We have begun to outline a consciousness-centered perspective on mental disorders, both those determined by defects in large-scale brain connectivity, and possibly by related failures of embedding goal contexts to constrain the topological dynamics of the global workspace. Further work in this direction might well focus on characterizing specific disorders from this viewpoint, and designing experiments to test such characterizations.Equation 9 and the arguments surrounding it, however, already provide, in the context of mental disorders, quite a ‘hard science’ basis for the evolutionary anthropologist Robert Boyd’s oft-repeated assertion that “culture is as much a part of human biology as the enamel on our teeth.”Not only culture and socioeconomic status, but historical trajectory, power relations between individuals and groups, and the effects of public policy, will write images of themselves onto the fundamental topology of individual consciousness, too frequently defining paths of debilitating developmental disorder which can blight lives.

via Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling | Full text | A Global Workspace perspective on mental disorders, by Rodrick Wallace, Theoretical Biology and Medical Modelling 2005, 2:49.

“I find it easier to write a research paper fore a specialist journal than to translate it into terms that the layman can grasp. But it is an important task. We imagine that we have a gap between scientists on one hand and the public on the other. In fact, the gap is between one specialist and another. It is true that the taxi-driver or the architect may not understand the ramifications of molecular biology, but neither does the astronomer, the hematologist or the nuclear physicist. We need to talk to each other, and to embrace the culture of the public.”

via Brian J Ford in Who’s Who in Science in Europe.

Also noteworthy is the CPRIT, recently approved by the Texas Legislature ($3 billion over the next 10 years). This will be huge for Texas in developing a cure for cancer and expanding our biotech and life sciences industry. The Chief Scientific Officer is former University of Texas Southwestern Medical School dean and nobel laurete (2004) Alfred G. Gilman, MD, PhD.

Check out their site. – Link: http://www.cprit.state.tx.us/

Abstract

President Obama recently called for more scientist involvement in education. Science outreach programs are very welcome, but to be effective, they must include incentives for teachers and better training for scientist volunteers.

Link: Encouraging science outreach : Abstract : Nature Neuroscience.

Nature Neuroscience 12, 665 (2009)
doi:10.1038/nn0609-665

A night out in a bar is all the more enjoyable if you can digest some science too. That’s the lesson of a growing movement whose character may be local but whose reach is potentially global — and at a small cost.

via The rise of cafe culture : Article : Nature.

The Denver café, organized by University of Colorado immunologist John Cohen, performs another social function: “I know that people have got together after meetings,” he says. “So when people come in alone, we carefully direct them to potential partners.”

via Pop science pulls in public as cafe culture goes global : Article : Nature

What’s next, science hook-ups?

I’m looking for new venues to host the San Antonio Science Cafe.

Previous cafes were at Ruta Maya, which is now closed , Old Town Helotes Bar and Grill, and Lion & Rose Pub and Restaurant. Radius Cafe seems cool, if we can coordinate around their choir events during the week.

On another note, Liberty Bar has my favorite Ethiopian coffee and I need to find out what brand it is. Mmm…

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- Christopher Lasch

“The first of these displeasing propositions of psychoanalysis is this: that mental processes are esseentially unconscious. . . . Yet . . . the acceptance of unconscious mental processes represents a decisive step towards a new orientation in the world and in science.” – Sigmund Freud

“Research has shown that fantasy can be rewarding under conditions of physical deprivation. . . . Empirical studies conducted by Silverman, Lachmann, and Milich (1982) showed that the message “MOMMY AND I ARE ONE” presented subliminally (on the tachistoscope) ameliorated symptoms in schizophrenic patients in some groups of non-psychotic individuals.
-From “Fear of Intimacy” by Firestone and Catlett

The food consisted of 5 party plates (appetizers – chicken wings, hummus, flaming spears, etc.) at the Lion & Rose. The conference room at the Lion & Rose at Blanco and 410 was an excellent location for future cafes, with a TV with laptop hookup and a mic/audio system. A few people had a little difficulty finding the location because of a poorly placed sign along the access road.

A few notes: The turnout included some motivated individuals who are interested in science outreach to the public. Two are starting a nonprofit aimed at funding science blogs and other activities, and one has volunteered to assist in organizing similar meetings for scientific conversation without invited experts. This would keep our audience interested in between bi-mothly (or however frequent) Science Cafes. Also, I found that the breaks provided the greatest opportunity for people to mingle and open up. Perhaps next time we will have a break before a second round of open discussion with the speaker. Also, the seating there was limited to 35, which is fine for intimate meetings (which may be best) but would not be appropriate for a media blitzkrieg of the local press. Overall, I believe these meetings serve many purposes of the Alamo Chapter of Sigma Xi, especially outreach and promotion of our presence in San Antonio.

Check out this article – Job Swap: This Robot Is the Scientist | LiveScience.

Stuff: Quantifying western blots without expensive commercial quantification software.

We have reprobed our samples for actin and are trying to compare relative intensities, despite differences in exposures.