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During the past decade, scientists have learned much about the complex naturalprocesses that influence climate variability and change, and our ability to modelclimate has increased significantly. We also have begun to better identify those partsof the climate system that are particularly important and not well understood andthat therefore limit our ability to project the future evolution of Earth''s climate. Oneof these critical areas is our understanding of the role of feedbacks in the climate systemand their role in determining climate sensitivity. Feedbacks are processes in theclimate system that can either amplify or dampen the system''s response to changedforcings. This study looks at what is known and not known about climate changefeedbacks and seeks to identify the feedback processes most in need of improvedunderstanding. It identifies key observations needed to monitor and understand climatefeedbacks, discusses ways to evaluate progress in understanding climate feedbacks,recommends ways to improve climate modeling and analysis for climate feedbacksresearch, and identifies priority areas for research.

Deep-diving manned submersibles, such as Alvin, which gained worldwide fame when researchers used it to reach the wreck of the Titanic, have helped advance deep-ocean science. But many scholars in this field have noted that the number and capabilities of today''s underwater vehicles no longer meet current scientific demands. At the same time, the relative value of manned and unmanned vehicles is often disputed. The report finds that new submersibles—both manned and unmanned—that are more capable than those in the current fleet are needed and would be of great value to the advancement of ocean research.

To maintain their own health and the health of their families and communities, consumers rely heavily on the health information that is available to them. This information is at the core of the partnerships that patients and their families forge with today''s complex modern health systems. This information may be provided in a variety of forms — ranging from a discussion between a patient and a health care provider to a health promotion advertisement, a consent form, or one of many other forms of health communication common in our society. Yet millions of Americans cannot understand or act upon this information. To address this problem, the field of health literacy brings together research and practice from diverse fields including education, health services, and social and cultural sciences, and the many organizations whose actions can improve or impede health literacy.

Health Literacy: Prescription to End Confusion examines the body of knowledge that applies to the field of health literacy, and recommends actions to promote a health literate society. By examining the extent of limited health literacy and the ways to improve it, we can improve the health of individuals and populations.

This comprehensive report recommends the development and use of a "tool box" approach by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency and others for assessing microbial water quality in which available indicator organisms (and/or pathogens in some cases) and detection method(s) are matched to the requirements of a particular application. The report further recommends the use of a phased, three-level monitoring framework to support the selection of indicators and indicator approaches.

This new report provides a framework within which to assess compliance with coreinternational labor standards and succeeds in taking an enormous step toward interpretingall relevant information into one central database. At the request of theBureau of International Labor Affairs at the U.S. Department of Labor, the NationalResearch Council''s Committee on Monitoring International Labor Standards wascharged with identifying relevant and useful sources of country-level data, assessingthe quality of such data, identifying innovative measures to monitor compliance,exploring the relationship between labor standards and human capital, and makingrecommendations on reporting procedures to monitor compliance. The result of thecommittee''s work is in two parts—this report and a database structure. Together,they offer a first step toward the goal of providing an empirical foundation to monitorcompliance with core labor standards. The report provides a comprehensivereview of extant data sources, with emphasis on their relevance to defined labor standards,their utility to decision makers in charge of assessing or monitoring compliance,and the cautions necessary to understand and use the quantitative information.

The Bureau of Reclamation and Sandia National Laboratories jointly developed the Roadmap to serve as a strategic research pathway for desalination and water purification technologies to meet future water needs. The book recommends that the Roadmap include a sharper focus on the research and technological advancements needed to reach the long-term objectives. The book also suggests that the environmental, economic, and social costs of energy required by increased dependence on desalination be examined. Strategies for implementing the Roadmap initiative are provided.

To enhance the nation''s economic productivity and improve the quality of life worldwide, engineering education in the United States must anticipate and adapt to the dramatic changes of engineering practice. The Engineer of 2020 urges the engineering profession to recognize what engineers can build for the future through a wide range of leadership roles in industry, government, and academia—not just through technical jobs. Engineering schools should attract the best and brightest students and be open to new teaching and training approaches. With the appropriate education and training, the engineer of the future will be called upon to become a leader not only in business but also in nonprofit and government sectors.

The book finds that the next several decades will offer more opportunities for engineers, with exciting possibilities expected from nanotechnology, information technology, and bioengineering. Other engineering applications, such as transgenic food, technologies that affect personal privacy, and nuclear technologies, raise complex social and ethical challenges. Future engineers must be prepared to help the public consider and resolve these dilemmas along with challenges that will arise from new global competition, requiring thoughtful and concerted action if engineering in the United States is to retain its vibrancy and strength.

Microbiologists have become interested in applying "systems biology" to understand and harness complex biological processes in microbial communities. A systems approach, which attempts to use comparative, high-throughput assays, and mathematical or computational models, has been used to generate a picture of system-wide activity that can yield insight into processes operating within a single cell. But the concept of integrating advances in genomics, proteomics, and metabolomics and incorporating them into mathematical models can also be applied to microbial ecosystems, which typically occur in consortia of related and unrelated organisms. Research on microbial communities using a system-based approach could provide a broader perspective on controls on biological processes and how they operate in and among microorganisms.

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine held a workshop on "Progress and Promises of Systems Microbiology" in August 2003, with the intent of providing a forum for discussion of the tools, technology, and programs that are needed to advance the study of microorganisms through a systems approach. Participants also discussed ways to encourage collaboration among scientists of different disciplines. This report summarizes the presentations and discussions from the workshop.