the analysis of parasite intensity data collected from a free-ranging rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus) population, sampled monthly for a period of 23 yr. The wild rabbit plays host to a diverse gut helminth community that reflects the communities seen in other economically important domestic herbivores. These findings suggest that parasite interactions could have profound implications for the dynamics of parasite communities. The efficacy of parasite control programmes could be jeopardized if such interactions are not taken into account. In contrast, a clear understanding of such interactions may provide the basis for the development of more environmentally acceptable methods of parasite control.     

浑沌：它能有多少规律

40年前A.爱因斯坦给M.玻恩的一封信中写道,“上帝不玩骰子。”爱因斯坦是始终反对量子论的概率解释的,他不倦地探索着与经典力学更为直接的类比,即考虑没有概率不定性的确定过程。如今,40年过去了,没有人会惊讶:甚至在一个经典哈密顿动力系统中也存在着(chas)在物理客体规则运动的领域内,在没有人预期会有的地方冒出     

Forgery: 'fingerprinting' documents and packaging

We have found that almost all paper documents, plastic cards and product packaging contain a unique physical identity code formed from microscopic imperfections in the surface. This covert 'fingerprint' is intrinsic and virtually impossible to modify controllably. It can be rapidly read using a low-cost portable laser scanner. Most forms of document and branded-product fraud could be rendered obsolete by use of this code.