How can we enhance girls' interest in scientific topics?

PubMed

Kerger, Sylvie; Martin, Romain; Brunner, Martin

2011-12-01

Girls are considerably less interested in scientific subjects than boys. One reason may be that scientific subjects are considered to be genuinely masculine. Thus, being interested in science may threaten the self-perception of girls as well as the femininity of their self-image. If scientific topics that are considered to be stereotypically feminine were chosen, however, this potential threat might be overcome which, in turn, might lead to an increase in girls' interest in science. This hypothesis was empirically tested by means of two studies. Participants were 294 (Study 1) and 190 (Study 2) Grade 8 to Grade 9 students. Gender differences in students' interest in masculine and feminine topics were investigated for a range of scientific concepts (Study 1) as well as for a given scientific concept (Study 2) for four scientific subjects (i.e., biology, physics, information technology, and statistics), respectively. Both studies indicated that the mean level of girls' scientific interest was higher when scientific concepts were presented in the context of feminine topics and boys' level of scientific interests was higher when scientific concepts were presented in the context of masculine topics. Girls' interest in science could be substantially increased by presenting scientific concepts in the context of feminine topics. Gender differences as well as individual differences in the level of interest in scientific topics may be taken into account by creating learning environments in which students could select the context in which a certain scientific concept is embedded. ©2011 The British Psychological Society.

Food and beverage industries' participation in health scientific events: considerations on conflicts of interest.

PubMed

Canella, Daniela S; Martins, Ana Paula B; Silva, Hugo F R; Passanha, Adriana; Lourenço, Bárbara H

2015-10-01

Several sectors of the industry (pharmaceutical, food, and other) often occupy a prominent position in scientific meetings on health. The aim of this article is to discuss the participation of food and beverage industries (Big Food and Big Soda) in events organized by scientific institutions in health and nutrition, highlighting potential conflicts of interest in such partnerships. As an example, the authors report the case of a Brazilian national event organized by a nutrition scientific association in 2011. Focused on the theme "Evidence-based Nutrition," the event's scientific program was largely influenced by corporate sponsors. For example, a symposium at this congress was organized by a beverage company known worldwide for its sugar-sweetened products and classified as the "diamond sponsor" of the event. While debating the adoption of healthy lifestyles in the current scenario of rising occurrence of obesity, the rationale for health promotion was reduced to providing information that would motivate rational individual choices, thus ignoring any political, economic, cultural, marketing, and social factors involved in the global process of nutrition transition. The authors conclude that conflicts of interest are present in the participation of food and beverage industries in health scientific events. The industries' strategy attempts to grant legitimacy to the production and marketing of their products through an association with adequate health practices. Health professionals and policy-makers should reflect on such partnerships because their main purpose is to generate profit, not the promotion of public health.

Machine intelligence applications to securities production

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Johnson, C.K.

1987-01-01

The production of security documents provides a cache of interesting problems ranging across a broad spectrum. Some of the problems do not have rigorous scientific solutions available at this time and provide opportunities for less structured approaches such as AI. AI methods can be used in conjunction with traditional scientific and computational methods. The most productive applications of AI occur when this marriage of methods can be carried out without motivation to prove that one method is better than the other. Fields such as ink chemistry and technology, and machine inspection of graphic arts printing offer interesting challenges which willmore » continue to intrigue current and future generations of researchers into the 21st century.« less

Recommendations for Developing Alternative Test Methods for Developmental Neurotoxicity

EPA Science Inventory

There is great interest in developing alternative methods for developmental neurotoxicity testing (DNT) that are cost-efficient, use fewer animals and are based on current scientific knowledge of the developing nervous system. Alternative methods will require demonstration of the...

Social Aggression among Girls.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Underwood, Marion K.

Noting recent interest in girls' social or "relational" aggression, this volume offers a balanced, scholarly analysis of scientific knowledge in this area. The book integrates current research on emotion regulation, gender, and peer relations, to examine how girls are socialized to experience and express anger and aggression from infancy…

Scientific journals and their authors' financial interests: a pilot study.

PubMed

Krimsky, S; Rothenberg, L S; Stott, P; Kyle, G

1998-01-01

The credibility of modern science is grounded on the perception of the objectivity of its scientists, but that credibility can be undermined by financial conflicts of interest. The US Public Health Service and the National Science Foundation issued regulations effective October 1, 1995, regarding the disclosure of financial interests in the submission of grant proposals. Several scientific journals have also established pertinent policies for authors and editors. The objectives of this study were: (1) to select a set of published articles and observe the degree to which a sample of authors hold a financial interest in areas related to their research that are reportable under current standards, and (2) to examine the hypothesis that significant numbers of authors of articles in life science and biomedical journals have verifiable financial interests that might be important for journal editors and readers to know. This paper measures the frequency of selected financial interests held among lead authors of certain types of scientific publications and assesses disclosure practices of authors and journals. These objectives were applied to a pilot study of Massachusetts academic scientists who were cited as first or last author in at least one article published in 1992 in 14 leading journals of cell or molecular biology and medicine. We created a database of every original article published in 1992 by 14 leading life science and biomedical journals, supplemented by data sets consisting of (1) Massachusetts biotechnology firms, including their officers and scientific advisory boards, and (2) scientists listed as inventors on patents or patent applications registered with the World Intellectual Property Organization. We examined 1,105 university authors (first and last cited) from Massachusetts institutions whose 789 articles, published in 1992, appeared in 14 scientific and medical journals. Authors are said to 'possess a financial interest' if they are listed as inventors in a patent or patent application closely related to their published work; serve on a scientific advisory board of a biotechnology company; or are officers, directors, or major shareholders (beneficial owner of 10% or more of stock issued) in a firm that has commercial interests related to their research. Applying the criteria to the reference population of journals and Massachusetts academic authors, we measured the following frequencies for lead authors: 0.20 for serving on a scientific advisory board; 0.07 for being an officer, director, or major shareholder in a biotechnology firm, and 0.22 for being listed as an inventor in a related patent or patent application. The joint frequency of articles in the journals reviewed with a lead author that meets one of the three conditions is 0.34. One of every three articles in our sample has at least one Massachusetts-based author with a financial interest, and 15% of the authors in our sample have a financial interest relevant to one of their publications. For the year 1992, the rate of published voluntary disclosures of financial interest (as defined in our study) is virtually zero, but relatively few scientific and biomedical journals at that time required any such disclosure to journal editors and reviewers. Further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of mandatory disclosure requirements by some journals.

The communication of science to the public: A philosophy of television

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carter, Nicholas Brent

The communication of science to the public via the mass media, in particular the televisual format, requires a modified approach to the traditional presumptive models of communicative style. Conventional models of science communication are based on implicit but unexamined assumptions that the most effective and important means of transmission of scientific information are efforts aimed at the attentive segments of the population through specialized and detailed formats. Attempts to reach inattentive audiences with scientific information are customarily unsuccessful or have been deemed unnecessary altogether. The proposed model submits that not only are endeavors to communicate scientific ideas to the disinterested populace of overriding importance but can be quite successful if production styles are altered to reflect more "interest-motivating" designs. A new thrust toward capturing the attention of disinterested audiences before attempting to directly disseminate scientific ideas is proposed. By examining the constraints of both the scientific and communication systems, the model demonstrates that current methods utilized to transmit scientific information are incompatible with the notion of reaching more inattentive audiences. The assumptions of scientific communicators and the community of scientists are critiqued through analysis of the diverse body of research devoted to the public transmission of science and scientific concepts. The foundations of televisual communication are explored and a model of commercial television programming is proffered to redirect classical scientific production methods to more visually interesting, narrative-driven styles. A call to shift focus of scientific communication from the products of science to the process of science is also suggested in part to achieve such a direction. The model proposes that the most important aspect of this process is to begin to show scientists as human beings and the conceptual accessibility of both the scientists and their endeavors. For this to occur, scientists must begin to alter their behaviors and attitudes toward the public dissemination of their research and start by educating themselves on the communicative demands of the media. Communicators must also begin to change their long-held strategies of scientific communication by focusing on the interest factor of their stories before attempting to transmit complicated scientific information.

46 CFR 503.50 - Fees for services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

..., which operates a program or programs of scholarly research. (6) Non-commercial scientific institution... research the results of which are not intended to promote any particular product or industry. (7... events or that would be of current interest to the public. Examples of news media entities include...

46 CFR 503.43 - Fees for services.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

..., which operates a program or programs of scholarly research. (6) Non-commercial scientific institution... research the results of which are not intended to promote any particular product or industry. (7... events or that would be of current interest to the public. Examples of news media entities include...

A survey of scientific literacy to provide a foundation for designing science communication in Japan.

PubMed

Kawamoto, Shishin; Nakayama, Minoru; Saijo, Miki

2013-08-01

There are various definitions and survey methods for scientific literacy. Taking into consideration the contemporary significance of scientific literacy, we have defined it with an emphasis on its social aspects. To acquire the insights needed to design a form of science communication that will enhance the scientific literacy of each individual, we conducted a large-scale random survey within Japan of individuals older than 18 years, using a printed questionnaire. The data thus acquired were analyzed using factor analysis and cluster analysis to create a 3-factor/4-cluster model of people's interest and attitude toward science, technology and society and their resulting tendencies. Differences were found among the four clusters in terms of the three factors: scientific factor, social factor, and science-appreciating factor. We propose a plan for designing a form of science communication that is appropriate to this current status of scientific literacy in Japan.

The atmospheric effects of stratospheric aircraft: A topical review

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnston, Harold S.; Prather, M. J.; Watson, R. T.

1991-01-01

In the late 1960s the aircraft industry became interested in developing a fleet of supersonic transports (SSTs). Between 1972 and 1975, the Climatic Impact Assessment Program (CIAP) studied the possible environmental impact of SSTs. For environmental and economic reasons, the fleet of SSTs was not developed. The Upper Atmosphere Research Program (UARP) has recently undertaken the responsibility of directing scientific research needed to assess the atmospheric impact of supersonic transports. The UARP and the High-Speed Research Program asked Harold Johnston to review the current understanding of aircraft emissions and their effect on the stratosphere. Johnston and his colleagues have recently re-examined the SST problem using current models for stratospheric ozone chemistry. A unique view is given here of the current scientific issues and the lessons learned since the beginning of CIAP, and it links the current research program with the assessment process that began two years ago.

Volcanic hazards in Central America

USGS Publications Warehouse

Rose, William I.; Bluth, Gregg J.S.; Carr, Michael J.; Ewert, John W.; Patino, Lina C.; Vallance, James W.

2006-01-01

This volume is a sampling of current scientific work about volcanoes in Central America with specific application to hazards. The papers reflect a variety of international and interdisciplinary collaborations and employ new methods. The book will be of interest to a broad cross section of scientists, especially volcanologists. The volume also will interest students who aspire to work in the field of volcano hazards mitigation or who may want to work in one of Earth’s most volcanically active areas.

A national survey of policies on disclosure of conflicts of interest in biomedical research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

McCrary, S. V.; Anderson, C. B.; Jakovljevic, J.; Khan, T.; McCullough, L. B.; Wray, N. P.; Brody, B. A.

2000-01-01

BACKGROUND: Conflicts of interest pose a threat to the integrity of scientific research. The current regulations of the U.S. Public Health Service and the National Science Foundation require that medical schools and other research institutions report the existence of conflicts of interest to the funding agency but allow the institutions to manage conflicts internally. The regulations do not specify how to do so. METHODS: We surveyed all medical schools (127) and other research institutions (170) that received more than $5 million in total grants annually from the National Institutes of Health or the National Science Foundation; 48 journals in basic science and clinical medicine; and 17 federal agencies in order to analyze their policies on conflicts of interest. RESULTS: Of the 297 institutions, 250 (84 percent) responded by March 2000, as did 47 of the 48 journals and 16 of the 17 federal agencies. Fifteen of the 250 institutions (6 percent)--5 medical schools and 10 other research institutions--reported that they had no policy on conflicts of interest. Among the institutions that had policies, there was marked variation in the definition and management of conflicts. Ninety-one percent had policies that adhered to the federal threshold for disclosure ($10,000 in annual income or equity in a relevant company or 5 percent ownership), and 9 percent had policies that exceeded the federal guidelines. Only 8 percent had policies requiring disclosure to funding agencies, only 7 percent had such policies regarding journals, and only 1 percent had policies requiring the disclosure of information to the relevant institutional review boards or to research subjects. Twenty journals (43 percent) reported that they had policies requiring disclosure of conflicts of interest. Only four federal agencies had policies that explicitly addressed conflicts of interest in extramural research, and all but one of the agencies relied primarily on institutional discretion. CONCLUSIONS: There is substantial variation among policies on conflicts of interest at medical schools and other research institutions. This variation, combined with the fact that many scientific journals and funding agencies do not require disclosure of conflicts of interest, suggests that the current standards may not be adequate to maintain a high level of scientific integrity.

A Guide to Undergraduate Science Course and Laboratory Improvements.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Straumanis, Joan, Ed.; Watson, Robert F., Ed.

Reported are activities carried out at colleges and universities during 1976-1980 with support from the National Science Foundation's Local Course Improvement (LOCI) and Instructional Scientific Equipment Program (ISEP). It is intended as a reference for persons interested in current course and laboratory developments in the sciences at the…

The Current State of Research on Motivation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Geering, Adrian D.

The literature on motivation theory is growing rapidly due to increased interest by leaders in all types of organizations in social-psychology variables such as internal commitment and motivation to work. This paper presents an overview of motivational research, covering early behavior theories such as scientific management and human relations,…

75 FR 6655 - Disulfoton Registration Review Decision; Notice of Availability

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-02-10

... pesticide can perform its intended function without causing unreasonable adverse effects on human health or... current scientific and other knowledge, including its effects on human health and the environment. FOR... general, and may be of interest to a wide range of stakeholders including environmental, human health...

A Project-Based Course on Newton's Laws for Talented Junior High-School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Langbeheim, Elon

2015-01-01

Research has shown that project-based learning promotes student interest in science and improves understanding of scientific content. Fostering student motivation is particularly important in accelerated science and technology programmes for talented students, which are often demanding and time-consuming. Current texts provide little guidance on…

Conflict of interest policies and disclosure requirements among European Society of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Journals.

PubMed

Alfonso, Fernando; Timmis, Adam; Pinto, Fausto J; Ambrosio, Giuseppe; Ector, Hugo; Kulakowski, Piotr; Vardas, Panos

2012-03-01

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest (COIs) is used by biomedical journals to guarantee credibility and transparency of the scientific process. Conflict of interest disclosure, however, is not systematically nor consistently dealt with by journals. Recent joint editorial efforts paved the way towards the implementation of uniform vehicles for COI disclosure. This paper provides a comprehensive editorial perspective on classical COI-related issues. New insights into the current COI policies and practices among European Society of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Journals, as derived from a cross-sectional survey using a standardized questionnaire, are discussed.

How Can We Enhance Girls' Interest in Scientific Topics?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kerger, Sylvie; Martin, Romain; Brunner, Martin

2011-01-01

Background: Girls are considerably less interested in scientific subjects than boys. One reason may be that scientific subjects are considered to be genuinely masculine. Thus, being interested in science may threaten the self-perception of girls as well as the femininity of their self-image. Aims: If scientific topics that are considered to be…

Abstracting and indexing guide

USGS Publications Warehouse

,; ,

1974-01-01

These instructions have been prepared for those who abstract and index scientific and technical documents for the Water Resources Scientific Information Center (WRSIC). With the recent publication growth in all fields, information centers have undertaken the task of keeping the various scientific communities aware of current and past developments. An abstract with carefully selected index terms offers the user of WRSIC services a more rapid means for deciding whether a document is pertinent to his needs and professional interests, thus saving him the time necessary to scan the complete work. These means also provide WRSIC with a document representation or surrogate which is more easily stored and manipulated to produce various services. Authors are asked to accept the responsibility for preparing abstracts of their own papers to facilitate quick evaluation, announcement, and dissemination to the scientific community.

National Geomagnetism Program: Current Status & Five-Year Plan, 2006-2010

USGS Publications Warehouse

Love, Jeffrey J.

2006-01-01

Executive Summary: The U.S. Geological Survey's Geomagnetism Program serves the scientific community and the broader public by collecting and distributing magnetometer data from an array of ground-based observatories and by conducting scientific analysis on those data. Preliminary, variational time-series can be collected and distributed in near-real time, while fully calibrated, absolute time-series are distributed after processing. The data are used by the civilian and military parts of the Federal Government, by private industry, and by academia, for a wide variety of purposes of both immediately practical importance and long-term scientific interest, including space-weather diagnosis and related hazard mitigation, mapping of the magnetic field and measurement of its activity, and research on the nature of the Earth's interior and the near-Earth space environment. This document reviews the current status of the Program, in terms of its situation within the Government and within the scientific community; summarizes the Program's operations, its staffing situation, and its facilities; describes the diversity of uses of Program magnetometer data; and presents a plan for the next 5 years for enhancing the Program's data-based services, developing products, and conducting scientific research.

The Moon Village Concept

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Messina, Piero; Foing, Bernard H.; Hufenbach, Bernhard; Haignere, Claudie; Schrogl, Kai-Uwe

2016-07-01

The "Moon Village" concept Space exploration is anchored in the International Space Station and in the current and future automatic and planetary automatic and robotic missions that pave the way for future long-term exploration objectives. The Moon represents a prime choice for scientific, operational and programmatic reasons and could be the enterprise that federates all interested Nations. On these considerations ESA is currently elaborating the concept of a Moon Village as an ensemble where multiple users can carry out multiple activities. The Moon Village has the ambition to serve a number of objectives that have proven to be of interest (including astronomy, fundamental research, resources management, moon science, etc. ) to the space community and should be the catalyst of new alliances between public and private entities including non-space industries. Additionally the Moon Village should provide a strong inspirational and education tool for the younger generations . The Moon Village will rely both on automatic, robotic and human-tendered structures to achieve sustainable moon surface operations serving multiple purposes on an open-architecture basis. This Europe-inspired initiative should rally all communities (across scientific disciplines, nations, industries) and make it to the top of the political agendas as a the scientific and technological undertaking but also political and inspirational endeavour of the XXI century. The current reflections are of course based on the current activities and plans on board the ISS and the discussion held in international fora such as the ISECG. The paper will present the status of these reflections, also in view of the ESA Council at Ministerial Level 2016, and will give an overview of the on-going activities being carried out to enable the vision of a Moon Village.

Image improvement and three-dimensional reconstruction using holographic image processing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stroke, G. W.; Halioua, M.; Thon, F.; Willasch, D. H.

1977-01-01

Holographic computing principles make possible image improvement and synthesis in many cases of current scientific and engineering interest. Examples are given for the improvement of resolution in electron microscopy and 3-D reconstruction in electron microscopy and X-ray crystallography, following an analysis of optical versus digital computing in such applications.

Sudden oak death online symposium

Treesearch

S.D. Cohen; J., eds Juzwik

2003-01-01

This symposium is being made available to all who have an interest in the recent appearance of Sudden Oak Death, a plant disease with the potential to severely impact nursery growers, shippers, the lumber and wood products industry, landscapers, government programs and others. Scientific presentations dealing with the current status of the disease and ongoing research...

Oscillations and Analogies: Thomas Young, MD, FRS, Genius.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martindale, Colin

2001-01-01

Thomas Young was a renowned genius in his time who did important work in many scientific disciplines. In today's specialized environment, scientists in each discipline do not appreciate his work. Despite his current obscurity, Young exemplifies traits found in a first-order genius (analogical thinking, high intelligence, hard work, wide interests,…

Eyewitness report on Chinese satellite work

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edelson, B.; Haas, S.; Harford, J.; Jaffe, L.; Nansen, R.; Schnapf, A.; Yarymovych, M.

1980-01-01

The article describes the current status of satellite and related technology in the People's Republic of China. Attention is given to areas of potential cooperation and scientific and technical 'exchanges'. It is reported that the Chinese technology is 'advanced, but simple' and that the Chinese showed great interest in receiving U.S. technical know-how.

Motivations of medical students towards psychiatry: a perspective from Turkey.

PubMed

Sakarya, Direnc; Camsari, Ulas Mehmet; Coskun, Bulent

2013-08-01

Recruitment in psychiatry has been an ongoing challenge worldwide; Turkey is no exception. In this article we have reviewed the issue from multiple aspects. Negative opinions on psychiatry among medical students have been associated with various matters, such as problems with scientific soundness, stigma, prestige and financial incentives. It has been reported that these negative opinions could be reversed by clinical exposure, improved knowledge base and increased affiliation with the field. Unfortunately, reversed attitudes do not have permanency. Considering that there has not been any study focusing on recruitment problems in Turkey, we attempted to provide a perspective by reporting the results of our study conducted with Turkish medical students. Attractive qualities of psychiatry were of particular interest. We found that brain research, neuroscience, philosophy, psychotherapy and academics are main areas of interest in psychiatry. We attempt to discuss our findings in view of current literature while noting current setbacks of psychiatry residency training in Turkey. We conclude that there exists a great need for working strategies in order to improve recruitment in psychiatry, addressing the stigma and correcting false beliefs such as treatment inefficacy or compromised scientific solidity.

Collisionless current sheet equilibria

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Neukirch, T.; Wilson, F.; Allanson, O.

2018-01-01

Current sheets are important for the structure and dynamics of many plasma systems. In space and astrophysical plasmas they play a crucial role in activity processes, for example by facilitating the release of magnetic energy via processes such as magnetic reconnection. In this contribution we will focus on collisionless plasma systems. A sensible first step in any investigation of physical processes involving current sheets is to find appropriate equilibrium solutions. The theory of collisionless plasma equilibria is well established, but over the past few years there has been a renewed interest in finding equilibrium distribution functions for collisionless current sheets with particular properties, for example for cases where the current density is parallel to the magnetic field (force-free current sheets). This interest is due to a combination of scientific curiosity and potential applications to space and astrophysical plasmas. In this paper we will give an overview of some of the recent developments, discuss their potential applications and address a number of open questions.

Prioritizing Scientific Data for Transmission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Castano, Rebecca; Anderson, Robert; Estlin, Tara; DeCoste, Dennis; Gaines, Daniel; Mazzoni, Dominic; Fisher, Forest; Judd, Michele

2004-01-01

A software system has been developed for prioritizing newly acquired geological data onboard a planetary rover. The system has been designed to enable efficient use of limited communication resources by transmitting the data likely to have the most scientific value. This software operates onboard a rover by analyzing collected data, identifying potential scientific targets, and then using that information to prioritize data for transmission to Earth. Currently, the system is focused on the analysis of acquired images, although the general techniques are applicable to a wide range of data modalities. Image prioritization is performed using two main steps. In the first step, the software detects features of interest from each image. In its current application, the system is focused on visual properties of rocks. Thus, rocks are located in each image and rock properties, such as shape, texture, and albedo, are extracted from the identified rocks. In the second step, the features extracted from a group of images are used to prioritize the images using three different methods: (1) identification of key target signature (finding specific rock features the scientist has identified as important), (2) novelty detection (finding rocks we haven t seen before), and (3) representative rock sampling (finding the most average sample of each rock type). These methods use techniques such as K-means unsupervised clustering and a discrimination-based kernel classifier to rank images based on their interest level.

Conflict of interest, tailored science, and responsibility of scientific institutions and journals.

PubMed

Ruff, Kathleen; Mirabelli, Dario

2014-11-01

Recent revelations have raised concerns on how conflicts of interest may involve even leading scientists and prestigious institutions and lead to bias in reporting and assessing scientific evidence. These have highlighted the need for action to safeguard scientific integrity and public health. The Italian Epidemiology Association has declared that the "biased and deliberately tailored use of the scientific evidence" by scientists with a conflict of interest serves to delay needed measures to prevent harm to public health from a polluting Italian steel plant's continuing chemical emissions. In France, unresolved concerns over conflict of interest forced the Centre for Research in Epidemiology and Public Health to cancel its imminent appointment of a prominent scientist as its Director. These negative events demonstrate the necessity for scientific institutions and journals to implement rigorous measures regarding conflict of interest and the safeguarding of scientific integrity and public health.

Conflict of interest policies and disclosure requirements among European Society of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Journals.

PubMed

Alfonso, Fernando; Timmis, Adam; Pinto, Fausto J; Ambrosio, Giuseppe; Ector, Hugo; Kulakowski, Piotr; Vardas, Panos

2012-04-01

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest (COI) is used by biomedical journals to guarantee credibility and transparency of the scientific process. Conflict of interest disclosure, however, is not systematically nor consistently dealt with by journals. Recent joint editorial efforts paved the way towards the implementation of uniform vehicles for COI disclosure. This paper provides a comprehensive editorial perspective on classical COI-related issues. New insights into the current COI policies and practices among European Society of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Journals, as derived from a cross-sectional survey using a standardised questionnaire, are discussed. Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier España.

Report on active and planned spacecraft and experiments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schofield, N. J., Jr.; Littlefield, R. G.; Elsen, M. F.

1985-01-01

This report provides the professional community with information on current and planned spacecraft activity (including both free-flying spacecraft and Shuttle-attached payloads) for a broad range of scientific disciplines. By providing a brief description of each spacecraft and experiment as well as its current status, it is hoped that this document will be useful to many people interested in the scientific, applied, and operational uses of the data collected. Furthermore, for those investigators who are planning or coordinating future observational programs employing a number of different techniques such as rockets, balloons, aircraft, ships, and buoys, this document can provide some insight into the contributions that may be provided by orbiting instruments. The document includes information concerning active and planned spacecraft and experiments. The information covers a wide range of scientific disciplines: astronomy, earth sciences, meteorology, planetary sciences, aeronomy, particles and fields, solar physics, life sciences, and material sciences. These spacecraft projects represent the efforts and funding of individual countries, as well as cooperative arrangements among different countries.

Financial conflicts of interest in science.

PubMed

Sax, Joanna K

2012-01-01

This Article proposes a new direction for addressing financial conflicts of interest, which plague biomedical research and threaten scientific integrity. This Article descriptively states the controversy surrounding financial conflicts of interest by explaining how these conflicts arise and the damage that can be created as a result. By describing the scientific process, the Article explains that changes to the academic environment may allow the public-private interaction to proceed, without creating the problems associated with financial conflicts of interest. Financial conflicts of interest are created when the profit-seeking motive of a private funding source unduly influences an academic scientist's primary responsibilities. The problem with financial conflicts of interest has grown since the passage of the Bayh-Dole Act in 1980. The cornerstone of current policies to address financial conflicts of interest is disclosure, which is inadequate and unsatisfying. The analysis herein changes the trajectory of current approaches in this area by proposing that an analysis of the underlying environment and behavior leading to conflicts of interest must be considered. This Article proposes the use of behavioral economics to craft a policy that effectively addresses conflicts of interest. To this end, this Article applies research from the field of psychology to understand both the environment of academic scientists as well as to begin to understand how academic scientists make decisions. Drawing on psychology literature, this article proposes that academic scientists may experience cognitive dissonance when faced with a situation in which a conflict of interest may arise. This helps to understand why an academic scientist may make a decision that creates a conflict of interest. In addition, this Article utilizes the results of an empirical study conducted by myself and a colleague. In this study, we asked faculty at five medical schools to respond to an anonymous survey containing hypothetical situations in which a conflict may arise. The combination of the psychology literature and our empirical study can provide support to the creation of new policies. Policy proposals include implementation of default rules, education, and changes to academic requirements. Furthermore, this Article considers ways to incentivize medical centers to implement effective policies as well as changes to intellectual property law.

Aeronautical Engineering and Aerospace Engineering: A Learner-Centered Teaching Perspective in Higher Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gohardani, Omid; Gohardani, Amir S.; Dokter, Erin; Macario, Kyla

2014-01-01

Teaching in the 21st century requires a modern teaching practice coherent with the evolutions of the Information Age. Interestingly, teaching practices have stretched beyond an art form and into the realm of science. Following these scientific trails, one can argue that one of the greatest challenges educators currently face is to maintain student…

On Modern Cosmology and Its Place in Science Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kragh, Helge

2011-01-01

Cosmology in its current meaning of the science of the universe is a topic that attracts as much popular as scientific interest. This paper argues that modern cosmology and its philosophical aspects should have a prominent place in science education. In the context of science teaching a partly historical approach is recommended, in particular an…

ICT and Inclusive Education: Attitudes of the Teachers in Secondary Education

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fernandez-Batanero, Jose Maria; Colmenero-Ruiz, Maria Jesus

2016-01-01

The inclusion and the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) configure a field of great scientific interest in the current society. In this context, the attitudes of the teachers towards the ICT play an important role. The present article gathers the results of a study whose purpose was to determine how a teacher will use and integrate…

NASA's SMD Cross-Forum Resources for Supporting Scientist Engagement in Education and Public Outreach Activities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buxner, S.; Cobabe-Ammann, E. A.; Hsu, B. C.; Sharma, M.; Peticolas, L. M.; Schwerin, T. G.; Shipp, S. S.; Smith, D.

2012-12-01

Sharing the excitement of ongoing scientific discoveries is an important aspect of scientific activity for researchers. Directly engaging scientists in education and public outreach (E/PO) activities has the benefit of directly connecting the public to those who engage in scientific activities. A shortage of training in education methods, public speaking, and working with various public audiences increases barriers to engaging scientists in these types in E/PO activities. NASA's Science Mission Directorate (SMD) Education and Public forums (astrophysics, earth science, heliophysics, and planetary science) support scientists currently involved in E/PO and who are interested in becoming involved in E/PO through a variety of avenues. Over the past three years, the forums have developed a variety of resources to help engage scientists in education and public outreach. We will showcase the following resources developed through the SMD E/PO cross-forum efforts: Professional development resources for writing NASA SMD E/PO proposals (webinars and other online tools), ongoing professional development at scientific conferences to increase scientist engagement in E/PO activities, toolkits for scientists interested in best practices in E/PO (online guides for K-12 education and public outreach), toolkits to inform scientists of science education resources developed within each scientific thematic community, EarthSpace (a community web space where instructors can find and share about teaching space and earth sciences in the undergraduate classroom, including class materials news and funding opportunities, and the latest education research, http://www.lpi.usra.edu/earthspace/), thematic resources for teaching about SMD science topics, and an online database of scientists interested in connecting with education programs. Learn more about the Forum and find resources at http://smdepo.org/.

New law requires 'medically accurate' lesson plans.

PubMed

1999-09-17

The California Legislature has passed a bill requiring all textbooks and materials used to teach about AIDS be medically accurate and objective. Statements made within the curriculum must be supported by research conducted in compliance with scientific methods, and published in peer-reviewed journals. Some of the current lesson plans were found to contain scientifically unsupported and biased information. In addition, the bill requires material to be "free of racial, ethnic, or gender biases." The legislation is supported by a wide range of interests, but opposed by the California Right to Life Education Fund, because they believe it discredits abstinence-only material.

Developing Marine Science Instructional Materials Using Integrated Scientist-Educator Collaborative Design Teams: A Discussion of Challenges and Success Developing Real Time Data Projects for the COOL Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McDonnell, J.; Duncan, R. G.; Glenn, S.

2007-12-01

Current reforms in science education place increasing demands on teachers and students to engage not only with scientific content but also to develop an understanding of the nature of scientific inquiry (AAAS, 1993; NRC, 1996). Teachers are expected to engage students with authentic scientific practices including posing questions, conducting observations, analyzing data, developing explanations and arguing about them using evidence. This charge is challenging for many reasons most notably the difficulty in obtaining meaningful data about complex scientific phenomena that can be used to address relevant scientific questions that are interesting and understandable to K-12 students. We believe that ocean sciences provide an excellent context for fostering scientific inquiry in the classroom. Of particular interest are the technological and scientific advances of Ocean Observing Systems, which allow scientists to continuously interact with instruments, facilities, and other scientists to explore the earth-ocean- atmosphere system remotely. Oceanographers are making long-term measurements that can also resolve episodic oceanic processes on a wide range of spatial and temporal scales crucial to resolving scientific questions related to Earth's climate, geodynamics, and marine ecosystems. The availability of a diverse array of large data sets that are easily accessible provides a unique opportunity to develop inquiry-based learning environments in which students can explore many important questions that reflect current research trends in ocean sciences. In addition, due to the interdisciplinary nature of the ocean sciences these data sets can be used to examine ocean phenomena from a chemical, physical, or biological perspective; making them particularly useful for science teaching across the disciplines. In this session we will describe some of the efforts of the Centers for Ocean Sciences Education Excellence- Mid Atlantic (COSEE MA) to develop instructional materials, in which students use real-time-data (RTD) to generate explanations about important ocean phenomena. We will discuss our use of an Instructional Design Model (Gauge 1987) to: 1) assess our audience need, 2) develop an effective collaborative design team, 3) develop and evaluate the instructional product, and 4) implement professional development designed to familiarize teachers with oceans sciences as a context for scientific inquiry.

Exploring Greenland: science and technology in Cold War settings.

PubMed

Heymann, Matthias; Knudsen, Henrik; Lolck, Maiken L; Nielsen, Henry; Nielsen, Kristian H; Ries, Christopher J

2010-01-01

This paper explores a vacant spot in the Cold War history of science: the development of research activities in the physical environmental sciences and in nuclear science and technology in Greenland. In the post-war period, scientific exploration of the polar areas became a strategically important element in American and Soviet defence policy. Particularly geophysical fields like meteorology, geology, seismology, oceanography, and others profited greatly from military interest. While Denmark maintained formal sovereignty over Greenland, research activities were strongly dominated by U.S. military interests. This paper sets out to summarize the limited current state of knowledge about activities in the environmental physical sciences in Greenland and their entanglement with military, geopolitical, and colonial interests of both the USA and Denmark. We describe geophysical research in the Cold War in Greenland as a multidimensional colonial endeavour. In a period of decolonization after World War II, Greenland, being a Danish colony, became additionally colonized by the American military. Concurrently, in a period of emerging scientific internationalism, the U.S. military "colonized" geophysical research in the Arctic, which increasingly became subject to military directions, culture, and rules.

Science Autonomy in Robotic Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roush, Ted L.; DeVincenzi, Donald (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Historical mission operations have involved: (1) return of scientific data; (2) evaluation of these data by scientists; (3) recommendations for future mission activity by scientists; (4) commands for these transmitted to the craft; and (5) the activity being undertaken. This cycle is repeated throughout the mission with command opportunities once or twice per day. For a rover, this historical cycle is not amenable to rapid long range traverses or rapid response to any novel or unexpected situations. In addition to real-time response issues, imaging and/or spectroscopic devices can produce tremendous data volumes during a traverse. However, such data volumes can rapidly exceed on-board memory capabilities prior to the ability to transmit it to Earth. Additionally, the necessary communication band-widths are restrictive enough so that only a small portion of these data can actually be returned to Earth. Such scenarios suggest enabling some science decisions to be made on-board the robots. These decisions involve automating various aspects of scientific discovery instead of the electromechanical control, health, and navigation issues associated with robotic operations. The robot retains access to the full data fidelity obtained by its scientific sensors, and is in the best position to implement actions based upon these data. Such an approach would eventually enable the robot to alter observations and assure only the highest quality data is obtained for analysis. Additionally, the robot can begin to understand what is scientifically interesting and implement alternative observing sequences, because the observed data deviate from expectations based upon current theories/models of planetary processes. Such interesting data and/or conclusions can then be prioritized and selectively transmitted to Earth; reducing memory and communications demands. Results of Ames' current work in this area will be presented.

Robotic Exploration: The Role of Science Autonomy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roush, Ted L.; DeVincenzi, Donald (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Historical mission operations have involved: (1) return of scientific data; (2) evaluation of these data by scientists; (3) recommendations for future mission activity by scientists; (4) commands for these transmitted to the craft; and (5) the activity being, undertaken. This cycle is repeated throughout the mission with command opportunities once or twice per day. For a rover, this historical cycle is not amenable to rapid long range traverses or rapid response to any novel or unexpected situations. In addition to real-time response issues, imaging and/or spectroscopic devices can produce tremendous data volumes during a traverse. However, such data volumes can rapidly exceed on-board memory capabilities prior to the ability to transmit it to Earth. Additionally, the necessary communication band-widths are restrictive enough so that only a small portion of these data can actually be returned to Earth. Such scenarios suggest enabling some science decisions to be made on-board the robots. These decisions involve automating various aspects of scientific discovery instead of the electromechanical control, health, and navigation issues associated with robotic operations. The robot retains access to the full data fidelity obtained by its scientific sensors, and is in the best position to implement actions based upon these data. Such an approach would eventually enable the robot to alter observations and assure only the highest quality data is obtained for analysis. Additionally, the robot can begin to understand what is scientifically interesting and implement alternative observing sequences, because the observed data deviate from expectations based upon current theories/models of planetary processes. Such interesting data and/or conclusions can then be prioritized and selectively transmitted to Earth; reducing memory and communications demands. Results of Ames' current work in this area will be presented.

Conducting Scientific Research on Learning and Health Behavior Change with Computer-Based Health Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mayer, Richard E.; Lieberman, Debra A.

2011-01-01

This article is a guide for researchers interested in assessing the effectiveness of serious computer-based games (or video games, digital games, or electronic games) intended to improve health and health care. It presents a definition of health games, a rationale for their use, an overview of the current state of research, and recommendations for…

Sand and Dust on Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Greeley, Ronald; Haberle, Robert M.

1991-01-01

Mars is a planet of high scientific interest. Various studies are currently being made that involve vehicles that have landed on Mars. Because Mars is known to experience frequent wind storms, mission planners and engineers require knowledge of the physical and chemical properties of Martian windblown sand and dust, and the processes involved in the origin and evolution of sand and dust storms.

Ethics in research: current issues for dental researchers and their professional society.

PubMed

Frankel, M S

1994-11-01

Values associated with scientific investigations affect the conduct, evaluation, and reporting of research and lead to ethical issues for scientists engaged in dental research. This essay examines the relationship between scientists and the larger society in which they work, and how that relationship defines the boundaries of scientific freedom and autonomy, on the one hand, and scientific responsibility and accountability, on the other. Values underlie disputes over data sharing, perceptions of conflict of interest, and scientists' commitment to research integrity. Professional societies, such as the IADR, can be a major influence in shaping the moral tone and ethical climate for research through the adoption of standards, the development of educational programs designed to reinforce those standards, and the public recognition of responsible conduct on the part of scientists.

Thomson Scientific's expanding Web of Knowledge: beyond citation databases and current awareness services.

PubMed

London, Sue; Brahmi, Frances A

2005-01-01

As end-user demand for easy access to electronic full text continues to climb, an increasing number of information providers are combining that access with their other products and services, making navigating their Web sites by librarians seeking information on a given product or service more daunting than ever. One such provider of a complex array of products and services is Thomson Scientific. This paper looks at some of the many products and tools available from two of Thomson Scientific's businesses, Thomson ISI and Thomson ResearchSoft. Among the items of most interest to health sciences and veterinary librarians and their users are the variety of databases available via the ISI Web of Knowledge platform and the information management products available from ResearchSoft.

[Communication of scientific fraud].

PubMed

Zeitoun, Jean-David; Rouquette, Sébastien

2012-09-01

There is for a scientific journal several levels of communication depending of the degree of suspicion or certainty of a case of error or fraud. The task is increasingly difficult for journal editors as disclosed cases of fraud are more common and scientific communication on this topic is growing. Biomedical fraud is fairly little reported by the mainstream press and causes of this low interest are not currently well understood. The difficulty of processing this type of news for journalists appears to be one possible reason. The potentially numerous and significant consequences of fraud on health professionals are poorly documented. Though it is likely to cause a feeling of distrust and create controversy, the impact of fraud on the general public is poorly studied and appears multifactorial. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The origin of scientific neurology and its consequences for modern and future neuroscience.

PubMed

Steinberg, David A

2014-01-01

John Hughlings Jackson (1835-1911) created a science of brain function that, in scope and profundity, is among the great scientific discoveries of the 19th century. It is interesting that the magnitude of his achievement is not completely recognized even among his ardent admirers. Although thousands of practitioners around the world use the clinical applications of his science every day, the principles from which bedside neurology is derived have broader consequences-for modern and future science-that remain unrecognized and unexploited. This paper summarizes the scientific formalism that created modern neurology, demonstrates how its direct implications affect a current area of neuroscientific research, and indicates how Hughlings Jackson's ideas form a path toward a novel solution to an important open problem of the brain and mind.

[Pathological gambling and computergame-addiction. Current state of research regarding two subtypes of behavioural addiction].

PubMed

Wölfling, K; Müller, K W

2010-04-01

Behavioral addictions, like pathological gambling and computer game addiction (or internet addiction), have become a growing concern in research and public interest. Currently similarities between behavioral addictions and substance dependency are controversially discussed in the scientific community. Unfortunately a mismatch exists between the large number of people seeking treatment and the small number of scientific studies on pathological gambling and computer game addiction. Prevalence of pathological gambling among the German population is estimated to be 0.2-0.5%. These estimations are comparable to prevalence rates reported for drug dependency. Latest research states that about 3% of German adolescents and young adults are believed to suffer from computer game addiction. Therefore, it is important to enhance investigations regarding the clinical and neuroscientific basis of computer game addiction. This review offers a summary of current results of research regarding pathological gambling and internet addiction. The phenomenological description of these two disorders is meant to allow a deeper understanding of behavioral addictions.

Conflict of interest policies and disclosure requirements among European Society of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Journals.

PubMed

Alfonso, Fernando; Timmis, Adam; Pinto, Fausto J; Ambrosio, Giuseppe; Ector, Hugo; Kulakowski, Piotr; Vardas, Panos

2012-06-01

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest (COI) is used by biomedical journals to guarantee credibility and transparency of the scientific process. COI disclosure, however, is not systematically nor consistently dealt with by journals. Recent joint editorial efforts paved the way towards the implementation of uniform vehicles for COI disclosure. This paper provides a comprehensive editorial perspective on classical COI-related issues. New insights into current COI policies and practices among European Society of Cardiology national cardiovascular journals, as derived from a cross-sectional survey using a standardised questionnaire, are discussed.

Conflict of interest policies and disclosure requirements among European Society of Cardiology national cardiovascular journals.

PubMed

Alfonso, Fernando; Timmis, Adam; Pinto, Fausto J; Ambrosio, Giuseppe; Ector, Hugo; Kulakowski, Piotr; Vardas, Panos

2012-01-01

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest (COI) is used by biomedical journals to guarantee the credibility and transparency of the scientific process. COI disclosure, however, is not systematically nor consistently dealt with by journals. Recent joint editorial efforts paved the way towards the implementation of uniform vehicles for COI disclosure. This paper provides a comprehensive editorial perspective on classical COI-related issues. New insights into current COI policies and practices among European Society of Cardiology national cardiovascular journals, as derived from a cross-sectional survey using a standardised questionnaire, are discussed.

Conflicts of interest policies and disclosure requirements among European Society of Cardiology national cardiovascular journals.

PubMed

Alfonso, Fernando; Timmis, Adam; Pinto, Fausto J; Ambrosio, Giuseppe; Ector, Hugo; Kulakowski, Piotr; Vardas, Panos

2012-06-01

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest (COI) is used by biomedical journals to guarantee credibility and transparency of the scientific process. COI disclosure, however, is neither systematically nor consistently dealt with by journals. Recent joint editorial efforts paved the way towards the implementation of uniform vehicles for COI disclosure. This article provides a comprehensive editorial perspective on classical COI-related issues. New insights into current COI policies and practices among European Society of Cardiology national cardiovascular journals, as derived from a cross-sectional survey using a standardized questionnaire, are discussed.

Conflict of interest policies and disclosure requirements among European Society of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Journals.

PubMed

Alfonso, Fernando; Timmis, Adam; Pinto, Fausto J; Ambrosio, Giuseppe; Ector, Hugo; Kulakowski, Piotr; Vardas, Panos

2012-04-01

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest (COI) is used by biomedical journals to guarantee credibility and transparency of the scientific process. COI disclosure, however, is not systematically nor consistently dealt with by journals. Recent joint editorial efforts paved the way towards the implementation of uniform vehicles for COI disclosure. This paper provides a comprehensive editorial perspective on classical COI-related issues. New insights into current COI policies and practices among European Society of Cardiology national cardiovascular journals, as derived from a cross-sectional survey using a standardised questionnaire, are discussed.

[Conflict of interest policies and disclosure requirements among European Society of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Journals].

PubMed

Alfonso, Fernando; Timmis, Adam; Pinto, Fausto J; Ambrosio, Giuseppe; Ector, Hugo; Kulakowski, Piotr; Vardas, Panos

2012-04-01

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest (COI) is used by biomedical journals to guarantee credibility and transparency of the scientific process. COI disclosure, however, is not systematically nor consistently dealt with by journals. Recent joint editorial efforts paved the way towards the implementation of uniform vehicles for COI disclosure. This paper provides a comprehensive editorial perspective on classical COI-related issues. New insights into current COI policies and practices among European Society of Cardiology national cardiovascular journals, as derived from a cross-sectional survey using a standardised questionnaire, are discussed.

Conflict of interest policies and disclosure requirements among European Society of Cardiology National Cardiovascular Journals.

PubMed

Alfonso, Fernando; Timmis, Adam; Pinto, Fausto J; Ambrosio, Giuseppe; Ector, Hugo; Kulakowski, Piotr; Vardas, Panos

2012-01-01

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest (COI) is used by biomedical journals to guarantee credibility and transparency of the scientific process. COI disclosure, however, is not systematically nor consistently dealt with by journals. Recent joint editorial efforts paved the way towards the implementation of uniform vehicles for COI disclosure. This paper provides a comprehensive editorial perspective on classical COI-related issues. New insights into current COI policies and practices among European Society of Cardiology national cardiovascular journals, as derived from a cross-sectional survey using a standardised questionnaire, are discussed.

Why Most Published Research Findings Are False

PubMed Central

Ioannidis, John P. A.

2005-01-01

Summary There is increasing concern that most current published research findings are false. The probability that a research claim is true may depend on study power and bias, the number of other studies on the same question, and, importantly, the ratio of true to no relationships among the relationships probed in each scientific field. In this framework, a research finding is less likely to be true when the studies conducted in a field are smaller; when effect sizes are smaller; when there is a greater number and lesser preselection of tested relationships; where there is greater flexibility in designs, definitions, outcomes, and analytical modes; when there is greater financial and other interest and prejudice; and when more teams are involved in a scientific field in chase of statistical significance. Simulations show that for most study designs and settings, it is more likely for a research claim to be false than true. Moreover, for many current scientific fields, claimed research findings may often be simply accurate measures of the prevailing bias. In this essay, I discuss the implications of these problems for the conduct and interpretation of research. PMID:16060722

Quantity and unit extraction for scientific and technical intelligence analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

David, Peter; Hawes, Timothy

2017-05-01

Scientific and Technical (S and T) intelligence analysts consume huge amounts of data to understand how scientific progress and engineering efforts affect current and future military capabilities. One of the most important types of information S and T analysts exploit is the quantities discussed in their source material. Frequencies, ranges, size, weight, power, and numerous other properties and measurements describing the performance characteristics of systems and the engineering constraints that define them must be culled from source documents before quantified analysis can begin. Automating the process of finding and extracting the relevant quantities from a wide range of S and T documents is difficult because information about quantities and their units is often contained in unstructured text with ad hoc conventions used to convey their meaning. Currently, even simple tasks, such as searching for documents discussing RF frequencies in a band of interest, is a labor intensive and error prone process. This research addresses the challenges facing development of a document processing capability that extracts quantities and units from S and T data, and how Natural Language Processing algorithms can be used to overcome these challenges.

Diabetic Cardiomyopathy: Bench to Bedside

PubMed Central

Schilling, Joel D.; Mann, Douglas L.

2012-01-01

The study of diabetic cardiomyopathy (diabetic CM) is an area of significant interest given the strong association between diabetes and the risk of heart failure. Many unanswered questions remain regarding the clinical definition and pathogenesis of this metabolic cardiomyopathy. This article reviews the current understanding of diabetic CM with a particular emphasis on the unresolved issues that have limited translation of scientific discovery to patient bedside. PMID:22999244

Machine learning techniques for breast cancer computer aided diagnosis using different image modalities: A systematic review.

PubMed

Yassin, Nisreen I R; Omran, Shaimaa; El Houby, Enas M F; Allam, Hemat

2018-03-01

The high incidence of breast cancer in women has increased significantly in the recent years. Physician experience of diagnosing and detecting breast cancer can be assisted by using some computerized features extraction and classification algorithms. This paper presents the conduction and results of a systematic review (SR) that aims to investigate the state of the art regarding the computer aided diagnosis/detection (CAD) systems for breast cancer. The SR was conducted using a comprehensive selection of scientific databases as reference sources, allowing access to diverse publications in the field. The scientific databases used are Springer Link (SL), Science Direct (SD), IEEE Xplore Digital Library, and PubMed. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were defined and applied to each retrieved work to select those of interest. From 320 studies retrieved, 154 studies were included. However, the scope of this research is limited to scientific and academic works and excludes commercial interests. This survey provides a general analysis of the current status of CAD systems according to the used image modalities and the machine learning based classifiers. Potential research studies have been discussed to create a more objective and efficient CAD systems. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Scientific Internationalism and the Weimar Physicists: The Ideology and Its Manipulation in Germany after World War I

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forman, Paul

The following sections are included: * INTRODUCTION * THE IDEOLOGY OF SCIENTIFIC INTERNATIONALISM * THE UNIVERSALITY OF SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE * SCIENCE AS A MACHT-ERSATZ * SCIENCE AS A POLITICAL INSTRUMENT - KULTURPOLITIK * THE ANTI-POLITICAL AND "MANDARIN" IDEOLOGIES * THE SUBORDINATION OF THE INTERESTS OF SCIENCE TO THE INTERESTS OF THE NATION * UNOFFICIAL INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC RELATIONS-PRECONDITIONS FOR INTRANSIGENCE

Public understanding of science and the perception of nanotechnology: the roles of interest in science, methodological knowledge, epistemological beliefs, and beliefs about science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Retzbach, Andrea; Marschall, Joachim; Rahnke, Marion; Otto, Lukas; Maier, Michaela

2011-12-01

In this article, we report data from an online questionnaire study with 587 respondents, representative for the adult U.S. population in terms of age, gender, and level of education. The aim of this study was to assess how interest in science and knowledge as well as beliefs about science are associated with risk and benefit perceptions of nanotechnology. The findings suggest that the U.S. public is still rather unfamiliar with nanotechnology. Those who have some knowledge mainly have gotten it from TV and the Internet. The content of current media reports is perceived as fairly positive. Knowledge of scientific methods is unrelated to benefit and risk perceptions, at least when other predictors are controlled. In contrast, positive beliefs about science (e.g., its impact on economy or health) and more sophisticated epistemological beliefs about the nature of scientific knowledge are moderately linked to more positive perceptions of nanotechnology. The only exception is the perception of scientific uncertainty: This is associated with less positive evaluations. Finally, higher engagement with science is associated with higher risk perceptions. These findings show that laypersons who are engaged with science and who are aware of the inherent uncertainty of scientific evidence might perceive nanotechnology in a somewhat more differentiated way, contrary to how it is portrayed in the media today.

How the early voltage clamp studies of José del Castillo inform "modern" neuroscience.

PubMed

Zottoli, Steven J

2012-10-01

The description of ionic currents that flow across the membrane of the squid giant axon during an action potential sparked an interest in determining whether there were similar currents in vertebrates. The preparation of choice was the node of Ranvier in single myelinated fibers in frog. José del Castillo spent 3 years on the United States mainland from 1956 to 1959. During that time, he collaborated with Jerome Y. Lettvin and John W. Moore. I discuss how these individuals met one another and some of their scientific discoveries using the voltage clamp to study squid giant axons and frog nodes. Much of this work was conducted at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA, and I attempt to convey a sense of the unique scientific "melting pot" that existed at the Marine Biological Laboratory and the broader effect that del Castillo had on "modern" neuroscience.

Undergraduate Psychology's Scientific Identity Dilemma: Student and Instructor Interests and Attitudes

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Holmes, Jeffrey D.

2014-01-01

Could the same interests that draw many students to psychology also predict departure from the major? I present a comparison of students and instructors with respect to professional interests and views of the scientific nature of psychology (Study 1) and an examination of the link between student interests and persistence in the major (Study 2).…

Conflicts of Interest in Scientific Research Related to Regulation or Litigation

PubMed Central

Resnik, David B.

2009-01-01

This article examines conflicts of interest in the context of scientific research related to regulation or litigation. The article defines conflicts of interest, considers how conflicts of interest can impact research, and discusses different strategies for dealing with conflicts of interest. While it is not realistic to expect that scientific research related to regulation or litigation will ever be free from conflicts of interest, society should consider taking some practical steps to minimize the impact of these conflicts, such as requiring full disclosure of information required for independent evaluation of research, prohibiting financial relationships between regulatory agencies and the companies they regulate, and banning payments to expert witnesses for specific research results, testimony or legal outcomes. PMID:19554198

Pornography, sex crime, and paraphilia.

PubMed

Fisher, William A; Kohut, Taylor; Di Gioacchino, Lisha A; Fedoroff, Paul

2013-06-01

The current paper reviews research findings concerning the association of pornography with sexual violence and paraphilic interests. Little clarity concerning the causal impact of pornography on sexual aggression or child-oriented sexual behavior has been achieved in the scientific literature. Laboratory experimentation demonstrates that violent pornography may contribute to antiwoman aggression, but the artificiality and constraints of the experimental setting severely limit generalization of these findings to real-world situations, and observational studies in natural settings consistently find no association or an inverse association of pornography with sexual aggression. In addition, although pedophiles often use child pornography, the causal impact of child pornography on child sexual offending is not conclusive. The current analysis considers the confluence of predisposing factors and pornography use as issues requiring clinical judgment in the reduction of sexual aggression and management of paraphilic interest in children.

Beyond borders: on the influence of the creationist movement on the educational landscape in the USA and Russia.

PubMed

Watts, Elizabeth; Hossfeld, Uwe; Tolstikova, Irina; Levit, Georgy S

2017-06-01

This paper provides a detailed look at how creationism originated in the United States and then explores how this evangelical trend was exported to Russia by American missionaries following the fall of the USSR. The comparison between these two countries is particularly interesting since the rivalry between the US and the USSR during the race to space caused both countries to revamp their science education. Yet, while political interests led both governments to focus on science education, creationist activities were simultaneously focused on diminishing the coverage of evolution in science classrooms. Now, decades following Sputnik's trip to space, the urgency to strengthen scientific learning has waned, while creationists are still equally focused on removing scientific naturalism in favor of supernatural explanations for the origin of species. This paper thus offers an in-depth look at which groups are currently responsible for promoting creationist activities in the US and in Russia and which groups are working hard to keep supernatural doctrines out of science curriculum.

The "participating victim" in the study of erotic experiences between children and adults: an historical analysis.

PubMed

Malón, Agustín

2011-02-01

During the 20th century, erotic experiences between minors and adults occupied a position of increasing interest, both public as well as scientific. In this area of research, one of the most notable evolutions in how these experiences are treated has been the progressive disappearance and/or the intense redefinition of what earlier researchers called "participating victims," i.e., minors apparently interested in accepting and/or sustaining these relationships. The present work, through a comparative analysis of the literature, seeks to substantiate this transformation during the second third of the 20th century. It will also argue that this evolution can be fundamentally explained in terms of the intense emotional, moral, and ideological importance that is ascribed to these experiences in the rise of the current victimological paradigm. Finally, this study endeavors to contribute to the understanding of childhood and the scientific study of child sexuality as well as of these experiences with adults.

[Presence of the biomedical periodicals of Hungarian editions in international databases].

PubMed

Vasas, Lívia; Hercsel, Imréné

2006-01-15

Presence of the biomedical periodicals of Hungarian editions in international databases. The majority of Hungarian scientific results in medical and related sciences are published in scientific periodicals of foreign edition with high impact factor (IF) values, and they appear in international scientific literature in foreign languages. In this study the authors dealt with the presence and registered citation in international databases of those periodicals only, which had been published in Hungary and/or in cooperation with foreign publishing companies. The examination went back to year 1980 and covered a 25-year long period. 110 periodicals were selected for more detailed examination. The authors analyzed the situation of the current periodicals in the three most often visited databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science), and discovered, that the biomedical scientific periodicals of Hungarian interests were not represented with reasonable emphasis in the relevant international bibliographic databases. Because of the great number of data the scientific literature of medicine and related sciences could not be represented in its entirety, this publication, however, might give useful information for the inquirers, and call the attention of the competent people.

ONRASIA Scientific Information Bulletin. Volume 8, Number 3, July- September 1993

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-09-01

the Ninth Symposium on Preconditioned Conjugate Dr. Steven F. Ashby Gradient Methods , which he organized. Computing Sciences Department Computing...ditioned Conjugate Gradient Methods , held at Keio chines and is currently a topic of considerable University (Yokohama). During this meeting, I interest...in the United States. In Japan, on the other discussed iterative methods for linear systems with hand, this technique does not appear to be too well

A Possible Future for Space-Based Interferometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Labadie, L.; Leger, A.; Malbet, F.; Danchi, William C.; Lopez, B.

2013-01-01

We address the question of space interferometry following the recent outcome of the science themes selection by ESA for the L2/L3 missions slots. We review the current context of exoplanetary sciences and its impact for an interferometric mission. We argue that space interferometry will make a major step forward when the scientific communities interested in this technique will merge their efforts into a coherent technology development plan.

Propagation Of Sound In Curved Ducts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rostafinski, Wojciech

1992-01-01

Monograph presents concise, comprehensive summary of knowledge of propagation of acoustic waves in ducts and pipes including bends. Pulls together information from Lord Rayleigh's book Theory Of Sound, published in 1878, and from 33 papers scattered throughout various scientific journals published between 1945 and 1989. Monograph useful to scientists and engineers interested in such diverse topics as musical instruments, air-conditioning ducts, and jet engines. Material not available in current texts.

The United States of America and scientific research.

PubMed

Hather, Gregory J; Haynes, Winston; Higdon, Roger; Kolker, Natali; Stewart, Elizabeth A; Arzberger, Peter; Chain, Patrick; Field, Dawn; Franza, B Robert; Lin, Biaoyang; Meyer, Folker; Ozdemir, Vural; Smith, Charles V; van Belle, Gerald; Wooley, John; Kolker, Eugene

2010-08-16

To gauge the current commitment to scientific research in the United States of America (US), we compared federal research funding (FRF) with the US gross domestic product (GDP) and industry research spending during the past six decades. In order to address the recent globalization of scientific research, we also focused on four key indicators of research activities: research and development (R&D) funding, total science and engineering doctoral degrees, patents, and scientific publications. We compared these indicators across three major population and economic regions: the US, the European Union (EU) and the People's Republic of China (China) over the past decade. We discovered a number of interesting trends with direct relevance for science policy. The level of US FRF has varied between 0.2% and 0.6% of the GDP during the last six decades. Since the 1960s, the US FRF contribution has fallen from twice that of industrial research funding to roughly equal. Also, in the last two decades, the portion of the US government R&D spending devoted to research has increased. Although well below the US and the EU in overall funding, the current growth rate for R&D funding in China greatly exceeds that of both. Finally, the EU currently produces more science and engineering doctoral graduates and scientific publications than the US in absolute terms, but not per capita. This study's aim is to facilitate a serious discussion of key questions by the research community and federal policy makers. In particular, our results raise two questions with respect to: a) the increasing globalization of science: "What role is the US playing now, and what role will it play in the future of international science?"; and b) the ability to produce beneficial innovations for society: "How will the US continue to foster its strengths?"

Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop

ScienceCinema

None

2018-05-23

The Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop - organized by the CERN/EN-STI group on behalf of n_TOF Collaboration - will be held at CERN, Geneva (Switzerland) from 30 August to 2 September 2010 inclusive. EFNUDAT website: http://www.efnudat.euTopics of interest include: Data evaluation Cross section measurements Experimental techniques Uncertainties and covariances Fission properties Current and future facilities ; International Advisory Committee: C. Barreau (CENBG, France)T. Belgya (IKI KFKI, Hungary)E. Gonzalez (CIEMAT, Spain)F. Gunsing (CEA, France)F.-J. Hambsch (IRMM, Belgium)A. Junghans (FZD, Germany)R. Nolte (PTB, Germany)S. Pomp (TSL UU, Sweden) ;Workshop Organizing Committee: Enrico Chiaveri (Chairman)Marco Calviani Samuel Andriamonje Eric Berthoumieux Carlos Guerrero Roberto Losito Vasilis Vlachoudis;Workshop Assistant: Geraldine Jean

Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop

ScienceCinema

None

2018-06-20

The Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop - organized by the CERN/EN-STI group on behalf of n_TOF Collaboration - will be held at CERN, Geneva (Switzerland) from 30 August to 2 September 2010 inclusive. EFNUDAT website: http://www.efnudat.eu. Topics of interest include: Data evaluation, Cross section measurements, Experimental techniques, Uncertainties and covariances, Fission properties, and Current and future facilities. International Advisory Committee: C. Barreau (CENBG, France), T. Belgya (IKI KFKI, Hungary), E. Gonzalez (CIEMAT, Spain), F. Gunsing (CEA, France), F.-J. Hambsch (IRMM, Belgium), A. Junghans (FZD, Germany), R. Nolte (PTB, Germany)S. Pomp (TSL UU, Sweden) Workshop Organizing Committee: Enrico Chiaveri (Chairman), Marco Calviani, Samuel Andriamonje, Eric Berthoumieux, Carlos Guerrero, Roberto Losito, Vasilis Vlachoudis. Workshop Assistant: Geraldine Jean

Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop

ScienceCinema

Garbil, Roger

2018-04-16

The Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop - organized by the CERN/EN-STI group on behalf of n_TOF Collaboration - will be held at CERN, Geneva (Switzerland) from 30 August to 2 September 2010 inclusive. EFNUDAT website: http://www.efnudat.eu. Topics of interest include: Data evaluation; Cross section measurements; Experimental techniques; Uncertainties and covariances; Fission properties; Current and future facilities. International Advisory Committee: C. Barreau (CENBG, France)T. Belgya (IKI KFKI, Hungary)E. Gonzalez (CIEMAT, Spain)F. Gunsing (CEA, France)F.-J. Hambsch (IRMM, Belgium)A. Junghans (FZD, Germany)R. Nolte (PTB, Germany)S. Pomp (TSL UU, Sweden). Workshop Organizing Committee: Enrico Chiaveri (Chairman); Marco Calviani; Samuel Andriamonje; Eric Berthoumieux; Carlos Guerrero; Roberto Losito; Vasilis Vlachoudis; Workshop Assistant: Geraldine Jean

Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop

ScienceCinema

Lantz, Mattias; Neudecker, Denise

2018-05-25

Part 5 of The Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop - organized by the CERN/EN-STI group on behalf of n_TOF Collaboration - will be held at CERN, Geneva (Switzerland) from 30 August to 2 September 2010 inclusive. EFNUDAT website: http://www.efnudat.euTopics of interest include: Data evaluation Cross section measurements Experimental techniques Uncertainties and covariances Fission properties Current and future facilities International Advisory Committee: C. Barreau (CENBG, France) T. Belgya (IKI KFKI, Hungary)E. Gonzalez (CIEMAT, Spain) F. Gunsing (CEA, France)F.-J. Hambsch (IRMM, Belgium) A. Junghans (FZD, Germany) R. Nolte (PTB, Germany) S. Pomp (TSL UU, Sweden) Workshop Organizing Committee: Enrico Chiaveri (Chairman)Marco Calviani Samuel Andriamonje Eric Berthoumieux Carlos Guerrero Roberto Losito Vasilis Vlachoudis Workshop Assistant: Geraldine Jean

Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop

ScienceCinema

Wilson, J.N.

2018-05-24

Part 7 of The Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop - organized by the CERN/EN-STI group on behalf of n_TOF Collaboration - will be held at CERN, Geneva (Switzerland) from 30 August to 2 September 2010 inclusive.EFNUDAT website: http://www.efnudat.euTopics of interest include: Data evaluation; Cross section measurements; Experimental techniques; Uncertainties and covariances; Fission properties; Current and future facilities;International Advisory Committee: C. Barreau (CENBG, France) T. Belgya (IKI KFKI, Hungary) E. Gonzalez (CIEMAT, Spain) F. Gunsing (CEA, France) F.-J. Hambsch (IRMM, Belgium) A. Junghans (FZD, Germany) R. Nolte (PTB, Germany) S. Pomp (TSL UU, Sweden) Workshop Organizing Committee: Enrico Chiaveri (Chairman) Marco Calviani Samuel Andriamonje Eric Berthoumieux Carlos Guerrero Roberto Losito Vasilis Vlachoudis Workshop Assistant: Geraldine Jean.

Capturing Petascale Application Characteristics with the Sequoia Toolkit

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vetter, Jeffrey S; Bhatia, Nikhil; Grobelny, Eric M

2005-01-01

Characterization of the computation, communication, memory, and I/O demands of current scientific applications is crucial for identifying which technologies will enable petascale scientific computing. In this paper, we present the Sequoia Toolkit for characterizing HPC applications. The Sequoia Toolkit consists of the Sequoia trace capture library and the Sequoia Event Analysis Library, or SEAL, that facilitates the development of tools for analyzing Sequoia event traces. Using the Sequoia Toolkit, we have characterized the behavior of application runs with up to 2048 application processes. To illustrate the use of the Sequoia Toolkit, we present a preliminary characterization of LAMMPS, a molecularmore » dynamics application of great interest to the computational biology community.« less

Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop

ScienceCinema

None

2018-05-24

The Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop - organized by the CERN/EN-STI group on behalf of n_TOF Collaboration - will be held at CERN, Geneva (Switzerland) from 30 August to 2 September 2010 inclusive. EFNUDAT website: http://www.efnudat.eu. Topics of interest include: Data evaluation; Cross section measurements; Experimental techniques; Uncertainties and covariances; Fission properties; Current and future facilities. International Advisory Committee: C. Barreau (CENBG, France) T. Belgya (IKI KFKI, Hungary) E. Gonzalez (CIEMAT, Spain) F. Gunsing (CEA, France) F.-J. Hambsch (IRMM, Belgium)A. Junghans (FZD, Germany) R. Nolte (PTB, Germany) S. Pomp (TSL UU, Sweden) & Workshop Organizing Committee: Enrico Chiaveri (Chairman)Marco Calviani Samuel Andriamonje Eric Berthoumieux Carlos Guerrero Roberto Losito Vasilis Vlachoudis; Workshop Assistant: Geraldine Jean

How can ethics relate to science? The case of stem cell research

PubMed Central

Carvalho, Ana Sofia; Ramalho-Santos, João

2013-01-01

We live in an era of an important turning point in the relationship between ethics (or, more accurately, bioethics) and science, notably due to both public interest and the gradual tightening of the gap in time between scientific discoveries and ethical reflection. The current bioethics debates of emerging situations (pluripotent stem cells, gene therapy, nanotechnology) have undoubtedly contributed to this change. Today, science happens and bioethics reflects on the possibilities, considers the risks, and advances proposals, which, without being scientific, can also imprint a mark on the path of scientific development. In this article, through the narrative of stem cell research, we will try to illustrate how bringing a bioethical viewpoint to the scientific debate can become a healthy exercise in both ethics and science, especially as narratives shift, as was the case in this field due to the introduction of induced pluripotent stem cells, the advent of which is not easily dissociated from the controversies related to embryo research. We should perhaps welcome this trend as promising for the future relationship between ethics and scientific research, providing a stimulus (and not a block) to the ever-evolving scientific discourse. PMID:23150079

How can ethics relate to science? The case of stem cell research.

PubMed

Carvalho, Ana Sofia; Ramalho-Santos, João

2013-06-01

We live in an era of an important turning point in the relationship between ethics (or, more accurately, bioethics) and science, notably due to both public interest and the gradual tightening of the gap in time between scientific discoveries and ethical reflection. The current bioethics debates of emerging situations (pluripotent stem cells, gene therapy, nanotechnology) have undoubtedly contributed to this change. Today, science happens and bioethics reflects on the possibilities, considers the risks, and advances proposals, which, without being scientific, can also imprint a mark on the path of scientific development. In this article, through the narrative of stem cell research, we will try to illustrate how bringing a bioethical viewpoint to the scientific debate can become a healthy exercise in both ethics and science, especially as narratives shift, as was the case in this field due to the introduction of induced pluripotent stem cells, the advent of which is not easily dissociated from the controversies related to embryo research. We should perhaps welcome this trend as promising for the future relationship between ethics and scientific research, providing a stimulus (and not a block) to the ever-evolving scientific discourse.

Financial and non-financial conflicts of interests in psychiatry.

PubMed

Maj, Mario

2010-11-01

A conflict of interests occurs when a doctor is unduly influenced by a secondary interest (i.e., a personal incentive) in his acts concerning one of the primary interests to which he is professionally committed (the welfare of patients, the progress of science, or the education of students or residents). One specific variety of conflicts of interests has monopolized the attention of the scientific and lay press: the financial conflicts of interests arising from the relationships between doctors and drug companies. A large literature has described the many, sometimes subtle, ways by which a psychiatrist can be influenced in his prescribing habits or research activities by his relationships with the industry. Some empirical evidence is now available in this area. On the other hand, it has been pointed out that the current debate on this issue is sometimes "affectively charged" or fails to take into account that the interests of patients, families and mental health professionals and those of the industry may be often convergent. Other types of conflicts of interests are beginning now to be discussed. There is evidence that the allegiance of a researcher to a given school of thought may influence the results of studies comparing different psychotherapeutic techniques, thus colliding with the primary interest represented by the progress of science. Political commitment is also emerging as a source of conflicts of interests. Financial and non-financial conflicts of interests are widespread in psychiatric practice and research. They cannot be eradicated, but must be managed more effectively than is currently the case.

Telecommunications IT and navigation for future Mars exploration missions 2006 IEEE Aerospace Conference

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wyatt, E. Jay; Ely, Todd A.; Klimesh, Matthew A.; Krupiarz, Christopher J.

2006-01-01

There are three primary drivers behind current investments in telecommunications information technology and navigation. One is finding ways to maximize the volume of science data returned from missions since i nstrument data generation often exceeds communication bandwidth. Another is to provide the necessary technology to enable networked spacecraft around Mars. The third driver is to enable more precise landing so in-situ vehicles can be placed in the more scientifically interesting regions. This paper describes the current NASA investments in these areas funded through the NASA Mars Technology Base Program NRA.

Lay Americans' views of why scientists disagree with each other.

PubMed

Johnson, Branden B; Dieckmann, Nathan F

2017-10-01

A survey experiment assessed response to five explanations of scientific disputes: problem complexity, self-interest, values, competence, and process choices (e.g. theories and methods). A US lay sample ( n = 453) did not distinguish interests from values, nor competence from process, as explanations of disputes. Process/competence was rated most likely and interests/values least; all, on average, were deemed likely to explain scientific disputes. Latent class analysis revealed distinct subgroups varying in their explanation preferences, with a more complex latent class structure for participants who had heard of scientific disputes in the past. Scientific positivism and judgments of science's credibility were the strongest predictors of latent class membership, controlling for scientific reasoning, political ideology, confidence in choice, scenario, education, gender, age, and ethnicity. The lack of distinction observed overall between different explanations, as well as within classes, raises challenges for further research on explanations of scientific disputes people find credible and why.

REVIEW ARTICLE: Current trends and future requirements for the mass spectrometric investigation of microbial, mammalian and plant metabolomes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dunn, Warwick B.

2008-03-01

The functional levels of biological cells or organisms can be separated into the genome, transcriptome, proteome and metabolome. Of these the metabolome offers specific advantages to the investigation of the phenotype of biological systems. The investigation of the metabolome (metabolomics) has only recently appeared as a mainstream scientific discipline and is currently developing rapidly for the study of microbial, plant and mammalian metabolomes. The metabolome pipeline or workflow encompasses the processes of sample collection and preparation, collection of analytical data, raw data pre-processing, data analysis and data storage. Of these processes the collection of analytical data will be discussed in this review with specific interest shown in the application of mass spectrometry in the metabolomics pipeline. The current developments in mass spectrometry platforms (GC-MS, LC-MS, DIMS and imaging MS) and applications of specific interest will be highlighted. The current limitations of these platforms and applications will be discussed with areas requiring further development also highlighted. These include the detectable coverage of the metabolome, the identification of metabolites and the process of converting raw data to biological knowledge.

A bottom-up, scientist-based initiative for the communication of climate sciences with the general public

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bourqui, Michel; Bolduc, Cassandra; Paul, Charbonneau; Marie, Charrière; Daniel, Hill; Angelica, Lopez; Enrique, Loubet; Philippe, Roy; Barbara, Winter

2015-04-01

This talk introduces a scientists-initiated, new online platform whose aim is to contribute to making climate sciences become public knowledge. It takes a unique bottom-up approach, strictly founded on individual-based participation, high scientific standards and independence The main purpose is to build an open-access, multilingual and peer-reviewed journal publishing short climate articles in non-scientific language. The targeted public includes journalists, teachers, students, local politicians, economists, members of the agriculture sector, and any other citizens from around the world with an interest in climate sciences. This journal is meant to offer a simple and direct channel for scientists wishing to disseminate their research to the general public. A high standard of climate articles is ensured through: a) requiring that the main author is an active climate scientist, and b) an innovative peer-review process involving scientific and non-scientific referees with distinct roles. The platform fosters the direct participation of non-scientists through co-authoring, peer-reviewing, language translation. It furthermore engages the general public in the scientific inquiry by allowing non-scientists to invite manuscripts to be written on topics of their concern. The platform is currently being developed by a community of scientists and non-scientists. In this talk, I will present the basic ideas behind this new online platform, its current state and the plans for the next future. The beta version of the platform is available at: http://www.climateonline.bourquiconsulting.ch

The Least Interesting Unit: A New Concept for Enhancing One's Academic Career Opportunities.

PubMed

Cabbolet, Marcoen J T F

2016-12-01

Motivated by a current development in the physics community, this paper introduces the notion of a least interesting unit (LIU) in research as an investigation that is just interesting enough to pursue. A new general maxim for science is then that a researcher should pursue as many LIUs as possible. Although fulfilling this maxim enhances one's perspective for a career in the present publish-or-perish academic world, in particular when simultaneously publishing one's results in the form of as many least publishable units as possible, this paper concludes that it is an example of an unethical practice: it may undermine scientific progress, it may lead to a waste of valuable resources, and it may contribute to an erosion of norms and values in science.

Future Nanotube Commercialization Opportunities at the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and the US Army Aviation and Missile Command

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Watson, Michael; Shah, Sandeep; Kaul, Raj; Zhu, Shen; Vandiver, Terry; Zimmerman, Joe E. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

Nanotube technology has broad applicability to programs at both the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) and the US Army Aviation and Missile Command (AMCOM). MSFC has interest in applications of nanotubes as sensors and high strength lightweight materials for propulsion system components, avionic systems, and scientific instruments. MSFC is currently pursuing internal programs to develop nanotube temperature sensors, heat pipes, and metal matrix composites. In support of these application areas MSFC is interested in growth of long nanotubes, growth of nanotubes in the microgravity environment, and nanotubes fabricated from high temperature materials such as Boron Nitride or Silicon Carbide. AMCOM is similarly interested in nanotube applications which take advantage of the nanotube thermal conductance properties, high strength, and lightweight. Applications of interest to AMCOM include rocket motor casing structures, rocket nozzles, and lightweight structure and aeronautic skins.

The Impact of Gender on Interest in Science Topics and the Choice of Scientific and Technical Vocations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Buccheri, Grazia; Gurber, Nadja Abt; Bruhwiler, Christian

2011-01-01

Many countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) note a shortage of highly qualified scientific-technical personnel, whereas demand for such employees is growing. Therefore, how to motivate (female) high performers in science or mathematics to pursue scientific careers is of special interest. The sample…

Scientific Eschatology

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Noyes, H

2005-03-18

The future evolution of the universe suggested by the cosmological model proposed earlier at this meeting by the authors is explored. The fundamental role played by the positive ''cosmological constant'' is emphasized. Dyson's 1979 paper entitled ''Time Without End'' is briefly reviewed. His most optimistic scenario requires that the universe be geometrically open and that biology is structural in the sense that the current complexity of human society can be reproduced by scaling up its (quantum mechanical) structure to arbitrary size. If the recently measured ''cosmological constant'' is indeed a fundamental constant of nature, then Dyson's scenario is, for variousmore » reasons, ruled out by the finite (De Sitter) horizon due to exponential expansion of the resulting space. However, the finite temperature of that horizon does open other interesting options. If, as is suggested by the cosmology under consideration, the current exponential expansion of the universe is due to a phase transition which fixes a physical boundary condition during the early radiation dominated era, the behavior of the universe after the relevant scale factor crosses the De Sitter radius opens up still other possibilities. The relevance of Martin Rees' apocalyptic eschatology recently presented in his book ''Our Final Hour'' is mentioned. It is concluded that even for the far future, whether or not cultural and scientific descendants of the current epoch will play a role in it, an understanding (sadly, currently lacking) of community and political evolution and control is essential for a preliminary treatment of what could be even vaguely called scientific eschatology.« less

From Claude Bernard to the Batcave and beyond: using Batman as a hook for physiology education.

PubMed

Zehr, E Paul

2011-03-01

Communicating physiology to the general public and popularizing science can be tremendously rewarding activities. Providing relevant and compelling points of linkage, however, between the scientific experiences and the interests of the general public can be challenging. One avenue for popularizing science is to link scientific concepts to images, personalities, and icons in popular culture. Currently, comic book superhero movies and television shows are extremely popular, and Batman was used as the vehicle for popularizing concepts of exercise science, neuroscience, and physiology in my recent book, Becoming Batman: the Possibility of a Superhero. The objective of this book was to bring scientific understanding to the broader public by using the physical image and impression everyone has of Batman and his abilities and then connecting this to the underlying science. The objective of this article is to share some of the details of the process and the positive and negative outcomes of using such an approach with other academics who may be interested in similar activities. It is my goal that by sharing this experience I may stimulate like-minded readers to initiate their own similar projects and to also be emboldened to try and integrate popular culture touchstones in their own teaching practice.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa infection in patients with cystic fibrosis: scientific evidence regarding clinical impact, diagnosis, and treatment*

PubMed Central

da Silva, Luiz Vicente Ribeiro Ferreira; Ferreira, Flavia de Aguiar; Reis, Francisco José Caldeira; de Britto, Murilo Carlos Amorim; Levy, Carlos Emilio; Clark, Otavio; Ribeiro, José Dirceu

2013-01-01

Evidence-based techniques have been increasingly used in the creation of clinical guidelines and the development of recommendations for medical practice. The use of levels of evidence allows the reader to identify the quality of scientific information that supports the recommendations made by experts. The objective of this review was to address current concepts related to the clinical impact, diagnosis, and treatment of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections in patients with cystic fibrosis. For the preparation of this review, the authors defined a group of questions that would be answered in accordance with the principles of PICO–an acronym based on questions regarding the Patients of interest, Intervention being studied, Comparison of the intervention, and Outcome of interest. For each question, a structured review of the literature was performed using the Medline database in order to identify the studies with the methodological design most appropriate to answering the question. The questions were designed so that each of the authors could write a response. A first draft was prepared and discussed by the group. Recommendations were then made on the basis of the level of scientific evidence, in accordance with the classification system devised by the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, as well as the level of agreement among the members of the group. PMID:24068273

An overlooked source of physician-scientists.

PubMed

Puljak, Livia

2007-12-01

A shortage of physician-scientists in the United States is an ongoing problem. Various recommendations have been made to address this issue; however, none of them have ameliorated the situation. Foreign medical school graduates with postdoctoral training in the United States are an overlooked and untapped resource for combating the dearth of physician-scientists. Evaluation of the scientific staff at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center revealed that 11% of all postdoctoral fellows were international medical graduates. Interestingly, a survey taken by these individuals revealed a lack of institutional and/or mentor support for career development and preparation for becoming physician-scientists. Foreign postdoctoral fellows with medical degrees are not even eligible for physician-scientist grants and awards since they are not US citizens. Although physicians educated in the United States usually matriculate from medical school with high educational debt that prevents most of them from entering into scientific careers, doctors trained outside the United States generally have minimal, if any, debt. Furthermore, many of them have a keen interest in remaining in the United States once they complete their postdoctoral training. Thus, foreign-trained medical professionals who have pursued scientific training in the United States can be one of the solutions for the current dearth of physician-scientists.

Financial interest and its disclosure in scientific publications.

PubMed

Krimsky, S; Rothenberg, L S

1998-07-15

Journal policies and requirements of funding agencies on financial disclosure of authors and grant applicants have divided editors and scientists who disagree on whether such policies can improve the integrity of science or manage conflicts of interest. Those opposed to such disclosure policies argue that financial interest is one of many interests held by scientists, is the least scientifically dangerous, and should not be singled out. Those who favor open reporting of financial interests argue that full disclosure removes the suspicion that something of relevance to objectivity is being hidden and allows readers to form their own opinions on whether a conflict of interest exists and what relevance that has to the study. The authors believe that the scientific community and the public will be best served by open publication of financial disclosures for readers and reviewers to evaluate.

Detection and rapid recovery of the Sutter's Mill meteorite fall as a model for future recoveries worldwide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fries, Marc; Le Corre, Lucille; Hankey, Mike; Fries, Jeff; Matson, Robert; Schaefer, Jake; Reddy, Vishnu

2014-11-01

The Sutter's Mill C-type meteorite fall occurred on 22 April 2012 in and around the town of Coloma, California. The exact location of the meteorite fall was determined within hours of the event using a combination of eyewitness reports, weather radar imagery, and seismometry data. Recovery of the first meteorites occurred within 2 days and continued for months afterward. The recovery effort included local citizens, scientists, and meteorite hunters, and featured coordination efforts by local scientific institutions. Scientific analysis of the collected meteorites revealed characteristics that were available for study only because the rapid collection of samples had minimized terrestrial contamination/alteration. This combination of factors—rapid and accurate location of the event, participation in the meteorite search by the public, and coordinated scientific investigation of recovered samples—is a model that was widely beneficial and should be emulated in future meteorite falls. The tools necessary to recreate the Sutter's Mill recovery are available, but are currently underutilized in much of the world. Weather radar networks, scientific institutions with interest in meteoritics, and the interested public are available globally. Therefore, it is possible to repeat the Sutter's Mill recovery model for future meteorite falls around the world, each for relatively little cost with a dedicated researcher. Doing so will significantly increase the number of fresh meteorite falls available for study, provide meteorite material that can serve as the nuclei of new meteorite collections, and will improve the public visibility of meteoritics research.

Andrzej PȨKALSKI Networks of Scientific Interests with Internal Degrees of Freedom Through Self-Citation Analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ausloos, M.; Lambiotte, R.; Scharnhorst, A.; Hellsten, I.

Old and recent theoretical works by Andrzej Pȩkalski (APE) are recalled as possible sources of interest for describing network formation and clustering in complex (scientific) communities, through self-organization and percolation processes. Emphasis is placed on APE self-citation network over four decades. The method is that used for detecting scientists' field mobility by focusing on author's self-citation, co-authorships and article topics networks as in Refs. 1 and 2. It is shown that APE's self-citation patterns reveal important information on APE interest for research topics over time as well as APE engagement on different scientific topics and in different networks of collaboration. Its interesting complexity results from "degrees of freedom" and external fields leading to so called internal shock resistance. It is found that APE network of scientific interests belongs to independent clusters and occurs through rare or drastic events as in irreversible "preferential attachment processes", similar to those found in usual mechanics and thermodynamics phase transitions.

Sources Sought for Innovative Scientific Instrumentation for Scientific Lunar Rovers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, C.

1993-01-01

Lunar rovers should be designed as integrated scientific measurement systems that address scientific goals as their main objective. Scientific goals for lunar rovers are presented. Teleoperated robotic field geologists will allow the science team to make discoveries using a wide range of sensory data collected by electronic 'eyes' and sophisticated scientific instrumentation. rovers need to operate in geologically interesting terrain (rock outcrops) and to identify and closely examine interesting rock samples. Enough flight-ready instruments are available to fly on the first mission, but additional instrument development based on emerging technology is desirable. Various instruments that need to be developed for later missions are described.

Psychotraumatology in the Netherlands

PubMed Central

Vermetten, Eric; Olff, Miranda

2013-01-01

The contribution to psychotrauma literature from Dutch authors has a long tradition. The relatively high lifetime prevalence of trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is not unique for the Netherlands and does not fully explain the interest in trauma and its consequences. In this overview of psychotraumatology in the Netherlands, we will discuss some of the key events and processes that contribute to the current interest. We outlined the historical basis and development of the field in the Netherlands, including the impact of World War II, the effects of major man-made or natural disasters, engagement in military conflicts, as well as smaller scale traumatic events like sexual abuse and traffic accidents. The liberal and open culture may have reduced stigma to trauma, while other sociocultural aspects may have contributed to increased prevalence. Finally, we describe Dutch psychotraumatology today and how history and culture have shaped the current scientific basis. PMID:23671764

Obtaining environmental measures to facilitate vertebrate habitat modeling

USGS Publications Warehouse

Karl, J.W.; Wright, N.M.; Heglund, P.J.; Scott, J.M.

1999-01-01

Published literature generally lacks habitat information needed to adequately model the habitats of most wildlife species at large scales (>1:100,000). We searched in primary and secondary literature for occurrence of several potentially useful habitat measures for 20 species of interest to the Idaho Department of Fish and Game. We found adequate information for modeling only the habitats of certain game species and species of special interest. We suggest that many more researchers could collect simple habitat information regarding vegetation composition and structure, topographic features, soils, temperature, and distance to special landscape features such that current research expenses would not be increased significantly. We recommend that habitat data be consistently reported in peer-reviewed literature or deposited into a central data repository. This will not only help fill the gaps in our current knowledge of wildlife but also place it in a format that is readily accessible by the scientific community.

Where are supercentenarians located? A worldwide demographic study.

PubMed

Santos-Lozano, Alejandro; Sanchis-Gomar, Fabian; Pareja-Galeano, Helios; Fiuza-Luces, Carmen; Emanuele, Enzo; Lucia, Alejandro; Garatachea, Nuria

2015-02-01

The world population is continuously aging, and centenarians may be considered to be the most successfully aged individuals. Among people who reach extreme longevity (EL; i.e., >95 years), supercentenarians (SCs; aged ≥110 years) represent a subgroup of great scientific interest. Unfortunately, data on the worldwide distribution of SCs remain scarce. Therefore, this study was designed to investigate this issue. Current available data indicate that Japan is the country with the highest number of currently alive SCs. Interestingly, Puerto Rico would show the highest prevalence of SCs among people who reach EL (approximately one SC per 10,000 inhabitants aged ≥95 years), although data on this country must be intrepreted with caution owing to potential methodological limitations, mainly related to its small population. Our findings highlight the need to investigate in greater detail the genetic and lifestyle background of SCs, with the ultimate goal of unraveling new potential mechanisms underlying human EL.

Radiological Dispersion Devices and Basic Radiation Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bevelacqua, Joseph John

2010-05-01

Introductory physics courses present the basic concepts of radioactivity and an overview of nuclear physics that emphasizes the basic decay relationship and the various types of emitted radiation. Although this presentation provides insight into radiological science, it often fails to interest students to explore these concepts in a more rigorous manner. One reason for limited student interest is the failure to link the discussion to topics of current interest. The author has found that presenting this material with a link to radiological dispersion devices (RDDs), or dirty bombs, and their associated health effects provides added motivation for students. The events of Sept. 11, 2001, and periodic media focus on RDDs heighten student interest from both a scientific curiosity as well as a personal protection perspective. This article presents a framework for a more interesting discussion of the basics of radiation science and their associated health effects. The presentation can be integrated with existing radioactivity lectures or added as a supplementary or enrichment activity.

Smectite clay--inorganic nanoparticle mixed suspensions: phase behaviour and rheology.

PubMed

Bailey, Louise; Lekkerkerker, Henk N W; Maitland, Geoffrey C

2015-01-14

Smectite clay minerals and their suspensions have long been of both great scientific and applications interest and continue to display a remarkable range of new and interesting behaviour. Recently there has been an increasing interest in the properties of mixed suspensions of such clays with nanoparticles of different size, shape and charge. This review aims to summarize the current status of research in this area focusing on phase behaviour and rheological properties. We will emphasize the rich range of data that has emerged for these systems and the challenges they present for future investigations. The review starts with a brief overview of the behaviour and current understanding of pure smectite clays and their suspensions. We then cover the work on smectite clay-inorganic nanoparticle mixed suspensions according to the shape and charge of the nanoparticles - spheres, rods and plates either positively or negatively charged. We conclude with a summary of the overarching trends that emerge from these studies and indicate where gaps in our understanding need further research for better understanding the underlying chemistry and physics.

TerraSAR-X Measurements of Wind Fields, Ocean Waves and Currents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehner, S.; Schulz-Stellenfleth, J.; Brusch, S.

2008-01-01

TerraSAR-X is a new german X-band radar satellite launched on June 15, 2007. In this mission an operational spaceborne synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system with very high spatial resolution is set up producing remote sensing products for commercial and scientific use. TerraSAR-X is a scientific and technological continuation of the successful Space Shuttle missions SIR-C/X and SRTM.The spacecraft is equipped with a phased array X-band SAR, which can operate in different polarisations and has furthermore beam stearing capabilities. In addition the system has a split antenna mode, which is able to provide along track interferometric information. The instrument is designed for multiple imaging modes like Stripmap, Spotlight and ScanSAR.Due to its polarimetric and interferometric capabilities as well as the high spatial resolution of up to 1 m, the TerraSAR-X sensor is a very interesting tool for oceanography. The presentation will give an overview of several applications, which are of both scientific and commercial interest, like e.g. current and ocean wave measurements, monitoring of morphodynamical processes or high resolution wind field retrieval. The potential as well as limitations of the instrument will be summarized and compared with existing sensors. Necessary steps to translate existing C-band SAR inversion algorithms for wind and wave measurements to X-band will be discussed. A strategy will be outlined to achieve this by a combination of theoretical investigations and the use of existing experimental data acquired by both airborne and groundbased X-band radar. First results on the adaption of existing C-band wind retrieval algorithms will be presented. Wind and ocean wave parameter retrievals will be presented, e.g., based on TerraSAR-X scenes taken over the English channel.

[Developing knowledge and a profession: 70 years of the Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem].

PubMed

Germano, Raimunda Medeiros

2002-01-01

Revista Brasileira de Enfermagem-REBEn (Brazilian Journal of Nursing) is now 70 years old. It was created in 1932, and was initially called Anais de Enfermagem. Its main purpose was to be a communication link among Brazilian professionals of nursing. REBEn, which is directly linked to ABEn (Brazilian Association of Nursing), also has as its objective the publicizing of scientific production in different fields of knowledge which can be of interest for the nursing profession. The journal went through many difficulties before achieving the current status of most important publishing in the field of nursing in Brazil. The periodical was developed along many generations and has now achieved intellectual maturity which guaranteed its inclusion in the international indexation of scientific periodicals.

Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Garbil, Roger

2010-11-09

The Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop - organized by the CERN/EN-STI group on behalf of n_TOF Collaboration - will be held at CERN, Geneva (Switzerland) from 30 August to 2 September 2010 inclusive. EFNUDAT website: http://www.efnudat.eu. Topics of interest include: Data evaluation; Cross section measurements; Experimental techniques; Uncertainties and covariances; Fission properties; Current and future facilities. International Advisory Committee: C. Barreau (CENBG, France)T. Belgya (IKI KFKI, Hungary)E. Gonzalez (CIEMAT, Spain)F. Gunsing (CEA, France)F.-J. Hambsch (IRMM, Belgium)A. Junghans (FZD, Germany)R. Nolte (PTB, Germany)S. Pomp (TSL UU, Sweden). Workshop Organizing Committee: Enrico Chiaveri (Chairman); Marco Calviani; Samuel Andriamonje; Eric Berthoumieux; Carlos Guerrero; Robertomore » Losito; Vasilis Vlachoudis; Workshop Assistant: Geraldine Jean« less

Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wilson, J.N.

2010-11-09

Part 7 of The Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop - organized by the CERN/EN-STI group on behalf of n_TOF Collaboration - will be held at CERN, Geneva (Switzerland) from 30 August to 2 September 2010 inclusive.EFNUDAT website: http://www.efnudat.euTopics of interest include: Data evaluation; Cross section measurements; Experimental techniques; Uncertainties and covariances; Fission properties; Current and future facilities;International Advisory Committee: C. Barreau (CENBG, France) T. Belgya (IKI KFKI, Hungary) E. Gonzalez (CIEMAT, Spain) F. Gunsing (CEA, France) F.-J. Hambsch (IRMM, Belgium) A. Junghans (FZD, Germany) R. Nolte (PTB, Germany) S. Pomp (TSL UU, Sweden) Workshop Organizing Committee: Enrico Chiaveri (Chairman) Marco Calvianimore » Samuel Andriamonje Eric Berthoumieux Carlos Guerrero Roberto Losito Vasilis Vlachoudis Workshop Assistant: Geraldine Jean.« less

Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lantz, Mattias; Neudecker, Denise

2010-11-09

Part 5 of The Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop - organized by the CERN/EN-STI group on behalf of n_TOF Collaboration - will be held at CERN, Geneva (Switzerland) from 30 August to 2 September 2010 inclusive. EFNUDAT website: http://www.efnudat.euTopics of interest include: Data evaluation Cross section measurements Experimental techniques Uncertainties and covariances Fission properties Current and future facilities International Advisory Committee: C. Barreau (CENBG, France) T. Belgya (IKI KFKI, Hungary)E. Gonzalez (CIEMAT, Spain) F. Gunsing (CEA, France)F.-J. Hambsch (IRMM, Belgium) A. Junghans (FZD, Germany) R. Nolte (PTB, Germany) S. Pomp (TSL UU, Sweden) Workshop Organizing Committee: Enrico Chiaveri (Chairman)Marco Calviani Samuelmore » Andriamonje Eric Berthoumieux Carlos Guerrero Roberto Losito Vasilis Vlachoudis Workshop Assistant: Geraldine Jean« less

Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Vlachoudis, Vasilis

2010-11-09

Part 8. The Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop - organized by the CERN/EN-STI group on behalf of n_TOF Collaboration - will be held at CERN, Geneva (Switzerland) from 30 August to 2 September 2010 inclusive. EFNUDAT website: http://www.efnudat.eu Topics of interest include: Data evaluation Cross section measurements Experimental techniques Uncertainties and covariances Fission properties Current and future facilities International Advisory Committee: C. Barreau (CENBG, France)T. Belgya (IKI KFKI, Hungary) E. Gonzalez (CIEMAT, Spain)F. Gunsing (CEA, France) F.-J. Hambsch (IRMM, Belgium)A. Junghans (FZD, Germany) R. Nolte (PTB, Germany)S. Pomp (TSL UU, Sweden) Workshop Organizing Committee: Enrico Chiaveri (Chairman)Marco Calviani Samuel Andriamonje Ericmore » Berthoumieux Carlos Guerrero Roberto LositoVasilis Vlachoudis Workshop Assistant: Geraldine Jean« less

Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2010-11-09

The Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop - organized by the CERN/EN-STI group on behalf of n_TOF Collaboration - will be held at CERN, Geneva (Switzerland) from 30 August to 2 September 2010 inclusive. EFNUDAT website: http://www.efnudat.eu. Topics of interest include: Data evaluation; Cross section measurements; Experimental techniques; Uncertainties and covariances; Fission properties; Current and future facilities. International Advisory Committee: C. Barreau (CENBG, France) T. Belgya (IKI KFKI, Hungary) E. Gonzalez (CIEMAT, Spain) F. Gunsing (CEA, France) F.-J. Hambsch (IRMM, Belgium)A. Junghans (FZD, Germany) R. Nolte (PTB, Germany) S. Pomp (TSL UU, Sweden) & Workshop Organizing Committee: Enrico Chiaveri (Chairman)Marco Calviani Samuelmore » Andriamonje Eric Berthoumieux Carlos Guerrero Roberto Losito Vasilis Vlachoudis; Workshop Assistant: Geraldine Jean« less

Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None

2010-11-09

The Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop - organized by the CERN/EN-STI group on behalf of n_TOF Collaboration - will be held at CERN, Geneva (Switzerland) from 30 August to 2 September 2010 inclusive. EFNUDAT website: http://www.efnudat.euTopics of interest include: Data evaluation Cross section measurements Experimental techniques Uncertainties and covariances Fission properties Current and future facilities ; International Advisory Committee: C. Barreau (CENBG, France)T. Belgya (IKI KFKI, Hungary)E. Gonzalez (CIEMAT, Spain)F. Gunsing (CEA, France)F.-J. Hambsch (IRMM, Belgium)A. Junghans (FZD, Germany)R. Nolte (PTB, Germany)S. Pomp (TSL UU, Sweden) ;Workshop Organizing Committee: Enrico Chiaveri (Chairman)Marco Calviani Samuel Andriamonje Eric Berthoumieux Carlos Guerrero Roberto Lositomore » Vasilis Vlachoudis;Workshop Assistant: Geraldine Jean« less

Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop

ScienceCinema

None

2017-12-09

The Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop - organized by the CERN/EN-STI group on behalf of n_TOF Collaboration - will be held at CERN, Geneva (Switzerland) from 30 August to 2 September 2010 inclusive.EFNUDAT website: http://www.efnudat.euTopics of interest include: Data evaluationCross section measurementsExperimental techniquesUncertainties and covariancesFission propertiesCurrent and future facilities  International Advisory Committee: C. Barreau (CENBG, France)T. Belgya (IKI KFKI, Hungary)E. Gonzalez (CIEMAT, Spain)F. Gunsing (CEA, France)F.-J. Hambsch (IRMM, Belgium)A. Junghans (FZD, Germany)R. Nolte (PTB, Germany)S. Pomp (TSL UU, Sweden) Workshop Organizing Committee: Enrico Chiaveri (Chairman)Marco CalvianiSamuel AndriamonjeEric BerthoumieuxCarlos GuerreroRoberto LositoVasilis Vlachoudis Workshop Assistant: Géraldine Jean

Optical Fibre Sensors Using Graphene-Based Materials: A Review

PubMed Central

Hernaez, Miguel; Zamarreño, Carlos R.; Melendi-Espina, Sonia; Bird, Liam R.; Mayes, Andrew G.; Arregui, Francisco J.

2017-01-01

Graphene and its derivatives have become the most explored materials since Novoselov and Geim (Nobel Prize winners for Physics in 2010) achieved its isolation in 2004. The exceptional properties of graphene have attracted the attention of the scientific community from different research fields, generating high impact not only in scientific journals, but also in general-interest newspapers. Optical fibre sensing is one of the many fields that can benefit from the use of these new materials, combining the amazing morphological, chemical, optical and electrical features of graphene with the advantages that optical fibre offers over other sensing strategies. In this document, a review of the current state of the art for optical fibre sensors based on graphene materials is presented. PMID:28098825

Aerothermodynamic environment for a Titan probe with deployable decelerator

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Green, M. J.; Swenson, B. L.; Balakrishnan, A.

1985-01-01

It is pointed out that further exploration of Titan, Saturn's largest moon, is of current interest to the scientific community, particularly from the standpoint of the organic chemical evolution of its atmosphere. For a suitable study of this Saturnian satellite, a mission involving a Titan atmospheric entry probe is to be conducted. The probe is to employ a deployable decelerator with the aim to allow scientific measurements in the haze layer. The present investigation is concerned with an assessment of the aerothermodynamic environment for the considered probe during its hypervelocity, low-Reynolds-number entry. Attention is given to the employed computational method, the Titan probe configuration, the Titan probe trajectory, the viscous-layer regime of the aerothermodynamic environment, and the incipient merged-layer regime.

Optical Fibre Sensors Using Graphene-Based Materials: A Review.

PubMed

Hernaez, Miguel; Zamarreño, Carlos R; Melendi-Espina, Sonia; Bird, Liam R; Mayes, Andrew G; Arregui, Francisco J

2017-01-14

Graphene and its derivatives have become the most explored materials since Novoselov and Geim (Nobel Prize winners for Physics in 2010) achieved its isolation in 2004. The exceptional properties of graphene have attracted the attention of the scientific community from different research fields, generating high impact not only in scientific journals, but also in general-interest newspapers. Optical fibre sensing is one of the many fields that can benefit from the use of these new materials, combining the amazing morphological, chemical, optical and electrical features of graphene with the advantages that optical fibre offers over other sensing strategies. In this document, a review of the current state of the art for optical fibre sensors based on graphene materials is presented.

Importance and benefits of the doctoral thesis for medical graduates.

PubMed

Giesler, Marianne; Boeker, Martin; Fabry, Götz; Biller, Silke

2016-01-01

The majority of medical graduates in Germany complete a doctorate, even though a doctoral degree is not necessary for the practice of medicine. So far, little is known about doctoral candidates' view on the individual benefit a doctoral thesis has for them. Consequently, this is the subject of the present investigation. Data from surveys with graduates of the five medical faculties of Baden-Württemberg from the graduation years 2007/2008 (N=514) and 2010/2011 (N=598) were analysed. One and a half years after graduating 53% of those interviewed had completed their doctorate. When asked about their motivation for writing a doctoral thesis, participants answered most frequently "a doctorate is usual" (85%) and "improvement of job opportunities" (75%), 36% said that an academic career has been their primary motive. Less than 10% responded that they used their doctoral thesis as a means to apply for a job. The proportion of graduates working in health care is equally large among those who have completed a thesis and those who have not. Graduates who pursued a thesis due to scientific interest are also currently more interested in an academic career and recognise more opportunities for research. An implicit benefit of a medical thesis emerged with regard to the self-assessment of scientific competences as those who completed a doctorate rated their scientific competencies higher than those who have not. Although for the majority of physicians research interest is not the primary motivation for completing a doctorate, they might nevertheless achieve some academic competencies. For graduates pursuing an academic career the benefit of completing a medical thesis is more obvious.

Visualizing Glaciers and Sea Ice via Google Earth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ballagh, L. M.; Fetterer, F.; Haran, T. M.; Pharris, K.

2006-12-01

The NOAA team at NSIDC manages over 60 distinct cryospheric and related data products. With an emphasis on data rescue and in situ data, these products hold value for both the scientific and non-scientific user communities. The overarching goal of this presentation is to promote products from two components of the cryosphere (glaciers and sea ice). Our Online Glacier Photograph Database contains approximately 3,000 photographs taken over many decades, exemplifying change in the glacier terminus over time. The sea ice product shows sea ice extent and concentration along with anomalies and trends. This Sea Ice Index product, which starts in 1979 and is updated monthly, provides visuals of the current state of sea ice in both hemispheres with trends and anomalies. The long time period covered by the data set means that many of the trends in ice extent and concentration shown in this product are statistically significant despite the large natural variability in sea ice. The minimum arctic sea ice extent has been a record low in September 2002 and 2005, contributing to an accelerated trend in sea ice reduction. With increasing world-wide interest in indicators of global climate change, and the upcoming International Polar Year, these data products are of interest to a broad audience. To further extend the impact of these data, we have made them viewable through Google Earth via the Keyhole Markup Language (KML). This presents an opportunity to branch out to a more diverse audience by using a new and innovative tool that allows spatial representation of data of significant scientific and educational interest.

Light scattering, aerosols, clouds, climate, Hendrik van de Hulst, and I

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chylek, Petr

2018-02-01

It is not often that I have the opportunity to write something that is not a scientific paper, and I am thankful for this opportunity to express my thoughts with regard to pursuits that are greater than those of science. In this van de Hulst essay, to honor Hendrik van de Hulst, I briefly summarize a few points from Hendrik's life that I find especially interesting, including his interests in spiritual (or religious) aspects of life, and his decision to avoid involvement in nucleation problems, a critical and basic uncertainty of current climate models. After that, I present briefly a few episodes from my own experiences as an apprentice of science and life.

Inferring Genetic Ancestry: Opportunities, Challenges, and Implications

PubMed Central

Royal, Charmaine D.; Novembre, John; Fullerton, Stephanie M.; Goldstein, David B.; Long, Jeffrey C.; Bamshad, Michael J.; Clark, Andrew G.

2010-01-01

Increasing public interest in direct-to-consumer (DTC) genetic ancestry testing has been accompanied by growing concern about issues ranging from the personal and societal implications of the testing to the scientific validity of ancestry inference. The very concept of “ancestry” is subject to misunderstanding in both the general and scientific communities. What do we mean by ancestry? How exactly is ancestry measured? How far back can such ancestry be defined and by which genetic tools? How do we validate inferences about ancestry in genetic research? What are the data that demonstrate our ability to do this correctly? What can we say and what can we not say from our research findings and the test results that we generate? This white paper from the American Society of Human Genetics (ASHG) Ancestry and Ancestry Testing Task Force builds upon the 2008 ASHG Ancestry Testing Summary Statement in providing a more in-depth analysis of key scientific and non-scientific aspects of genetic ancestry inference in academia and industry. It culminates with recommendations for advancing the current debate and facilitating the development of scientifically based, ethically sound, and socially attentive guidelines concerning the use of these continually evolving technologies. PMID:20466090

[4 years of Microbiología SEM (1994-1997)].

PubMed

Mas-Castellà, J

1997-12-01

Different aspects of Microbiología SEM editorial process over the years 1994-1997 are analyzed: number of originals received, the process leading to their publication, rates of accepted and refused papers, time needed for each step of the editorial process--which comprises scientific, language editing, if needed--, as well as some characteristics that can define the patterns of the articles, such as number of authors, institutions where the authors work and mean number of references. The contents of the different sections (editorial, research and review articles, perspectives, opinion, books review) are commented on, as well as the role played by some of them as forums for the discussion of topics of current scientific interest, especially the editorials focusing on the state-of-the-art of microbiological research in Latin American countries. Characteristics and frequency of monographic issues are also presented. The information is complemented with data about the circulation and distribution of the journal, its inclusion in international indexes and its current electronic publication on the world wide web.

Acupuncture for the Trauma Spectrum Response: Scientific Foundations, Challenges to Implementation

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-01-01

The current approach to management of these injuries follows the standard medical model that attempts to isolate the pathophysiological locations and...the private views of the author and are not to be construed as official or as reflecting the views of the United States Air Force Medical Corps, the...Air Force at large, or the Department of Defense. The author indicates that he does not have any conflicts of interest. MEDICAL ACUPUNCTURE Volume 23

Outreach Education Modules on Space Sciences in Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, I.-Te; Tiger Liu, Jann-Yeng; Chen, Chao-Yen

2013-04-01

The Ionospheric Radio Science Laboratory (IRSL) at Institute of Space Science, National Central University in Taiwan has been conducting a program for public outreach educations on space science by giving lectures, organizing camps, touring exhibits, and experiencing hand-on experiments to elementary school, high school, and college students as well as general public since 1991. The program began with a topic of traveling/living in space, and was followed by space environment, space mission, and space weather monitoring, etc. and a series of course module and experiment (i.e. experiencing activity) module was carried out. For past decadal, the course modules have been developed to cover the space environment of the Sun, interplanetary space, and geospace, as well as the space technology of the rocket, satellite, space shuttle (plane), space station, living in space, observing the Earth from space, and weather observation. Each course module highlights the current status and latest new finding as well as discusses 1-3 key/core issues/concepts and equip with 2-3 activity/experiment modules to make students more easily to understand the topics/issues. Meanwhile, scientific camps are given to lead students a better understanding and interesting on space science. Currently, a visualized image projecting system, Dagik Earth, is developed to demonstrate the scientific results on a sphere together with the course modules. This system will dramatically improve the educational skill and increase interests of participators.

[Exponential use of social media in medicine: example of the interest of Twitter(©) in urology].

PubMed

Rouprêt, M; Misraï, V

2015-01-01

Social media (#SoMe) has changed the face of modern medicine. Our purpose was to asses the potential interest of Twitter in the field of urology. A systematic review of the literature has been performed using PubMed without timeline restriction with the following keywords (MeSH): social media; Web 2.0; Twitter; Internet; network; urology; journal club; education. There were 3 categories of interest of Twitter in the field of urology: spread of scientific knowledge, scientific interaction during medical conferences and medical education and international medical debates. The unique spread of evidence-based-medecine through traditional scientific journals in paper version is over. Main scientific journals in urology and scientific societies are now using a Twitter account and became virtual. They use new bibliometrics available on #SoMe to estimate the social impact. Twitter allows for a better interactivity of doctors attending scientific conferences. Exponential use of Twitter is in the interest of speakers and leaders, audience and scientific societies. Lastly, medical academic education and continuing medical education can be achieved through #SoMe. Twitter became a lively virtual platform for scientific debates for complex oncological cases (dematerialized tumor board). Twitter is also a place for intense scientific discussion during virtual journal club without geographic or timeline restriction. Physicians need to respect the rules for a wise use of #SoMe in order not to break the Hippocratic Oath. There is a revolution around #SoMe and Twitter in the spread of scientific knowledge and academic teaching. International urologists are already committed in this evolution and France should also get involved. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Concept Similarity in Publications Precedes Cross-disciplinary Collaboration

PubMed Central

Post, Andrew R.; Harrison, James H.

2008-01-01

Innovative science frequently occurs as a result of cross-disciplinary collaboration, the importance of which is reflected by recent NIH funding initiatives that promote communication and collaboration. If shared research interests between collaborators are important for the formation of collaborations, methods for identifying these shared interests across scientific domains could potentially reveal new and useful collaboration opportunities. MEDLINE represents a comprehensive database of collaborations and research interests, as reflected by article co-authors and concept content. We analyzed six years of citations using information retrieval-based methods to compute articles’ conceptual similarity, and found that articles by basic and clinical scientists who later collaborated had significantly higher average similarity than articles by similar scientists who did not collaborate. Refinement of these methods and characterization of found conceptual overlaps could allow automated discovery of collaboration opportunities that are currently missed. PMID:18999254

Concept similarity in publications precedes cross-disciplinary collaboration.

PubMed

Post, Andrew R; Harrison, James H

2008-11-06

Innovative science frequently occurs as a result of cross-disciplinary collaboration, the importance of which is reflected by recent NIH funding initiatives that promote communication and collaboration. If shared research interests between collaborators are important for the formation of collaborations,methods for identifying these shared interests across scientific domains could potentially reveal new and useful collaboration opportunities. MEDLINE represents a comprehensive database of collaborations and research interests, as reflected by article co-authors and concept content. We analyzed six years of citations using information retrieval based methods to compute articles conceptual similarity, and found that articles by basic and clinical scientists who later collaborated had significantly higher average similarity than articles by similar scientists who did not collaborate.Refinement of these methods and characterization of found conceptual overlaps could allow automated discovery of collaboration opportunities that are currently missed.

Tracking Provenance of Earth Science Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tilmes, Curt; Yesha, Yelena; Halem, Milton

2010-01-01

Tremendous volumes of data have been captured, archived and analyzed. Sensors, algorithms and processing systems for transforming and analyzing the data are evolving over time. Web Portals and Services can create transient data sets on-demand. Data are transferred from organization to organization with additional transformations at every stage. Provenance in this context refers to the source of data and a record of the process that led to its current state. It encompasses the documentation of a variety of artifacts related to particular data. Provenance is important for understanding and using scientific datasets, and critical for independent confirmation of scientific results. Managing provenance throughout scientific data processing has gained interest lately and there are a variety of approaches. Large scale scientific datasets consisting of thousands to millions of individual data files and processes offer particular challenges. This paper uses the analogy of art history provenance to explore some of the concerns of applying provenance tracking to earth science data. It also illustrates some of the provenance issues with examples drawn from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) Data Processing System (OMIDAPS) run at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center by the first author.

An overview of the European Organization for External Quality Assurance Providers in Laboratory Medicine (EQALM)

PubMed Central

Stavelin, Anne; Albe, Xavier; Meijer, Piet; Sarkany, Erika; MacKenzie, Finlay

2017-01-01

The European Organisation for External Quality Assurance Providers in Laboratory Medicine (EQALM) was founded in 1996 and currently has members from 29 European countries and 6 countries from outside Europe. EQALM provides a forum for co-operation and exchange of knowledge on quality-related matters in laboratory medicine, especially with regard to external quality assessment (EQA) programs in Europe. In addition, EQALM represent the EQA providers in laboratory medicine at European level vis-ŕ-vis political, professional, scientific and other bodies, including patients’ organisations. To this end EQALM promotes activities such as organizing meetings with scientific and practical themes for members and other interested parties, issuing scientific publications, developing EQA projects and representing laboratory medicine EQA activities within other organisations and networks. EQALM is active in scientific and educational activity in different fields such as survey frequency, haematology, haemostasis, microbiology, nomenclature, virtual microscopy, traceability, accreditation, and quality assurance of the total testing process. The aim of this paper is to give an overview of the EQALM organisation. PMID:28392724

[Personalised treatment of disorders in the use of alcohol and nicotine].

PubMed

Dom, G; van den Brink, W; Schellekens, A

There is an increasing interest in personalised treatment based on the individual characteristics of the patient in the field of addiction care. To summarise the present state of staging and profiling possibilities within addiction care. A literature review highlighting the current scientific findings and proposing a theoretical model. There are currently an insufficient number of studies to allow for a fully data driven model. However, research identifying biomarkers is growing and some clinically implementable findings can be put forward. a personalised approach in addiction care holds promise. There is an urgent need for better and larger datasets to empirically support models aimed for clinical use.

The ethical implications of geosciences in the art

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Solarino, Stefano

2015-04-01

One major goal of Geoscientists is to educate people to natural hazards. This requires a constant action to disseminate scientific topics based on a simplified language able to foster and promote the participation of the Society to the educative activities. The issue has been debated many times since the establishment of the unprecedented interest of citizens and media towards major catastrophes that took place at the beginning of the 90'. In the last 25 years many efforts have been made by the scientific community to shift the increased demand of the public in search for information about the next big earthquake or volcanic eruption to a wider communication landscape that also includes the scientific aspects of the phenomenon and the risk preparedness. In this attempts scientists developed a language alternative to pure scientific communication, based on short, simple and figurative statements. However the enhanced interest of the society towards scientific topics also attracted non experts, as the number of web blogs dealing with Geosciences matters currently show. Moreover, it spanned to non scientific fields including arts, in particular the visual ones. Their impact on the society was and is way too high compared to the traditional ways of communicating science, but seldom the scientific content of this powerful communication form is rigorous and correct. In movies, for example, due to the need of a more astonishing show and thanks to the numerous facilities offered by the studios, the reaction of the characters to natural dangers is often exaggerated, oversimplified or not safe (like walking inside the Earth's core or riding a big car on magma) and leads the spectator to inexact information or, even worse, to imitate the actor in an emergency. A well educated society would understand the fictive nature of the show, but in most cases the effects of wrong messages or inaccurate information reflect on the preparedness towards natural hazards. In this poster I discuss the ethical aspects of the communication made by non-expert and/or non scientific means with a particular attention to the arts. Although there is the potential for an efficient education, many issues are still open and must be examined.

Where/when/how did life begin? A philosophical key for systematizing theories on the origin of life

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Świeżyński, Adam

2016-10-01

The question of the origin of life interested people for centuries. All existing views on this subject can be classified into different areas of human knowledge about the world: natural sciences, philosophy, and theology (religion). It is interesting to look at them closer and to classify all the typical groups of the theories about the origins of life. We can then see links existing between them and relationships that indicate their own nature. Nowadays, driving forces of prebiological chemical evolution and the mode of explanation of the transition 'non-life into life' give a great variety of solutions. The differences between the theories, however, as well as the current controversies in the scientific community (what 'in the beginning' was?; where and when the prebiotic evolution may took place? etc.) will be shown as of secondary importance for the theories' systematization in comparison with several much more profound philosophical assumptions underlying the origin-of-life-studies. My proposal to organize and classify different types of the theories of genesis of life allows for extracting conceptions of different kind: metaphysical and scientific, and also for comparing them with each other. Some of them answer the question of the emergence of life in general and others on the question of the origin of life on the Earth only. In the perspective of contemporary scientific research on the origin of life it seems interesting that two main ideas concerning the problem of the origin of life, spontaneous generation and panspermia, are still present as presuppositions of certain theories but have been modified. Thus a 'philosophical key' seems to be the most appropriate to systematize all kinds of theories on the origin of life. This paper is an attempt to justify the position adopted. Most important conclusion is that the philosophical basis or implications, which are irreducibly present and possible to be found within the scientific theories of the origin of life, indicates that this problem is not just the strictly scientific one; it is the philosophical problem, too; thus it cannot be fully solved merely through referring to the empirical aspect of biogenesis.

Researcher views about funding sources and conflicts of interest in nanotechnology.

PubMed

McComas, Katherine A

2012-12-01

Dependence in nanotechnology on external funding and academic-industry relationships has led to questions concerning its influence on research directions, as well as the potential for conflicts of interest to arise and impact scientific integrity and public trust. This study uses a survey of 193 nanotechnology industry and academic researchers to explore whether they share similar concerns. Although these concerns are not unique to nanotechnology, its emerging nature and the prominence of industry funding lend credence to understanding its researchers' views, as these researchers are shaping the norms and direction of the field. The results of the survey show general agreement that funding sources are influencing research directions in nanotechnology; many respondents saw this influence in their own work as well as other researchers' work. Respondents also agreed that funding considerations were likely to influence whether researchers shared their results. Irrespective of their institutional affiliation or funding status, twice as many researchers as not considered financial conflicts of interest a cause for concern, and three times as many respondents as not disagreed financial conflicts of interest in nanotechnology were uncommon. Only a third was satisfied with the way that conflicts of interest are currently managed and believed current procedures would protect the integrity of nanotechnology research. The results also found differences in views depending on researchers' institutional affiliation and funding status.

[Challenges in the organization of investigator initiated trials: in transplantation medicine].

PubMed

Schnitzbauer, A A; Lamby, P E; Mutzbauer, I; von Hassel, J; Geissler, E K; Schlitt, H J

2011-03-01

Transplantation medicine offers multiple translational questions which should preferably be transferred to clinical evidence. The current gold standard for testing such questions and hypotheses is by prospective randomized controlled trials (RCT). The trials should be performed independently from the medical industry to avoid conflicts of interests and to guarantee a strict scientific approach. A good model is an investigator initiated trial (IIT) in which academic institutions function as the sponsor and in which normally a scientific idea stands before marketing interests of a certain medical product. We present a model for an IIT which is sponsored and coordinated by Regensburg University Hospital at 45 sites in 13 nations (SiLVER study), highlight special pitfalls of this study and offer alternatives to this approach. Finances: financial support in clinical trials can be obtained from the medical industry. Alternatively in Germany the Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung) offers annual grants. The expansion of financial support through foundations is desirable. Infrastructure: sponsorship within the pharmaceutics act (Arzneimittelgesetz) demands excellent infrastructural conditions and a professional team to accomplish clinical, logistic, regulatory, legal and ethical challenges in a RCT. If a large trial has sufficient financial support certain tasks can be outsourced and delegated to contract research organizations, coordinating centers for clinical trials or partners in the medical industry. Clinical scientific advances to improve evidence are an enormous challenge when performed as an IIT. However, academic sponsors can perform (international) IITs when certain rules are followed and should be defined as the gold standard when scientific findings have to be established clinically.

Ethical publishing in intensive care medicine: A narrative review

PubMed Central

Wiedermann, Christian J

2016-01-01

Ethical standards in the context of scientific publications are increasingly gaining attention. A narrative review of the literature concerning publication ethics was conducted as found in PubMed, Google Scholar, relevant news articles, position papers, websites and other sources. The Committee on Publication Ethics has produced guidelines and schedules for the handling of problem situations that have been adopted by professional journals and publishers worldwide as guidelines to authors. The defined requirements go beyond the disclosure of conflicts of interest or the prior registration of clinical trials. Recommendations to authors, editors and publishers of journals and research institutions were formulated with regard to issues of authorship, double publications, plagiarism, and conflicts of interest, with special attention being paid to unethical research behavior and data falsification. This narrative review focusses on ethical publishing in intensive care medicine. As scientific misconduct with data falsification damage patients and society, especially if fraudulent studies are considered important or favor certain therapies and downplay their side effects, it is important to ensure that only studies are published that have been carried out with highest integrity according to predefined criteria. For that also the peer review process has to be conducted in accordance with the highest possible scientific standards and making use of available modern information technology. The review provides the current state of recommendations that are considered to be most relevant particularly in the field of intensive care medicine. PMID:27652208

Human spaceflight and an asteroid redirect mission: Why?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burchell, M. J.

2014-08-01

The planning of human spaceflight programmes is an exercise in careful rationing of a scarce and expensive resource. Current NASA plans are to develop the new capability for human-rated launch into space to replace the Space Transportation System (STS), more commonly known as the Space Shuttle, combined with a heavy lift capability, and followed by an eventual Mars mission. As an intermediate step towards Mars, NASA proposes to venture beyond Low Earth Orbit to cis-lunar space to visit a small asteroid which will be captured and moved to lunar orbit by a separate robotic mission. The rationale for this and how to garner support from the scientific community for such an asteroid mission are discussed. Key points that emerge are that a programme usually has greater legitimacy when it emerges from public debate, mostly via a Presidential Commission, a report by the National Research Council or a Decadal Review of science goals etc. Also, human spaceflight missions need to have support from a wide range of interested communities. Accordingly, an outline scientific case for a human visit to an asteroid is made. Further, it is argued here that the scientific interest in an asteroid mission needs to be included early in the planning stages, so that the appropriate capabilities (here the need for drilling cores and carrying equipment to, and returning samples from, the asteroid) can be included.

[In the consumers' interest: precautionary principles for protection against electromagnetic fields].

PubMed

Dehos, A; Weiss, W

2002-12-01

The considerable increase in using mobile communication which will increase when new technologies, such as UMTS, are introduced has resulted in further public interest concerning the possible health risks from electromagnetic fields of cellular phone networks. In view of evaluating the scientific state-of-the art, it has been shown that based on the available scientific results, the individual risk in view of proved health consequences is considered low. There are, however, indications of biological effects of high-frequency electromagnetic fields, even at intensities below the currently applied limit values or recommendations for limit values. Although the health relevance of these effects is still unclear, they give reason to precautionary measures with the object to minimise possible health risks which might affect a large number of persons. The precautionary measures recommended by the Federal Office for Radiation Protection include three principles: 1. Exposure of the general public to electromagnetic fields should be as low as possible. This applies for both the fixed parts of cellular phone networks and for mobile phones. 2. The population should be informed of risks in an objective and comprehensive way and be involved in the decisions on the construction and operation of cellular phone networks. 3. Scientific uncertainties should be reduced by means of well-directed research programmes. These precautionary measures and the significance of limit values are explained below.

The United States of America and Scientific Research

PubMed Central

Hather, Gregory J.; Haynes, Winston; Higdon, Roger; Kolker, Natali; Stewart, Elizabeth A.; Arzberger, Peter; Chain, Patrick; Field, Dawn; Franza, B. Robert; Lin, Biaoyang; Meyer, Folker; Ozdemir, Vural; Smith, Charles V.; van Belle, Gerald; Wooley, John; Kolker, Eugene

2010-01-01

To gauge the current commitment to scientific research in the United States of America (US), we compared federal research funding (FRF) with the US gross domestic product (GDP) and industry research spending during the past six decades. In order to address the recent globalization of scientific research, we also focused on four key indicators of research activities: research and development (R&D) funding, total science and engineering doctoral degrees, patents, and scientific publications. We compared these indicators across three major population and economic regions: the US, the European Union (EU) and the People's Republic of China (China) over the past decade. We discovered a number of interesting trends with direct relevance for science policy. The level of US FRF has varied between 0.2% and 0.6% of the GDP during the last six decades. Since the 1960s, the US FRF contribution has fallen from twice that of industrial research funding to roughly equal. Also, in the last two decades, the portion of the US government R&D spending devoted to research has increased. Although well below the US and the EU in overall funding, the current growth rate for R&D funding in China greatly exceeds that of both. Finally, the EU currently produces more science and engineering doctoral graduates and scientific publications than the US in absolute terms, but not per capita. This study's aim is to facilitate a serious discussion of key questions by the research community and federal policy makers. In particular, our results raise two questions with respect to: a) the increasing globalization of science: “What role is the US playing now, and what role will it play in the future of international science?”; and b) the ability to produce beneficial innovations for society: “How will the US continue to foster its strengths?” PMID:20808949

Recent developments in stereoscopic and holographic 3D display technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarma, Kalluri

2014-06-01

Currently, there is increasing interest in the development of high performance 3D display technologies to support a variety of applications including medical imaging, scientific visualization, gaming, education, entertainment, air traffic control and remote operations in 3D environments. In this paper we will review the attributes of the various 3D display technologies including stereoscopic and holographic 3D, human factors issues of stereoscopic 3D, the challenges in realizing Holographic 3D displays and the recent progress in these technologies.

Low Cost Mars Surface Exploration: The Mars Tumbleweed

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Antol, Jeffrey; Calhoun, Philip; Flick, John; Hajos, Gregory; Kolacinski, Richard; Minton, David; Owens, Rachel; Parker, Jennifer

2003-01-01

The "Mars Tumbleweed," a rover concept that would utilize surface winds for mobility, is being examined as a low cost complement to the current Mars exploration efforts. Tumbleweeds carrying microinstruments would be driven across the Martian landscape by wind, searching for areas of scientific interest. These rovers, relatively simple, inexpensive, and deployed in large numbers to maximize coverage of the Martian surface, would provide a broad scouting capability to identify specific sites for exploration by more complex rover and lander missions.

Mapping the knowledge utilization field in nursing from 1945 to 2004: a bibliometric analysis.

PubMed

Scott, Shannon D; Profetto-McGrath, Joanne; Estabrooks, Carole A; Winther, Connie; Wallin, Lars; Lavis, John N

2010-12-01

The field of knowledge utilization has been hampered by several issues including: the synonymous use of multiple terms with little attempt at definition precision; an overexamination of knowledge utilization as product, rather than a process; and a lack of progress to cross disciplinary boundaries to advance knowledge development. In order to address the challenges and current knowledge gaps in the knowledge utilization field in nursing, a comprehensive picture of the current state of the field is required. Bibliometric analyses were used to map knowledge utilization literature in nursing as an international field of study, and to identify the structure of its scientific community. Analyses of bibliographic data for 433 articles from the period 1945-2004 demonstrated three trends: (1) there has been significant recent growth and interest in this field, (2) the structure of the scientific knowledge utilization community is evolving, and (3) the Web of Science does not index the majority of journals where this literature is published. In order to enhance the accessibility and profile of this literature, and nursing's scientific literature at large, we encourage the International Academy of Nursing Editors to work collaboratively to increase the number of journals indexed in the Web of Science. ©2010 Sigma Theta Tau International.

Applications of Precipitation Feature Databases from GPM core and constellation Satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, C.

2017-12-01

Using the observations from Global Precipitation Mission (GPM) core and constellation satellites, global precipitation was quantitatively described from the perspective of precipitation systems and their properties. This presentation will introduce the development of precipitation feature databases, and several scientific questions that have been tackled using this database, including the topics of global snow precipitation, extreme intensive convection, hail storms, extreme precipitation, and microphysical properties derived with dual frequency radars at the top of convective cores. As more and more observations of constellation satellites become available, it is anticipated that the precipitation feature approach will help to address a large variety of scientific questions in the future. For anyone who is interested, all the current precipitation feature databases are freely open to public at: http://atmos.tamucc.edu/trmm/.

Declaration of patent applications as financial interests: a survey of practice among authors of papers on molecular biology in Nature.

PubMed

Mayer, S

2006-11-01

To determine whether authors of scientific publications in molecular biology declare patents and other potential financial interests. Survey of a 6-month sample of papers related to molecular biology in Nature. The esp@cenet worldwide patent search engine was used to search for patents applied for by the authors of scientific papers in Nature that were related to molecular biology and genetics, between January and June 2005. Of the 79 papers considered, four had declared that certain authors had competing financial interests. Seven papers in which no financial interests were declared had authors with patent applications that were based on the research in the paper or were closely related to it. Another paper had two authors with connections to biotechnology companies that were not disclosed. Two thirds of the papers in which authors had patent applications or company affiliations that might be considered to be competing financial interests did not disclose them. Failure to disclose such information may have negative implications on the perception of science in society and on its quality if the possible bias is hidden. Journals should make greater efforts to ensure full disclosure, and scientific institutions should consider failure to disclose financial interests as an example of scientific malpractice. Establishing a register of interests for scientists is one way to increase transparency and openness.

Declaration of patent applications as financial interests: a survey of practice among authors of papers on molecular biology in Nature

PubMed Central

Mayer, S

2006-01-01

Objectives To determine whether authors of scientific publications in molecular biology declare patents and other potential financial interests. Design Survey of a 6‐month sample of papers related to molecular biology in Nature. Methods The esp@cenet worldwide patent search engine was used to search for patents applied for by the authors of scientific papers in Nature that were related to molecular biology and genetics, between January and June 2005. Results Of the 79 papers considered, four had declared that certain authors had competing financial interests. Seven papers in which no financial interests were declared had authors with patent applications that were based on the research in the paper or were closely related to it. Another paper had two authors with connections to biotechnology companies that were not disclosed. Conclusion Two thirds of the papers in which authors had patent applications or company affiliations that might be considered to be competing financial interests did not disclose them. Failure to disclose such information may have negative implications on the perception of science in society and on its quality if the possible bias is hidden. Journals should make greater efforts to ensure full disclosure, and scientific institutions should consider failure to disclose financial interests as an example of scientific malpractice. Establishing a register of interests for scientists is one way to increase transparency and openness. PMID:17074824

[Research interest and recruitment potential--medical students and research].

PubMed

Lehmann, A K; Hexeberg, E; Engebråten, O; Bjugn, R

1992-06-30

A questionnaire survey on scientific interest among 324 medical students at the University of Bergen in 1990 showed that 14% of the students had already participated in medical research programmes (10% still research trainees). In addition, 45% had considered starting working as a research trainee while a student. Many were discouraged, however, by the problem of finding a suitable supervisor. Relatively more of the male students expressed considerable interest in science (32 versus 22% of the females). The medical students already recruited to scientific work stressed the importance of scientific experience for their future career. The faculty has recently made participation in research projects compulsory. The personal supervision during this short period (6-8 weeks) will probably have major impact on the interest in research and the recruitment of future medical research trainees.

Importance and benefits of the doctoral thesis for medical graduates

PubMed Central

Giesler, Marianne; Boeker, Martin; Fabry, Götz; Biller, Silke

2016-01-01

Introduction: The majority of medical graduates in Germany complete a doctorate, even though a doctoral degree is not necessary for the practice of medicine. So far, little is known about doctoral candidates’ view on the individual benefit a doctoral thesis has for them. Consequently, this is the subject of the present investigation. Method: Data from surveys with graduates of the five medical faculties of Baden-Württemberg from the graduation years 2007/2008 (N=514) and 2010/2011 (N=598) were analysed. Results: One and a half years after graduating 53% of those interviewed had completed their doctorate. When asked about their motivation for writing a doctoral thesis, participants answered most frequently “a doctorate is usual” (85%) and “improvement of job opportunities” (75%), 36% said that an academic career has been their primary motive. Less than 10% responded that they used their doctoral thesis as a means to apply for a job. The proportion of graduates working in health care is equally large among those who have completed a thesis and those who have not. Graduates who pursued a thesis due to scientific interest are also currently more interested in an academic career and recognise more opportunities for research. An implicit benefit of a medical thesis emerged with regard to the self-assessment of scientific competences as those who completed a doctorate rated their scientific competencies higher than those who have not. Discussion: Although for the majority of physicians research interest is not the primary motivation for completing a doctorate, they might nevertheless achieve some academic competencies. For graduates pursuing an academic career the benefit of completing a medical thesis is more obvious. PMID:26958656

Van de Hulst Essay: Light Scattering, Aerosols, Clouds, Climate, Hendrik van de Hulst, and I

DOE PAGES

Chylek, Petr

2017-12-06

It is not often that I have the opportunity to write something that is not a scientific study, and I am thankful for this opportunity to express my thoughts with regard to pursuits that are greater than those of science. In this van de Hulst assay, to honor Hendrik van de Hulst, I briefly summarize a few points from Hendrik's life that I find especially interesting, including his interests in spiritual (or religious) aspects of life, and his decision to avoid involvement in nucleation problems, a critical and basic uncertainty of current climate models. Finally, after that, I present brieflymore » a few episodes from my own experiences as an apprentice of science and life.« less

Van de Hulst Essay: Light Scattering, Aerosols, Clouds, Climate, Hendrik van de Hulst, and I

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chylek, Petr

It is not often that I have the opportunity to write something that is not a scientific study, and I am thankful for this opportunity to express my thoughts with regard to pursuits that are greater than those of science. In this van de Hulst assay, to honor Hendrik van de Hulst, I briefly summarize a few points from Hendrik's life that I find especially interesting, including his interests in spiritual (or religious) aspects of life, and his decision to avoid involvement in nucleation problems, a critical and basic uncertainty of current climate models. Finally, after that, I present brieflymore » a few episodes from my own experiences as an apprentice of science and life.« less

The Impact of Gender on Interest in Science Topics and the Choice of Scientific and Technical Vocations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buccheri, Grazia; Abt Gürber, Nadja; Brühwiler, Christian

2011-01-01

Many countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) note a shortage of highly qualified scientific-technical personnel, whereas demand for such employees is growing. Therefore, how to motivate (female) high performers in science or mathematics to pursue scientific careers is of special interest. The sample for this study is taken from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2006. It comprises 7,819 high performers either in sciences or mathematics from representative countries of four different education systems which generally performed well or around the OECD average in PISA 2006: Switzerland, Finland, Australia, and Korea. The results give evidence that gender specificity and gender inequity in science education are a cross-national problem. Interests in specific science disciplines only partly support vocational choices in scientific-technical fields. Instead, gender and gender stereotypes play a significant role. Enhancing the utility of a scientific vocational choice is expected to soften the gender impact.

Strategic Integration: The Practical Politics of Integrated Research in Context

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

van Kerkhoff, Lorrae

2005-01-01

Designing an integrative research program requires that research leaders negotiate a balance between the scientific interest of research and the practical interests of non-scientific partners. This paper examines the ways integrated research is formally categorised, and analyses the tangible expressions of the practical politics involved in…

Financial Conflicts of Interest in the School Psychology Assessment Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Truscott, Stephen D.; Baumgart, Mary B.; Rogers, Keba M.

2004-01-01

Recent scrutiny of medical and biotechnology research raises serious concerns about the potential for financial conflicts of interest (FCOIs) to bias research, impede the free flow of scientific information, and use scientific journals to influence consumers about the relative qualities of products produced for profit (e.g., pharmaceuticals).…

Spacecraft Hybrid Control At NASA: A Look Back, Current Initiatives, and Some Future Considerations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dennehy, Neil

2014-01-01

There is a heightened interest within NASA for the design, development, and flight implementation of mixed actuator hybrid attitude control systems for science spacecraft that have less than three functional reaction wheel actuators. This interest is driven by a number of recent reaction wheels failures on aging, but still scientifically productive, NASA spacecraft. This paper describes the highlights of the first NASA Cross-Center Hybrid Control Workshop that was held in Greenbelt, Maryland in April of 2013 under the sponsorship of the NASA Engineering and Safety Center (NESC). A brief historical summary of NASA's past experiences with spacecraft mixed actuator hybrid attitude control approaches, some of which were implemented on-orbit, will be provided. This paper will also convey some of the lessons learned and best practices captured at that workshop. Some relevant recent and current hybrid control activities will be described with an emphasis on work in support of a repurposed Kepler spacecraft. Specific technical areas for future considerations regarding spacecraft hybrid control will also be identified.

Future of dual-use space awareness technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kislitsyn, Boris V.; Idell, Paul S.; Crawford, Linda L.

2000-10-01

The use of all classes of space systems, whether owned by defense, civil, commercial, scientific, allied or foreign organizations, is increasing rapidly. In turn, the surveillance of such systems and activities in space are of interest to all parties. Interests will only increase in time and with the new ways to exploit the space environment. However, the current space awareness infrastructure and capabilities are not maintaining pace with the demands and advanced technologies being brought online. The use of surveillance technologies, some of which will be discussed in the conference, will provide us the eventual capability to observe and assess the environment, satellite health and status, and the uses of assets on orbit. This provides us a space awareness that is critical to the military operator and to the commercial entrepreneur for their respective successes. Thus the term 'dual-use technologies' has become a reality. For this reason we will briefly examine the background, current, and future technology trends that can lead us to some insights for future products and services.

Development and Evaluation of Strong-Campbell Interest Inventory Scales to Measure Interests of Military Occupational Specialties of the Marine Corps.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-08-01

though the two groups were different in terms of SC!I scientific interests and academic orientation scores (the aviation supply sample scored higher on...51 Chemists/Physicists 50 MARINE OFFICERS- COMUNICATION 49 MARINE OFFICERS-DATA SYSTEMS 48 Engineers 47 Biologists 46 Systems Analysts/Computer...Base ( Scientific and Technical Information Office) Commander, Air Force Human Resources Laboratory, Lowry Air Force Base (Technical Training Branch

A guide to writing a scientific paper: a focus on high school through graduate level student research.

PubMed

Hesselbach, Renee A; Petering, David H; Berg, Craig A; Tomasiewicz, Henry; Weber, Daniel

2012-12-01

This article presents a detailed guide for high school through graduate level instructors that leads students to write effective and well-organized scientific papers. Interesting research emerges from the ability to ask questions, define problems, design experiments, analyze and interpret data, and make critical connections. This process is incomplete, unless new results are communicated to others because science fundamentally requires peer review and criticism to validate or discard proposed new knowledge. Thus, a concise and clearly written research paper is a critical step in the scientific process and is important for young researchers as they are mastering how to express scientific concepts and understanding. Moreover, learning to write a research paper provides a tool to improve science literacy as indicated in the National Research Council's National Science Education Standards (1996), and A Framework for K-12 Science Education (2011), the underlying foundation for the Next Generation Science Standards currently being developed. Background information explains the importance of peer review and communicating results, along with details of each critical component, the Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion. Specific steps essential to helping students write clear and coherent research papers that follow a logical format, use effective communication, and develop scientific inquiry are described.

A Guide to Writing a Scientific Paper: A Focus on High School Through Graduate Level Student Research

PubMed Central

Petering, David H.; Berg, Craig A.; Tomasiewicz, Henry; Weber, Daniel

2012-01-01

Abstract This article presents a detailed guide for high school through graduate level instructors that leads students to write effective and well-organized scientific papers. Interesting research emerges from the ability to ask questions, define problems, design experiments, analyze and interpret data, and make critical connections. This process is incomplete, unless new results are communicated to others because science fundamentally requires peer review and criticism to validate or discard proposed new knowledge. Thus, a concise and clearly written research paper is a critical step in the scientific process and is important for young researchers as they are mastering how to express scientific concepts and understanding. Moreover, learning to write a research paper provides a tool to improve science literacy as indicated in the National Research Council's National Science Education Standards (1996), and A Framework for K–12 Science Education (2011), the underlying foundation for the Next Generation Science Standards currently being developed. Background information explains the importance of peer review and communicating results, along with details of each critical component, the Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion. Specific steps essential to helping students write clear and coherent research papers that follow a logical format, use effective communication, and develop scientific inquiry are described. PMID:23094692

Using Authentic Data in High School Earth System Science Research - Inspiring Future Scientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruck, L. F.

2006-05-01

Using authentic data in a science research class is an effective way to teach students the scientific process, problem solving, and communication skills. In Frederick County Public Schools, MD a course has been developed to hone scientific research skills, and inspire interest in careers in science and technology. The Earth System Science Research course provides eleventh and twelfth grade students an opportunity to study Earth System Science using the latest information developed through current technologies. The system approach to this course helps students understand the complexity and interrelatedness of the Earth system. Consequently students appreciate the dynamics of local and global environments as part of a complex system. This course is an elective offering designed to engage students in the study of the atmosphere, biosphere, cryosphere, geosphere, and hydrosphere. This course allows students to utilize skills and processes gained from previous science courses to study the physical, chemical, and biological aspects of the Earth system. The research component of the course makes up fifty percent of course time in which students perform independent research on the interactions within the Earth system. Students are required to produce a scientific presentation to communicate the results of their research. Posters are then presented to the scientific community. Some of these presentations have led to internships and other scientific opportunities.

Adaptive trial designs: a review of barriers and opportunities

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Adaptive designs allow planned modifications based on data accumulating within a study. The promise of greater flexibility and efficiency stimulates increasing interest in adaptive designs from clinical, academic, and regulatory parties. When adaptive designs are used properly, efficiencies can include a smaller sample size, a more efficient treatment development process, and an increased chance of correctly answering the clinical question of interest. However, improper adaptations can lead to biased studies. A broad definition of adaptive designs allows for countless variations, which creates confusion as to the statistical validity and practical feasibility of many designs. Determining properties of a particular adaptive design requires careful consideration of the scientific context and statistical assumptions. We first review several adaptive designs that garner the most current interest. We focus on the design principles and research issues that lead to particular designs being appealing or unappealing in particular applications. We separately discuss exploratory and confirmatory stage designs in order to account for the differences in regulatory concerns. We include adaptive seamless designs, which combine stages in a unified approach. We also highlight a number of applied areas, such as comparative effectiveness research, that would benefit from the use of adaptive designs. Finally, we describe a number of current barriers and provide initial suggestions for overcoming them in order to promote wider use of appropriate adaptive designs. Given the breadth of the coverage all mathematical and most implementation details are omitted for the sake of brevity. However, the interested reader will find that we provide current references to focused reviews and original theoretical sources which lead to details of the current state of the art in theory and practice. PMID:22917111

[Professional civil responsibility of physicians: towards a modification of the law in the year 2000?].

PubMed

Thiry, E

2000-09-01

For more than twenty years, physicians, lawyers, insurers and patients stress the wrong working of civil medical liability in our country. After surveying the most important slacknesses of the current system, the author examines the answers or proposals on the one hand of the jurisprudence and on the other hand of the governing authorities and finally of the scientific sector. The study emphasizes also the current community of interest which leads to implementation of a new law which content is however difficult to define. At last, the author tries to show the most clearly expected modifications and suggests also some practical pieces of advice regarding the evolution of the jurisprudence.

Spatial correlation of auroral zone geomagnetic variations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jackel, B. J.; Davalos, A.

2016-12-01

Magnetic field perturbations in the auroral zone are produced by a combination of distant ionospheric and local ground induced currents. Spatial and temporal structure of these currents is scientifically interesting and can also have a significant influence on critical infrastructure.Ground-based magnetometer networks are an essential tool for studying these phenomena, with the existing complement of instruments in Canada providing extended local time coverage. In this study we examine the spatial correlation between magnetic field observations over a range of scale lengths. Principal component and canonical correlation analysis are used to quantify relationships between multiple sites. Results could be used to optimize network configurations, validate computational models, and improve methods for empirical interpolation.

Phage therapy.

PubMed

Housby, John N; Mann, Nicholas H

2009-06-01

There is a renaissance of interest in the antimicrobial potential of phages as more pathogens become multiply antibiotic resistant. Phage therapy is not a new concept, and it is important to ask why it is not part of the current repertoire of western medicine despite the fact that it has been continuously and extensively used in Eastern Europe for almost a century. Answering this question successfully will, largely, determine whether phage therapy can gain the credibility needed to overcome the scientific, financial and regulatory hurdles facing its adoption in mainstream clinical practice. Despite a paucity of such information from human studies, pharmacokinetic data and clinical outcomes from animal studies are currently providing convincing evidence for the safety and efficacy of phage therapy.

Evidence-based medicine was bound to fail: a report to Alvan Feinstein.

PubMed

Fava, Giovanni A

2017-04-01

John Ioannidis has provided a lucid account, in the form of a report to David Sackett, of how evidence-based medicine (EBM) was hijacked to serve vested interests: major randomized controlled trials are largely done by and for the benefit of the industry; meta-analyses and guidelines are flooded with conflicts of interest; national and federal research funds are unable to address basic clinical questions. Nonetheless, EBM would remain a worthwhile goal. In this paper, in the form of a report to Alvan Feinstein, it is argued that current developments were largely predictable. EBM certainly gave an important contribution to questioning unsubstantiated therapeutic claims. Time has come, however, to become aware of its considerable limitations, including overall reductionism and insufficient consideration of problems related to financial conflicts of interest. EBM does not represent the scientific approach to medicine: it is only a restrictive interpretation of the scientific approach to clinical practice. EBM drives the prescribing clinician to an overestimated consideration of potential benefits, paying little attention to the likelihood of responsiveness and to potential vulnerabilities in relations to the adverse effects of treatment. It is time to substitute the fashionable popularity of a strategy developed outside of clinical medicine with models and research based on the insights of clinical judgment and patient-doctor interaction, as Feinstein had outlined. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Ra: The Sun for Science and Humanity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1996-01-01

To guide the development of the Ra Strategic Framework, we defined scientific and applications objectives. For our primary areas of scientific interest, we choose the corona, the solar wind, the Sun's effect on the Earth, and solar theory and model development. For secondary areas of scientific interest, we selected sunspots, the solar constant, the Sun's gravitational field, helioseismology and the galactic cosmic rays. We stress the importance of stereoscopic imaging, observations at high spatial, spectral, and temporal resolutions, as well as of long duration measurements. Further exploration of the Sun's polar regions is also important, as shown already by the Ulysses mission. From an applications perspective, we adopted three broad objectives that would derive complementary inputs for the Strategic Framework. These were to identify and investigate: possible application spin-offs from science missions, possible solar-terrestrial missions dedicated to a particular application, and possible future applications that require technology development. The Sun can be viewed as both a source of resources and of threats. Our principal applications focus was that of threat mitigation, by examining ways to improve solar threat monitoring and early warning systems. We compared these objectives to the mission objectives of past, current, and planned international solar missions. Past missions (1962-1980) seem to have been focused on improvement of scientific knowledge, using multiple instrument spacecraft. A ten year gap followed this period, during which the results from previous missions were analyzed and solar study programmes were prepared in international organizations. Current missions (1990-1996) focus on particular topics such as the corona, solar flares, and coronal mass ejections. In planned missions, Sun/Earth interactions and environmental effects of solar activity are becoming more important. The corona is the centre of interest of almost all planned missions. It seems that no international long-term strategy has yet been adopted. For these plans the number of necessary future missions can be reduced and the onboard instrumentation can be optimized by performing a comparative analysis. The study of the corona must be done from different observing locations, orbits closer to the Sun, and by different means. The Cluster mission replacement is in progress; however, if the replacement is not implemented, the ISTP programme will fade after 1998. Furthermore, the physics of the Sun's interior should be emphasized more in the Mid- and Far-Term programmes. Finally, more emphasis should be placed on monitoring space weather and forecasting Sun/Earth interactions.

Processing and Recall of Seductive Details in Scientific Text

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lehman, Stephen; Schraw, Gregory; McCrudden, Matthew T.; Hartley, Kendall

2007-01-01

This study examined how seductive details affect on-line processing of a technical, scientific text. In Experiment 1, each sentence from the experimental text was rated for interest and importance. Participants rated seductive details as being more interesting but less important than main ideas. In Experiment 2, we examined the effect of seductive…

The Impact of Science Fiction Films on Student Interest in Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Laprise, Shari; Winrich, Chuck

2010-01-01

Science fiction films were used in required and elective nonmajor science courses as a pedagogical tool to motivate student interest in science and to reinforce critical thinking about scientific concepts. Students watched various films and critiqued them for scientific accuracy in written assignments. Students' perception of this activity was…

Integration and Development in Schizotypy Research: An Introduction to the Special Supplement

PubMed Central

Debbané, Martin; Mohr, Christine

2015-01-01

In its fifth decade of existence, the construct of schizotypy is recapturing the early scientific interest it attracted when Paul E. Meehl (1920–2003), who coined the term, pioneered the field of schizotypy research. The International Lemanic Workshop on Schizotypy, hosted at the University of Geneva in December 2013, recently offered an opportunity to address some of the fundamental questions in contemporary schizotypy research and situate the construct in the greater scheme of future scientific projects on schizophrenia and psychological health research. What kind of knowledge has schizotypy research provided in furthering our understanding of schizophrenia? What types of questions can schizotypy research tackle, and which are the conceptual and methodological frameworks to address them? How will schizotypy research contribute to future scientific endeavors? The International Lemanic Workshop brought together leading experts in the field around the tasks of articulating the essential findings in schizotypy research, as well as providing some key insights and guidance to face scientific challenges of the future. The current supplement contains 8 position articles, 4 research articles, and 1 invited commentary that outline the state of the art in schizotypy research today. PMID:25810053

Knowing and avoiding plagiarism during scientific writing.

PubMed

Kumar, P Mohan; Priya, N Swapna; Musalaiah, Svvs; Nagasree, M

2014-09-01

Plagiarism has become more common in both dental and medical communities. Most of the writers do not know that plagiarism is a serious problem. Plagiarism can range from simple dishonesty (minor copy paste/any discrepancy) to a more serious problem (major discrepancy/duplication of manuscript) when the authors do cut-copy-paste from the original source without giving adequate credit to the main source. When we search databases like PubMed/MedLine there is a lot of information regarding plagiarism. However, it is still a current topic of interest to all the researchers to know how to avoid plagiarism. It's time to every young researcher to know ethical guidelines while writing any scientific publications. By using one's own ideas, we can write the paper completely without looking at the original source. Specific words from the source can be added by using quotations and citing them which can help in not only supporting your work and amplifying ideas but also avoids plagiarism. It is compulsory to all the authors, reviewers and editors of all the scientific journals to know about the plagiarism and how to avoid it by following ethical guidelines and use of plagiarism detection software while scientific writing.

Teaching How to Prepare a Manuscript by Means of Rewriting Published Scientific Papers

PubMed Central

Tomaska, Lubomir

2007-01-01

The objective of the course described here is to train undergraduate students to write a scientific manuscript. The students participate in selection of a current topic in contemporary genetics or molecular biology by choosing the most interesting paper of a given year. After the teacher provides all essential background about the selected subject, he or she selects a recent article from the corresponding field and presents the students with all the necessary information contained in the paper without revealing its title and author. The data presented in the paper are reviewed by the class so that each student understands every experiment and the main points of the work. Simultaneously, the students are informed about the basic rules of writing the individual sections of a scientific paper. They are then asked to write and formally submit a manuscript summarizing the data. Finally, the students act as reviewers of their colleagues' manuscripts and compare their papers with the original published articles. This enables them to identify both the strengths and the weaknesses of their manuscripts and to gain confidence in the writing skills that will be so critical for their future scientific activities. PMID:17110479

Knowing and Avoiding Plagiarism During Scientific Writing

PubMed Central

Kumar, P Mohan; Priya, N Swapna; Musalaiah, SVVS; Nagasree, M

2014-01-01

Plagiarism has become more common in both dental and medical communities. Most of the writers do not know that plagiarism is a serious problem. Plagiarism can range from simple dishonesty (minor copy paste/any discrepancy) to a more serious problem (major discrepancy/duplication of manuscript) when the authors do cut-copy-paste from the original source without giving adequate credit to the main source. When we search databases like PubMed/MedLine there is a lot of information regarding plagiarism. However, it is still a current topic of interest to all the researchers to know how to avoid plagiarism. It's time to every young researcher to know ethical guidelines while writing any scientific publications. By using one's own ideas, we can write the paper completely without looking at the original source. Specific words from the source can be added by using quotations and citing them which can help in not only supporting your work and amplifying ideas but also avoids plagiarism. It is compulsory to all the authors, reviewers and editors of all the scientific journals to know about the plagiarism and how to avoid it by following ethical guidelines and use of plagiarism detection software while scientific writing. PMID:25364588

Inventing conflicts of interest: a history of tobacco industry tactics.

PubMed

Brandt, Allan M

2012-01-01

Confronted by compelling peer-reviewed scientific evidence of the harms of smoking, the tobacco industry, beginning in the 1950s, used sophisticated public relations approaches to undermine and distort the emerging science. The industry campaign worked to create a scientific controversy through a program that depended on the creation of industry-academic conflicts of interest. This strategy of producing scientific uncertainty undercut public health efforts and regulatory interventions designed to reduce the harms of smoking. A number of industries have subsequently followed this approach to disrupting normative science. Claims of scientific uncertainty and lack of proof also lead to the assertion of individual responsibility for industrially produced health risks.

Dietary sodium, potassium, and alcohol: key players in the pathophysiology, prevention, and treatment of human hypertension.

PubMed

Koliaki, Chrysi; Katsilambros, Nicholas

2013-06-01

Western industrialized societies are currently experiencing an epidemic expansion of hypertension (HTN), which extends alarmingly even to children and adolescents. HTN constitutes an independent risk factor for cardiorenal disease and represents an extremely common comorbidity of diabetes and obesity. Numerous randomized clinical trials and meta-analyses have provided robust scientific evidence that reduced dietary salt intake, increased dietary potassium intake, moderation of alcohol consumption, optimal weight maintenance, and the adoption of "heart-friendly" dietary patterns such as the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension or the Mediterranean diet can effectively lower blood pressure. Interestingly, the susceptibility of blood pressure to nutritional interventions is greatly variable among individuals, depending on age, race, genetic background, and comorbidities. The purpose of this review is to provide a comprehensive overview of currently available scientific evidence in the constantly evolving field of diet and HTN, placing particular emphasis on the key role of dietary sodium, dietary potassium, and alcohol intake in the pathophysiology, prevention, and treatment of human hypertension. © 2013 International Life Sciences Institute.

Multi-dimensional classification of biomedical text: Toward automated, practical provision of high-utility text to diverse users

PubMed Central

Shatkay, Hagit; Pan, Fengxia; Rzhetsky, Andrey; Wilbur, W. John

2008-01-01

Motivation: Much current research in biomedical text mining is concerned with serving biologists by extracting certain information from scientific text. We note that there is no ‘average biologist’ client; different users have distinct needs. For instance, as noted in past evaluation efforts (BioCreative, TREC, KDD) database curators are often interested in sentences showing experimental evidence and methods. Conversely, lab scientists searching for known information about a protein may seek facts, typically stated with high confidence. Text-mining systems can target specific end-users and become more effective, if the system can first identify text regions rich in the type of scientific content that is of interest to the user, retrieve documents that have many such regions, and focus on fact extraction from these regions. Here, we study the ability to characterize and classify such text automatically. We have recently introduced a multi-dimensional categorization and annotation scheme, developed to be applicable to a wide variety of biomedical documents and scientific statements, while intended to support specific biomedical retrieval and extraction tasks. Results: The annotation scheme was applied to a large corpus in a controlled effort by eight independent annotators, where three individual annotators independently tagged each sentence. We then trained and tested machine learning classifiers to automatically categorize sentence fragments based on the annotation. We discuss here the issues involved in this task, and present an overview of the results. The latter strongly suggest that automatic annotation along most of the dimensions is highly feasible, and that this new framework for scientific sentence categorization is applicable in practice. Contact: shatkay@cs.queensu.ca PMID:18718948

The Scientific Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence: a Sociological Analysis.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romesberg, Daniel Ray

1992-01-01

This study examines the search for extraterrestrial intelligence, as it has been conducted by scientists over the past century. The following questions are explored: (1) What are the historical patterns of American scientific interest in extraterrestrial intelligence? From a sociology of science perspective, how can these patterns of interest be explained? (2) Who are the most prominent scientists involved in SETI? What are their academic backgrounds? (3) How has the rather exotic idea of extraterrestrial intelligence managed to penetrate the realm of respectable science?. In order to measure the historical fluctuations of scientific interest in extraterrestrial intelligence, a frequency distribution of relevant articles published in American scientific journals over the past century has been constructed. The core scholars of the "extraterrestrial" field have been determined via citation analysis, in a selected portion of the scientific literature. An analysis of recent scientific literature on the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI) has revealed a number of tactics of legitimation and de-legitimation used by SETI proponents, as well as opponents. This study has generated the following findings: (1) Historically, there are three factors which tend to stimulate general scientific interest in extraterrestrial intelligence: First, the strong demonstration of the plausibility of extraterrestrial intelligence, or life, especially in a tangible, and therefore studiable location. Scientific laboratories are primary agents of plausibility here. Second, the organized political activity of SETI scientists. Third, the availability of government funding for searches for extraterrestrial intelligence, or life. (2) Statistically, the leading scholars of modern SETI are Sagan, Drake and Morrison. The field itself tends to be dominated by astronomers and physicists. (3) Because SETI has no concrete data, and is easily stigmatized as an illegitimate scientific activity, it must engage in an intense campaign of scientific legitimation. Most importantly, SETI scientists must try to resemble scientists who are engaged in "normal," respectable scientific activities. (4) The sociological study of SETI's history demonstrates the strengths and limits of the constructivist and realist approaches to the sociology of science. It suggests that sociological analyses of science should attempt to incorporate both analytical perspectives.

Can Direct Current Electrotherapy Be Used for Patients With Orthopedic Implants?

PubMed Central

Thaler, Evangeline; Korte, Holger

2017-01-01

Introduction: Although electrotherapy appears to have particularly interesting applications in the field of postoperative orthopedic rehabilitation, relatively little scientifically based research has been conducted in the area of electrotherapy with regard to safety involving patients with orthopedic implants. Method: Three electrotherapy forms were tested, such as high-volt stimulation (HVS), transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS), and galvanic current (GAL), using a model system containing a metal implant plate to evaluate whether heating in excess of 3°C would occur. Results: All changes in temperature for HVS, GAL, and TENS therapeutic electrical currents observed in our model system fall below the predefined 3°C. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first experimental based observation that prolonged exposure to a direct electrical current at therapeutic strength does not result in heating of metal titanium plates. PMID:28255511

Strengthening the framework for independence of science in policymaking

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rosenberg, A.; Phartiyal, P.; Halpern, M.; Goldman, G. T.; Reed, G.

2016-12-01

The "independence" of scientific advice—shorthand for the safeguards that are needed to ensure that scientific evidence that informs policy proposals stems from a valid and credible scientific process—is crucial to better policy decisions and public faith in public policy decisions. To the public, and often policy-makers, the process of developing, refereeing, and synthesizing science is often opaque, confusing, and underappreciated. At the same time, calls for disclosure of real or perceived conflicts of interest and for greater public access to scientific information and data are increasing. Further, vested interests routinely produce their own analyses, which often do not meet acceptable standards, to justify their own ends or a particular pre-determined policy position for economic, political, ideological, or other gains. These are not speculative concerns. For example, conflict of interest disclosure is often incomplete and inconsistently enforced. Peer review, even in the academic community, has been compromised or circumvented in too many cases. Scientific misconduct and research integrity in several fields have become high-profile scandals. Scientific integrity policies in government agencies are not fully implemented. A decline in public funding of research makes private-public partnerships more commonplace, and sometimes, those partnerships allow funders to unduly influence faculty appointment, curricula, and research. In this complicated landscape, a coherent, publicly credible and acceptable framework to assure that scientific advice is independent is sorely needed. Such a framework must incorporate best practices such as peer review; disclosure of conflicts; public availability of research findings, methodology and data; reproducibility of results; scientific freedom to publish; and deterrents against scientific misconduct. The framework would be broadly applicable across many technical fields and sectors. Here we delve into each of these elements and suggest a path forward on advancing the independence of science. Public policy will truly serve the public interest only when the science informing government decisions is independent, legitimate, and credible.

Assessing the value of transgenic crops.

PubMed

Lacey, Hugh

2002-10-01

In the current controversy about the value of transgenic crops, matters open to empirical inquiry are centrally at issue. One such matter is a key premise in a common argument (that I summarize) that transgenic crops should be considered to have universal value. The premise is that there are no alternative forms of agriculture available to enable the production of sufficient food to feed the world. The proponents of agroecology challenge it, claiming that agroecology provides an alternative, and they deny the claim that it is well founded on empirical evidence. It is, therefore, a matter of both social and scientific importance that this premise and the criticisms of it be investigated rigorously and empirically, so that the benefits and disadvantages of transgenic-intensive agriculture and agroecology can be compared in a reliable way. Conducting adequate investigation about the potential contribution of agroecology requires that the cultural conditions of its practice (and, thus, of the practices and movements of small-scale farmers in the "third world") be strengthened--and this puts the interests of investigation into tension with the socio-economic interests driving the development of transgenics. General issues about relationship between ethical argument and empirical (scientific) investigation are raised throughout the article.

Operational Space Weather Needs - Perspectives from SEASONS 2014

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Comberiate, J.; Kelly, M. A.; Paxton, L. J.; Schaefer, R. K.; Bust, G. S.; Sotirelis, T.; Fox, N. J.

2014-12-01

A key challenge for the operational space weather community is the gap between the latest scientific data, models, methods, and indices and those that are currently used in operational systems. The November 2014 SEASONS (Space Environment Applications, Systems, and Operations for National Security) Workshop at JHU/APL in Laurel, Maryland, brings together representatives from the operational and scientific communities. The theme of SEASONS 2014 is "Beyond Climatology," with a focus on how space weather events threaten operational assets and disrupt missions. Here we present perspectives from SEASONS 2014 on new observations, models in development, and forecasting methods that are of interest to the operational space weather community. Highlighted topics include ionospheric data assimilation and forecasting models, HF propagation models, radiation belt observations, and energetic particle modeling. The SEASONS 2014 web site can be found at https://secwww.jhuapl.edu/SEASONS/

Near Earth Objects - a threat and an opportunity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tate, Jonathan R.

2003-05-01

In the past decade the hazard posed to the Earth by Near Earth Objects (NEOs) has generated considerable scientific and public interest. A number of major films, television programmes and media reports have brought the issue to public attention. From an educational perspective an investigation into NEOs and the effects of impacts on the Earth forms a topical and dynamic basis for study in a huge range of subjects, not just scientific. There are clear routes to chemistry, physics, mathematics and biology, but history, psychology, geography, palaeontology and geology are just a selection of other subjects involved. A number of projects have been established, mainly in the USA, to determine the extent of the hazard, and to develop ways of countering it, but the present situation is far from satisfactory. Current detection and follow-up programmes are underfunded and lack international coordination.

Modern perspectives on measuring and interpreting seafloor heat flux

USGS Publications Warehouse

Harris, Reid N.; Fisher, A.; Ruppel, C.; Martinez, F.

2008-01-01

There has been a resurgence of interest in marine heat flow in the past 10–15 years, coinciding with fundamental achievements in understanding the Earth's thermal state and quantifying the dynamics and impacts of material and energy fluxes within and between the lithosphere and hydrosphere. At the same time, technical capabilities have dwindled to the point that no U.S. academic institution currently operates a seagoing heat flow capacity.In September 2007, a workshop was convened in Salt Lake City with sponsorship from the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and participation by scientists and engineers from North America, Europe, and Asia. The primary goals of the workshop were to (1) assess high-priority scientific and technical needs and (2) to evaluate options for developing and maintaining essential capabilities in marine heat flow for the U.S. scientific community.

Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kappeler, Franz

2010-11-09

F. Kappeler speaks about EFNUDAT synergies in astrophysics in this second session of the Final Scientific EFNUDAT Workshop. The workshop was organized by the CERN/EN-STI group on behalf of n_TOF Collaboration - will be held at CERN, Geneva (Switzerland) from 30 August to 2 September 2010 inclusive. EFNUDAT website: http://www.efnudat.euTopics of interest include: Data evaluation Cross section measurements Experimental techniques Uncertainties and covariances Fission properties Current and future facilities; International Advisory Committee: C. Barreau (CENBG, France) T. Belgya (IKI KFKI, Hungary) E. Gonzalez (CIEMAT, Spain)F. Gunsing (CEA, France)F.-J. Hambsch (IRMM, Belgium)A. Junghans (FZD, Germany) R. Nolte (PTB, Germany)S. Pomp (TSLmore » UU, Sweden);Workshop Organizing Committee: Enrico Chiaveri (Chairman) Marco Calviani Samuel Andriamonje Eric Berthoumieux Carlos Guerrero Roberto Losito Vasilis Vlachoudis Workshop Assistant: Geraldine Jean.« less

Cooperative Exploration of Rough Martian Terrains with the "Scorpion" Legged Robot as an Adjunct to a Rover.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Colombano, Silvano P.; Kirchner, Frank; Spenneberg, Dirk; Starman, Jared; Hanratty, James; Kovsmeyer, David (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

NASA needs autonomous robotic exploration of difficult (rough and/or steep) scientifically interesting Martian terrains. Concepts involving distributed autonomy for cooperative robotic exploration are key to enabling new scientific objectives in robotic missions. We propose to utilize a legged robot as an adjunct scout to a rover for access to difficult - scientifically interesting - terrains (rocky areas, slopes, cliffs). Our final mission scenario involves the Ames rover platform "K9" and Scorpion acting together to explore a steep cliff, with the Scorpion robot rappelling down using the K9 as an anchor as well as mission planner and executive. Cooperation concepts, including wheeled rappelling robots have been proposed before. Now we propose to test the combined advantages of a wheeled vehicle with a legged scout as well as the advantages of merging of high level planning and execution with biologically inspired, behavior based robotics. We propose to use the 8-legged, multifunctional autonomous robot platform Scorpion that is currently capable of: Walking on different terrains (rocks, sand, grass, ...). Perceiving its environment and modifying its behavioral pattern accordingly. These capabilities would be extended to enable the Scorpion to: communicate and cooperate with a partner robot; climb over rocks, rubble piles, and objects with structural features. This will be done in the context of exploration of rough terrains in the neighborhood of the rover, but inaccessible to it, culminating in the added capability of rappelling down a steep cliff for both vertical and horizontal terrain observation.

Turning Crisis into Opportunity: Nature of Science and Scientific Inquiry as Illustrated in the Scientific Research on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, Siu Ling; Kwan, Jenny; Hodson, Derek; Yung, Benny Hin Wai

2009-01-01

Interviews with key scientists who had conducted research on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), together with analysis of media reports, documentaries and other literature published during and after the SARS epidemic, revealed many interesting aspects of the nature of science (NOS) and scientific inquiry in contemporary scientific research in the rapidly growing field of molecular biology. The story of SARS illustrates vividly some NOS features advocated in the school science curriculum, including the tentative nature of scientific knowledge, theory-laden observation and interpretation, multiplicity of approaches adopted in scientific inquiry, the inter-relationship between science and technology, and the nexus of science, politics, social and cultural practices. The story also provided some insights into a number of NOS features less emphasised in the school curriculum—for example, the need to combine and coordinate expertise in a number of scientific fields, the intense competition between research groups (suspended during the SARS crisis), the significance of affective issues relating to intellectual honesty and the courage to challenge authority, the pressure of funding issues on the conduct of research and the ‘peace of mind’ of researchers, These less emphasised elements provided empirical evidence that NOS knowledge, like scientific knowledge itself, changes over time. They reflected the need for teachers and curriculum planners to revisit and reconsider whether the features of NOS currently included in the school science curriculum are fully reflective of the practice of science in the 21st century. In this paper, we also report on how we made use of extracts from the news reports and documentaries on SARS, together with episodes from the scientists’ interviews, to develop a multimedia instructional package for explicitly teaching the prominent features of NOS and scientific inquiry identified in the SARS research.

Alcohol research and the alcoholic beverage industry: issues, concerns and conflicts of interest.

PubMed

Babor, Thomas F

2009-02-01

Using terms of justification such as 'corporate social responsibility' and 'partnerships with the public health community', the alcoholic beverage industry (mainly large producers, trade associations and 'social aspects' organizations) funds a variety of scientific activities that involve or overlap with the work of independent scientists. The aim of this paper is to evaluate the ethical, professional and scientific challenges that have emerged from industry involvement in alcohol science. Source material came from an extensive review of organizational websites, newspaper articles, journal papers, letters to the editor, editorials, books, book chapters and unpublished documents. Industry involvement in alcohol science was identified in seven areas: (i) sponsorship of research funding organizations; (ii) direct financing of university-based scientists and centers; (iii) studies conducted through contract research organizations; (iv) research conducted by trade organizations and social aspects/public relations organizations; (v) efforts to influence public perceptions of research, research findings and alcohol policies; (vi) publication of scientific documents and support of scientific journals; and (vii) sponsorship of scientific conferences and presentations at conferences. While industry involvement in research activities is increasing, it constitutes currently a rather small direct investment in scientific research, one that is unlikely to contribute to alcohol science, lead to scientific breakthroughs or reduce the burden of alcohol-related illness. At best, the scientific activities funded by the alcoholic beverage industry provide financial support and small consulting fees for basic and behavioral scientists engaged in alcohol research; at worst, the industry's scientific activities confuse public discussion of health issues and policy options, raise questions about the objectivity of industry-supported alcohol scientists and provide industry with a convenient way to demonstrate 'corporate responsibility' in its attempts to avoid taxation and regulation.

Is Transracial Adoption in the Best Interests of Ethnic Minority Children?: Questions Concerning Legal and Scientific Interpretations of a Child's Best Interests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Shelley M.; Green, Cheryl Evans

2000-01-01

Examines empirical studies purporting to demonstrate that transracial adoption may positively benefit children of color, particularly Black children. Argues that several methodological difficulties exist in these studies, and describes the Eurocentric bias of legal and scientific assessments of children's well-being and adjustment. (JPB)

Recent advances in female sexual dysfunction.

PubMed

Davis, A R

2000-06-01

Female sexuality has received little scientific study. Recently, increased interest in this field has generated new research in the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and pharmacotherapy of female sexual dysfunction (FSD). A new FSD classification system has been proposed. Although sexual difficulties are highly prevalent among women, the degree of associated distress is unknown. Risk factors for FSD are probably both psychologic and physiologic. Aging or menopause is associated with lubrication difficulties, which can be treated with hormone replacement. Hysterectomy seems more likely to result in improvement rather then deterioration of sexual functioning. Depression may be a predictor of sexual dysfunction after hysterectomy. Vasoactive agents are currently being evaluated as treatment for female sexual arousal disorder. The most important advance in the study of female sexual function is the recent surge of interest in this relatively unexplored field.

Using Geostationary Communications Satellites as a Sensor: Telemetry Search Algorithms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cahoy, K.; Carlton, A.; Lohmeyer, W. Q.

2014-12-01

For decades, operators and manufacturers have collected large amounts of telemetry from geostationary (GEO) communications satellites to monitor system health and performance, yet this data is rarely mined for scientific purposes. The goal of this work is to mine data archives acquired from commercial operators using new algorithms that can detect when a space weather (or non-space weather) event of interest has occurred or is in progress. We have developed algorithms to statistically analyze power amplifier current and temperature telemetry and identify deviations from nominal operations or other trends of interest. We then examine space weather data to see what role, if any, it might have played. We also closely examine both long and short periods of time before an anomaly to determine whether or not the anomaly could have been predicted.

[Establishing and operating a human biobank. Ethical aspects].

PubMed

Jahns, Roland

2016-03-01

Particularly in the past decade which has been marked by efforts to foster individualized/personalized medicine the need for well-characterized high-quality collections of human biological material has significantly increased. When establishing and operating a human biobank the interests and the "freedom" of biomedical research must always be weighed against the interests and rights of patients and/or donors; in this process ethical aspects should be considered systematically. In addition, the importance of quality control and quality assurance has largely increased in human biobanking, both from a scientific and even more from an ethical point of view, because donated biological materials are potentially stored for decades and (on request) might serve for currently not foreseeable biomedical research purposes. In addition, the compatibility of national human biobanks with international biobank networks becomes increasingly important.

A Community of One: Social Cognition and Auditory Verbal Hallucinations

PubMed Central

Bell, Vaughan

2013-01-01

Auditory verbal hallucinations have attracted a great deal of scientific interest, but despite the fact that they are fundamentally a social experience—in essence, a form of hallucinated communication—current theories remain firmly rooted in an individualistic account and have largely avoided engagement with social cognition. Nevertheless, there is mounting evidence for the role of social cognitive and social neurocognitive processes in auditory verbal hallucinations, and, consequently, it is proposed that problems with the internalisation of social models may be key to the experience. PMID:24311984

[Alternative treatments in irritable bowel syndrome].

PubMed

Hagège, H

2009-02-01

Managing irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is difficult and often a source of dissatisfaction for the patient, explaining the increasingly frequent recourse to alternative treatments. These highly varied treatments are often associated. They can be classed into four categories: reflexology methods, interventions on the psyche, biological therapies, and treatments using certain forms of energy. Although some studies show interesting results, currently there are not sufficient scientific arguments to recommend one or another of these alternative treatments. Multicenter controlled studies are needed to better evaluate the strategies that appear to be cost-effective.

¿Es tiempo de exigir publicidad basada en la evidencia?

PubMed

Macías-Hernández, Salvador Israel; Morones-Alba, Juan Daniel

2017-01-01

Claims made in current advertising for medical products is not necessarily scientifically proven, yet at the same time clinicians are required to adopt evidence-based practices and undergo periodic certifications. This is a clear contradiction. It is crucial to begin to reflect on the need to regulate information presented in the media and to place greater emphasis on patient well-being and safety instead of on third-party interests. The medical community must demand stricter regulations and evidence-based advertising policies. Copyright: © 2017 SecretarÍa de Salud.

Ferromagnetic Josephson Junctions for Cryogenic Memory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niedzielski, Bethany M.; Gingrich, Eric C.; Khasawneh, Mazin A.; Loloee, Reza; Pratt, William P., Jr.; Birge, Norman O.

2015-03-01

Josephson junctions containing ferromagnetic materials are of interest for both scientific and technological purposes. In principle, either the amplitude of the critical current or superconducting phase shift across the junction can be controlled by the relative magnetization directions of the ferromagnetic layers in the junction. Our approach concentrates on phase control utilizing two junctions in a SQUID geometry. We will report on efforts to control the phase of junctions carrying either spin-singlet or spin-triplet supercurrent for cryogenic memory applications. Supported by Northorp Grumman Corporation and by IARPA under SPAWAR Contract N66001-12-C-2017.

Inventing Conflicts of Interest: A History of Tobacco Industry Tactics

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Confronted by compelling peer-reviewed scientific evidence of the harms of smoking, the tobacco industry, beginning in the 1950s, used sophisticated public relations approaches to undermine and distort the emerging science. The industry campaign worked to create a scientific controversy through a program that depended on the creation of industry–academic conflicts of interest. This strategy of producing scientific uncertainty undercut public health efforts and regulatory interventions designed to reduce the harms of smoking. A number of industries have subsequently followed this approach to disrupting normative science. Claims of scientific uncertainty and lack of proof also lead to the assertion of individual responsibility for industrially produced health risks. PMID:22095331

Conflicts of interest for medical publishers and editors: protecting the integrity of scientific scholarship.

PubMed

Desai, Sapan S; Shortell, Cynthia K

2011-09-01

Competition of interest may exist at all levels in the medical publication process. Ensuring the integrity of scientific scholarship involves protecting editorial independence, promoting the use of scientific arbitration boards, promoting transparency throughout all stages of publication, and protecting the relationship between the publisher and its editors through an effective legal framework. It is incumbent upon the publisher, editors, authors, and readers to ensure that the highest standards of scientific scholarship are upheld. Doing so will help reduce fraud and misrepresentation in medical research and increase the trustworthiness of landmark findings in science. Copyright © 2011 Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Mosby, Inc. All rights reserved.

We Need You! The Importance of Scientist Involvement in Education and Public Outreach (E/PO)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buxner, S.; Hsu, B. C.; Meinke, B. K.; Shipp, S. S.; Schwerin, T. G.; Peticolas, L. M.; Smith, D.; Dalton, H.

2013-12-01

Active engagement of scientists in education and public outreach (E/PO) activities is beneficial for scientists, classrooms, and the general public. Scientist visibility in the public arena is important to garner public support, whose tax dollars fund scientific programs. Scientists are important disseminators of current, accurate scientific knowledge. They also, perhaps more importantly, understand the nature and process of science and have the means of understanding and addressing many of the issues facing society. Research has shown that while the public is interested in science, not all members are necessarily scientifically literate; additionally there is evidence than many students are not prepared for, or choosing to participate in science careers. And yet, a scientifically engaged, literate, and supportive public is a necessary partner in addressing important global challenges of the future. E/PO is a wonderful opportunity for scientists to demonstrate that science is interesting, exciting, fun, challenging, and relevant to society. In doing so, they can transfer ownership of science to the public through a variety of vehicles by increasing access to scientific thought and discovery. Through partnerships with E/PO professionals, teachers, or journalists, scientists can improve their communication and teaching skills, whether in an E/PO setting or their higher education careers. Sharing with the public what scientists do is an effective way to engage people in the scientific process and to express scientists' enthusiasm for what they do. Scientist involvement in E/PO also shows the public that scientists are real people and provides important role models for the next generation of scientists. There are many opportunities to get involved in E/PO! Find information on EarthSpace, a national clearinghouse for higher education materials in Earth and space science through an abstract by Nicholas Gross, et al. Learn about NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD)'s Scientist Speaker's Bureau in an abstract by Heather Dalton, et al. Discover the many resources and opportunities provided by NASA SMD's Science E/PO Forums in abstracts by Stephanie Shipp, et al. and Laura Peticolas, et al. Join the fun - get involved in E/PO!

Quantifying patterns of research interest evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Tao; Wang, Dashun; Szymanski, Boleslaw

Changing and shifting research interest is an integral part of a scientific career. Despite extensive investigations of various factors that influence a scientist's choice of research topics, quantitative assessments of mechanisms that give rise to macroscopic patterns characterizing research interest evolution of individual scientists remain limited. Here we perform a large-scale analysis of extensive publication records, finding that research interest change follows a reproducible pattern characterized by an exponential distribution. We identify three fundamental features responsible for the observed exponential distribution, which arise from a subtle interplay between exploitation and exploration in research interest evolution. We develop a random walk based model, which adequately reproduces our empirical observations. Our study presents one of the first quantitative analyses of macroscopic patterns governing research interest change, documenting a high degree of regularity underlying scientific research and individual careers.

Factors That Help and Hinder Scientific Training in Counseling and Clinical Psychology Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Marks, Margaret M.

2011-01-01

The purpose of this dissertation is to better understand scientific training within clinical and counseling psychology doctoral programs. A primary goal is to extend previous research by expanding the scientific training outcome variables from research interest and productivity to include additional characteristics of scientific mindedness such as…

Developing a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum for professionalism and scientific integrity training for biomedical graduate students.

PubMed

Jones, Nancy L; Peiffer, Ann M; Lambros, Ann; Guthold, Martin; Johnson, A Daniel; Tytell, Michael; Ronca, April E; Eldridge, J Charles

2010-10-01

A multidisciplinary faculty committee designed a curriculum to shape biomedical graduate students into researchers with a high commitment to professionalism and social responsibility and to provide students with tools to navigate complex, rapidly evolving academic and societal environments with a strong ethical commitment. The curriculum used problem-based learning (PBL), because it is active and learner-centred and focuses on skill and process development. Two courses were developed: Scientific Professionalism: Scientific Integrity addressed discipline-specific and broad professional norms and obligations for the ethical practice of science and responsible conduct of research (RCR). Scientific Professionalism: Bioethics and Social Responsibility focused on current ethical and bioethical issues within the scientific profession, and implications of research for society. Each small-group session examined case scenarios that included: (1) learning objectives for professional norms and obligations; (2) key ethical issues and philosophies within each topic area; (3) one or more of the RCR instructional areas; and (4) at least one type of moral reflection. Cases emphasised professional standards, obligations and underlying philosophies for the ethical practice of science, competing interests of stakeholders and oversight of science (internal and external). To our knowledge, this is the first use of a longitudinal, multi-semester PBL course to teach scientific integrity and professionalism. Both faculty and students endorsed the active learning approach for these topics, in contrast to a compliance-based approach that emphasises learning rules and regulations.

Aspirin: 120 years of innovation. A report from the 2017 Scientific Conference of the International Aspirin Foundation, 14 September 2017, Charité, Berlin.

PubMed

Walker, Jaqui; Hutchison, Pippa; Ge, Junbo; Zhao, Dong; Wang, Yongjun; Rothwell, Peter M; Gaziano, J Michael; Chan, Andrew; Burn, John; Chia, John; Langley, Ruth; O'Donnell, Valerie; Rocca, Bianca; Hawkey, Chris

2018-01-01

Acetylsalicylic acid was first synthesised by Dr FeIix Hoffman on 10th August 1897 and Aspirin was born. It quickly became the best-known pain killer in the world and in the 120 years since this event, aspirin has continued to attract interest, innovation and excitement. Set within the walls of the preserved ruins of Rudolf Virchow's lecture hall at Charité, within Berlin's Museum of Medical History, the International Aspirin Foundation's 28th Scientific Conference served to facilitate international, multi-disease, multidisciplinary discussion about the current understanding of aspirin's mechanisms of action and its utility in modern medicine as well as ideas for future research into its multifaceted applications to enhance global health. In addition to the delegates in Berlin, 300 medical doctors at the 19th Annual Scientific Congress of the Chinese Society of Cardiology were able to join the cardiology sessions from Taiyuan, Shangxi province via a live streaming link to and from China. This led to useful discussion and allowed a truly international perspective to the meeting.

Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) for Particulate Matter ...

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

EPA announced the availability of the final report, Integrated Science Assessment (ISA) for Particulate Matter (PM). This report is EPA’s latest evaluation of the scientific literature on the potential human health and welfare effects associated with ambient exposures to particulate matter (PM). The development of this document is part of the Agency's periodic review of the national ambient air quality standards (NAAQS) for PM. The recently completed PM ISA and supplementary annexes, in conjunction with additional technical and policy assessments developed by EPA’s Office of Air and Radiation, will provide the scientific basis to inform EPA decisions related to the review of the current PM NAAQS. Key information and judgments formerly contained in an Air Quality Criteria Document (AQCD) for PM are incorporated in this assessment. Additional details of the pertinent literature published since the last review, as well as selected older studies of particular interest, are included in a series of annexes. This ISA thus serves to update and revise the evaluation of the scientific evidence available at the time of the previous review of the NAAQS for PM that was concluded in 2006.

Observation and visualization: reflections on the relationship between science, visual arts, and the evolution of the scientific image.

PubMed

Kolijn, Eveline

2013-10-01

The connections between biological sciences, art and printed images are of great interest to the author. She reflects on the historical relevance of visual representations for science. She argues that the connection between art and science seems to have diminished during the twentieth century. However, this connection is currently growing stronger again through digital media and new imaging methods. Scientific illustrations have fuelled art, while visual modeling tools have assisted scientific research. As a print media artist, she explores the relationship between art and science in her studio practice and will present this historical connection with examples related to evolution, microbiology and her own work. Art and science share a common source, which leads to scrutiny and enquiry. Science sets out to reveal and explain our reality, whereas art comments and makes connections that don't need to be tested by rigorous protocols. Art and science should each be evaluated on their own merit. Allowing room for both in the quest to understand our world will lead to an enriched experience.

Communication about scientific uncertainty in environmental nanoparticle research - a comparison of scientific literature and mass media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heidmann, Ilona; Milde, Jutta

2014-05-01

The research about the fate and behavior of engineered nanoparticles in the environment is despite its wide applications still in the early stages. 'There is a high level of scientific uncertainty in nanoparticle research' is often stated in the scientific community. Knowledge about these uncertainties might be of interest to other scientists, experts and laymen. But how could these uncertainties be characterized and are they communicated within the scientific literature and the mass media? To answer these questions, the current state of scientific knowledge about scientific uncertainty through the example of environmental nanoparticle research was characterized and the communication of these uncertainties within the scientific literature is compared with its media coverage in the field of nanotechnologies. The scientific uncertainty within the field of environmental fate of nanoparticles is by method uncertainties and a general lack of data concerning the fate and effects of nanoparticles and their mechanisms in the environment, and by the uncertain transferability of results to the environmental system. In the scientific literature, scientific uncertainties, their sources, and consequences are mentioned with different foci and to a different extent. As expected, the authors in research papers focus on the certainty of specific results within their specific research question, whereas in review papers, the uncertainties due to a general lack of data are emphasized and the sources and consequences are discussed in a broader environmental context. In the mass media, nanotechnology is often framed as rather certain and positive aspects and benefits are emphasized. Although reporting about a new technology, only in one-third of the reports scientific uncertainties are mentioned. Scientific uncertainties are most often mentioned together with risk and they arise primarily from unknown harmful effects to human health. Environmental issues itself are seldom mentioned. Scientific uncertainties, sources, and consequences have been most widely discussed in the review papers. Research papers and mass media tend to emphasize more the certainty of their scientific results or the benefits of the nanotechnology applications. Neither the broad spectrum nor any specifications of uncertainties have been communicated. This indicates that there has been no effective dialogue over scientific uncertainty with the public so far.

The enduring effect of scientific interest on trust in climate scientists in the United States

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Motta, Matthew

2018-06-01

People who distrust scientists are more likely to reject scientific consensus, and are more likely to support politicians who are sceptical of scientific research1. Consequently, boosting Americans' trust in scientists is a central goal of science communication2. However, while previous research has identified several correlates of distrust in climate scientists3 and scientists more broadly4, far less is known about potential long-term influences taking root in young adulthood. This omission is notable, as previous research suggests that attitudes towards science formulated in pre-teenage years play a key role in shaping attitudes in adulthood5. Using data from the Longitudinal Study of American Youth, I find that interest in science at age 12-14 years is associated with increased trust in climate scientists in adulthood (mid thirties), irrespective of Americans' political ideology. The enduring and bipartisan effects of scientific interest at young ages suggest a potential direction for future efforts to boost mass trust in climate scientists.

[History of the German Society of Oromaxillofacial Surgery].

PubMed

Schwenzer, N

2000-05-01

The German Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery was founded by Martin Wassmund in 1951. One of the main reasons was the need for scientific representation in the council at a medical convention. The Society, originally composed of 52 members, was first called "The German Society of Maxillofacial Surgery". In 1972, it extended its title to include the term "oral" ("Mund") and currently comprises 620 members. A scientific conference is held annually on a specific topic. The lectures given there have been published since 1954 in "Fortschritte der Kiefer- und Gesichts-Chirurgie" (Progress in Maxillofacial Surgery) by Thieme Verlag; since 1997, they have appeared as a Springer-Verlag supplement. Topics of choice are published in "Mund-, Kiefer- und Gesichtschirurgie" ("Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery"), originally by Hanser in Munich and now by Springer-Verlag in Heidelberg. In this manner, it was possible to completely document the scientific activities and progress in this specialty. Each year since 1957, a prize named after M. Wassmund, has been given for outstanding scientific accomplishment. The presidents, convention locations, topics, and prizewinners are listed in a table. Since the founding of the Society of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, close cooperation has existed with the National Association of German Oral and Maxillary-Facial Surgeons (Bundesverband der Deutschen Arzte für Mund-Kiefer-Gesichts-Chirurgie). In order to intertwine scientific and political interests, a fusion of these two organizations is planned for the year 2000.

Energy Frontier Research Centers: Science for Our Nation's Energy Future, September 2016

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

None, None

As world demand for energy rapidly expands, transforming the way energy is collected, stored, and used has become a defining challenge of the 21st century. At its heart, this challenge is a scientific one, inspiring the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Office of Basic Energy Sciences (BES) to establish the Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC) program in 2009. The EFRCs represent a unique approach, bringing together creative, multidisciplinary scientific teams to perform energy-relevant basic research with a complexity beyond the scope of single-investigator projects. These centers take full advantage of powerful new tools for characterizing, understanding, modeling, and manipulating mattermore » from atomic to macroscopic length scales. They also train the next-generation scientific workforce by attracting talented students and postdoctoral researchers interested in energy science. The EFRCs have collectively demonstrated the potential to substantially advance the scientific understanding underpinning transformational energy technologies. Both a BES Committee of Visitors and a Secretary of Energy Advisory Board Task Force have found the EFRC program to be highly successful in meeting its goals. The scientific output from the EFRCs is impressive, and many centers have reported that their results are already impacting both technology research and industry. This report on the EFRC program includes selected highlights from the initial 46 EFRCs and the current 36 EFRCs.« less

Scientific habits of mind: A reform of structure and relationships

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mooney, Linda Beth

This research was designed to broaden current elementary science reform efforts by including the voices of our young scientists. Ten high school students who were defined as possessing both coherent science knowledge and scientific habits of mind were selected for the study. Through a three-part series of in-depth, phenomenological interviews, these students revealed early childhood experiences from birth through age ten to which they attributed their development of science knowledge and scientific habits of mind. Educational connoisseurship and criticism provided the framework through which the experiences were analyzed. The research revealed the overwhelming role of scientific habits of mind in the current success of these young scientists. Scientific habits of mind were developed through the structures and relationships in the home. Parents of the participants provided a non-authoritarian, fun, playful, tolerant atmosphere in which messes and experimentation were the norm. Large blocks of uninterrupted, unstructured time and space that "belonged" to the child allowed these children to follow where curiosity led. Frequently, the parent modeled scientific habits of mind. Good discipline in the minds of these families had nothing to do with punishments, rewards, or rules. The parents gave the children responsibilities, "free rein," and their trust, and the children blossomed in that trust and mutual respect. Parents recognized and supported the uniqueness, autonomy, interests, and emotions of the child. Above all, the young scientists valued the time, freedom, patience, and emotional support provided by their parents. For girls, construction toys, hot wheels, sand boxes, and outdoor experiences were particularly important. Art classes, free access to art media, sewing, music, and physical activity facilitated observational skills and spatial relationship development. The girls knew that doing traditionally masculine and feminine activities were acceptable and celebrated by both parents. The time has come to include scientific habits of mind in science education reform. The time has come for science education reform to espouse fun and playfulness, large blocks of unstructured time, responsibility and trust, emotional support, and caring teacher-child relationships. The time has come to listen to the voices of our young scientists.

SciNews: Incorporating Science Current Events in 21st Century Classrooms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

DiMaggio, E.

2011-12-01

Middle school students are instructed with the aid of textbooks, lectures, and activities to teach topics that satisfy state standards. However, teaching materials created to convey standard-aligned science concepts often leave students asking how the content relates to their lives and why they should be learning it. Conveying relevance is important for student learning and retention, especially in science where abstract concepts can often be incorrectly perceived as irrelevant. One way to create an educational link between classroom content and everyday life is through the use of scientific current events. Students read, hear, and watch media coverage of natural events (such as the 2011 earthquake and tsunami in Japan), but do not necessarily relate the scientific information from media sources to classroom studies. Taking advantage of these brief 'teachable moments'--when student interest is high--provides a valuable opportunity to make classroom-to-everyday life associations and to incorporate inquiry based learning. To address this need, I create pre-packaged current event materials for middle to high school teachers that align to state standards, and which are short, effective, and easy to implement in the classroom. Each lesson takes approximately 15-30 minutes to implement, allowing teachers time to facilitate brief but meaningful discussions. I assemble materials within approximately one week of the regional or global science event, consisting of short slide shows, maps, videos, pictures, and real-time data. I use a listserv to send biweekly emails to subscribed instructors containing the current event topic and a link to download the materials. All materials are hosted on the Arizona State University Education Outreach SciNews website (http://sese.asu.edu/teacher-resources) and are archived. Currently, 285 educators subscribe to the SciNews listserv, representing 36 states and 19 countries. In order to assess the effectiveness and usefulness of SciNews materials, each lesson links to a brief online survey. I ask educators for basic information (grade level, number of students) as well as feedback on lesson content, accessibility of media types used, agreement with standards, and general comments on how to improve SciNews. Survey results show that SciNews lessons have been implemented in elementary through college classrooms. Comments express an overall agreement that Scinews lessons facilitate classroom discussion, heighten student interest in the topic, and that lessons are easy to use and modify. Current events help demonstrate to students that, unlike fact-filled textbooks suggest, science is not static and scientists are actively investigating many 'textbook' concepts. Showing students the process and progressive nature of scientific information reinforces critical thinking rather than pure memorization.

A unifying vision for scientific decision making: the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics' Scientific Integrity Principles.

PubMed

Tappenden, Kelly A

2015-09-01

In 2014, recognizing the need to have a single document to guide scientific decision making at the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (Academy), the Council on Research was charged with developing a scientific integrity policy for the organization. From the Council on Research, four members volunteered to lead this workgroup, which reviewed the literature and best practices for scientific integrity from well-respected organizations, including federal funders of research. It became clear that the scope of this document would be quite broad, given the many scientific activities the Academy is involved in, and that it would be unreasonable to set policy for each of these many situations. Therefore, the workgroup set about defining the scope of scientific activities to be covered and envisioned a set of guiding principles, to which policies from every organizational unit of the Academy could be compared to ensure they were in alignment. While many relevant policies exist already, such as the requirement of a signed conflict of interest disclosure for Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo speakers, the Evidence Analysis Library funding policy, and the Academy's sponsorship policy, the scientific integrity principals are unique in that they provide a unifying vision to which future policies can be compared and approved based on their alignment with the principles. The six principles outlined in this article were approved by the full Council on Research in January 2015 and approved by the Academy's Board of Directors in March 2015. This article covers the scope of the principles, presents the principles and existing related resources, and outlines next steps for the Academy to review and revise current policies and create new ones in alignment with these principles. Copyright © 2015 Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Scientific decision-making and stakeholder consultations: the case of salt recommendations.

PubMed

Timotijevic, Lada; Barnett, Julie; Brown, Kerry; Raats, Monique M; Shepherd, Richard

2013-05-01

Scientific advisory committees (SACs) are seen as "boundary organisations" working at the interface between science, policy and society. Although their narrowly defined remit of risk assessment is anchored in notions of rationality, objectivity, and reason, in reality, their sources for developing recommendations are not limited to scientific evidence. There is a growing expectation to involve non-scientific sources of information in the formation of knowledge, including the expectation of stakeholder consultation in forming recommendations. Such a move towards "democratisation" of scientific processes of decision-making within SACs has been described and often studied as "post-normal science" (PNS) (Funtowicz & Ravetz, 1993). In the current paper we examine the application of PNS in practice through a study of stakeholder consultations within the workings of the UK Scientific Advisory Committee for Nutrition (SACN). We use the theoretical insights from PNS-related studies to structure the analysis and examine the way in which PNS tenets resonate with the practices of SACN. We have selected a particular case of the SACN UK recommendations for salt as it is characterized by scientific controversy, uncertainty, vested interests and value conflict. We apply the tenets of PNS through documentary analysis of the SACN Salt Subgroup (SSG) consultation documents published in 2002/2003: the minutes of the 5 SACN SSG's meetings which included summary of the SACN SSG's stakeholder consultation and the SSG's responses to the consultation. The analysis suggests that the SACN consultation can be construed as a process of managing sources of risk to its organisation. Thus, rather than being an evidence of post-normal scientific practice, engagement became a mechanism for confirming the specific framing of science that is resonant with technocratic models of science holding authority over the facts. The implications for PNS theory are discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Education and Outreach on Space Sciences and Technologies in Taiwan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tiger Liu, Jann-Yeng; Chen, hao-Yen; Lee, I.-Te

2014-05-01

The Ionospheric Radio Science Laboratory (IRSL) at Institute of Space Science, National Central University in Taiwan has been conducting a program for public outreach educations on space science by giving lectures, organizing camps, touring exhibits, and experiencing hand-on experiments to elementary school, high school, and college students as well as general public since 1991. The program began with a topic of traveling/living in space, and was followed by space environment, space mission, and space weather monitoring, etc. and a series of course module and experiment (i.e. experiencing activity) module was carried out. For past decadal, the course modules have been developed to cover the space environment of the Sun, interplanetary space, and geospace, as well as the space technology of the rocket, satellite, space shuttle (plane), space station, living in space, observing the Earth from space, and weather observation. Each course module highlights the current status and latest new finding as well as discusses 1-3 key/core issues/concepts and equip with 2-3 activity/experiment modules to make students more easily to understand the topics/issues. Regarding the space technologies, we focus on remote sensing of Earth's surface by FORMOSAT-2 and occultation sounding by FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC of Taiwan space mission. Moreover, scientific camps are given to lead students a better understanding and interesting on space sciences/ technologies. Currently, a visualized image projecting system, Dagik Earth, is developed to demonstrate the scientific results on a sphere together with the course modules. This system will dramatically improve the educational skill and increase interests of participators.

Measuring Changes in Interest in Science and Technology at the College Level in Response to Two Instructional Interventions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romine, William L.; Sadler, Troy D.

2016-06-01

Improving interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) is crucial to widening participation and success in STEM studies at the college level. To understand how classroom and extracurricular interventions affect interest, it is necessary to have appropriate measurement tools. We describe the adaptation and revalidation of a previously existing multidimensional instrument to the end of measuring interest in environmental science and technology in college nonscience majors. We demonstrate the revised instrument's ability to detect change in this group over an 8-week time period. While collection of demographic information was not part of the study design, participating students were similar in that they hailed from three environmental science nonmajor classes sharing a common syllabus and instructional delivery method. Change in interest was measured in response to two types of scientific literature-based learning approaches: a scientific practice approach and a traditional, quiz-driven approach. We found that both approaches led to moderate gains in interest in learning environmental science and careers in environmental science across an 8-week time period. Interest in using technology for learning increased among students using the scientific practice approach; in contrast, the same measure decreased among students using the reading/quiz approach. This result invites the possibility that interest in using technology as a learning tool may relate to technological literacy, which must be taught explicitly in the context of authentic inquiry experiences.

Where Is Current Research on Blockchain Technology?—A Systematic Review

PubMed Central

Yli-Huumo, Jesse; Ko, Deokyoon; Park, Sooyong; Smolander, Kari

2016-01-01

Blockchain is a decentralized transaction and data management technology developed first for Bitcoin cryptocurrency. The interest in Blockchain technology has been increasing since the idea was coined in 2008. The reason for the interest in Blockchain is its central attributes that provide security, anonymity and data integrity without any third party organization in control of the transactions, and therefore it creates interesting research areas, especially from the perspective of technical challenges and limitations. In this research, we have conducted a systematic mapping study with the goal of collecting all relevant research on Blockchain technology. Our objective is to understand the current research topics, challenges and future directions regarding Blockchain technology from the technical perspective. We have extracted 41 primary papers from scientific databases. The results show that focus in over 80% of the papers is on Bitcoin system and less than 20% deals with other Blockchain applications including e.g. smart contracts and licensing. The majority of research is focusing on revealing and improving limitations of Blockchain from privacy and security perspectives, but many of the proposed solutions lack concrete evaluation on their effectiveness. Many other Blockchain scalability related challenges including throughput and latency have been left unstudied. On the basis of this study, recommendations on future research directions are provided for researchers. PMID:27695049

Where Is Current Research on Blockchain Technology?-A Systematic Review.

PubMed

Yli-Huumo, Jesse; Ko, Deokyoon; Choi, Sujin; Park, Sooyong; Smolander, Kari

2016-01-01

Blockchain is a decentralized transaction and data management technology developed first for Bitcoin cryptocurrency. The interest in Blockchain technology has been increasing since the idea was coined in 2008. The reason for the interest in Blockchain is its central attributes that provide security, anonymity and data integrity without any third party organization in control of the transactions, and therefore it creates interesting research areas, especially from the perspective of technical challenges and limitations. In this research, we have conducted a systematic mapping study with the goal of collecting all relevant research on Blockchain technology. Our objective is to understand the current research topics, challenges and future directions regarding Blockchain technology from the technical perspective. We have extracted 41 primary papers from scientific databases. The results show that focus in over 80% of the papers is on Bitcoin system and less than 20% deals with other Blockchain applications including e.g. smart contracts and licensing. The majority of research is focusing on revealing and improving limitations of Blockchain from privacy and security perspectives, but many of the proposed solutions lack concrete evaluation on their effectiveness. Many other Blockchain scalability related challenges including throughput and latency have been left unstudied. On the basis of this study, recommendations on future research directions are provided for researchers.

CAM Modalities Can Stimulate Advances in Theoretical Biology

PubMed Central

2005-01-01

Most complementary medicine is distinguished by not being supported by underlying theory accepted by Western science. However, for those who accept their validity, complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) modalities offer clues to understanding physiology and medicine more deeply. Ayurveda and vibrational medicine are stimulating new approaches to biological regulation. The new biophysics can be integrated to yield a single consistent theory, which may well underly much of CAM—a true ‘physics of physick’. The resulting theory seems to be a new, fundamental theory of health and etiology. It suggests that many CAM approaches to health care are scientifically in advance of those based on current Western biology. Such theories may well constitute the next steps in our scientific understanding of biology itself. If successfully developed, these ideas could result in a major paradigm shift in both biology and medicine, which will benefit all interested parties—consumers, health professionals, scientists, institutions and governments. PMID:15841271

Health care sensor--based systems for point of care monitoring and diagnostic applications: a brief survey.

PubMed

Tsakalakis, Michail; Bourbakis, Nicolaos G

2014-01-01

Continuous, real-time remote monitoring through medical point--of--care (POC) systems appears to draw the interest of the scientific community for healthcare monitoring and diagnostic applications the last decades. Towards this direction a significant merit has been due to the advancements in several scientific fields. Portable, wearable and implantable apparatus may contribute to the betterment of today's healthcare system which suffers from fundamental hindrances. The number and heterogeneity of such devices and systems regarding both software and hardware components, i.e sensors, antennas, acquisition circuits, as well as the medical applications that are designed for, is impressive. Objective of the current study is to present the major technological advancements that are considered to be the driving forces in the design of such systems, to briefly state the new aspects they can deliver in healthcare and finally, the identification, categorization and a first level evaluation of them.

Problems of information support in scientific research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shamaev, V. G.; Gorshkov, A. B.

2015-11-01

This paper reports on the creation of the open access Akustika portal (AKDATA.RU) designed to provide Russian-language easy-to-read and search information on acoustics and related topics. The absence of a Russian-language publication in foreign databases means that it is effectively lost for much of the scientific community. The portal has three interrelated sections: the Akustika information search system (ISS) (Acoustics), full-text archive of the Akusticheskii Zhurnal (Acoustic Journal), and 'Signal'naya informatsiya' ('Signaling information') on acoustics. The paper presents a description of the Akustika ISS, including its structure, content, interface, and information search capabilities for basic and applied research in diverse areas of science, engineering, biology, medicine, etc. The intended users of the portal are physicists, engineers, and engineering technologists interested in expanding their research activities and seeking to increase their knowledge base. Those studying current trends in the Russian-language contribution to international science may also find the portal useful.

Final Report on DTRA Basic Research Project #BRCALL08-Per3-C-2-0006 "High-Z Non-Equilibrium Physics and Bright X-ray Sources with New Laser Targets"

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Colvin, Jeffrey D.

This project had two major goals. Final Goal: obtain spectrally resolved, absolutely calibrated x-ray emission data from uniquely uniform mm-scale near-critical-density high-Z plasmas not in local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE) to benchmark modern detailed atomic physics models. Scientific significance: advance understanding of non-LTE atomic physics. Intermediate Goal: develop new nano-fabrication techniques to make suitable laser targets that form the required highly uniform non-LTE plasmas when illuminated by high-intensity laser light. Scientific significance: advance understanding of nano-science. The new knowledge will allow us to make x-ray sources that are bright at the photon energies of most interest for testing radiation hardening technologies,more » the spectral energy range where current x-ray sources are weak. All project goals were met.« less

Neurocognition in schizophrenia: a study of the productivity and visibility of Spanish authors.

PubMed

Guilera, Georgina; Pino, Oscar; Gómez-Benito, Juana; Rojo, J Emilio

2012-02-01

This paper provides a map of the scientific productivity of authors affiliated to a Spanish institution and who have addressed one of the most important current topics in schizophrenia: The study of cognitive performance. A search of the Web of Science yielded 125 articles that met the inclusion criteria. In order to provide a comprehensive overview of scientific productivity, we examine several bibliometric indicators, concerning both productivity and impact or visibility. The analysis also focuses on qualitative aspects of key theoretical importance, such as the kinds of cognitive functions that are most often assessed and the tests most widely used to evaluate them in clinical practice. The study shows that interest in the subject of cognitive function in schizophrenia has increased considerably in Spain since the beginning of this century. The results also highlight the need to standardize the type of tests to be used in the cognitive assessment of patients with schizophrenia.

Concussions: What a neurosurgeon should know about current scientific evidence and management strategies.

PubMed

Neal, Matthew T; Wilson, Jonathan L; Hsu, Wesley; Powers, Alexander K

2012-01-01

There has been a tremendous amount of interest focused on the topic of concussions over the past few decades. Neurosurgeons are frequently consulted to manage patients with mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) that have radiographic evidence of cerebral injury. These injuries share significant overlap with concussions, injuries that typically do not reveal radiographic evidence of structural injury, in the realms of epidemiology, pathophysiology, outcomes, and management. Further, neurosurgeons often manage patients with extracranial injuries that have concomitant concussions. In these cases, neurosurgeons are often the only "concussion experts" that patients encounter. The literature has been reviewed and data have been synthesized on the topic including sections on historical background, epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnostic advances, clinical sequelae, and treatment suggestions, with neurosurgeons as the intended target audience. Neurosurgeons should have a fundamental knowledge of the scientific evidence that has developed regarding concussions and be prepared to guide patients with treatment plans.

Critical analysis of forensic cut-offs and legal thresholds: A coherent approach to inference and decision.

PubMed

Biedermann, A; Taroni, F; Bozza, S; Augsburger, M; Aitken, C G G

2018-07-01

In this paper we critically discuss the definition and use of cut-off values by forensic scientists, for example in forensic toxicology, and point out when and why such values - and ensuing categorical conclusions - are inappropriate concepts for helping recipients of expert information with their questions of interest. Broadly speaking, a cut-off is a particular value of results of analyses of a target substance (e.g., a toxic substance or one of its metabolites in biological sample from a person of interest), defined in a way such as to enable scientists to suggest conclusions regarding the condition of the person of interest. The extent to which cut-offs can be reliably defined and used is not unanimously agreed within the forensic science community, though many practitioners - especially in operational laboratories - rely on cut-offs for reasons such as ease of use and simplicity. In our analysis, we challenge this practice by arguing that choices made for convenience should not be to the detriment of balance and coherence. To illustrate our discussion, we will choose the example of alcohol markers in hair, used widely by forensic toxicologists to reach conclusions regarding the drinking behaviour of individuals. Using real data from one of the co-authors' own work and recommendations of cut-offs published by relevant professional organisations, we will point out in what sense cut-offs are incompatible with current evaluative guidelines (e.g., [31]) and show how to proceed logically without cut-offs by using a standard measure for evidential value. Our conclusions run counter to much current practice, but are inevitable given the inherent definitional and conceptual shortcomings of scientific cut-offs. We will also point out the difference between scientific cut-offs and legal thresholds and argue that the latter - but not the former - are justifiable and can be dealt with in logical evaluative procedures. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

[Vaccines: building on scientific excellence and dispelling false myths].

PubMed

Signorelli, Carlo

2015-01-01

The EU and Italian institutions have recently reiterated their commitment to harmonize and implement vaccination policies as a fundamental strategy for public health. Nonetheless, vaccines are losing public confidence. False myths related to vaccine adverse reactions and commercial interests, combined with the recent judgements of the Court and the "Fluad® episode", are fuelling vaccine hesitancy. In such a context, a lively debate is ongoing in Italian scientific community. Aim of this contribution is to recall the available solid scientific evidence demonstrating that vaccines are among the most effective prevention tools ever invented and recall the economic data that support the cost-effectiveness of the immunisation. As every other medicine, vaccines are registered after large and solid clinical trials have been conducted. Immunization schedules are proposed by experts in the field of clinical medicine, epidemiology and public health on the basis of the available scientific evidence, and then implemented by policy makers also taking into consideration resources allocation and financial sustainability. The false myth that vaccines are offered because of economic interests is to be dispelled;moreover, researchers, policy makers, scientific societies and the healthcare community at large should renew commitment to invest in health education and communication on vaccines, always disclosing potential conflicts of interests.

Development and Use of the SCI Inventory to Measure Upper Elementary School Children's Scientific Curiosity and Interests.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Richardson, Rayman Paul

Reported is a study to develop and test an instrument designed to measure the scientific curiosity and science interests of elementary school students. The inventory was administered to 545 students, grades six through nine, in Columbus, Ohio and 1,050 students, grades six and eight, in Portland, Oregon. Total test-retest reliability of the major…

[Cooperation between professional association and scientific society].

PubMed

Schroeder, A; Hakenberg, O W

2013-08-01

Developments in health economics, urological sciences and social as well as demographic conditions pose numerous problems for the field of urology. In order to solve these problems a close cooperation between the professional association and the scientific society are needed which at first sight seem to have very different interests. The increasing complexity and interdependency in all areas of the healthcare system make a simple separation of interests between the scientific society and the professional association impossible. The Professional Association of German Urologists and the German Society of Urology have acknowledged this situation for many years and have intensified their close collaboration.

The evolution of global disaster risk assessments: from hazard to global change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peduzzi, Pascal

2013-04-01

The perception of disaster risk as a dynamic process interlinked with global change is a fairly recent concept. It gradually emerged as an evolution from new scientific theories, currents of thinking and lessons learned from large disasters since the 1970s. The interest was further heighten, in the mid-1980s, by the Chernobyl nuclear accident and the discovery of the ozone layer hole, both bringing awareness that dangerous hazards can generate global impacts. The creation of the UN International Decade for Natural Disaster Reduction (IDNDR) and the publication of the first IPCC report in 1990 reinforced the interest for global risk assessment. First global risk models including hazard, exposure and vulnerability components were available since mid-2000s. Since then increased computation power and more refined datasets resolution, led to more numerous and sophisticated global risk models. This article presents a recent history of global disaster risk models, the current status of researches for the Global Assessment Report on Disaster Risk Reduction (GAR 2013) and future challenges and limitations for the development of next generation global disaster risk models.

Mathematical Games

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Gardner, Martin

1978-01-01

Describes zoo creatures of interest to recreational mathematicians. Includes the geometrical symmetries of micro- and macroorganisms, topological studies, and imaginary creatures of scientific interest. (MA)

mHealth: A Strategic Field without a Solid Scientific Soul. A Systematic Review of Pain-Related Apps

PubMed Central

de la Vega, Rocío; Miró, Jordi

2014-01-01

Background Mobile health (mHealth) has undergone exponential growth in recent years. Patients and healthcare professionals are increasingly using health-related applications, at the same time as concerns about ethical issues, bias, conflicts of interest and privacy are emerging. The general aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the current state of development of mHealth. Methods and Findings To exemplify the issues, we made a systematic review of the pain-related apps available in scientific databases (Medline, Web of Science, Gale, Psycinfo, etc.) and the main application shops (App Store, Blackberry App World, Google Play, Nokia Store and Windows Phone Store). Only applications (designed for both patients and clinicians) focused on pain education, assessment and treatment were included. Of the 47 papers published on 34 apps in scientific databases, none were available in the app shops. A total of 283 pain-related apps were found in the five shops searched, but no articles have been published on these apps. The main limitation of this review is that we did not look at all stores in all countries. Conclusions There is a huge gap between the scientific and commercial faces of mHealth. Specific efforts are needed to facilitate knowledge translation and regulate commercial health-related apps. PMID:24999983

mHealth: a strategic field without a solid scientific soul. a systematic review of pain-related apps.

PubMed

de la Vega, Rocío; Miró, Jordi

2014-01-01

Mobile health (mHealth) has undergone exponential growth in recent years. Patients and healthcare professionals are increasingly using health-related applications, at the same time as concerns about ethical issues, bias, conflicts of interest and privacy are emerging. The general aim of this paper is to provide an overview of the current state of development of mHealth. To exemplify the issues, we made a systematic review of the pain-related apps available in scientific databases (Medline, Web of Science, Gale, Psycinfo, etc.) and the main application shops (App Store, Blackberry App World, Google Play, Nokia Store and Windows Phone Store). Only applications (designed for both patients and clinicians) focused on pain education, assessment and treatment were included. Of the 47 papers published on 34 apps in scientific databases, none were available in the app shops. A total of 283 pain-related apps were found in the five shops searched, but no articles have been published on these apps. The main limitation of this review is that we did not look at all stores in all countries. There is a huge gap between the scientific and commercial faces of mHealth. Specific efforts are needed to facilitate knowledge translation and regulate commercial health-related apps.

[Physiotherapy and physical therapies for fibromyalgia syndrome. Systematic review, meta-analysis and guideline].

PubMed

Winkelmann, A; Häuser, W; Friedel, E; Moog-Egan, M; Seeger, D; Settan, M; Weiss, T; Schiltenwolf, M

2012-06-01

The scheduled update to the German S3 guidelines on fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) by the Association of the Scientific Medical Societies ("Arbeitsgemeinschaft der Wissenschaftlichen Medizinischen Fachgesellschaften", AWMF; registration number 041/004) was planned starting in March 2011. The development of the guidelines was coordinated by the German Interdisciplinary Association for Pain Therapy ("Deutsche Interdisziplinären Vereinigung für Schmerztherapie", DIVS), 9 scientific medical societies and 2 patient self-help organizations. Eight working groups with a total of 50 members were evenly balanced in terms of gender, medical field, potential conflicts of interest and hierarchical position in the medical and scientific fields. Literature searches were performed using the Medline, PsycInfo, Scopus and Cochrane Library databases (until December 2010). The grading of the strength of the evidence followed the scheme of the Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine. The formulation and grading of recommendations was accomplished using a multi-step, formal consensus process. The guidelines were reviewed by the boards of the participating scientific medical societies. Low-to-moderate intensity aerobic exercise and strength training are strongly recommended. Chiropractic, laser therapy, magnetic field therapy, massage and transcranial current stimulation are not recommended. The English full-text version of this article is available at SpringerLink (under "Supplemental").

Writing Stories to Enhance Scientific Literacy

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ritchie, Stephen M.; Tomas, Louisa; Tones, Megan

2011-01-01

In response to international concerns about scientific literacy and students' waning interest in school science, this study investigated the effects of a science-writing project about the socioscientific issue (SSI) of biosecurity on the development of students' scientific literacy. Students generated two "BioStories" each that merged…

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Giaquinto, Joseph M.; Younkin, James R.

The purpose of this letter report is to document the response for an Expression of Interest (EOI) sent to the European Safeguards and research and development (R&D) scientific communities for the distribution of small amounts of high purity 233U materials for use in safeguards, nonproliferation, and basic R&D in the nuclear disciplines. The intent for the EOI was to gauge the level of international interest for these materials from government and research institutions with programmatic missions in the nuclear security or nuclear R&D arena. The information contained herein is intended to provide information to assist key decision makers in DOEmore » as to the ultimate disposition path for the high purity materials currently being recovered at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and only those items for which there is no United States (U.S.) sponsor identified.« less

The TMT instrumentation program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simard, Luc; Crampton, David; Ellerbroek, Brent; Boyer, Corinne

2010-07-01

An overview of the current status of the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT) instrumentation program is presented. Conceptual designs for the three first light instruments (IRIS, WFOS and IRMS) are in progress, as well as feasibility studies of MIRES. Considerable effort is underway to understand the end-to-end performance of the complete telescopeadaptive optics-instrument system under realistic conditions on Mauna Kea. Highly efficient operation is being designed into the TMT system, based on a detailed investigation of the observation workflow to ensure very fast target acquisition and set up of all subsystems. Future TMT instruments will almost certainly involve contributions from institutions in many different locations in North America and partner nations. Coordinating and optimizing the design and construction of the instruments to ensure delivery of the best possible scientific capabilities is an interesting challenge. TMT welcomes involvement from all interested instrument teams.

Andreae is New Editor of Global Biogeochemical Cycles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Andreae, Meinrat O.

2004-10-01

As the incoming editor of Global Biogeochemical Cycles, I would like to introduce myself and my ideas for the journal to Eos readers and to current and potential GBC authors. I've had a somewhat ``roaming'' scientific evolution, coming from ``straight'' chemistry through hard-rock geochemistry to chemical oceanography, the field in which I did my Ph.D. I taught marine chemistry at Florida State University for a number of years, and developed an interest in ocean/atmosphere interactions and atmospheric chemistry. In 1987 I took on my present job at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, in Mainz, Germany, and, after leaving the seacoast, my interests shifted to interactions between the terrestrial biosphere and atmosphere, including the role of vegetation fires. My present focus is on the role of biogenic aerosols and biomass smoke in regulating cloud properties and influencing climate.

Smooth Sailing for Weather Forecasting

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2002-01-01

Through a cooperative venture with NASA's Stennis Space Center, WorldWinds, Inc., developed a unique weather and wave vector map using space-based radar satellite information and traditional weather observations. Called WorldWinds, the product provides accurate, near real-time, high-resolution weather forecasts. It was developed for commercial and scientific users. In addition to weather forecasting, the product's applications include maritime and terrestrial transportation, aviation operations, precision farming, offshore oil and gas operations, and coastal hazard response support. Target commercial markets include the operational maritime and aviation communities, oil and gas providers, and recreational yachting interests. Science applications include global long-term prediction and climate change, land-cover and land-use change, and natural hazard issues. Commercial airlines have expressed interest in the product, as it can provide forecasts over remote areas. WorldWinds, Inc., is currently providing its product to commercial weather outlets.

Carbon Cycle Science in Support of Decision-Making

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, M. E.; West, T. O.; McGlynn, E.; Gurwick, N. P.; Duren, R. M.; Ocko, I.; Paustian, K.

2016-12-01

There has been an extensive amount of basic and applied research conducted on biogeochemical cycles, land cover change, watershed to earth system modeling, climate change, and energy efficiency. Concurrently, there continues to be interest in how to best reduce net carbon emissions, including maintaining or augmenting global carbon stocks and decreasing fossil fuel emissions. Decisions surrounding reductions in net emissions should be grounded in, and informed by, existing scientific knowledge and analyses in order to be most effective. The translation of scientific research to decision-making is rarely direct, and often requires coordination of objectives or intermediate research steps. For example, complex model output may need to be simplified to provide mean estimates for given activities; biogeochemical models used for climate change prediction may need to be altered to estimate net carbon flux associated with particular activities; or scientific analyses may need to aggregate and analyze data in a different manner to address specific questions. In the aforementioned cases, expertise and capabilities of researchers and decision-makers are both needed, and early coordination and communication is most effective. Initial analysis of existing science and current decision-making needs indicate that (a) knowledge that is co-produced by scientists and decision-makers has a higher probability of being usable for decision making, (b) scientific work in the past decade to integrate activity data into models has resulted in more usable information for decision makers, (c) attribution and accounting of carbon cycle fluxes is key to using carbon cycle science for decision-making, and (d) stronger, long-term links among research on climate and management of carbon-related sectors (e.g., energy, land use, industry, and buildings) are needed to adequately address current issues.

[New forms of scientific communication of medical societies: thoughts on scientific collections and museums for urology].

PubMed

Moll, F H; Rathert, P; Skopec, M; Engel, R M; Fangerau, H

2011-02-01

Collections from medical societies which are not connected with a university or another public institution cannot be legitimized on the basis of the argument of conserving historical heritage. Even the museum itself with its many tasks and classical site of scientific communication comes into public view and becomes a topic of scientific interest.

Turning Crisis into Opportunity: Nature of Science and Scientific Inquiry as Illustrated in the Scientific Research on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Siu Ling; Kwan, Jenny; Hodson, Derek; Yung, Benny Hin Wai

2009-01-01

Interviews with key scientists who had conducted research on Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS), together with analysis of media reports, documentaries and other literature published during and after the SARS epidemic, revealed many interesting aspects of the nature of science (NOS) and scientific inquiry in contemporary scientific research…

Complexity and Innovation: Army Transformation and the Reality of War

DTIC Science & Technology

2004-05-26

necessary to instill confidence among all members of the interested community that the causal relationships...continues to gain momentum and general acceptance within the scientific community . The topic is addressed in numerous books, studies and scientific journals...scientific community has steadily grown. Since the time of Galileo and Newton, scientific endeavor has been characterized by reductionism (the process

Bridge over troubled waters: A Synthesis Session to connect scientific and decision making sectors

EPA Science Inventory

Lack of access to relevant scientific data has limited decision makers from incorporating scientific information into their management and policy schemes. Yet, there is increasing interest among decision makers and scientists to integrate coastal and marine science into the polic...

Causes for the persistence of impact factor mania.

PubMed

Casadevall, Arturo; Fang, Ferric C

2014-03-18

ABSTRACT Numerous essays have addressed the misuse of the journal impact factor for judging the value of science, but the practice continues, primarily as a result of the actions of scientists themselves. This seemingly irrational behavior is referred to as "impact factor mania." Although the literature on the impact factor is extensive, little has been written on the underlying causes of impact factor mania. In this perspective, we consider the reasons for the persistence of impact factor mania and its pernicious effects on science. We conclude that impact factor mania persists because it confers significant benefits to individual scientists and journals. Impact factor mania is a variation of the economic theory known as the "tragedy of the commons," in which scientists act rationally in their own self-interests despite the detrimental consequences of their actions on the overall scientific enterprise. Various measures to reduce the influence of the impact factor are considered. IMPORTANCE Science and scientists are currently afflicted by an epidemic of mania manifested by associating the value of research with the journal where the work is published rather than the content of the work itself. The mania is causing profound distortions in the way science is done that are deleterious to the overall scientific enterprise. In this essay, we consider the forces responsible for the persistence of the mania and conclude that it is maintained because it disproportionately benefits elements of the scientific enterprise, including certain well-established scientists, journals, and administrative interests. Our essay suggests steps that can be taken to deal with this debilitating and destructive epidemic.

Ethical issues in perinatal mental health research.

PubMed

Brandon, Anna R; Shivakumar, Geetha; Lee, Simon Craddock; Inrig, Stephen J; Sadler, John Z

2009-11-01

To review the background of current ethical standards for the conduct of perinatal mental health research and describe the ethical challenges in this research domain. Current literature reflects a growing sentiment in the scientific community that having no information regarding the impact of psychiatric treatment on the mother and developing fetus/infant poses dangers that may exceed the risks involved in research. However, without sufficient consensus across the scientific community, both regulatory bodies and perinatal researchers find themselves without a framework for decision making that satisfactorily limits the risks and facilitates the benefits of participation of pregnant and lactating women in clinical research. Psychiatric research in perinatal mental health is critically important as it enables clinicians and patients to participate in informed decision-making concerning treatment for psychiatric disorders. Specific areas of concern include fetal safety, maternal risk, the therapeutic misconception, commercial interests, forensic/legal issues, the informed consent process, and study design. Developing guidelines that address ethical challenges and include the views and concerns of multiple stakeholders could improve the access of perinatal women to the benefits of participation in mental health research in addition to providing evidence-based mental healthcare for this subpopulation.

Bridging gaps in discovery and development: chemical and biological sciences for affordable health, wellness and sustainability.

PubMed

Chauhan, Prem Man Singh

2011-05-01

To commemorate 2011 as the International Year of Chemistry, the Indian Society of Chemists and Biologists organized its 15th International Conference on 'Bridging Gaps in Discovery and Development: Chemical and Biological Sciences for Affordable Health, Wellness and Sustainability' at Hotel Grand Bhagwati, in association with Saurashtra University, Rajkot, India. Anamik Shah, President of the Indian Society of Chemists and Biologists, was organizing secretary of the conference. Nicole Moreau, President of the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry and Secretary General of the Comité National de la Chimie, National Centre for Scientific Research France, was chief guest of the function. The four-day scientific program included 52 plenary lectures, 24 invited lectures by eminent scientists in the field and 12 oral presentations. A total of 317 posters were presented by young scientists and PhD students in three different poster sessions. Approximately 750 delegates from India, the USA, UK, France, Switzerland, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Sweden, Japan and other countries attended the conference. The majority of the speakers gave presentations related to their current projects and areas of interest and many of the talks covered synthesis, structure-activity relationships, current trends in medicinal chemistry and drug research.

Mitochondrial-targeted drug and DNA delivery.

PubMed

Weissig, Volkmar

2003-01-01

The field of mitochondrial research is currently among the fastest growing disciplines in biomedicine. Approximately 12,000 articles on mitochondria have been published since the beginning of the new millennium. What brings mitochondria into the limelight of the scientific community? Since the end of the 1980s, a series of key discoveries has been made that have rekindled the scientific interest in this long-known cell organelle. It has become increasingly evident that mitochondrial dysfunction contributes to a variety of human disorders, ranging from neurodegenerative and neuromuscular diseases, obesity, and diabetes to ischemia-reperfusion injury and cancer. Moreover, since the middle of the 1990s, mitochondria, the "power houses" of the cell, have also become accepted as the cells' "arsenal," reflecting their increasingly acknowledged key role during apoptosis. Based on these recent developments in mitochondrial research, increased pharmacological and pharmaceutical efforts have lead to the emergence of mitochondrial medicine" as a new field of biomedical research. Targeting of biologically active molecules to mitochondria in living cells will open avenues for manipulating mitochondrial functions, which may result in the selective protection, repair, or eradication of cells. This review gives a comprehensive overview of current strategies of mitochondrial targeting and their possible therapeutic applications.

Water Science and Technology Board annual report 1987

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Not Available

1988-01-01

In 1982, the National Research Council chose to recognize the importance of water resource issues by establishing the Water Science and Technology Board (WSTB). During the five years since its first meeting in November 1982, the WSTB has grown and matured. The WSTB has met 14 times to provide guidance and plan activities. Under the WSTB's direction, committees of experts have conducted approximately 30 studies on a broad array of topics, from dam safety to irrigation-induced water quality problems to ground water protection strategies. Studies have ranged in scope from the oversight of specific agency projects and programs to broadermore » scientific reviews, such as a disciplinary assessment of the hydrologic sciences initiated in 1987. In all cases, studies have the general theme of ultimately improving the scientific and technological bases of programs of water management and environmental quality. This fifth annual report of the WSTB summarizes the Board's accomplishments during 1987, its current activities, and its plans for the future. The report also includes information on Board and committee memberships, program organizations, and the reports produced. The report should provide the reader with a basic understanding of the WSTB's interests, achievements, and capabilities. The WSTB welcomes inquiries and suggestions concerning its activities and will provide more detailed information on any aspects of its work to those interested.« less

The influence of corporate and political interests on models of illness in the evolution of the DSM.

PubMed

Pilecki, B C; Clegg, J W; McKay, D

2011-04-01

The diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM) is an evolving document that serves the many mental health care disciplines as the primary reference guide for classifying mental disorders. While the successive framers of the DSM have attempted to base it on scientific evidence, political and economic factors have also shaped the conceptualization of mental illness. These economic and institutional forces have reinforced the DSM's use of a medical model in understanding psychopathology. Though the scientific evidence for a medical model is mixed and evidence for other types of conceptualizations have been given less attention, the medical model provides for reliable diagnoses that allot diverse benefits to treatment providers and researchers, as well as to the pharmaceutical and healthcare industries. This article will outline the development of a medical model of mental illness, highlighting connections between this model and corporate and political interests, and will show how this model relates to the various revisions of, and developments within, the DSM. Such an analysis is especially relevant today as the field looks towards the publication of the newest revision of the DSM and attempts to understand and integrate its proposed changes into current treatment, theory, and research. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

On the role of scientists and scientific organizations: A question of leadership

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lynch, B. J.; Driver, S.

2010-12-01

The National Research Council (NRC) series of reports on climate change, published in May, 2010, represent the scientific establishment's response in the wake of Copenhagen. The popular sentiment among students, the environmental movement and the concerned public includes, understandably, a fair amount of confusion and a great deal of disillusionment and disappointment -- not just at the national and international political bodies and individual political leaders -- but with the ambivalence of the scientists and scientific organizations to waging a real fight for substantial and effective change. If the scientific community and the environmental movement learns anything from Copenhagen it is that the existing powers-that-be are incapable of even putting forward, let alone implementing, a sound and rational response to the climate change and environmental crisis. The prevalent (and all too passive) attitude is that the role of scientists and scientific organizations is merely to supply the policy makers, corporations, and governmental entities with the facts, the objective conditions, our best scientific understanding possible, and that's it. The scientific community must reject this attitude and this approach. Leaving the social, political and economic responses, regulation, and implementation in the hands of the politicians -- whom we are advising -- means we accomplish nothing and are accepting the patently false conclusion "there is nothing realistic that can be done". As is true for all political questions, the national and international response to climate change is a question of power and the relative balance of forces between people, governments, and corporations with competing and often directly counter-posed interests. The role scientists and scientific organizations must play is to weigh in on the side of the vast majority of the world's population, side with the countries and peoples of the developing world who are suffering and will continue to suffer the most devastating consequences of the environmental crisis. The role scientists and scientific organizations must play is to defend our science, stand on the truth, and be willing to fight for the power we are going to need in order to actually implement the policies, regulations, and economic planning that we know is necessary. In addition to our analysis of the NRC report recommendations, we will discuss the prospects of building an independent, youth-, student-, and scientist-led environmental movement modeled after the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 60s and based in the living campus struggles currently being waged in California and nationally around defending public higher education. The student movement to maintain the "public" character of our universities is simultaneously a fight to maintain the independence and objectivity of scientific research in the public's interest and for the purpose of advancing human society.

Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes

PubMed Central

Leypoldt, F; Wandinger, K-P

2014-01-01

Paraneoplastic neurological syndromes are immune-mediated erroneous attacks on the central or peripheral nervous systems, or both, directed originally against the tumour itself. They have been known for more than 40 years, but recently the discovery of new subgroups of paraneoplastic encephalitis syndromes with a remarkably good response to immune therapy has ignited new clinical and scientific interest. Knowledge of these subgroups and their associated autoantibodies is important in therapeutic decision-making. However, the abundance of new autoantibodies and syndromes can be confusing. This review paper summarizes current knowledge and new developments in the field of paraneoplastic neurological syndromes, their classification, pathophysiology and treatment. PMID:23937626

Imiglucerase in the treatment of Gaucher disease: a history and perspective

PubMed Central

Deegan, Patrick B; Cox, Timothy M

2012-01-01

The scientific and therapeutic development of imiglucerase (Cerezyme®) by the Genzyme Corporation is a paradigm case for a critical examination of current trends in biotechnology. In this article the authors argue that contemporary interest in treatments for rare diseases by major pharmaceutical companies stems in large part from an exception among rarities: the astonishing commercial success of Cerezyme. The fortunes of the Genzyme Corporation, latterly acquired by global giant Sanofi SA, were founded on the evolution of a blockbuster therapy for a single but, as it turns out, propitious ultra-orphan disorder: Gaucher disease. PMID:22563238

Medical entomology--back to the future?

PubMed

Reisen, William K

2014-12-01

Some of problems and challenges facing Medical/Veterinary Entomology are presented from my perspective, focusing on the current millennium. Topics include anthropogenic environmental changes created by population growth, administrative problems hindering science's response to these changes, and some of the scientific discoveries potentially providing solutions. As the title implies, many recent research discoveries have yet to be translated into major changes in control approaches for the major vectorborne public health problems, thereby providing an interesting mix of modern surveillance technology used to track problems and direct historical intervention solutions. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

State public policy issues involved with the Parkfield prediction experiment.

USGS Publications Warehouse

Andrews, R.; Goltz, J.

1988-01-01

The earthquake-prediction experiment at Parkfield may well be the most important such experiment currently underway worldwide. Its importance, however, extends beyond the scientific data that will be gathered and whether those data that will be gathered and whether those data can provide reliable prediction methods. Important public policy lessons are being learned (and are yet to be learned), and these lessons may be transferable to other parts of California and the nation. Indeed, the Parkfield experiment has captured the interest of numerous Californians, including State officials, emergency managers, the news media, and at least some of the public.

The Role of Student-Advisor Interactions in Apprenticing Undergraduate Researchers into a Scientific Community of Practice

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thiry, Heather; Laursen, Sandra L.

2011-12-01

Among science educators, current interest in undergraduate research (UR) is influenced both by the traditional role of the research apprenticeship in scientists' preparation and by concerns about replacing the current scientific workforce. Recent research has begun to demonstrate the range of personal, professional, and intellectual benefits for STEM students from participating in UR, yet the processes by which student-advisor interactions contribute to these benefits are little understood. We employ situated learning theory (Lave and Wenger, Situated learning: legitimate peripheral participation, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge in 1991) to examine the role of student-advisor interactions in apprenticing undergraduate researchers, particularly in terms of acculturating students to the norms, values, and professional practice of science. This qualitative study examines interviews with a diverse sample of 73 undergraduate research students from two research-extensive institutions. From these interviews, we articulate a continuum of practices that research mentors employed in three domains to support undergraduate scientists-in-training: professional socialization, intellectual support, and personal/emotional support. The needs of novice students differed from those of experienced students in each of these areas. Novice students needed clear expectations, guidelines, and orientation to their specific research project, while experienced students needed broader socialization in adopting the traits, habits, and temperament of scientific researchers. Underrepresented minority students, and to a lesser extent, women, gained confidence from their interactions with their research mentors and broadened their future career and educational possibilities. Undergraduate research at research-extensive universities exemplifies a cycle of scientific learning and practice where undergraduate researchers are mentored by graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, who are themselves apprentices to faculty members. As such, research mentors of undergraduate students should be aware of the dual scientific and educational aspects of their advising role and its significance in shaping students' identities and career trajectories.

Advanced Test Reactor National Scientific User Facility (ATR NSUF) Monthly Report December 2014

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Renae Soelberg

2014-12-01

• PNNL has completed sectioning of the U.C. Berkeley hydride fuel rodlet 1 (highest burn-up) and is currently polishing samples in preparation for optical metallography. • A disk was successfully sectioned from rodlet 1 at the location of the internal thermocouple tip as desired. The transition from annular pellet to solid pellet is verified by the eutectic-filled inner cavity located on the back face of this disk (top left) and the solid front face (bottom left). Preliminary low-resolution images indicate interesting sample characteristics in the eutectic surrounding the rodlet at the location of the outer thermocouple tip (right). This samplemore » has been potted and is currently being polished for high-resolution optical microscopy and subsequent SEM analysis. (See images.)« less

Instrumentation and Future Missions in the Upcoming Era of X-ray Polarimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fabiani, Sergio

2018-05-01

The maturity of current detectors based on technologies that range from solid state to gases renewed the interest for X-ray polarimetry, raising the enthusiasm of a wide scientific community to improve the performance of polarimeters as well as to produce more detailed theoretical predictions. We will introduce the basic concepts about measuring the polarization of photons, especially in the X-rays, and we will review the current state of the art of polarimeters in a wide energy range from soft~to hard X-rays, from solar flares to distant astrophysical sources. We will introduce relevant examples of polarimeters developed from the recent past up to the panorama of upcoming space missions to show how the recent development of the technology is allowing reopening the observational window of X-ray polarimetry.

Recent Developments in the Scientific Study of UFO's

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Salisbury, Frank B.

1975-01-01

Reviews the interest of the last few years, both inside and outside the scientific community, in unidentified flying objects (UFO), placing special emphasis on the extraterrestrial intelligence hypothesis. Cites numerous examples of UFO sightings and urges that the investigation of UFO's proceed in a scientific manner, despite skeptical public…

Rekindling Scientific Curiosity.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Coble, Charles R.; Rice, Dale R.

1983-01-01

Active involvement in society-related issues can elevate junior high school students' interest not only in the problem being solved but also in related scientific concepts. Examples of how scientific concepts and society-related issues can be taught in the same class are presented, focusing on genetic engineering, water shortage, and others.…

21 CFR 70.55 - Request for scientific studies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2012-04-01 2012-04-01 false Request for scientific studies. 70.55 Section 70.55 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL COLOR... by any interested person who desires the Food and Drug Administration to conduct scientific studies...

21 CFR 70.55 - Request for scientific studies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2014-04-01 2014-04-01 false Request for scientific studies. 70.55 Section 70.55 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL COLOR... by any interested person who desires the Food and Drug Administration to conduct scientific studies...

21 CFR 70.55 - Request for scientific studies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2011-04-01 2011-04-01 false Request for scientific studies. 70.55 Section 70.55 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL COLOR... by any interested person who desires the Food and Drug Administration to conduct scientific studies...

21 CFR 70.55 - Request for scientific studies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2013-04-01 2013-04-01 false Request for scientific studies. 70.55 Section 70.55 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL COLOR... by any interested person who desires the Food and Drug Administration to conduct scientific studies...

21 CFR 70.55 - Request for scientific studies.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-04-01

... 21 Food and Drugs 1 2010-04-01 2010-04-01 false Request for scientific studies. 70.55 Section 70.55 Food and Drugs FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES GENERAL COLOR... by any interested person who desires the Food and Drug Administration to conduct scientific studies...

Hands-on and Online: Scientific Explorations through Distance Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mawn, Mary V.; Carrico, Pauline; Charuk, Ken; Stote, Kim S.; Lawrence, Betty

2011-01-01

Laboratory experiments are often considered the defining characteristic of science courses. Such activities provide students with real-world contexts for applying scientific concepts, while also allowing them to develop scientific ways of thinking and promoting an interest in science. In recent years, an increasing number of campuses have moved…

Recostructing the Physics Teaching Didactic based on Marzano’s Learning Dimension on Training the Scientific Literacies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karim, S.; Prima, E. C.; Utari, S.; Saepuzaman, D.; Nugaha, M. G.

2017-02-01

Scientific literacy is currently considered as an important aspect supporting an useful citizenship ability for civilians inhabiting highly developed countries as well as developing countries. Consequently, certain countries recommended this scientific literacy to be applied at a national curricula. The PISA study showed the Indonesian scientific literacy level of 1, which means as just simple science phenomenon that could be exactly descibed by a student. This condition indicates that common science teachings do not optimally facillitate students to guide the scientific literacy. By proposing this research, the science didactic reconstruction will be offered in order to gain the students’ scientific literacy evaluated from the qualitative analysis of the action research and the students’ respons during learning science. The qualitative evaluation was developed based on the Marzano’s learning dimension about the scientific literacy. This research, involving 29 students as participants, analyzed the improved physics teaching didactic as described in the following sentences. The teaching reconstruction concerned a high attention to the development of the structural knowledge. The knowledge was acquired from a real phenomenon followed by giving the instructed questions as the second learning dimension. The third dimension of learning reconstruction aimed to provide the knowledge repetition on an appropriate science context. At the fourth dimension, the reconstruction should be improved in order to find the best treatment for the students. Hopefully, they can control the physical parameter and evaluate the result of their investigation related to the given science problems. It can be concluded that most of the students were interested in learning science. However, the productive learning didn’t accompany students to the Marzano’s second, third, and fourth learning dimensions.

Scientific Software - the role of best practices and recommendations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fritzsch, Bernadette; Bernstein, Erik; Castell, Wolfgang zu; Diesmann, Markus; Haas, Holger; Hammitzsch, Martin; Konrad, Uwe; Lähnemann, David; McHardy, Alice; Pampel, Heinz; Scheliga, Kaja; Schreiber, Andreas; Steglich, Dirk

2017-04-01

In Geosciences - like in most other communities - scientific work strongly depends on software. For big data analysis, existing (closed or open source) program packages are often mixed with newly developed codes. Different versions of software components and varying configurations can influence the result of data analysis. This often makes reproducibility of results and reuse of codes very difficult. Policies for publication and documentation of used and newly developed software, along with best practices, can help tackle this problem. Within the Helmholtz Association a Task Group "Access to and Re-use of scientific software" was implemented by the Open Science Working Group in 2016. The aim of the Task Group is to foster the discussion about scientific software in the Open Science context and to formulate recommendations for the production and publication of scientific software, ensuring open access to it. As a first step, a workshop gathered interested scientists from institutions across Germany. The workshop brought together various existing initiatives from different scientific communities to analyse current problems, share established best practices and come up with possible solutions. The subjects in the working groups covered a broad range of themes, including technical infrastructures, standards and quality assurance, citation of software and reproducibility. Initial recommendations are presented and discussed in the talk. They are the foundation for further discussions in the Helmholtz Association and the Priority Initiative "Digital Information" of the Alliance of Science Organisations in Germany. The talk aims to inform about the activities and to link with other initiatives on the national or international level.

Promoting professional identity, motivation, and persistence: Benefits of an informal mentoring program for female undergraduate students

PubMed Central

Bloodhart, Brittany; Barnes, Rebecca T.; Adams, Amanda S.; Clinton, Sandra M.; Pollack, Ilana; Godfrey, Elaine; Burt, Melissa; Fischer, Emily V.

2017-01-01

Women are underrepresented in a number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Limited diversity in the development of the STEM workforce has negative implications for scientific innovation, creativity, and social relevance. The current study reports the first-year results of the PROmoting Geoscience Research, Education, and SuccesS (PROGRESS) program, a novel theory-driven informal mentoring program aimed at supporting first- and second-year female STEM majors. Using a prospective, longitudinal, multi-site (i.e., 7 universities in Colorado/Wyoming Front Range & Carolinas), propensity score matched design, we compare mentoring and persistence outcomes for women in and out of PROGRESS (N = 116). Women in PROGRESS attended an off-site weekend workshop and gained access to a network of volunteer female scientific mentors from on- and off-campus (i.e., university faculty, graduate students, and outside scientific professionals). The results indicate that women in PROGRESS had larger networks of developmental mentoring relationships and were more likely to be mentored by faculty members and peers than matched controls. Mentoring support from a faculty member benefited early-undergraduate women by strengthening their scientific identity and their interest in earth and environmental science career pathways. Further, support from a faculty mentor had a positive indirect impact on women’s scientific persistence intentions, through strengthened scientific identity development. These results imply that first- and second- year undergraduate women’s mentoring support networks can be enhanced through provision of protégé training and access to more senior women in the sciences willing to provide mentoring support. PMID:29091969

Formulating the American Geophysical Union's Scientific Integrity and Professional Ethics Policy: Challenges and lessons learned: Chapter 8

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gundersen, Linda C.; Townsend, Randy

2017-01-01

Creating an ethics policy for a large, diverse geosciences organization is a challenge, especially in the midst of the current contentious dialogue in the media related to such issues as climate change, sustaining natural resources, and responding to natural hazards. In 2011, the American Geophysical Union (AGU) took on this challenge, creating an Ethics Task Force to update their ethics policies to better support their new Strategic Plan and respond to the changing scientific research environment. Dialogue with AGU members and others during the course of creating the new policy unveiled some of the following issues to be addressed. Scientific results and individual scientists are coming under intense political and public scrutiny, with the efficacy of the science being questioned. In some cases, scientists are asked to take sides and/or provide opinions on issues beyond their research, impacting their objectivity. Pressure related to competition for funding and the need to publish high quality and quantities of papers has led to recent high profile plagiarism, data fabrication, and conflict of interest cases. The complexities of a continuously advancing digital environment for conducting, reviewing, and publishing science has raised concerns over the ease of plagiarism, fabrication, falsification, inappropriate peer review, and the need for better accessibility of data and methods. Finally, students and scientists need consistent education and encouragement on the importance of ethics and integrity in scientific research. The new AGU Scientific Integrity and Ethics Policy tries to address these issues and provides an inspirational code of conduct to encourage a responsible, positive, open, and honest scientific research environment.

Promoting professional identity, motivation, and persistence: Benefits of an informal mentoring program for female undergraduate students.

PubMed

Hernandez, Paul R; Bloodhart, Brittany; Barnes, Rebecca T; Adams, Amanda S; Clinton, Sandra M; Pollack, Ilana; Godfrey, Elaine; Burt, Melissa; Fischer, Emily V

2017-01-01

Women are underrepresented in a number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines. Limited diversity in the development of the STEM workforce has negative implications for scientific innovation, creativity, and social relevance. The current study reports the first-year results of the PROmoting Geoscience Research, Education, and SuccesS (PROGRESS) program, a novel theory-driven informal mentoring program aimed at supporting first- and second-year female STEM majors. Using a prospective, longitudinal, multi-site (i.e., 7 universities in Colorado/Wyoming Front Range & Carolinas), propensity score matched design, we compare mentoring and persistence outcomes for women in and out of PROGRESS (N = 116). Women in PROGRESS attended an off-site weekend workshop and gained access to a network of volunteer female scientific mentors from on- and off-campus (i.e., university faculty, graduate students, and outside scientific professionals). The results indicate that women in PROGRESS had larger networks of developmental mentoring relationships and were more likely to be mentored by faculty members and peers than matched controls. Mentoring support from a faculty member benefited early-undergraduate women by strengthening their scientific identity and their interest in earth and environmental science career pathways. Further, support from a faculty mentor had a positive indirect impact on women's scientific persistence intentions, through strengthened scientific identity development. These results imply that first- and second- year undergraduate women's mentoring support networks can be enhanced through provision of protégé training and access to more senior women in the sciences willing to provide mentoring support.

Scientific Contributions to GEO Global Earth Observation Priorities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Friedl, L.; Ledrew, E.

2009-12-01

Numerous counties and non-governmental organizations have produced documents, held workshops, and published reports in the past decade that identify Earth observation needs to meet their particular objectives. The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) has conducted a review of these documents, workshops, and reports to identify the priority observations common to many societal benefit areas. GEO has made a concerted effort to include materials from a broad range of user types, including scientific researchers, resource managers, and policy makers. GEO has also sought an international breadth in the materials reviewed, including observation priorities from developing countries. The activity will help GEO optimize the observations in GEOSS that are most likely to provide societal benefits, and GEO members will use the results of this meta-analysis to support investment decisions. The Earth observations in GEOSS serve scientific research and applications endeavors. As a primary user of ground-based, airborne, in situ, and space-based observations of the Earth, the scientific community has a significant voice and vested interest in the observations offered through GEOSS. Furthermore, the science and technology community will have opportunities to identify critical scientific/technological advances needed to produce any observations that are needed yet not currently available. In this paper, we will discuss this GEO effort to identify Earth observations priorities. We will present initial findings for some societal benefit areas and the overall meta-analysis. We will also discuss possible roles for the science and technology community to contribute to those priorities, such as scientific advances needed to achieve the observations or to realize societal benefits from the observations.

Ethics Workshop Sheds Light on Gray Areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Townsend, Randy; Williams, Billy

2014-02-01

AGU's Scientific Integrity and Professional Ethics Workshop at the 2013 Fall Meeting, held on 9 December, highlighted the courageous conversations necessary to navigate through questions of scientific integrity and professional ethics. Participants debated real-world scenarios surrounding authorship, data management, plagiarism, and conflicts of interest. These discussions emphasized the importance of preserving scientific integrity and the responsibility of each member to uphold the standards of scientific conduct.

Critical study of current situation of Vrănicioara tailing pond on Cavnicului Valley, risks and consequences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bud, I.; Duma, S.; Gusat, D.; Pasca, I.; Bud, A.

2017-05-01

In northern Romania, there are numerous tailing ponds, resulting from mining activities that present significant environmental risks. Some of them, including Vrănicioara tailing pond, were the subject of technical projects for ecological rehabilitation. Vrănicioara pond is located on the right side of Cavnic Valley, downstream Cavnic town, about 4 kilometers far. It has about 500 m length and is located parallel to the road linking Baia Sprie and Cavnic localities. Chemical and physical stability of the tailing pond before rehabilitation interest the research, analysis and conclusions were published in several scientific meetings. In addition, close to the pond at less than 100 m, an open pit has developed, exploiting andesite by mining blast, increasing the risk of physical stability by continuous exposure to vibration. This activity currently continues, advancing towards the tailing pond body. The critical study addresses the current state of Vrănicioara Tailing Pond, analysis of some rehabilitation works done incorrectly, analysis of chemical stability that was not a priority during rehabilitation. Research intention is heading to water analysis confirming the existence of acid drainage that was not stopped or at least reduced. The scientific approach is based on the Technical Standards for Waste Deposits, in force in Romania, providing the rules to ensure physical and chemical stability.

Air Toxics Under the Big Sky: Examining the Effectiveness of Authentic Scientific Research on High School Students' Science Skills and Interest.

PubMed

Ward, Tony J; Delaloye, Naomi; Adams, Earle Raymond; Ware, Desirae; Vanek, Diana; Knuth, Randy; Hester, Carolyn Laurie; Marra, Nancy Noel; Holian, Andrij

2016-01-01

Air Toxics Under the Big Sky is an environmental science outreach/education program that incorporates the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) 8 Practices with the goal of promoting knowledge and understanding of authentic scientific research in high school classrooms through air quality research. A quasi-experimental design was used in order to understand: 1) how the program affects student understanding of scientific inquiry and research and 2) how the open inquiry learning opportunities provided by the program increase student interest in science as a career path . Treatment students received instruction related to air pollution (airborne particulate matter), associated health concerns, and training on how to operate air quality testing equipment. They then participated in a yearlong scientific research project in which they developed and tested hypotheses through research of their own design regarding the sources and concentrations of air pollution in their homes and communities. Results from an external evaluation revealed that treatment students developed a deeper understanding of scientific research than did comparison students, as measured by their ability to generate good hypotheses and research designs, and equally expressed an increased interest in pursuing a career in science. These results emphasize the value of and need for authentic science learning opportunities in the modern science classroom.

Air Toxics Under the Big Sky: examining the effectiveness of authentic scientific research on high school students' science skills and interest

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ward, Tony J.; Delaloye, Naomi; Adams, Earle Raymond; Ware, Desirae; Vanek, Diana; Knuth, Randy; Hester, Carolyn Laurie; Marra, Nancy Noel; Holian, Andrij

2016-04-01

Air Toxics Under the Big Sky is an environmental science outreach/education program that incorporates the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) 8 Practices with the goal of promoting knowledge and understanding of authentic scientific research in high school classrooms through air quality research. This research explored: (1) how the program affects student understanding of scientific inquiry and research and (2) how the open-inquiry learning opportunities provided by the program increase student interest in science as a career path. Treatment students received instruction related to air pollution (airborne particulate matter), associated health concerns, and training on how to operate air quality testing equipment. They then participated in a yearlong scientific research project in which they developed and tested hypotheses through research of their own design regarding the sources and concentrations of air pollution in their homes and communities. Results from an external evaluation revealed that treatment students developed a deeper understanding of scientific research than did comparison students, as measured by their ability to generate good hypotheses and research designs, and equally expressed an increased interest in pursuing a career in science. These results emphasize the value of and need for authentic science learning opportunities in the modern science classroom.

Air Toxics Under the Big Sky: Examining the Effectiveness of Authentic Scientific Research on High School Students’ Science Skills and Interest

PubMed Central

Delaloye, Naomi; Adams, Earle Raymond; Ware, Desirae; Vanek, Diana; Knuth, Randy; Hester, Carolyn Laurie; Marra, Nancy Noel; Holian, Andrij

2016-01-01

Air Toxics Under the Big Sky is an environmental science outreach/education program that incorporates the Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) 8 Practices with the goal of promoting knowledge and understanding of authentic scientific research in high school classrooms through air quality research. A quasi-experimental design was used in order to understand: 1) how the program affects student understanding of scientific inquiry and research and 2) how the open inquiry learning opportunities provided by the program increase student interest in science as a career path. Treatment students received instruction related to air pollution (airborne particulate matter), associated health concerns, and training on how to operate air quality testing equipment. They then participated in a yearlong scientific research project in which they developed and tested hypotheses through research of their own design regarding the sources and concentrations of air pollution in their homes and communities. Results from an external evaluation revealed that treatment students developed a deeper understanding of scientific research than did comparison students, as measured by their ability to generate good hypotheses and research designs, and equally expressed an increased interest in pursuing a career in science. These results emphasize the value of and need for authentic science learning opportunities in the modern science classroom. PMID:28286375

A case-study of a socio-scientific issues curricular and pedagogical intervention in an undergraduate microbiology course: A focus on informal reasoning

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schalk, Kelly A.

The purpose of this investigation was to measure specific ways a student interest SSI-based curricular and pedagogical affects undergraduates' ability informally reason. The delimited components of informal reasoning measured were undergraduates' Nature of Science conceptualizations and ability to evaluate scientific information. The socio-scientific issues (SSI) theoretical framework used in this case-study has been advocated as a means for improving students' functional scientific literacy. This investigation focused on the laboratory component of an undergraduate microbiology course in spring 2008. There were 26 participants. The instruments used in this study included: (1) Individual and Group research projects, (2) journals, (3) laboratory write-ups, (4) a laboratory quiz, (5) anonymous evaluations, and (6) a pre/post article exercise. All instruments yielded qualitative data, which were coded using the qualitative software NVivo7. Data analyses were subjected to instrumental triangulation, inter-rater reliability, and member-checking. It was determined that undergraduates' epistemological knowledge of scientific discovery, processes, and justification matured in response to the intervention. Specifically, students realized: (1) differences between facts, theories, and opinions; (2) testable questions are not definitively proven; (3) there is no stepwise scientific process; and (4) lack of data weakens a claim. It was determined that this knowledge influenced participants' beliefs and ability to informally reason. For instance, students exhibited more critical evaluations of scientific information. It was also found that undergraduates' prior opinions had changed over the semester. Further, the student interest aspect of this framework engaged learners by offering participants several opportunities to influentially examine microbiology issues that affected their life. The investigation provided empirically based insights into the ways undergraduates' interest and functional scientific literacy can be promoted. The investigation advanced what was known about using SSI-based frameworks to the post-secondary learner context. Outstanding questions remain for investigation. For example, is this type of student interest SSI-based intervention broadly applicable (i.e., in other science disciplines and grade levels)? And, what challenges would teachers in diverse contexts encounter when implementing a SSI-based theoretical framework?

Incorporating Science News Into Middle School Curricula: Current Events in the 21st Century Classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dimaggio, E.

2010-12-01

Middle school students are instructed with the aid of textbooks, lectures, and activities to teach topics that satisfy state standards. However, teaching materials created to convey standard-aligned science concepts often leave students asking how the content relates to their lives and why they should be learning it. Conveying relevance, especially in science when abstract concepts can often be incorrectly perceived as irrelevant, is important for student learning and retention. One way to create an educational link between classroom content and everyday life is through the use of scientific current events. Students read, hear, and watch media coverage of natural events (such as the Haiti or Chile earthquakes in 2010), but do not necessarily relate the scientific information from media sources to classroom studies. Taking advantage of these brief ‘teachable moments’-when student interest is high- provides a valuable opportunity to make classroom-to-everyday life associations and to incorporate inquiry based learning. To address this need, we are creating pre-packaged current event materials for middle school teachers in Arizona that align to state standards and which are short, effective, and easy to implement in the classroom. Each lesson takes approximately 15 minutes to implement, allowing teachers time to facilitate brief but meaningful discussions. Materials are assembled within approximately one week of the regional or global science event (e.g., volcanic eruptions, earthquakes) and may include a short slide show, maps, videos, pictures, and real-time data. A listserv is used to send biweekly emails to subscribed instructors. The email contains the current event topic, specific Arizona science standards addressed, and a link to download the materials. All materials are hosted on the Arizona State University Education Outreach website and are archived. Early implementation efforts have been received positively by participating teachers. In one case, students were shown data on the recent 8.8 magnitude Chile earthquake (including epicenter, magnitude, and focus) as well as photos and a short video. Students then viewed real-time earthquakes and plate boundaries in Google Earth using KML files downloaded from the USGS website. During the ensuing discussion, and with minimal teacher direction, students made the connection between the recent earthquake and the convergent plate boundary along Chile that they had previously studied in their earth science unit. Additionally, students asked numerous questions allowing the classroom discussion to expand to topics of interest to each student population. Current events help demonstrate to students that, unlike fact-filled textbooks suggest, science is not static and scientists are actively investigating many ‘textbook’ concepts. Showing students the process and progressive nature of scientific information reinforces critical thinking rather than pure memorization.

Commentary: IARC Monographs Program and public health under siege by corporate interests.

PubMed

Infante, Peter F; Melnick, Ronald; Vainio, Harri; Huff, James

2018-04-01

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) evaluates causes of cancer with help from independent international experts in an open and transparent manner. Countries, research and regulatory agencies, and other organizations adopt IARC evaluations for communication of human cancer hazards, and for strategies to prevent cancer. Scientists worldwide endorse IARC cancer evaluations and process. Those with economic interests, however, challenge IARC's cancer evaluations, most recently for glyphosate and red and processed meats, and are conducting a campaign including intervention from US Congressional Representatives to discredit IARC's review process and to undermine financial support-a campaign intimidating to IARC and Working Group members. Challenges to scientific interpretations serve to advance science and should be resolved by scientific experts who do not have conflicts of interest. Such interference does not bode well for the free flow of scientific information that informs and protects the public from risks of cancer. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

A Review of Conflict of Interest, Competing Interest, and Bias for Toxicologists

EPA Science Inventory

One of the issues often associated with scientific misconduct is conflict of interest (CoI). Although there is a lack of uniformity in the definition of CoI, many express concerns that competing interests may bias research methods and the interpretation of data and conclusions. ...

There is no ``I'' in referee: Why referees should be anonymous

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ucko, Daniel

2015-03-01

From the early days of modern science, it has been recognized that scientific claims must be verified by someone who is not the maker of those claims, and who furthermore has no stake in the matter. In other words, claims need to be evaluated objectively, by the community. The way in which this tends to be done is by peer review conducted by journals. Peer review as currently practiced touches on the themes of trust, where the trust is in institutions and procedures that emerge from expert communities. The practice of peer review is viewed as a citizenly duty of scientists in the scientific community, because all scientists take turns serving either as authors, referees, and editors in the peer review process We lack the resources to have a work evaluated by the entire community, so we substitute with a representative. Yet, in most examples of scientific review, the referee or referees are anonymous. This question is particularly important when the peer review process is brought to bear in order to evaluate matters beyond scientific validity, more ``subjective'' criteria such as relative importance, broadness of interest - criteria that do not appear to have an objective standard of comparison and validation. I will show that the anonymity of referees, far from endangering this trust, actually strengthens it. I will show that this anonymity is crucial in order to maintain any objectivity in scientific peer review, and why authors should not try to unmask the referee. Also at American Physical Society (APS).

The Power and Pleasure of Visual Arts in Exploring Remote Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robigou-Nelson, V.; Ellins, K. K.

2012-12-01

With society's dependence on technological and scientific advances comes the challenging responsibility of sharing scientific discoveries and issues in a manner that is accessible to public understanding. The proliferation of scientific topics and specializations combined with the fast pace of our modern lifestyle result in the public's lack of interest in, time for, and appreciation of complex material including science. Our overall quality of life, more than ever, depends on scientific literacy and placing the scientific process in a broader context relevant to everyone's everyday life. Associating science with artistic endeavors may offer the public less intimidating ways to appreciate science topics. It could also provide scientists and educators with more effective ways to engage audiences in science learning. The relationship between learning and the experience of art is not well understood but is currently a focus of research in neuroscience. What is known is that aesthetics inspire, inform and engage the emotions, which facilitates learning by choice and desire rather than by requirement and fear - unfortunately often associated with science education. Inspiration is an integral aspect of the scientific and artistic endeavor. It rewards scientist, artist and participant in artistic experiences with emotion for the activity they are involved in. It also motivates both professions to pursue career goals and often encourages avocational interests in non-experts. As scientists, artists and educators, the authors are interested in the impact that connections between the visual arts and research-based science can bring to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education and public engagement. In this presentation, they discuss projects created by scientists exploring the deepest parts of the ocean and artists and exhibit designers whose collaborations bring scientific discoveries to the public. These projects skillfully link science and art to share the complexity of the geological and chemical processes at mid-ocean ridges and the beauty of marine organisms that thrive in the inhospitable seafloor environment to audiences that would never have access to such remote ecosystems. Examples include (1) a series of first-of-its-kind, high-impact films on deep-sea exploration produced in collaboration with masterful storytellers of the documentary (PBS-NOVA) and entertainment (IMAX) industries that captures the imagination of large audiences with stunning imagery, (2) the "Beyond the Edge of the Sea" traveling art exhibit that features watercolor illustrations of hydrothermal vents and immerses contemplative audiences deep into the intricacies of a painted subject and (3) a permanent exhibit centered on two iconic sulfide chimneys in the Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH) in New York City. Designed to encourage visitors to think like scientists, the interactive activities of the multimedia exhibit entrain hundreds of thousands of families and students of all ages to explore the question "Why is Earth habitable?"

An Overview of the Vocational Interest Survey. Information Paper. [Draft].

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Athanasou, James A.

The Vocational Interest Survey (VIS) is a measure of six vocational interests--practical, scientific, artistic, social, business and clerical--based on the model of interests proposed by Holland. Five broad design criteria for the development of the six interest scales are outlined, e.g., minimum reliability of 0.80. Each scale is organized into…

Science-Relevant Curiosity Expression and Interest in Science: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Luce, Megan R.; Hsi, Sherry

2015-01-01

In efforts to understand and promote long-term interest in science, much work has focused on measuring students' interest in topics of science, typically with surveys. This approach has challenges, as interest in a topic may not necessarily indicate interest in scientific practices and pursuits. An underexplored and perhaps productive way to…

How People Reason: A Grounded Theory Study of Scientific Reasoning about Global Climate Change

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Shiyu

Scientific reasoning is crucial in both scientific inquiry and everyday life. While the majority of researchers have studied "how people reason" by focusing on their cognitive processes, factors related to the underpinnings of scientific reasoning are still under-researched. The present study aimed to develop a grounded theory that captures not only the cognitive processes during reasoning but also their underpinnings. In particular, the grounded theory and phenomenographic methodologies were integrated to explore how undergraduate students reason about competing theories and evidence on global climate change. Twenty-six undergraduate students were recruited through theoretical sampling. Constant comparative analysis of responses from interviews and written assessments revealed that participants were mostly drawn to the surface features when reasoning about evidence. While prior knowledge might not directly contribute to participants' performance on evidence evaluation, it affected their level of engagement when reading and evaluating competing arguments on climate issues. More importantly, even though all participants acknowledged the relative correctness of multiple perspectives, they predominantly favored arguments that supported their own beliefs with weak scientific reasoning about the opposing arguments. Additionally, factors such as personal interests, religious beliefs, and reading capacity were also found to have bearings on the way participants evaluated evidence and arguments. In all, this work contributes to the current endeavors in exploring the nature of scientific reasoning. Taking a holistic perspective, it provides an in-depth discussion of factors that may affect or relate to scientific reasoning processes. Furthermore, in comparison with traditional methods used in the literature, the methodological approach employed in this work brought an innovative insight into the investigation of scientific reasoning. Last but not least, this research may help initiate further discussion regarding how to bridge cognitive research with science education to promote student learning of complex scientific issues such as global climate change.

42 CFR 82.30 - How will NIOSH inform the public of any plans to change scientific elements underlying the dose...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... change scientific elements underlying the dose reconstruction process to maintain methods reasonably current with scientific progress? 82.30 Section 82.30 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF... methods reasonably current with scientific progress? Periodically, NIOSH will publish a notice in the...

42 CFR 82.30 - How will NIOSH inform the public of any plans to change scientific elements underlying the dose...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... change scientific elements underlying the dose reconstruction process to maintain methods reasonably current with scientific progress? 82.30 Section 82.30 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF... methods reasonably current with scientific progress? Periodically, NIOSH will publish a notice in the...

42 CFR 82.30 - How will NIOSH inform the public of any plans to change scientific elements underlying the dose...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... change scientific elements underlying the dose reconstruction process to maintain methods reasonably current with scientific progress? 82.30 Section 82.30 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF... methods reasonably current with scientific progress? Periodically, NIOSH will publish a notice in the...

42 CFR 82.30 - How will NIOSH inform the public of any plans to change scientific elements underlying the dose...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... change scientific elements underlying the dose reconstruction process to maintain methods reasonably current with scientific progress? 82.30 Section 82.30 Public Health PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF... methods reasonably current with scientific progress? Periodically, NIOSH will publish a notice in the...

A Novel Approach to Exploring the Mars Polar Caps

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brophy, John R.; Carsey, Frank D.; Rodgers, David H.; Soderblom, L. A.; Wilcox, Brian H.

2000-01-01

The Martian polar caps contain some of the most important scientific sites on the planet. There is much interest in exploring them with a view to understanding their role in the Mars climate system. By gaining access to the stratigraphy of the polar terrain, it is probable that one can access the climate history of the planet. Additionally, investigations aimed at localizing subsurface water--liquid or solid--are not only of great scientific interest but are also germane to the long-term interests of the manned space flight program. A major difficulty with polar exploration is access. Current techniques using chemical propulsion, Holman transfers, and direct-entry landers with aeroshells have limited capability to access the polar terrain. For the near term the authors propose a new approach to solving this transportation issue by using Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP), recently flight demonstrated on NASA's DS1 Mission to an asteroid and a comet. For a longer-term approach there are additional ways in which access to Mars, as well as other planets, can be significantly improved. These include the use of Chaos orbit theory to enable transportation between LaGrange points in the solar system, gossamer structures enabling very low-mass mobility, and advanced ascent vehicles. In this paper the authors describe how a 1000-kG payload can be transported to the surface of Mars and a polar sample obtained and returned to Earth in less than five years using SEP. A vision of how this approach can be integrated into a long-term Mars exploration strategy building toward the future is also discussed.

Threat Perception and Attitudes of Adolescents Towards Re-Introduced Wild Animals: A qualitative study of young learners from affected regions in Germany

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hermann, Nadin; Menzel, Susanne

2013-12-01

Conservation efforts such as the restoration of European bison or the support of wolf immigration into Germany are often socio-scientifically controversial. In many cases, disputes are based on individuals' threat perception and attitudes towards the animal involved. The herewith reported study provides qualitative insights into German adolescents' (n = 31, Mage = 16.6 years) attitudes towards animal reintroduction, their threat and coping appraisal about wildlife and their knowledge of local endangered species. We found that students had rather limited knowledge of local endangered species. After Kellert's categories of animal attitudes, the adolescents showed a strong moralistic view on wildlife return. Naturalistic, ecologistic and utilitarian views were also strongly apparent. According to the Protection Motivation Theory, perceived threats could be identified as threats to animals on the one hand and threats to human interests on the other. Such threat perceptions often lead to a dilemma, which made it difficult to decide upon the priorities of wildlife protection versus protection of human interests. Coping mechanism to reduce threats to human interests as mentioned by the participants included restrictions of the animal as well as strategies that focused on responsibility by humans. Regarding coping mechanism to prevent the species' extinction, participants showed a relatively superficial understanding. Furthermore, we found that participants from regions where wolves are currently immigrating or European bison are being reintroduced showed a more positive understanding of the respective animal. Our findings are discussed in the light of this topic's potential as an example of a real-life socio-scientific issue in classroom discussions.

A Novel Approach to Exploring the Mars Polar Caps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brophy, John R.; Carsey, Frank D.; Rodgers, David H.; Soderblom, L. A.; Wilcox, Brian H.

2000-08-01

The Martian polar caps contain some of the most important scientific sites on the planet. There is much interest in exploring them with a view to understanding their role in the Mars climate system. By gaining access to the stratigraphy of the polar terrain, it is probable that one can access the climate history of the planet. Additionally, investigations aimed at localizing subsurface water--liquid or solid--are not only of great scientific interest but are also germane to the long-term interests of the manned space flight program. A major difficulty with polar exploration is access. Current techniques using chemical propulsion, Holman transfers, and direct-entry landers with aeroshells have limited capability to access the polar terrain. For the near term the authors propose a new approach to solving this transportation issue by using Solar Electric Propulsion (SEP), recently flight demonstrated on NASA's DS1 Mission to an asteroid and a comet. For a longer-term approach there are additional ways in which access to Mars, as well as other planets, can be significantly improved. These include the use of Chaos orbit theory to enable transportation between LaGrange points in the solar system, gossamer structures enabling very low-mass mobility, and advanced ascent vehicles. In this paper the authors describe how a 1000-kG payload can be transported to the surface of Mars and a polar sample obtained and returned to Earth in less than five years using SEP. A vision of how this approach can be integrated into a long-term Mars exploration strategy building toward the future is also discussed.

U.S. Geological Survey Subsidence Interest Group Conference; proceedings of the Technical Meeting, Las Vegas, Nevada, February 14-16, 1995

USGS Publications Warehouse

Prince, Keith R.; Leake, Stanley A.

1997-01-01

Introducation to Papers: This report is a compilation of short papers that are based on oral presentations summarizing the results of recent research that were given at the third meeting of the Subsidence Interest Group held in Las Vegas, Nevada, February 14?16, 1995. The report includes case studies of land subsidence and aquifer-system deformation resulting from fluid withdrawal, geothermal development, and mine collapse. Methods for monitoring land subsidence using Global Positioning System technology for the rapid and accurate measurement of changes in land-surface altitude also are described. The current status of numerical simulation of land subsidence in the USGS is summarized, and several of the short papers deal with the development and application of new numerical techniques for simulation and quantification of aquifersystem deformation. Not all oral presentations made at the meeting are documented in this report. Several of the presentations were of ongoing research and as such, the findings were provisional in nature and were offered at the meeting to stimulate scientific discussion and debate among colleagues. The information presented in this report, although only a subset of the proceedings of the meeting in Las Vegas, should help expand the scientific basis for management decisions to mitigate or control the effects of land subsidence. The short papers describing the results of these studies provide a cross section of ongoing research in aquifer mechanics and land subsidence and also form an assessment of the current technology and 'state of the science.' The analytical and interpretive methods described in this report will be useful to scientists involved in studies of ground-water hydraulics and aquifer-system deformation.

Space missions to comets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neugebauer, M. (Editor); Yeomans, D. K. (Editor); Brandt, J. C. (Editor); Hobbs, R. W. (Editor)

1979-01-01

The broad impact of a cometary mission is assessed with particular emphasis on scientific interest in a fly-by mission to Halley's comet and a rendezvous with Tempel 2. Scientific results, speculations, and future plans are discussed.

The molecular electronic device and the biochip computer: present status.

PubMed

Haddon, R C; Lamola, A A

1985-04-01

The idea that a single molecule might function as a self-contained electronic device has been of interest for some time. However, a fully integrated version--the biochip or the biocomputer, in which both production and assembly of molecular electronic components is achieved through biotechnology-is a relatively new concept that is currently attracting attention both within the scientific community and among the general public. In the present article we draw together some of the approaches being considered for the construction of such devices and delineate the revolutionary nature of the current proposals for molecular electronic devices (MEDs) and biochip computers (BCCs). With the silicon semiconductor conductor industry already in place and in view of the continuing successes of the lithographic process it seems appropriate to ask why the highly speculative MED or BCC has engendered such interest. In some respects the answer is paradigmatic as much as it is real. It is perhaps best stated as the promise of the realm of the molecular. Thus it is envisioned that devices will be constructed by assembly of individual molecular electronic components into arrays, thereby engineering from small upward rather than large downward as do current lithographic techniques. An important corollary of the construction technique is that the functional elements of such an array would be individual molecules rather than macroscopic ensembles. These two aspects of the MED/BCC--assembly of molecular arrays and individually accessible functional molecular units--are truly revolutionary. Both require scientific breakthroughs and the necessary principles, quite apart from the technology, remain essentially unknown. It is concluded that the advent of the MED/BCC still lies well before us. The twin criteria of utilization of individual molecules as functional elements and the assembly of such elements remains as elusive as ever. Biology engineers structures on the molecular scale but biomolecules do not seem to be imbued with useful electronic properties. Molecular beam epitaxy and thin-film techniques produce electronic devices but they "engineer down" and are currently unable to generate individual molecular units. The potential of the MED/BCC field is matched only by the obstacles that must be surmounted for its realization.

The molecular electronic device and the biochip computer: present status.

PubMed Central

Haddon, R C; Lamola, A A

1985-01-01

The idea that a single molecule might function as a self-contained electronic device has been of interest for some time. However, a fully integrated version--the biochip or the biocomputer, in which both production and assembly of molecular electronic components is achieved through biotechnology-is a relatively new concept that is currently attracting attention both within the scientific community and among the general public. In the present article we draw together some of the approaches being considered for the construction of such devices and delineate the revolutionary nature of the current proposals for molecular electronic devices (MEDs) and biochip computers (BCCs). With the silicon semiconductor conductor industry already in place and in view of the continuing successes of the lithographic process it seems appropriate to ask why the highly speculative MED or BCC has engendered such interest. In some respects the answer is paradigmatic as much as it is real. It is perhaps best stated as the promise of the realm of the molecular. Thus it is envisioned that devices will be constructed by assembly of individual molecular electronic components into arrays, thereby engineering from small upward rather than large downward as do current lithographic techniques. An important corollary of the construction technique is that the functional elements of such an array would be individual molecules rather than macroscopic ensembles. These two aspects of the MED/BCC--assembly of molecular arrays and individually accessible functional molecular units--are truly revolutionary. Both require scientific breakthroughs and the necessary principles, quite apart from the technology, remain essentially unknown. It is concluded that the advent of the MED/BCC still lies well before us. The twin criteria of utilization of individual molecules as functional elements and the assembly of such elements remains as elusive as ever. Biology engineers structures on the molecular scale but biomolecules do not seem to be imbued with useful electronic properties. Molecular beam epitaxy and thin-film techniques produce electronic devices but they "engineer down" and are currently unable to generate individual molecular units. The potential of the MED/BCC field is matched only by the obstacles that must be surmounted for its realization. PMID:3856865

Values and public acceptability dimensions of sustainable egg production.

PubMed

Thompson, P B; Appleby, M; Busch, L; Kalof, L; Miele, M; Norwood, B F; Pajor, E

2011-09-01

The attributes of egg production that elicit values-based responses include the price and availability of eggs, environmental impacts, food safety or health concerns, and animal welfare. Different social groups have distinct interests regarding the sustainability of egg production that reflect these diverse values. Current scientifically based knowledge about how values and attitudes in these groups can be characterized is uneven and must be derived from studies conducted at varying times and using incomplete study methods. In general, some producer and consumer interests are translated through markets and are mediated by market mechanisms, whereas others are poorly reflected by economic behavior. An array of survey and focus group research has been performed to elicit consumer and activist beliefs about performance goals they would expect from an egg production system. These studies provide evidence that consumers' market behavior may be at odds with their ethical and political beliefs about performance goals.

Focal cryotherapy for prostate cancer.

PubMed

Tsivian, Matvey; Polascik, Thomas J

2010-05-01

Focal therapy for prostate cancer has emerged an interesting concept as a less morbid option for the treatment of localized low-risk disease. Despite the growing interest in focal therapy, this approach has not yet gained sufficient popularity nor provided enough data to be discussed outside the experimental application. Herein we summarize the available data on focal cryotherapy and focus on the targets to be achieved in order to increase the applicability of focal cryotherapy to clinical practice. A cautious approach to candidate selection and generation of solid scientific data that would result in wide consensus on patient selection strategies and follow-up schemes would provide the tools necessary to take the path of focal therapy. Currently available focal cryotherapy data demonstrate excellent short-term results and a favorable quality-of-life profile. Although the future role of focal treatment is debated, a growing amount of science is generated in support of this minimally invasive approach.

A Review on the Bioinformatics Tools for Neuroimaging

PubMed Central

MAN, Mei Yen; ONG, Mei Sin; Mohamad, Mohd Saberi; DERIS, Safaai; SULONG, Ghazali; YUNUS, Jasmy; CHE HARUN, Fauzan Khairi

2015-01-01

Neuroimaging is a new technique used to create images of the structure and function of the nervous system in the human brain. Currently, it is crucial in scientific fields. Neuroimaging data are becoming of more interest among the circle of neuroimaging experts. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a large amount of neuroimaging tools. This paper gives an overview of the tools that have been used to image the structure and function of the nervous system. This information can help developers, experts, and users gain insight and a better understanding of the neuroimaging tools available, enabling better decision making in choosing tools of particular research interest. Sources, links, and descriptions of the application of each tool are provided in this paper as well. Lastly, this paper presents the language implemented, system requirements, strengths, and weaknesses of the tools that have been widely used to image the structure and function of the nervous system. PMID:27006633

Safety and health in biomass production, transportation, and storage: a commentary based on the biomass and biofuels session at the 2013 North American Agricultural Safety Summit.

PubMed

Yoder, Aaron M; Schwab, Charles; Gunderson, Paul; Murphy, Dennis

2014-01-01

There is significant interest in biomass production ranging from government agencies to the private sector, both inside and outside of the traditional production agricultural setting. This interest has led to an increase in the development and production of biomass crops. Much of this effort has focused on specific segments of the process, and more specifically on the mechanics of these individual segments. From a review of scientific literature, it is seen that little effort has been put into identifying, classifying and preventing safety hazards in on-farm biomass production systems. This commentary describes the current status of the knowledge pertaining to health and safety factors of biomass production and storage in the US and identifies areas of standards development that the biomass industry needs from the agricultural safety and health community.

Summary of the 2017 Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting.

PubMed

Hulsebus, Holly J; Curtis, Brenda J; Molina, Patricia E; Afshar, Majid; Boule, Lisbeth A; Morris, Niya; Keshavarzian, Ali; Kolls, Jay K; Yeligar, Samantha M; Price, Michael E; Wyatt, Todd A; Choudhry, Mashkoor A; Kovacs, Elizabeth J

2018-06-01

On June 24, 2017, the 22nd annual Alcohol and Immunology Research Interest Group (AIRIG) meeting was held as a satellite conference during the annual Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) Scientific Meeting in Denver, Colorado. The 2017 meeting focused broadly on mechanisms that link alcohol to tissue injury and inflammation, and how this research can be translated to improve human health. Two plenary sessions composed the meeting, which first explored the association between alcohol and trauma/tissue injury, and finished with a discussion of alcohol and mucosal inflammation. The presentations encompassed diverse areas of alcohol research, from effects on the brain, to airway and pulmonary systems, to gut barrier disruption. The discussions also thoughtfully highlighted how current laboratory and clinical research can be used to prevent or treat alcohol-related morbidity and mortality. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The sustainability solutions agenda.

PubMed

Sarewitz, Daniel; Clapp, Richard; Crumbley, Cathy; Kriebel, David; Tickner, Joel

2012-01-01

Progress toward a more sustainable society is usually described in a "knowledge-first" framework, where science characterizes a problem in terms of its causes and mechanisms as a basis for subsequent action. Here we present a different approach-A Sustainability Solutions Agenda (SSA)-which seeks from the outset to identify the possible pathways to solutions. SSA focuses on uncovering paths to sustainability by improving current technological practice, and applying existing knowledge to identify and evaluate technological alternatives. SSA allows people and organizations to transition toward greater sustainability without sacrificing essential technological functions, and therefore does not threaten the interests that depend on those functions. Whereas knowledge-first approaches view scientific information as sufficient to convince people to take the right actions, even if those actions are perceived as against their immediate interests, SSA allows values to evolve toward greater attention to sustainability as a result of the positive experience of solving a problem.

Pain and Prejudice: Does Collecting Information From the Standpoint of Exposed Workers Improve Scientific Examination of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders?

PubMed

Messing, Karen

2016-07-01

The meaning, feasibility, and importance of scientific objectivity have been debated among public health scientists. The debate is particularly relevant to occupational health, because of frequent opposition between employer and worker interests. This article suggests that the concept of standpoint (J. Eakin) may be more useful than that of objectivity in framing discussion of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Studies done from a "worker" standpoint can, for example, investigate and characterize environmental risk factors for work-related musculoskeletal disorders, while studies from an "employer" standpoint may concentrate on identifying individual workers likely to report work-related musculoskeletal disorders or those for whom consequences of work-related musculoskeletal disorders are more severe. Within "worker" standpoints, a distinction between "high-prestige worker" and "lower-prestige worker" standpoints can be identified in the current scientific debate about the health costs and benefits of prolonged standing vs prolonged sitting at work. Contact with workers, particularly lower-prestige workers, is critical to developing and sustaining a worker-based standpoint among researchers in occupational health. This contact can be facilitated by formal collaborations between universities and unions or other community groups. © The Author(s) 2015.

Knowledge Discovery in Literature Data Bases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Albrecht, Rudolf; Merkl, Dieter

The concept of knowledge discovery as defined through ``establishing previously unknown and unsuspected relations of features in a data base'' is, cum grano salis, relatively easy to implement for data bases containing numerical data. Increasingly we find at our disposal data bases containing scientific literature. Computer assisted detection of unknown relations of features in such data bases would be extremely valuable and would lead to new scientific insights. However, the current representation of scientific knowledge in such data bases is not conducive to computer processing. Any correlation of features still has to be done by the human reader, a process which is plagued by ineffectiveness and incompleteness. On the other hand we note that considerable progress is being made in an area where reading all available material is totally prohibitive: the World Wide Web. Robots and Web crawlers mine the Web continuously and construct data bases which allow the identification of pages of interest in near real time. An obvious step is to categorize and classify the documents in the text data base. This can be used to identify papers worth reading, or which are of unexpected cross-relevance. We show the results of first experiments using unsupervised classification based on neural networks.

Unique Education and Workforce Development for NASA Engineers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Forsgren, Roger C.; Miller, Lauren L.

2010-01-01

NASA engineers are some of the world's best-educated graduates, responsible for technically complex, highly significant scientific programs. Even though these professionals are highly proficient in traditional analytical competencies, there is a unique opportunity to offer continuing education that further enhances their overall scientific minds. With a goal of maintaining the Agency's passionate, "best in class" engineering workforce, the NASA Academy of Program/Project & Engineering Leadership (APPEL) provides educational resources encouraging foundational learning, professional development, and knowledge sharing. NASA APPEL is currently partnering with the scientific community's most respected subject matter experts to expand its engineering curriculum beyond the analytics and specialized subsystems in the areas of: understanding NASA's overall vision and its fundamental basis, and the Agency initiatives supporting them; sharing NASA's vast reservoir of engineering experience, wisdom, and lessons learned; and innovatively designing hardware for manufacturability, assembly, and servicing. It takes collaboration and innovation to educate an organization that possesses such a rich and important historyand a future that is of great global interest. NASA APPEL strives to intellectually nurture the Agency's technical professionals, build its capacity for future performance, and exemplify its core valuesalJ to better enable NASA to meet its strategic visionand beyond.

Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation: A Roadmap about Good Clinical Practice and Patient Care

PubMed Central

Scopetti, Matteo; Gatto, Vittorio

2017-01-01

The latest research achievements in the field of stem cells led in 2016 to the publication of “Guidelines for Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation” by the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR). Updating the topics covered in previous publications, the new recommendations offer interesting ethical and scientific insights. Under the common principles of research integrity, protection of patient's welfare, respect for the research subjects, transparency and social justice, the centrality of good clinical practice, and informed consent in research and translational medicine is supported. The guidelines implement the abovementioned publications, requiring rigor in all areas of research, promoting the validity of the scientific activity results and emphasizing the need for an accurate and efficient public communication. This paper aims to analyze the aforementioned guidelines in order to provide a valid interpretive tool for experts. In particular, a research activity focused on the bioethical, scientific, and social implications of the new recommendations is carried out in order to provide food for thought. Finally, as an emerging issue of potential impact of current guidelines, an overview on implications of compensation for egg donation is offered. PMID:29090010

SunBlock '99: Young Scientists Investigate the Sun

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walsh, R. W.; Pike, C. D.; Mason, H.; Young, P.; Ireland, J.; Galsgaard, K.

1999-10-01

SunBlock `99 is a Web-based Public Understanding of Science and educational project which seeks to present the very latest solar research as seen through the eyes of young British scientists. These ``solar guides'' discuss not only their scientific interests, but also their extra-curricular activities and the reasons they chose scientific careers; in other words the human face of scientific research. The SunBlock '99 pages gather a range of solar images and movies from current solar space observatories and discuss the underlying physics and its relationship to the school curriculum. The instructional level is pitched at UK secondary school children (aged 13-16 years). It is intended that the material should not only provide a visually appealing introduction to the study of the Sun, but that it should help bridge the often wide gap between classroom science lessons and the research scientist `out in the field'. SunBlock '99 is managed by a team from the Rutherford Appleton Laboratory and the Universities of St Andrews and Cambridge, together with educational consultants. The production has, in part, been sponsored by PPARC and the Millennium Mathematics Project. Web site addresss: http://www.sunblock99.org.uk

Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation: A Roadmap about Good Clinical Practice and Patient Care.

PubMed

Frati, Paola; Scopetti, Matteo; Santurro, Alessandro; Gatto, Vittorio; Fineschi, Vittorio

2017-01-01

The latest research achievements in the field of stem cells led in 2016 to the publication of "Guidelines for Stem Cell Research and Clinical Translation" by the International Society for Stem Cell Research (ISSCR). Updating the topics covered in previous publications, the new recommendations offer interesting ethical and scientific insights. Under the common principles of research integrity, protection of patient's welfare, respect for the research subjects, transparency and social justice, the centrality of good clinical practice, and informed consent in research and translational medicine is supported. The guidelines implement the abovementioned publications, requiring rigor in all areas of research, promoting the validity of the scientific activity results and emphasizing the need for an accurate and efficient public communication. This paper aims to analyze the aforementioned guidelines in order to provide a valid interpretive tool for experts. In particular, a research activity focused on the bioethical, scientific, and social implications of the new recommendations is carried out in order to provide food for thought. Finally, as an emerging issue of potential impact of current guidelines, an overview on implications of compensation for egg donation is offered.

Science and Technology Diplomacy with Cuba

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colon, Frances

President Obama's announcement of U. S. policy change toward Cuba and increased freedom of interaction with the Cuban people opens unprecedented and long-awaited opportunities for the scientific and engineering communities in the U. S. and in Cuba to establish and expand collaborative efforts that will greatly advance U.S. and Cuba science and technology agendas. New rules for export of donated-only items for scientific use will bring researchers closer to the level of their professional peers around the world. Increasing Cubans' access to information will result in greater interactions between scientific communities and enable the sharing of ideas and discoveries that can fuel entrepreneurship on the island. The scientific community has expressed an extraordinary level of interest in the wide range of scientific opportunities that the new policy presents, in collaborating with their Cuban counterparts, and in supporting the development of scientific capacity in Cuba. In response to numerous expressions of interest and inquiries from the scientific community, the Office of the Science and Technology Adviser to the Secretary of State (STAS) has engaged in public outreach to inform the U.S. science and technology community of the implications of the new policy for collaborative research, emerging scientific opportunities, and the standing limitations for engagement with the people of Cuba.

Beyond 2013 - The Future of European Scientific Drilling Research - An introduction.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camoin, G.; Stein, R.

2009-04-01

The Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) is funded for the period 2003-2013, and is now starting to plan the future of ocean drilling beyond 2013, including the development of new technologies, new emerging research fields as and the societal relevance of this programme. In this context an interdisciplinary and multinational (USA, Europe, Japan, Asian and Oceanian countries), key conference - INVEST IODP New Ventures in Exploring Scientific Targets - addressing all international IODP partners is therefore planned for September 23rd-25th 2009 in Bremen, Germany (more information at http://www.iodp.org and http://marum.de/iodp-invest.html) to discuss future directions of ocean drilling research and related aspects such as ventures with related programmes or with industry. The first critical step of INVEST is to define the scientific research goals of the second phase of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP), which is expected to begin in late 2013. INVEST will be open to all interested scientists and students and will be the principal opportunity for the international science community to help shape the future of scientific ocean drilling. The outcome of the conference will be the base to draft a science plan in 2010 and to define new goals and strategies to effectively meet the challenges of society and future ocean drilling. The current EGU Session and the related two days workshop which will be held at the University of Vienna will specifically address the future of European scientific drilling research. The major objectives of those two events are to sharpen the European interests in the future IODP and to prepare the INVEST Conference and are therefore of prime importance to give weight to the European propositions in the program renewal processes, both on science, technology and management, and to provide the participants with information about the status/process of ongoing discussions and negotiations regarding program structure, and provide them with the expected framework (available drilling platforms and anticipated funding levels). The key items that should be addressed during the EGU Session and the workshop will especially include : (1) The future of ECORD (science, technology, management). (2) New research initiatives and emerging fields in scientific drilling (3) Relationships between IODP and other programs (e.g. ICDP, IMAGES etc). (4) Collaboration between academia and industry. (5) New technologies and the Mission Specific Platform approach.

Whistleblowing and scientific misconduct: renewing legal and virtue ethics foundations.

PubMed

Faunce, Thomas Alured; Jefferys, Susannah

2007-09-01

Whistleblowing in relation to scientific research misconduct, despite the benefits of increased transparency and accountability it often has brought to society and the discipline of science itself, remains generally regarded as a pariah activity by many of the most influential relevant organizations. The motivations of whistleblowers and those supporting them continued to be questioned and their actions criticised by colleagues and management, despite statutory protections for reasonable disclosures appropriately made in good faith and for the public interest. One reason for this paradoxical position, explored here, is that whistle blowing concerning scientific misconduct lacks the policy support customarily derived from firm bioethical and jurisprudential foundations. Recommendations are made for altering this situation in the public interest.

Electronic access to ONREUR/ONRAISIA S and T reports

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mccluskey, William

1994-01-01

The Office of Naval Research maintains two foreign field offices in London, England and in Tokyo, Japan. These offices survey world-wide findings, trends and achievements in science and technology. These offices maintain liaison between U.S. Navy and foreign scientific research and development organizations conducting programs of naval interest. Expert personnel survey foreign scientific and technical activities, identify new directions and progress of potential interest, and report their findings. Report topics cover a broad range of basic scientific thrusts in mathematics, physics, chemistry, computer science, and oceanography, as well as advances in technologies such as electronics, materials, optics, and robotics. These unclassified reports will be made available via the Internet in 1995, replacing hard-copy publication.

Surface chemistry and microscopy of food powders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burgain, Jennifer; Petit, Jeremy; Scher, Joël; Rasch, Ron; Bhandari, Bhesh; Gaiani, Claire

2017-12-01

Despite high industrial and scientific interest, a comprehensive review of the surface science of food powders is still lacking. There is a real gap between scientific concerns of the field and accessible reviews on the subject. The global description of the surface of food powders by multi-scale microscopy approaches seems to be essential in order to investigate their complexity and take advantage of their high innovation potential. Links between these techniques and the interest to develop a multi-analytical approach to investigate scientific questions dealing with powder functionality are discussed in the second part of the review. Finally, some techniques used in others fields and showing promising possibilities in the food powder domain will be highlighted.

Space Exploration as a Human Enterprise: The Scientific Interest

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sagan, Carl

1973-01-01

Presents examples which illustrate the importance of space exploration in diverse aspects of scientific knowledge. Indicates that human beings are today not wise enough to anticipate the practical benefits of planetary studies. (CC)

Common Infrastructure for Neo Scientific and Planetary Defense Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Adams, Robert; Wilks, Rodney

2009-01-01

While defending the Earth against collisions with asteroids and comets has garnered increasing attention over the past few decades, our knowledge of the threats and methods of mitigation remain inadequate. There exists a considerable gap in knowledge regarding the size, composition, location, internal structure and formation of near earth asteroids and comets. Although estimates have been made, critical experiments have not yet been conducted on the effectiveness of various proposed mitigation techniques. Closing this knowledge gap is of interest to both the planetary defense and planetary science communities. Increased scientific knowledge of asteroid and comet composition and structure can confirm or advance current theories about the formation of the solar system. This proposal suggests a joint effort between these two communities to provide an economical architecture that supports multiple launches of characterization and mitigation payloads with minimal response time. The science community can use this architecture for characterization missions of opportunity when multiple scientific targets or targets of uncommon scientific value present themselves, while the planetary defense community would be able to fire characterization or mitigation payloads at targets that present a threat to the Earth. Both communities would benefit from testing potential mitigation techniques, which would reveal information on the internal structure of asteroids and comets. In return, the Earth would have the beginnings of a viable response system should an impact threat prove real in the near future.

PREFACE: XVII International Scientific Conference ''RESHETNEV READINGS''

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2015-01-01

The International Scientific Conference ''RESHETNEV READINGS'' is dedicated to the memory of Mikhail Reshetnev, an outstanding scientist, chief-constructor of space-rocket systems and communication satellites. The current volume represents selected proceedings of the main conference materials which were published by XVII International Scientific Conference ''RESHETNEV READINGS'' held on November 12 - 14, 2013. Plenary sessions, round tables and forums will be attended by famous scientists, developers and designers representing the space technology sector, as well as professionals and experts in the IT industry. A number of outstanding academic figures expressed their interest in an event of such a level including Jaures Alferov, Vice-president of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), Academician of RAS, Nobel laureate, Dirk Bochar, General Secretary of the European Federation of National Engineering Associates (FEANI), Prof. Yuri Gulyaev, Academician of RAS, Member of the Presidium of RAS, President of the International Union of Scientific and Engineering Associations, Director of the Institute of Radio Engineering and Electronics of RAS, as well as rectors of the largest universities in Russia, chief executives of well-known research enterprises and representatives of big businesses. We would like to thank our main sponsors such as JSC ''Reshetnev Information Satellite Systems'', JSC ''Krasnoyarsk Engineering Plant'', Central Design Bureau ''Geophysics'', Krasnoyarsk Region Authorities. These enterprises and companies are leading ones in the aerospace branch. It is a great pleasure to cooperate and train specialists for them.

Lessons from the Trenches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lubchenco, J.

2006-12-01

One of the most important roles of science is to inform the discussions and decisions of individuals and institutions. In a world that is changing rapidly, information is urgently needed to help citizens and leaders understand what's happening, what's causing changes, what the implications are and what are the likely consequences of various options. Most everyone agrees that decisions should be informed (not dictated) by scientific information, but achieving that goal has proven a challenge. Decision-makers need to have access to scientific information that is understandable, relevant, useable, current and credible. However, the science is complex, nuanced and difficult to communicate simply. Most scientists are ill equipped to speak in language that is non-technical. Many academic scientists are wary of talking to the press. Academia does not generally reward time spent doing outreach. As a consequence, others step into the breach and communicate their version of `the science.' All too often this means that vested interests spin, distort or cherry-pick information. The result is that decisions are made without good scientific knowledge and science is seen increasingly as a weapon, not as useful knowledge. The presentation will focus on how one program, the Aldo Leopold Leadership Program is training academic environmental scientists to be better communicators of their science to non-scientists. Lessons learned and suggestions for revolutionizing the communication of scientific information will be offered.

The PACA Project Ecology: Observing Campaigns, Outreach and Citizen Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yanamandra-Fisher, P. A.

2016-12-01

The PACA Project has three main components: observational campaigns aligned with scientific research; outreach to engage all forms of audiences and citizen science projects that aim to produce specific scientific results, by engaging professional scientific and amateur communities and a variety of audiences. The primary observational projects are defined by specific scientific goals by professionals, resulting in global observing campaigns involving a variety of observers, and observing techniques. Some of PACA's observing campaigns have included global characterization of comets (e.g., C/ISON, SidingSpring, 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko, Lovejoy, etc.), planets (Jupiter, Saturn and Mars) and currently expanding to include polarimetric exploration of solar system objects with small apertures and collaboration with CITIZEN CATE, a citizen science observing campaign to observe the 2017 Continental America Total Eclipse. Our Outreach campaigns leverage the multiple social media/platforms for at least two important reasons: (i) the immediate dissemination of observations and interaction with the global network and (ii) free or inexpensive resources for most of the participants. The use of social media is becoming prevalent in citizen science projects due to these factors. The final stage of the PACA ecosystem is the integration of these components into a publication. We shall highlight some of the interesting challenges and solutions of the PACA Project so far and provide a view of future projects in all three categories with new partnerships and collaborations.

3D visualisation and artistic imagery to enhance interest in `hidden environments' - new approaches to soil science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilford, J.; Falconer, R. E.; Wade, R.; Scott-Brown, K. C.

2014-09-01

Interactive Virtual Environments (VEs) have the potential to increase student interest in soil science. Accordingly a bespoke 'soil atlas' was created using Java3D as an interactive 3D VE, to show soil information in the context of (and as affected by) the over-lying landscape. To display the below-ground soil characteristics, four sets of artistic illustrations were produced, each set showing the effects of soil organic-matter density and water content on fungal density, to determine potential for visualisations and interactivity in stimulating interest in soil and soil illustrations, interest being an important factor in facilitating learning. The illustrations were created using 3D modelling packages, and a wide range of styles were produced. This allowed a preliminary study of the relative merits of different artistic styles, scientific-credibility, scale, abstraction and 'realism' (e.g. photo-realism or realism of forms), and any relationship between these and the level of interest indicated by the study participants in the soil visualisations and VE. The study found significant differences in mean interest ratings for different soil illustration styles, as well as in the perception of scientific-credibility of these styles, albeit for both measures there was considerable difference of attitude between participants about particular styles. There was also found to be a highly significant positive correlation between participants rating styles highly for interest and highly for scientific-credibility. There was furthermore a particularly high interest rating among participants for seeing temporal soil processes illustrated/animated, suggesting this as a particularly promising method for further stimulating interest in soil illustrations and soil itself.

Science at Schools: Observation and Analysis of a Partial Solar Eclipse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

dos Santos, Leonardo Barbosa Torres; dos Santos, Everaldo Faustino; das Neves, Leonardo Oliveira

2015-07-01

Natural phenomena, such as eclipses, prompt interest and curiosity of humans since antiquity. For this reason the systematic monitoring of these events could be used to raise people’s interest from the simple contemplation, to didactic interest or to scientific research. The objective of this paper is therefore to stimulate the application and development of scientific research in the school environment. For this aim we propose to monitor solar eclipses. Students should obtain photographic registers using appropriated equipment for the observation of the Sun. Throughout analyses of photographs it should be possible to determine representative parameters of the characteristics and evolution of these interesting astronomical events. The results could be compared to highly accurate predictions. A detailed description of the methodology and features to be applied to observations is also provided.

Proposal for revisions of the United Nations Moon Treaty

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandes, Vera; Abreu, Neyda; Fritz, J.; Knapmeyer, Martin; Smeenk, Lisa; Ten Kate, Inge; Trüninger, Monica

During this new 2010-decade, it will be imperative to reconsider the effectiveness of the current United Nations (U.N.) Moon Treaty (c.1979). Amendments are necessary to underline the mandatory human stewardship of this fragile planetary body of our Solar System, indispensible to life on Earth. After the very successful Apollo and Luna missions to the Moon (ending in 1976), which brought a wide array of data (samples, surface and orbital experiments), the Moon lost its exploratory attraction in favor of other programs, such as the International Space Station and potential human exploration of Mars. However, since the mid-90's, the enthusiasm for the Moon has been revived, which resulted in several space agencies worldwide (NASA, ESA, ISRO, JAXA, and the Chinese Space Agency) having made great efforts to re-start ex-ploratory and scientific campaigns even though budgetary changes may delay the process. As a result, a wide array of peoples and their interests are put together in each mission planned to reach the Moon (e.g., orbiters and landers). Up to now, mission plans focus on technical requirements and the desires of scientists and engineers, but hardly any other aspects. Field specialists on issues regarding the social, economic, political, cultural, ethical and environmen-tal impacts of Moon exploration and colonization have had little to no involvement in current and past lunar missions. However, these fields would provide different and essential points of view regarding the planning of lunar missions. Moreover, recent documents written by the scientific community, such as "The Scientific Context for Exploration of the Moon: Final Re-port" Committee on the Scientific Context for Exploration of the Moon, National Research Council (2007), or the recent (summer 2009) White Papers for the National Research Council Planetary Science Decadal Survey 2011-2020, do not seem to leave space for a multidisciplinary approach regarding the future lunar exploration either. More than 30 years have passed since the Moon Treaty (c. 1979) was elaborated, and since then technology and science have evolved leading to the need to change the requirements. As stated in the Moon Treaty, the State par-ties who had signed the Treaty meet every 5 and 10 years to revise the Treaty and suggest the necessary ratifications and amendments. The present version of the Moon Treaty, however, does not demonstrate ratifications that take into consideration environmental protection and preservation. For this, it is here suggested, that both the Antarctica Treaty (c. 1959), and more importantly, the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (c. 1991) are to be used as references for future documents that will be drawn pertaining the Moon. The Antarctica Treaty is currently one of the world's most successful international agreements and has evolved through time as needs and awareness require. The Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty reflects concerns regarding the impact of humans on the fragile environment of that continent. This concern is equally critical as new stages of lunar exploration unfold and the effects of such activity are progressively assessed. The key aspects of the Antarctic Protocol applicable to the Moon Treaty are: (1) a ban on commercial mineral resource activity, (2) careful waste disposal management, and (3) protection of areas of par-ticular scientific, environmental, and historical value. These measures should be implemented to prevent irreparable damage of the pristine lunar environment while permitting scientific, educational, and touristic uses and encouraging continued commitment to exploration of the Moon and other planetary bodies irrespective of exploration being robotic or human. A num-ber of other documents that establish an Environmental Code of Conduct for certain areas within the Antarctic continent (e.g., Management Plan for the Antarctic Specially Managed Area No.2, the McMurdo Dry Valleys of Southern Victoria Land) will also be instrumental in improving the current Moon Treaty. To update the Moon Treaty, we propose the creation of a Council composed of a diverse group of individuals to ensure that this document will have broad, long-term impact. It will be an interdisciplinary endeavour that needs to bring together natural ("hard") sciences, social sciences, and humanities to produce a sensitive and thorough document. Most importantly, it will be imperative to change the current status on the use of lunar resources, as it will certainly destroy the pristine environment the Moon presents. There-fore, we are currently at a very important time to reconsider the U.N. Moon Treaty and make all the necessary amendments and addendums that will assure the preservation of the Moon while at the same time maximizing the amount of scientific data acquired from, of, and on the Moon [the Earth and the Solar System] from this natural information storage (e.g., impact flux since the early Solar System, formation and differentiation of a large planetary body). The goal of the revision of the Moon Treaty is three fold: (1) the preservation of the existing in-formation existing the Moon regarding the formation and evolution of the Earth and the inner early Solar System, while at the same time maximizing the scientific data acquisition, (2) the promotion and improvement of the international cooperation in science and, technology, and (3) balance and regulate the competing scientific, economic, strategic and cultural interests. This will assure that future generations will still be able to take advantage of the pristine Moon and further explore it. In order to be most effective the responsibilities drawn in the new doc-ument(s) should be reformed into an agreement, which shall be abided by all nations, private enterprises, multi-nationals and individuals who do not. As first step in reaching this goal the current, rather failed, treaty (most of the Moon-faring nations have not signed the current treaty) needs to be ratified to address and reflect the issues described in this abstract, and signed by all parties involved in lunar exploration. Here, we will present our strategy on how to implement other fields than science and technology and how to convince all Moon-interested parties of the importance of this updated document and need to ratify it.

Improving the Dissemination of Scientific and Technical Information: A Practitioner's Guide to Innovation. (Final Report).

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Capital Systems Group, Inc., Rockville, MD.

The aim of this guide is to alert persons with an operational interest in scientific communication to new ideas, techniques, and equipment in the field of communication media and publications. The focus is on the dissemination of scientific information via the technical journal or its equivalent. Secondary dissemination of information such as…

The International Space Weather Initiative (ISWI)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Davila, Joseph M.

2010-01-01

The International Heliophysical Year (IHY) provided a successful model for the deployment of arrays of small scientific instruments in new and scientifically interesting geographic locations, and outreach. The new International Space Weather Initiative (ISWI) is designed to build on this momentum to promote the observation, understanding, and prediction space weather phenomena, and to communicate the scientific results to the public.

Socio-Scientific Issues--A Way to Improve Students' Interest and Learning?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lindahl, Britt; Rosberg, Maria; Ekborg, Margareta; Ideland, Malin; Malmberg, Claes; Rehn, Agneta; Ottander, Christina; Silfver, Eva; Winberg, Mikael

2011-01-01

According to many documents, there is a strong need to renew science education. One way could be to work with SSI (socio-scientific issues). This paper reports on both students' and teachers' experiences and learning when working with socio-scientific issues in science education in secondary school (aged from 13 to 16). The approach is…

Spacecraft Hybrid (Mixed-Actuator) Attitude Control Experiences on NASA Science Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dennehy, Cornelius J.

2014-01-01

There is a heightened interest within NASA for the design, development, and flight implementation of mixed-actuator hybrid attitude control systems for science spacecraft that have less than three functional reaction wheel actuators. This interest is driven by a number of recent reaction wheel failures on aging, but what could be still scientifically productive, NASA spacecraft if a successful hybrid attitude control mode can be implemented. Over the years, hybrid (mixed-actuator) control has been employed for contingency attitude control purposes on several NASA science mission spacecraft. This paper provides a historical perspective of NASA's previous engineering work on spacecraft mixed-actuator hybrid control approaches. An update of the current situation will also be provided emphasizing why NASA is now so interested in hybrid control. The results of the NASA Spacecraft Hybrid Attitude Control Workshop, held in April of 2013, will be highlighted. In particular, the lessons learned captured from that workshop will be shared in this paper. An update on the most recent experiences with hybrid control on the Kepler spacecraft will also be provided. This paper will close with some future considerations for hybrid spacecraft control.

An ethnopharmacological survey of medicinal plants traditionally used for cancer treatment in the Ashanti region, Ghana.

PubMed

Agyare, Christian; Spiegler, Verena; Asase, Alex; Scholz, Michael; Hempel, Georg; Hensel, Andreas

2018-02-15

Cancer represents a major health burden and drain on healthcare resources in the world. The majority of the people of Africa still patronize traditional medicine for their health needs, including various forms of cancer. The aim of the following study is the identification of medicinal plants used for cancer treatment by the traditional healers in the Ashanti area of Ghana and to cross-reference the identified plant species with published scientific literature. Validated questionnaires were administered to 85 traditional healers in 10 communities within Ashanti region. For cross-validation, also 7 healers located outside Ashanti region were investigated to evaluate regional differences. Interviews and structured conversations were used to administer the questionnaires. Selected herbal material dominantly used by the healers was collected and identified. The ethnopharmacological survey revealed 151 plant species used for cancer treatment. Identified species were classified into different groups according to their frequency of use, resulting in the "top-22" plants. Interestingly group I (very frequent use) contained 5 plant species (Khaya senegalensis, Triplochiton scleroxylon, Azadirachta indica, Entandrophragma angolense, Terminalia superba), three of which belong to the plant family Meliaceae, phytochemically mainly characterized by the presence of limonoids. Cross-referencing of all plants identified by current scientific literature revealed species which have not been documented for cancer therapy until now. Special interest was laid on use of plants for cancer treatment of children. A variety of traditionally used anti-cancer plants from Ghana have been identified and the widespread use within ethnotraditional medicine is obvious. Further in vitro and clinical studies will be performed in the near future to rationalize the phytochemical and functional scientific background of the respective extracts for cancer treatment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Continuing Development of a Collaborative Plan to Further Engage South Dakota in NASA's Earth Science Enterprise

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Farwell, Sherry O.; DeTroye, Diane (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

An ongoing set of research planning activities have occurred in South Dakota as a consequence of the past two years of NASA-EPSCoR Preparation Grants. During this time a group of approximately 60 scientists, engineers, and university administrators in South Dakota have been directly involved as "theme team" members in a series of five all-day meetings to identify the research and technological priorities that are consistent both with NASA-ESE's interests and the State's expertise. Institutions represented within the group's membership include: South Dakota School of Mines & Technology, South Dakota State University, Augustana College, University of South Dakota, USGS EROS Data Center, Si ranks College, Santa Gleska University, Sisseton Wahpeton Community College, USGS Water Resources Division, US National Weather Service, and the SD Department of Environment & Natural Resources. Many of these organizations are also members and affiliates of the SD Space Grant Consortium. The evolving plan has been guided by the following desirable actions: 1. To establish new contacts and strengthen existing linkages with NASA Centers, relevant NASA researchers, and key personnel at the USGS EROS Data Center. 2. To promote participation from the State's major research institutions, State agencies, and relevant businesses in South Dakota that are interested in strengthening our scientific and technological enterprises. 3. To develop the State's scientific talent and infrastructure for enhanced competitiveness in research, development, and technology-based economic development. 4. To encourage greater participation by under represented groups, especially Native Americans, in scientific education and research. 5. To build greater public and political support in South Dakota for the overall science, engineering, and technology enterprise. 6. To communicate the benefits of current and future NASA programs to the progress and development of South Dakota, the Northern Great Plains Region, and the Nation.

Cannabinoids and Epilepsy.

PubMed

Rosenberg, Evan C; Tsien, Richard W; Whalley, Benjamin J; Devinsky, Orrin

2015-10-01

Cannabis has been used for centuries to treat seizures. Recent anecdotal reports, accumulating animal model data, and mechanistic insights have raised interest in cannabis-based antiepileptic therapies. In this study, we review current understanding of the endocannabinoid system, characterize the pro- and anticonvulsive effects of cannabinoids [e.g., Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol and cannabidiol (CBD)], and highlight scientific evidence from pre-clinical and clinical trials of cannabinoids in epilepsy. These studies suggest that CBD avoids the psychoactive effects of the endocannabinoid system to provide a well-tolerated, promising therapeutic for the treatment of seizures, while whole-plant cannabis can both contribute to and reduce seizures. Finally, we discuss results from a new multicenter, open-label study using CBD in a population with treatment-resistant epilepsy. In all, we seek to evaluate our current understanding of cannabinoids in epilepsy and guide future basic science and clinical studies.

The Vocational Interests of Marketing Professionals

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rhode, John Grant; Peterson, Robert A.

1972-01-01

Data on marketing executives and marketing professors with similar educational backgrounds reveal that executives have more scientific interests and less sales interests than the professors, but are less satisfied with their careers and more satisfied with their pay and the amount of work they do. (Author)

Publication analysis of the contact lens field: what are the current topics of interest?

PubMed

Cardona, Genís; Sanz, Joan P

2015-01-01

To determine the main current research interests of scientists working in the contact lens field. All articles published in the 2011 issues of all journals included in the Journal Citation Reports subject category Ophthalmology were inspected to expose those papers related to the contact lens field. Information regarding source journal was obtained and authorship details were recorded to determine the top most prolific authors, institutions and countries. A comprehensive list of key words was compiled to generate a two-dimensional term map in which the frequency of occurrence of a particular term is defined by label size and the distance between two terms is an indication of the relatedness of these terms, based on their co-occurrences within groups of key words. Clusters of related terms were also identified. Visual examination of all articles uncovered a total of 156 papers, published in 28 different journals. Contact Lens & Anterior Eye, Eye & Contact Lens and Optometry and Vision Science had 27 articles each. The most prolific authors and institutions revealed the predominance of countries with long research tradition in the contact lens field. Ten different word clusters or areas of interest were identified, including both traditional, yet unresolved issues (e.g., comfort or dry eye), and the latest research efforts (e.g., myopia control). These findings, which revealed contact lenses to be a fertile area of research, may be of relevance to new researchers as well as to those interested in exploring the latest research trends in this scientific discipline. Copyright © 2013 Spanish General Council of Optometry. Published by Elsevier Espana. All rights reserved.

Defending the scientific integrity of conservation-policy processes.

PubMed

Carroll, Carlos; Hartl, Brett; Goldman, Gretchen T; Rohlf, Daniel J; Treves, Adrian; Kerr, Jeremy T; Ritchie, Euan G; Kingsford, Richard T; Gibbs, Katherine E; Maron, Martine; Watson, James E M

2017-10-01

Government agencies faced with politically controversial decisions often discount or ignore scientific information, whether from agency staff or nongovernmental scientists. Recent developments in scientific integrity (the ability to perform, use, communicate, and publish science free from censorship or political interference) in Canada, Australia, and the United States demonstrate a similar trajectory. A perceived increase in scientific-integrity abuses provokes concerted pressure by the scientific community, leading to efforts to improve scientific-integrity protections under a new administration. However, protections are often inconsistently applied and are at risk of reversal under administrations publicly hostile to evidence-based policy. We compared recent challenges to scientific integrity to determine what aspects of scientific input into conservation policy are most at risk of political distortion and what can be done to strengthen safeguards against such abuses. To ensure the integrity of outbound communications from government scientists to the public, we suggest governments strengthen scientific integrity policies, include scientists' right to speak freely in collective-bargaining agreements, guarantee public access to scientific information, and strengthen agency culture supporting scientific integrity. To ensure the transparency and integrity with which information from nongovernmental scientists (e.g., submitted comments or formal policy reviews) informs the policy process, we suggest governments broaden the scope of independent reviews, ensure greater diversity of expert input and transparency regarding conflicts of interest, require a substantive response to input from agencies, and engage proactively with scientific societies. For their part, scientists and scientific societies have a responsibility to engage with the public to affirm that science is a crucial resource for developing evidence-based policy and regulations in the public interest. © 2017 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology.

ONR (Office of Naval Research) Far East Scientific Bulletin. Volume 9, Number 2, April - June 1984,

DTIC Science & Technology

1984-06-01

minutes. The DH unit is also used for aluminum killing, removal of nonmetallic inclusions (mainly oxides ), calcium treatment for sulfide inclusion...life sciences. His scientific interests include environmental physiology and a more recent interest in membrane phenomena. Dr. lampietro is a member...and 35 kV and is applied to a 5 mm vacuum spark gap but the gap does not break down -. - until a laser pulse is focused on the sharp anode . Enough of

The pivotal role of perceived scientific consensus in acceptance of science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lewandowsky, Stephan; Gignac, Gilles E.; Vaughan, Samuel

2013-04-01

Although most experts agree that CO2 emissions are causing anthropogenic global warming (AGW), public concern has been declining. One reason for this decline is the `manufacture of doubt' by political and vested interests, which often challenge the existence of the scientific consensus. The role of perceived consensus in shaping public opinion is therefore of considerable interest: in particular, it is unknown whether consensus determines people's beliefs causally. It is also unclear whether perception of consensus can override people's `worldviews', which are known to foster rejection of AGW. Study 1 shows that acceptance of several scientific propositions--from HIV/AIDS to AGW--is captured by a common factor that is correlated with another factor that captures perceived scientific consensus. Study 2 reveals a causal role of perceived consensus by showing that acceptance of AGW increases when consensus is highlighted. Consensus information also neutralizes the effect of worldview.

EURO-CARES: European Roadmap for a Sample Return Curation Facility and Planetary Protection Implications.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brucato, John Robert

2016-07-01

A mature European planetary exploration program and evolving sample return mission plans gathers the interest of a wider scientific community. The interest is generated from studying extraterrestrial samples in the laborato-ry providing new opportunities to address fundamental issues on the origin and evolution of the Solar System, on the primordial cosmochemistry, and on the nature of the building blocks of terrestrial planets and on the origin of life. Major space agencies are currently planning for missions that will collect samples from a variety of Solar Sys-tem environments, from primitive (carbonaceous) small bodies, from the Moon, Mars and its moons and, final-ly, from icy moons of the outer planets. A dedicated sample return curation facility is seen as an essential re-quirement for the receiving, assessment, characterization and secure preservation of the collected extraterrestrial samples and potentially their safe distribution to the scientific community. EURO-CARES is a European Commission study funded under the Horizon-2020 program. The strategic objec-tive of EURO-CARES is to create a roadmap for the implementation of a European Extraterrestrial Sample Cu-ration Facility. The facility has to provide safe storage and handling of extraterrestrial samples and has to enable the preliminary characterization in order to achieve the required effectiveness and collaborative outcomes for the whole international scientific community. For example, samples returned from Mars could pose a threat on the Earth's biosphere if any living extraterrestrial organism are present in the samples. Thus planetary protection is an essential aspect of all Mars sample return missions that will affect the retrival and transport from the point of return, sample handling, infrastructure methodology and management of a future curation facility. Analysis of the state of the art of Planetary Protection technology shows there are considerable possibilities to define and develop technical and scientific features in a sample return mission and the infrastructural, procedur-al and legal issues that consequently rely on a curation facility. This specialist facility will be designed with con-sideration drawn from highcontainment laboratories and cleanroom facilities to protect the Earth from contami-nation with potential Martian organisms and the samples from Earth contaminations. This kind of integrated facility does not currently exist and this emphasises the need for an innovative design approach with an integrat-ed and multidisciplinary design to enable the ultimate science goals of such exploration. The issues of how the Planetary Protection considerations impact on the system technologies and scientific meaurements, with a final aim to prioritize outstanding technology needs is presented in the framework of sam-ple return study missions and the Horizon-2020 EURO-CARES project.

ONR Far East Scientific Bulletin. Volume 12, Number 3, July-September 1987,

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-09-01

populated, some- sediment transport. times right down to the beaches. Sea Wave data for a 5-year period walls have been built for the last 30 or have...The average wave power varies season that the sea walls just do not from 15.5 kW/m (i.e., 1.34 hp/m work. In order to combat the problems, parallel to...to 1980. Dr. Burt’s current interest is in air- sea interaction. P . N P nSN nM’lVa ME nMln n °. .’V 4,i 4 .4 ’% %’ " , * .., , STATUS OF FRACTURE

Today's and Tomorrow's Instruments.

PubMed

Conty, Claude

2001-03-01

This article will discuss the importance of Raimond Castaing's thesis on the genesis of a nondestructive and truly quantitative microanalytical method that assisted the scientific community in moving forward in the development of microanalytical instruments. I will also share with you my recollection of the decades of improvement in the electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA), that has allowed us to reach our present level of instrument sophistication, and I will explore with you my thoughts on the future evolution of this technique. To conclude, I will present the current status of related microanalysis techniques developed under Castaing in Orsay in the 1960s, as Castaing's interest in microanalysis was not limited to electron probe microanalysis alone.

Neuroimaging and sexual behavior: identification of regional and functional differences.

PubMed

Cheng, Joseph C; Secondary, Joseph; Burke, William H; Fedoroff, J Paul; Dwyer, R Gregg

2015-07-01

The neuroanatomical correlates of human sexual desire, arousal, and behavior have been characterized in recent years with functional brain imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and positron emission tomography (PET). Here, we briefly review the results of functional neuroimaging studies in humans, whether healthy or suffering from sexual disorders, and the current models of regional and network activation in sexual arousal. Attention is paid, in particular, to findings from both regional and network studies in the past 3 years. We also identify yet unanswered and pressing questions of interest to areas of ongoing investigations for psychiatric, scientific, and forensic disciplines.

North American amphibians: Distribution and diversity

USGS Publications Warehouse

Green, David M.; Weir, Linda A.; Casper, Gary S.; Lannoo, Michael

2014-01-01

Some 300 species of amphibians inhabit North America. The past two decades have seen an enormous growth in interest about amphibians and an increased intensity of scientific research into their fascinating biology and continent-wide distribution.This atlas presents the spectacular diversity of North American amphibians in a geographic context. It covers all formally recognized amphibian species found in the United States and Canada, many of which are endangered or threatened with extinction. Illustrated with maps and photos, the species accounts provide current information about distribution, habitat, and conservation.Researchers, professional herpetologists, and anyone intrigued by amphibians will value North American Amphibians as a guide and reference.

Rethinking Research Ethics: The Case of Postmarketing Trials

PubMed Central

London, Alex John; Carlisle, Benjamin

2015-01-01

Phase IV studies are often criticized for poor scientific standards. Yet they provide an important resource for addressing evidence shortfalls in drug safety, comparative effectiveness, and real-world utility. Current research ethics policies, and contemplated revisions to them, do not provide an adequate framework for preventing social harms that result from poor post-marketing research practice. Rather than focus exclusively on the welfare and interests of human volunteers, research policies and ethics should also safeguard the integrity of the research enterprise as a system for producing reliable medical evidence. We close by briefly describing how an integrity framework might be implemented for phase IV studies. PMID:22556237

Finite-element approach to Brownian dynamics of polymers.

PubMed

Cyron, Christian J; Wall, Wolfgang A

2009-12-01

In the last decades simulation tools for Brownian dynamics of polymers have attracted more and more interest. Such simulation tools have been applied to a large variety of problems and accelerated the scientific progress significantly. However, the currently most frequently used explicit bead models exhibit severe limitations, especially with respect to time step size, the necessity of artificial constraints and the lack of a sound mathematical foundation. Here we present a framework for simulations of Brownian polymer dynamics based on the finite-element method. This approach allows simulating a wide range of physical phenomena at a highly attractive computational cost on the basis of a far-developed mathematical background.

Fucoidans in Nanomedicine

PubMed Central

Chollet, Lucas; Saboural, Pierre; Chauvierre, Cédric; Villemin, Jean-Noël; Letourneur, Didier; Chaubet, Frédéric

2016-01-01

Fucoidans are widespread cost-effective sulfated marine polysaccharides which have raised interest in the scientific community over last decades for their wide spectrum of bioactivities. Unsurprisingly, nanomedicine has grasped these compounds to develop innovative therapeutic and diagnostic nanosystems. The applications of fucoidans in nanomedicine as imaging agents, drug carriers or for their intrinsic properties are reviewed here after a short presentation of the main structural data and biological properties of fucoidans. The origin and the physicochemical specifications of fucoidans are summarized in order to discuss the strategy of fucoidan-containing nanosystems in Human health. Currently, there is a need for reproducible, well characterized fucoidan fractions to ensure significant progress. PMID:27483292

Automated Design of Propellant-Optimal, End-to-End, Low-Thrust Trajectories for Trojan Asteroid Tours

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stuart, Jeffrey; Howell, Kathleen; Wilson, Roby

2013-01-01

The Sun-Jupiter Trojan asteroids are celestial bodies of great scientific interest as well as potential resources offering water and other mineral resources for longterm human exploration of the solar system. Previous investigations under this project have addressed the automated design of tours within the asteroid swarm. This investigation expands the current automation scheme by incorporating options for a complete trajectory design approach to the Trojan asteroids. Computational aspects of the design procedure are automated such that end-to-end trajectories are generated with a minimum of human interaction after key elements and constraints associated with a proposed mission concept are specified.

[Vegetables as new psychoactive drugs: a narrative review].

PubMed

Rodríguez Salgado, Beatriz; Gómez-Arnau Ramírez, Jorge; Sánchez Mateos, Daniel; Dolengevich Segal, Helen

2016-01-21

There is growing interest in plants with psychoactive effects among consumers with different levels of experience. This has generated a need for updated knowledge among medical professionals and other health workers. These plants, which may be used in shamanic healing ceremonies or rituals or just for traditional purposes, have emerged in the Western world as new psychoactive drugs; largely thanks to the ease of purchase, sale, cultivation and exchange of information that the Internet offers. This review summarizes the current knowledge about the most important psychoactive plants, either by their mention in Internet forums or harm-reduction portals or by their allusion in scientific texts.

Multimessenger Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartos, Imre; Kowalski, Marek

2017-04-01

With the recent discovery of gravitational waves and high-energy cosmic neutrinos, we are witnessing the beginning of a new era in multimessenger astronomy. The exploration of the Universe through these new messengers, along with electromagnetic radiation and cosmic rays, gives us new insights into the most extreme energetic cosmic events, environments and particle accelerators. The objects of interest range from galaxies with accreting supermassive black holes in their centre to collapsing stars and coalescing stellar black holes. In this ebook we provide an introduction to the scientific questions surrounding these new messengers and the detectors and observational techniques used to study them, together with an overview of current and future directions in the field.

Science-based Region-of-Interest Image Compression

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wagstaff, K. L.; Castano, R.; Dolinar, S.; Klimesh, M.; Mukai, R.

2004-01-01

As the number of currently active space missions increases, so does competition for Deep Space Network (DSN) resources. Even given unbounded DSN time, power and weight constraints onboard the spacecraft limit the maximum possible data transmission rate. These factors highlight a critical need for very effective data compression schemes. Images tend to be the most bandwidth-intensive data, so image compression methods are particularly valuable. In this paper, we describe a method for prioritizing regions in an image based on their scientific value. Using a wavelet compression method that can incorporate priority information, we ensure that the highest priority regions are transmitted with the highest fidelity.

Case histories in scientific and pseudo-scientific mass-media communication in energy/heat production from underground (geogas storage, geothermics, hydrocarbons), in the frame of Nimby Sindrome enhancement in Europe: the proposal of a new European Direct

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quattrocchi, Fedora; Boschi, Enzo

2014-05-01

In the frame of energy/heat production from underground, the paper considers some European case histories and the needs of a complex and motley stakeholders community, made by scientific-industry-institutions, involved in the difficult task to study and accept (or refuse) projects strongly impacting the lived territory & underground, in densely populate countries, as Italy, in terms of appropriate public communication and sound deontological behaviour. Successively, the paper recalls years of "scientific" communication within the mass-media, highlighting the positive and negative messages, in comparison to the true and objective experimental data gathered by the real scientific work, as perceived by citizens of medium scholastic culture, which not delve the geologic disciplines, but receive simply the journalistic front-end, very often as sensationalist scoop. The authors retrace case histories of heuristic-participatory communication with the citizenship about the scientific results on challenges raised by certain technologies. The objective and rational communication is often impeded by local interests and by local journalism, which prefers to create sensationalist news more than scientific truths. This path progressively tangles as a consequence of the complex and with conflicting use of underground to produce energy (heat as gas storage, geothermical, unconventional gas exploitation, mining, etc…). Even the chain of renewables meets by now serious issues, exacerbated also by the need to start mining and drilling for the smart grids materials too (metals, rare Earths, etc..). A new text for a smart and innovative European Directivity is discussed, starting from the Italian regulatory issue. The review efforts for a "paper" on both a newspaper or a blog could be more difficult than the review a scientific paper, as a consequence of the peculiar situations behind the scenes and the conflicts of interests staying in the nest in a newspaper article or in a blog comment (locally political interests, commercial interests, attention-seeking, colleagues envies, etc..). The scientific journalists are normally of low scientific and ethical level and they are often coopted by negative mechanisms (mainly political for some newspapers or TV). The paper travel over again the AAPG rule of ethics (American Association of Petroleum Geology), taking the advantage of certain concepts developed by Nomisma Energia too and of concepts coming from our work, building energy-related questionnaires, also with municipalities affected by disastrous geological adverseness (i.e., earthquakes, contamination, slides, floods), even managing infrastructures of energetic production from underground (rims, storage, geothermics, etc…). In conclusions we suggest a "scientific journalist licence" (from Italy this kind of skill is escaping) and grave procedures of "Hyppocrates adjuratory" for scientific journalists as well as for scientific community and operators involved in the sector. The case histories reported emblematic of how the road is long, meandrous but necessary.

Scientific and Legal Perspectives on Science Generated for Regulatory Activities

PubMed Central

Henry, Carol J.; Conrad, James W.

2008-01-01

This article originated from a conference that asked “Should scientific work conducted for purposes of advocacy before regulatory agencies or courts be judged by the same standards as science conducted for other purposes?” In the article, which focuses on the regulatory advocacy context, we argue that it can be and should be. First, we describe a set of standards and practices currently being used to judge the quality of scientific research and testing and explain how these standards and practices assist in judging the quality of research and testing regardless of why the work was conducted. These standards and practices include the federal Information Quality Act, federal Good Laboratory Practice standards, peer review, disclosure of funding sources, and transparency in research policies. The more that scientific information meets these standards and practices, the more likely it is to be of high quality, reliable, reproducible, and credible. We then explore legal issues that may be implicated in any effort to create special rules for science conducted specifically for a regulatory proceeding. Federal administrative law does not provide a basis for treating information in a given proceeding differently depending on its source or the reason for which it was generated. To the contrary, this law positively assures that interested persons have the right to offer their technical expertise toward the solution of regulatory problems. Any proposal to subject scientific information generated for the purpose of a regulatory proceeding to more demanding standards than other scientific information considered in that proceeding would clash with this law and would face significant administrative complexities. In a closely related example, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considered but abandoned a program to implement standards aimed at “external” information. PMID:18197313

Scientific and legal perspectives on science generated for regulatory activities.

PubMed

Henry, Carol J; Conrad, James W

2008-01-01

This article originated from a conference that asked "Should scientific work conducted for purposes of advocacy before regulatory agencies or courts be judged by the same standards as science conducted for other purposes?" In the article, which focuses on the regulatory advocacy context, we argue that it can be and should be. First, we describe a set of standards and practices currently being used to judge the quality of scientific research and testing and explain how these standards and practices assist in judging the quality of research and testing regardless of why the work was conducted. These standards and practices include the federal Information Quality Act, federal Good Laboratory Practice standards, peer review, disclosure of funding sources, and transparency in research policies. The more that scientific information meets these standards and practices, the more likely it is to be of high quality, reliable, reproducible, and credible. We then explore legal issues that may be implicated in any effort to create special rules for science conducted specifically for a regulatory proceeding. Federal administrative law does not provide a basis for treating information in a given proceeding differently depending on its source or the reason for which it was generated. To the contrary, this law positively assures that interested persons have the right to offer their technical expertise toward the solution of regulatory problems. Any proposal to subject scientific information generated for the purpose of a regulatory proceeding to more demanding standards than other scientific information considered in that proceeding would clash with this law and would face significant administrative complexities. In a closely related example, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considered but abandoned a program to implement standards aimed at "external" information.

Presenting Numerical Modelling of Explosive Volcanic Eruption to a General Public

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demaria, C.; Todesco, M.; Neri, A.; Blasi, G.

2001-12-01

Numerical modeling of explosive volcanic eruptions has been widely applied, during the last decades, to study pyroclastic flows dispersion along volcano's flanks and to evaluate their impact on urban areas. Results from these transient multi-phase and multi-component simulations are often reproduced in form of computer animations, representing the spatial and temporal evolution of relevant flow variables (such as temperature, or particle concentration). Despite being a sophisticated, technical tool to analyze and share modeling results within the scientific community, these animations truly look like colorful cartoons showing an erupting volcano and are especially suited to be shown to a general public. Thanks to their particular appeal, and to the large interest usually risen by exploding volcanoes, these animations have been presented several times on television and magazines and are currently displayed in a permanent exposition, at the Vesuvius Observatory in Naples. This work represents an effort to produce an accompanying tool for these animations, capable of explaining to a large audience the scientific meaning of what can otherwise look as a graphical exercise. Dealing with research aimed at the study of dangerous, explosive volcanoes, improving the general understanding of these scientific results plays an important role as far as risk perception is concerned. An educated population has better chances to follow an appropriate behavior, i.e.: one that could lead, on the long period, to a reduction of the potential risk. In this sense, a correct divulgation of scientific results, while improving the confidence of the population in the scientific community, should belong to the strategies adopted to mitigate volcanic risk. Due to the relevance of the long term final goal of such divulgation experiment, this work represents an interdisciplinary effort, combining scientific expertise and specific competence from the modern communication science and risk perception studies.

The scientific theory profile: A philosophy of science model for science teachers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Loving, Cathleen C.

A model called the Scientific Theory Profile was developed for use with preservice and inservice science teachers or with graduate students interested in the various ways scientific theories are perceived. Early indications - from a survey of institutions with science education programs and a survey of current science methods texts - are that too little emphasis is placed on what contemporary writings reveal about the nature and importance of scientific theories. This prompted the development of the Profile. The Profile consists of a grid, with the x-axis representing methods for judging theories (rational vs. natural), and the y-axis representing views on reigning scientific theories as being the Truth versus models of what works best (realism vs. anti-realism). Three well-known philosophers of science who were selected for detailed analysis and who form the keystone positions on the Profile are Thomas Kuhn, Carl Hempel, and Sir Karl Popper. The hypothesis was that an analysis of the writings of respected individuals in philosophy and history of science who have different perspectives on theories (as well as overarching areas of agreement) could be translated into relative coordinates on a graph; and that this visual model might be helpful to science teachers in developing a balanced philosophy of science and a deeper understanding of the power of reigning theories. Nine other contemporary philosophers, all influenced by the three originals, are included in brief analyses, with their positions on the grid being relative to the keystones. The Scientific Theory Profile then forms the basis for a course, now in the planning stages, in perspectives on the nature of science, primarily for science teachers, with some objectives and activities suggested.

Microbial fuel cells as an alternative energy source: current status.

PubMed

Javed, Muhammad Mohsin; Nisar, Muhammad Azhar; Ahmad, Muhammad Usman; Yasmeen, Nighat; Zahoor, Sana

2018-06-22

Microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology is an emerging area for alternative renewable energy generation and it offers additional opportunities for environmental bioremediation. Recent scientific studies have focused on MFC reactor design as well as reactor operations to increase energy output. The advancement in alternative MFC models and their performance in recent years reflect the interests of scientific community to exploit this technology for wider practical applications and environmental benefit. This is reflected in the diversity of the substrates available for use in MFCs at an economically viable level. This review provides an overview of the commonly used MFC designs and materials along with the basic operating parameters that have been developed in recent years. Still, many limitations and challenges exist for MFC development that needs to be further addressed to make them economically feasible for general use. These include continued improvements in fuel cell design and efficiency as well scale-up with economically practical applications tailored to local needs.

Concussions: What a neurosurgeon should know about current scientific evidence and management strategies

PubMed Central

Neal, Matthew T.; Wilson, Jonathan L.; Hsu, Wesley; Powers, Alexander K.

2012-01-01

Background: There has been a tremendous amount of interest focused on the topic of concussions over the past few decades. Neurosurgeons are frequently consulted to manage patients with mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) that have radiographic evidence of cerebral injury. These injuries share significant overlap with concussions, injuries that typically do not reveal radiographic evidence of structural injury, in the realms of epidemiology, pathophysiology, outcomes, and management. Further, neurosurgeons often manage patients with extracranial injuries that have concomitant concussions. In these cases, neurosurgeons are often the only “concussion experts” that patients encounter. Results: The literature has been reviewed and data have been synthesized on the topic including sections on historical background, epidemiology, pathophysiology, diagnostic advances, clinical sequelae, and treatment suggestions, with neurosurgeons as the intended target audience. Conclusions: Neurosurgeons should have a fundamental knowledge of the scientific evidence that has developed regarding concussions and be prepared to guide patients with treatment plans. PMID:22439107

Cognition and learning in horses (Equus caballus): What we know and why we should ask more.

PubMed

Brubaker, Lauren; Udell, Monique A R

2016-05-01

Horses (Equus caballus) have a rich history in their relationship with humans. Across different cultures and eras they have been utilized for work, show, cultural rituals, consumption, therapy, and companionship and continue to serve in many of these roles today. As one of the most commonly trained domestic animals, understanding how horses learn and how their relationship with humans and other horses impacts their ability to learn has implications for horse welfare, training, husbandry and management. Given that unlike dogs and cats, domesticated horses have evolved from prey animals, the horse-human relationship poses interesting and unique scientific questions of theoretical value. There is still much to be learned about the cognition and behaviour of horses from a scientific perspective. This review explores current research within three related areas of horse cognition: human-horse interactions, social learning and independent learning in horses. Research on these topics is summarized and suggestions for future research are provided. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Critical thinking in nursing: Scoping review of the literature.

PubMed

Zuriguel Pérez, Esperanza; Lluch Canut, Maria Teresa; Falcó Pegueroles, Anna; Puig Llobet, Montserrat; Moreno Arroyo, Carmen; Roldán Merino, Juan

2015-12-01

This article seeks to analyse the current state of scientific knowledge concerning critical thinking in nursing. The methodology used consisted of a scoping review of the main scientific databases using an applied search strategy. A total of 1518 studies published from January 1999 to June 2013 were identified, of which 90 met the inclusion criteria. The main conclusion drawn is that critical thinking in nursing is experiencing a growing interest in the study of both its concepts and its dimensions, as well as in the development of training strategies to further its development among both students and professionals. Furthermore, the analysis reveals that critical thinking has been investigated principally in the university setting, independent of conceptual models, with a variety of instruments used for its measurement. We recommend (i) the investigation of critical thinking among working professionals, (ii) the designing of evaluative instruments linked to conceptual models and (iii) the identification of strategies to promote critical thinking in the context of providing nursing care. © 2014 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

Spatial Coverage Planning and Optimization for Planetary Exploration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gaines, Daniel M.; Estlin, Tara; Chouinard, Caroline

2008-01-01

We are developing onboard planning and scheduling technology to enable in situ robotic explorers, such as rovers and aerobots, to more effectively assist scientists in planetary exploration. In our current work, we are focusing on situations in which the robot is exploring large geographical features such as craters, channels or regional boundaries. In to develop valid and high quality plans, the robot must take into account a range of scientific and engineering constraints and preferences. We have developed a system that incorporates multiobjective optimization and planning allowing the robot to generate high quality mission operations plans that respect resource limitations and mission constraints while attempting to maximize science and engineering objectives. An important scientific objective for the exploration of geological features is selecting observations that spatially cover an area of interest. We have developed a metric to enable an in situ explorer to reason about and track the spatial coverage quality of a plan. We describe this technique and show how it is combined in the overall multiobjective optimization and planning algorithm.

Evaluation by Citation: Trends in Publication Behavior, Evaluation Criteria, and the Strive for High Impact Publications.

PubMed

van Wesel, Maarten

2016-02-01

Criteria for the evaluation of most scholars' work have recently received wider attention due to high-profile cases of scientific misconduct which are perceived to be linked to these criteria. However, in the competition for career advancement and funding opportunities almost all scholars are subjected to the same criteria. Therefore these evaluation criteria act as 'switchmen', determining the tracks along which scholarly work is pushed by the dynamic interplay of interests of both scholars and their institutions. Currently one of the most important criteria is the impact of publications. In this research, the extent to which publish or perish, a long standing evaluation criterion, led to scientific misconduct is examined briefly. After this the strive for high impact publications will be examined, firstly by identifying the period in which this became an important evaluation criterion, secondly by looking at variables contributing to the impact of scholarly papers by means of a non-structured literature study, and lastly by combining these data into a quantitative analysis.

Organisms in their milieu: Alfred Giard, his pupils, and early ethology, 1870-1930.

PubMed

De Bont, Raf

2010-03-01

This essay tells the story of early French ethology--"the science dealing with the habits of living beings and their relations, both with each other and with the cosmic environment." The driving force behind this "ethological movement" was the biologist Alfred Giard (1846-1908). The essay discusses how the ethological viewpoint of Giard and his pupils developed in a period in which the current disciplines of field biology were not yet crystallized. It also shows how concepts and research interests could travel within Giard's network from one working context to another, even from one discipline to another. By studying this traveling process, the essay reveals that, unlike the modern ethology of Konrad Lorenz and Niko Tinbergen, Giard's ethology was not a discipline at all but, rather, a scientific attitude. This scientific attitude triggered a reappraisal of fieldwork, but at the same time Giard's ethology was never limited to the field alone. It also found its way to the laboratory, the museum, and the zoo.

Bridging the Otolaryngology Peer Review Knowledge Gap: A Call for a Residency Development Program.

PubMed

Schmalbach, Cecelia E

2016-07-01

Current otolaryngology literature and future scientific direction rely heavily on a rigorous peer review process. Just as manuscripts warrant thoughtful review with constructive feedback to the authors, the same can be said for critiques written by novice peer reviewers. Formal scientific peer review training programs are lacking. Recognizing this knowledge gap, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery is excited to offer its new Resident Reviewer Development Program. All otolaryngology residents who are postgraduate year 2 and above and in excellent academic standing are eligible to participate in this mentored program, during which they will conduct 6 manuscript reviews under the direction of a seasoned reviewer in his or her subspecialty area of interest. By completing reviews alongside a mentor, participants gain the required skills to master the peer review process-a first step that often leads to journal editorial board and associate editor invitations. © American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation 2016.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tang, Q; Xie, S

This report describes the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Best Estimate (ARMBE) 2-dimensional (2D) gridded surface data (ARMBE2DGRID) value-added product. Spatial variability is critically important to many scientific studies, especially those that involve processes of great spatial variations at high temporal frequency (e.g., precipitation, clouds, radiation, etc.). High-density ARM sites deployed at the Southern Great Plains (SGP) allow us to observe the spatial patterns of variables of scientific interests. The upcoming megasite at SGP with its enhanced spatial density will facilitate the studies at even finer scales. Currently, however, data are reported only at individual site locations at different time resolutionsmore » for different datastreams. It is difficult for users to locate all the data they need and requires extra effort to synchronize the data. To address these problems, the ARMBE2DGRID value-added product merges key surface measurements at the ARM SGP sites and interpolates the data to a regular 2D grid to facilitate the data application.« less

Species Loss: Exploring Opportunities with Art-Science.

PubMed

Harrower, Jennifer; Parker, Jennifer; Merson, Martha

2018-04-25

Human-induced global change has triggered the sixth major extinction event on earth with profound consequences for humans and other species. A scientifically literate public is necessary to find and implement approaches to prevent or slow species loss. Creating science-inspired art can increase public understanding of the current anthropogenic biodiversity crisis and help people connect emotionally to difficult concepts. In spite of the pressure to avoid advocacy and emotion, there is a rich history of scientists who make art, as well as art-science collaborations resulting in provocative work that engages public interest; however, such interdisciplinary partnerships can often be challenging to initiate and navigate. Here we explore the goals, impacts, cascading impacts and lessons learned from art-science collaborations, as well as ideas for collaborative projects. Using three case studies based on Harrower's scientific research into species interactions, we illustrate the importance of artists as a primary audience and the potential for a combination of art and science presentations to influence public understanding and concern related to species loss.

Neuroimaging techniques for memory detection: scientific, ethical, and legal issues.

PubMed

Meegan, Daniel V

2008-01-01

There is considerable interest in the use of neuroimaging techniques for forensic purposes. Memory detection techniques, including the well-publicized Brain Fingerprinting technique (Brain Fingerprinting Laboratories, Inc., Seattle WA), exploit the fact that the brain responds differently to sensory stimuli to which it has been exposed before. When a stimulus is specifically associated with a crime, the resulting brain activity should differentiate between someone who was present at the crime and someone who was not. This article reviews the scientific literature on three such techniques: priming, old/new, and P300 effects. The forensic potential of these techniques is evaluated based on four criteria: specificity, automaticity, encoding flexibility, and longevity. This article concludes that none of the techniques are devoid of forensic potential, although much research is yet to be done. Ethical issues, including rights to privacy and against self-incrimination, are discussed. A discussion of legal issues concludes that current memory detection techniques do not yet meet United States standards of legal admissibility.

The BINA collaboration: science at the Royal Observatory of Belgium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

De Cat, Peter; Cuypers, Jan; Blomme, Ronny; Frémat, Yves; Groenewegen, Martin; Lampens, Patricia; Lobel, Alex; Pauwels, Thierry; Van de Steene, Griet; van Hoof, Peter

2018-04-01

The Belgo-Indian Network for Astronomy and Astrophysics (BINA) is a collaboration between Indian and Belgian astronomical institutes with the main aim to optimize the scientific output of the Indo-Belgian telescopes, being the 4.0-m International Liquid Mirror Telescope and the 3.6-m Devasthal Optical Telescope. These new facilities are both located at the Devasthal Observatory near Nainital, India. In this contribution, we introduce projects that are of scientific interest for colleagues of the department "Astronomy and Astrophysics" of the Royal Observatory of Belgium (ROB). It serves as an invitation for Indian astronomers to participate. We highlight how these projects could benefit from observations with the Indo-Belgian telescopes by using instruments from the first-generation (currently offered) and/or the next-generation (development or design phase). We show that, from an ROB point-of-view, the BINA would be the most successful if the 3.6-m DOT would be equipped with an efficient optical high-resolution spectrograph.

International Contest promoting Astronomy and Mathematics in Spanish and Portuguese speaking countries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ros, Rosa M.

2010-10-01

Currently our society needs more and more scientists and technicians in order to continue its development. Moreover some areas of our society seem to be less and less interested in scientific issues. It is not possible to value something when we have no knowledge of it. This paper presents an example of a programme carried out in several Science Museums in Spain which puts the average citizen in contact with science. The main objectives of this project are: • to find innovative ideas in order to present science in a more attractive way • to emphasize the international nature of science • to stimulate European contacts • to produce materials for different levels of education • to involve researchers in science communication • to increase the scientific knowledge of citizens • to promote science within the society of participating countries • to reward the professional work of teachers and professors in their teaching activities • to recognize the efforts of journalists specializing in science

Potential new regulatory options for e-cigarettes in New Zealand.

PubMed

Wilson, Nick; Edwards, Richard; Hoek, Janet; Thomson, George; Blakely, Tony; van der Deen, Frederieke Sanne; Crane, Julian

2015-11-20

While e-cigarette usage has grown rapidly in New Zealand and around the world, the scientific evidence base regarding the net benefits and risks of these types of products at the population level remains uncertain. The health-based policy experience is also minimal. Here, we analyse plausible future regulatory options for e-cigarettes that the New Zealand Government could explore, and that further research could help clarify. These options include: (1) a full free market (an option we doubt is desirable for multiple reasons); (2) controlled increased access through: (a) pharmacy only, (b) pharmacy only plus sales by prescription/ to licensed vapers; (c) additional controls through non-profit supply/distribution (eg, public hospital pharmacies); (3) increased restrictions compared with current (eg, adopting a complete ban on self-imports and use). In addition, we consider mechanisms to improve product quality and safety, and argue that policy makers should take great care when regulating e-cigarettes, given the scientific uncertainty and the role of commercial vested interests.

The Medawar Lecture 2004 The truth about science

PubMed Central

Lipton, Peter

2005-01-01

The attitudes of scientists towards the philosophy of science is mixed and includes considerable indifference and some hostility. This may be due in part to unrealistic expectation and to misunderstanding. Philosophy is unlikely directly to improve scientific practices, but scientists may find the attempt to explain how science works and what it achieves of considerable interest nevertheless. The present state of the philosophy of science is illustrated by recent work on the ‘truth hypothesis’, according to which, science is generating increasingly accurate representations of a mind-independent and largely unobservable world. According to Karl Popper, although truth is the aim of science, it is impossible to justify the truth hypothesis. According to Thomas Kuhn, the truth hypothesis is false, because scientists can only describe a world that is partially constituted by their own theories and hence not mind-independent. The failure of past scientific theories has been used to argue against the truth hypothesis; the success of the best current theories has been used to argue for it. Neither argument is sound. PMID:16147521

Beyond symptom monitoring: Consumer needs for bipolar disorder self-management using smartphones.

PubMed

Nicholas, J; Boydell, K; Christensen, H

2017-07-01

To investigate the potential use of smartphone apps to support self-management in young adults with bipolar disorder. We recruited 89 young adults (18-30 years) with bipolar disorder to complete a cross-sectional online survey. The survey contained quantitative and qualitative questions regarding technology use, current use of disorder-management apps, types of apps desired for disorder management, and app features that users would consider important when selecting apps. Results were analysed using descriptive statistics and thematic analysis. Almost all participants used a smartphone daily and 40% currently used apps for disorder management. Of those not currently using apps, 79% indicated they would like to try them. On average, participants rated 61% of the self-management strategies listed as desirable for app support, with sleep-management, understanding early warning signs and triggers, and stay-well plans the most frequently endorsed. App features considered important during app selection were ease-of-use, scientific quality, flexibility/customisation, and data privacy. The results indicate that young adults with bipolar disorder are interested in a wide range of apps for self-management. Participants were interested in apps to support self-management strategies considered clinically important for disorder management. Many of these app needs are currently unmet. Results suggest diversifying and prioritising app capabilities to ensure evidence-based resources for a broader range of app functions are available to consumers. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

The Effects of Visual Illustrations on Learners' Achievement and Interest in PDA- (Personal Digital Assistant) Based Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Sanghoon; Kim, Minjeong; Lee, Youngmin; Son, Chanhee; Lee, Miyoung

2005-01-01

PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) have been used widely in educational settings. In this study, the visual illustration of a scientific text (cognitive-interest illustration, emotional-interest illustration, or no illustration) was manipulated to investigate its impact on student interest in instructional materials, achievement, and time spent on…

Species distribution models and impact factor growth in environmental journals: methodological fashion or the attraction of global change science.

PubMed

Brotons, Lluís

2014-01-01

In this work, I evaluate the impact of species distribution models (SDMs) on the current status of environmental and ecological journals by asking the question to which degree development of SDMs in the literature is related to recent changes in the impact factors of ecological journals. The hypothesis evaluated states that research fronts are likely to attract research attention and potentially drive citation patterns, with journals concentrating papers related to the research front receiving more attention and benefiting from faster increases in their impact on the ecological literature. My results indicate a positive relationship between the number of SDM related articles published in a journal and its impact factor (IF) growth during the period 2000-09. However, the percentage of SDM related papers in a journal was strongly and positively associated with the percentage of papers on climate change and statistical issues. The results support the hypothesis that global change science has been critical in the development of SDMs and that interest in climate change research in particular, rather than the usage of SDM per se, appears as an important factor behind journal IF increases in ecology and environmental sciences. Finally, our results on SDM application in global change science support the view that scientific interest rather than methodological fashion appears to be the major driver of research attraction in the scientific literature.

Environmental Resources Analysis System, A Prototype DSS

USGS Publications Warehouse

Flug, M.; Campbell, S.G.; Bizier, P.; DeBarry, P.

2003-01-01

Since the 1960's, an increase in the public's environmental ethics, federal species preservation, water quality protection, and interest in free flowing rivers have evolved to the current concern for stewardship and conservation of natural resources. This heightened environmental awareness creates an appetite for data, models, information management, and systematic analysis of multiple scientific disciplines. A good example of this information and analysis need resides in the Green and Yampa Rivers, tributary to the Upper Colorado River. These rivers are home to endangered native fish species including the pikeminnow and razorback sucker. Two dams, Fontenelle and Flaming Gorge, impound the Green River headwaters. The respective reservoirs store water supplies as well as generate hydropower. Conversely, the Yampa River is considered unregulated and encompasses most of Dinosaur National Monument. Recreation is highly regarded on both rivers including fishing, whitewater rafting, and aesthetic values. Vast areas of irrigated agriculture, forestry, and mineral extraction also surround these rivers. To address this information need, we developed a prototype Environmental Resources Analysis System (ERAS) spreadsheet-based decision support system (DSS). ERAS provides access to historic data sets, scientific information, statistical analysis, model outputs, and comparative methods all in a familiar and user-friendly format. This research project demonstrates a simplified decision support system for use by a diverse mix of resource managers, special interest groups, and individuals concerned about the sustainability of the Green and Yampa River ecosystem.

Associations among attitudes, perceived difficulty of learning science, gender, parents' occupation and students' scientific competencies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chi, ShaoHui; Wang, Zuhao; Liu, Xiufeng; Zhu, Lei

2017-11-01

This study investigated the associations among students' attitudes towards science, students' perceived difficulty of learning science, gender, parents' occupations and their scientific competencies. A sample of 1591 (720 males and 871 females) ninth-grade students from 29 junior high schools in Shanghai completed a scientific competency test and a Likert scale questionnaire. Multiple regression analysis revealed that students' general interest of science, their parents' occupations and perceived difficulty of science significantly associated with their scientific competencies. However, there was no gender gap in terms of scientific competencies.

The Role of Prototype Matching in Science Pursuits: Perceptions of Scientists That Are Inaccurate and Diverge From Self-Perceptions Predict Reduced Interest in a Science Career.

PubMed

McPherson, Erin; Park, Bernadette; Ito, Tiffany A

2018-06-01

Self-to-prototype matching is a strategy of mental comparisons between the self-concept and the typical or "representative" member of a group to make some judgment. Such a process might contribute to interest in pursuing a science career and, relatedly, women's underrepresentation in physical science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (pSTEM) fields. Across four studies, we measured self-scientist discrepancies on communal, agentic, and scientific dimensions, and assessed participants' interest in a science career. The most consistent predictor of science interest was the discrepancy between self and scientist on the scientific dimension (e.g., intelligent, meticulous). Study 4 established that students with larger self-scientist discrepancies also had less accurate perceptions of students pursuing science, and that inaccuracy was related to lower science interest. Thus, students with lower science interest do not just perceive scientists differently from themselves but also erroneously. Discrepancy and inaccuracy together explained a significant portion of the gender gap in pSTEM interest.

Lost in translation or deliberate falsification? Genetic analyses reveal erroneous museum data for historic penguin specimens.

PubMed

Boessenkool, Sanne; Star, Bastiaan; Scofield, R Paul; Seddon, Philip J; Waters, Jonathan M

2010-04-07

Historic museum specimens are increasingly used to answer a wide variety of questions in scientific research. Nevertheless, the scientific value of these specimens depends on the authenticity of the data associated with them. Here we use individual-based genetic analyses to demonstrate erroneous locality information for archive specimens from the late nineteenth century. Specifically, using 10 microsatellite markers, we analysed 350 contemporary and 43 historic yellow-eyed penguin (Megadyptes antipodes) specimens from New Zealand's South Island and sub-Antarctic regions. Factorial correspondence analysis and an assignment test strongly suggest that eight of the historic specimens purportedly of sub-Antarctic origin were in fact collected from the South Island. Interestingly, all eight specimens were obtained by the same collector, and all are currently held in the same museum collection. Further inspection of the specimen labels and evaluation of sub-Antarctic voyages did not reveal whether the erroneous data are caused by incorrect labelling or whether deliberate falsification was at play. This study highlights a promising extension to the well-known applications of assignment tests in molecular ecology, which can complement methods that are currently being applied for error detection in specimen data. Our results also serve as a warning to all who use archive specimens to invest time in the verification of collection information.

National states and international science: A comparative history of international science congresses in Hitler's Germany, Stalin's Russia, and cold war United States.

PubMed

Doel, Ronald E; Hoffmann, Dieter; Krementsov, Nikolai

2005-01-01

Prior studies of modern scientific internationalism have been written primarily from the point of view of scientists, with little regard to the influence of the state. This study examines the state's role in international scientific relations. States sometimes encouraged scientific internationalism; in the mid-twentieth century, they often sought to restrict it. The present study examines state involvement in international scientific congresses, the primary intersection between the national and international dimensions of scientists' activities. Here we examine three comparative instances in which such restrictions affected scientific internationalism: an attempt to bring an international aerodynamics congress to Nazi Germany in the late 1930s, unsuccessful efforts by Soviet geneticists to host the Seventh International Genetics Congress in Moscow in 1937, and efforts by U.S. scientists to host international meetings in 1950s cold war America. These case studies challenge the classical ideology of scientific internationalism, wherein participation by a nation in a scientist's fame spares the scientist conflict between advancing his science and advancing the interests of his nation. In the cases we consider, scientists found it difficult to simultaneously support scientific universalism and elitist practices. Interest in these congresses reached the top levels of the state, and access to patronage beyond state control helped determine their outcomes.

Scientific misconduct and science ethics: a case study based approach.

PubMed

Consoli, Luca

2006-07-01

The Schön misconduct case has been widely publicized in the media and has sparked intense discussions within and outside the scientific community about general issues of science ethics. This paper analyses the Report of the official Committee charged with the investigation in order to show that what at first seems to be a quite uncontroversial case, turns out to be an accumulation of many interesting and non-trivial questions (of both ethical and philosophical interest). In particular, the paper intends to show that daily scientific practices are structurally permeated by chronic problems; this has serious consequences for how practicing scientists assess their work in general, and scientific misconduct in particular. A philosophical approach is proposed that sees scientific method and scientific ethics as inextricably interwoven. Furthermore, the paper intends to show that the definition of co-authorship that the members of the Committee use, although perhaps clear in theory, proves highly problematic in practice and raises more questions that it answers. A final plea is made for a more self-reflecting attitude of scientists as far as the moral and methodological profile of science is concerned as a key element for improving not only their scientific achievements, but also their assessment of problematic cases.

75 FR 36659 - Proposed Collection; Comment Request; Brain Power! The NIDA Junior Scientist Program and the...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-06-28

... curriculum with pre- and post-test self-report measures. Surveys also will be administered to teachers after... increasing scientific literacy and stimulating interest in scientific careers. In order to test the...

HONOR IN SCIENCE -- SCIENCE ETHICS

EPA Science Inventory

On March 27, 2000 Carol Browner issued an all EPA employee e-mail memorandum concerning Principles of Scientific Integrity. - - - This booklet is an interesting educational source for determining what constitutes scientific misconduct which you may want to share with your associa...

Scientific Cousins: The Relationship between Charles Darwin and Francis Galton

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fancher, Raymond E.

2009-01-01

This article traces the personal as well as the intellectual and scientific relationship between Charles Darwin and his younger half-cousin Francis Galton. Although they had been on friendly terms as young men, and Darwin had in some ways been a role model for Galton, the two did not share major scientific interests until after the publication of…

Goals and design of public physics lectures: perspectives of high-school students, physics teachers and lecturers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kapon, S.; Ganiel, U.; Eylon, B.

2009-09-01

Many large scientific projects and scientific centres incorporate some kind of outreach programme. Almost all of these outreach programmes include public scientific lectures delivered by practising scientists. In this article, we examine such lectures from the perspectives of: (i) lecturers (7) who are practising scientists acknowledged to be good public lecturers and (ii) audiences composed of high-school students (169) and high-school physics teachers (80) who attended these lectures. We identify and discuss the main goals as expressed by the lecturers and the audiences, and the correspondence between these goals. We also discuss how the lecturers' goals impact on the design of their lectures and examine how the lecture affects audiences with different attitudes towards (and interests in) physics. Our findings suggest that the goals of the participating lecturers and the expectations of their audiences were highly congruent. Both believe that a good public scientific lecture must successfully communicate state-of-the-art scientific knowledge to the public, while inspiring interest in and appreciation of science. Our findings also suggest that exemplary public scientific lectures incorporate content, structure and explanatory means that explicitly adhere to the lecturers' goals. We identify and list several design principles.

The International Commission on Occupational Health (ICOH) and its influence on international organizations.

PubMed

Ashford, Nicholas A; Castleman, Barry; Frank, Arthur L; Giannasi, Fernanda; Goldman, Lynn R; Greenberg, Morris; Huff, James; Joshi, Kant Tushar; LaDou, Joseph; Lemen, Richard A; Maltoni, Cesare; O'Neil, Rory; Richter, Elihu; Silbergeld, Ellen K; Teitelbaum, Daniel T; Thebaud-Mony, Annie; Tomatis, Lorenzo; Watterson, Andrew

2002-01-01

The ICOH has played a key role in the development of some scientific documents and policy recommendations, but it has not always been scientifically objective, particularly in regard to asbestos and other fibers and some chemicals and pesticides. Many ICOH members are employees of corporations or consultants to industry, serving multinational corporate interests to influence public health policy in the guise of a professional scientific organization. ICOH members' conflicts of interest with the public health dominate the organization and damage the standing of the ICOH. Official recognition of the ICOH compromises the credibility of the WHO and the ILO. It is inappropriate for the ICOH to continue to receive WHO and ILO recognition unless the ICOH is recognized as an industry organization.

DEVELOPING A PROBLEM-BASED LEARNING (PBL) CURRICULUM FOR PROFESSIONALISM AND ETHICS TRAINING FOR BIOMEDICAL GRADUATE STUDENTS

PubMed Central

Jones, Nancy L.; Peiffer, Ann M.; Lambros, Ann; Guthold, Martin; Johnson, A. Daniel; Tytell, Michael; Ronca, April E.; Eldridge, J. Charles

2013-01-01

A curriculum was designed to shape biomedical graduate students into researchers with a high commitment to professionalism and social responsibility, and to provide students with tools to navigate the complex, rapidly evolving academic and societal environments with a strong ethical commitment. Problem-Based Learning (PBL) pedagogy was chosen because it is active, learner-centered, and focuses on skill and process development. Additionally, the small group format provides a high degree of socialization around professional norms. Two courses were developed. Scientific Professionalism Scientific Integrity addressed discipline-specific and broad professional norms and obligations for the ethical practice of science and responsible conduct of research (RCR). Scientific Professionalism Bioethics and Social Responsibility focused on current ethical and bioethical issues within the scientific profession and implications of research for society. Each small-group session examined case scenarios that included: (1) learning objectives for professional norms and obligations; (2) key ethical issues and philosophies within each topic area; (3) one or more of the RCR instructional areas; and (4) at least one type of moral reflection. Cases went beyond covering overt research misconduct to emphasize professional standards, obligations, and underlying philosophies for the ethical practice of science, competing interests of stakeholders, and oversight of science (internal and external). To our knowledge this was the first use of PBL to teach scientific integrity and ethics. Both faculty and students at Wake Forest endorsed the orientation of professionalism, active learning, and acquiring skills in contrast to a compliance-based approach that emphasizes learning rules and regulations. PMID:20797979

Broadening Educational Horizons: The National Science Foundation GK-12 Teaching Fellowship Program at the University of Maine, Orono, ME, USA.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, K. R.; Kelley, J. T.

2005-12-01

The future of meaningful scientific research in the United States depends heavily upon the quality of the science and mathematics education received by students in our grade K-12 education system. The National Science Foundation's GK-12 Teaching Fellowship Program provides opportunities for scientific enrichment for students and their teachers at the K-12 level. Currently in its fifth year at the University of Maine, Orono, the program is one of over 100 such programs in the country. Last year, the program was honored by the New England Board of Higher Education with a Regional Award for Excellence in Project Achievement. The program has three broad goals: to enrich the scientific education of students by providing equipment, role models, and expertise that they may not otherwise be exposed; to provide professional development for teachers through curriculum enrichment and participation at scientific conferences; and to improve the teaching and communication skills of fellows. Fellows represent a broad spectrum of research interests at the University of Maine, including Biology, Chemistry, Engineering, Forestry, Geological Sciences, and Marine Science. This past year, 13 graduate students and 1 undergraduate student worked with 52 teachers and 2300 students in 26 schools across the state of Maine. The benefits of this program are tangible and substantial. New awareness of the innovative ways that K-12 and University education systems can work together to promote hands-on science and the scientific method, is one of the major contributions of the NSF GK-12 Teaching Fellowship Program.

Improving geomagnetic observatory data in the South Atlantic Anomaly

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matzka, Jürgen; Morschhauser, Achim; Brando Soares, Gabriel; Pinheiro, Katia

2016-04-01

The Swarm mission clearly proofs the benefit of coordinated geomagnetic measurements from a well-tailored constellation in order to recover as good as possible the contributions of the various geomagnetic field sources. A similar truth applies to geomagnetic observatories. Their scientific value can be maximised by properly arranging the position of individual observatories with respect to the geometry of the external current systems in the ionosphere and magnetosphere, with respect to regions of particular interest for secular variation, and with respect to regions of anomalous electric conductivity in the ground. Here, we report on our plans and recent efforts to upgrade geomagnetic observatories and to recover unpublished data from geomagnetic observatories at low latitudes in the South Atlantic Anomaly. In particular, we target the magnetic equator with the equatorial electrojet and low latitudes to characterise the Sq- and ring current. The observatory network that we present allows also to study the longitudinal structure of these external current systems. The South Atlantic Anomaly region is very interesting due to its secular variation. We will show newly recovered data and comparisons with existing data sets. On the technical side, we introduce low-power data loggers. In addition, we use mobile phone data transfer, which is rapidly evolving in the region and allows timely data access and quality control at remote sites that previously were not connected to the internet.

How is research publishing going to progress in the next 20 years?: transcription of session for editors, associate editors, publishers and others with an interest in scientific publishing held at IADR meeting in Seattle on Wednesday, 20 March 2013.

PubMed

Eaton, Kenneth A; Rex Holland, G; Giannobile, William V; Hancocks, Stephen; Robinson, Peter G; Lynch, Christopher D

2014-03-01

On March 20th 2013, a one-hour session for Editors, Associate Editors, Publishers and others with an interest in scientific publishing was held at the IADR International Session in Seattle. Organised by Kenneth Eaton and Christopher Lynch (Chair and Secretary, respectively, of the British Dental Editors Forum), the meeting sought to bring together leading international experts in dental publishing, as well as authors, reviewers and students engaged in research. The meeting was an overwhelming success, with more than 100 attendees. A panel involving four leading dental editors led a discussion on anticipated developments in publishing dental research with much involvement and contribution from audience members. This was the third such meeting held at the IADR for Editors, Associate Editors, Publishers and others with an interest in scientific publishing. A follow-up session will take place in Cape Town on 25 June 2014 as part of the annual IADR meeting. The transcript of the Seattle meeting is reproduced in this article. Where possible speakers are identified by name. At the first time of mention their role/position is also stated, thereafter only their name appears. We are grateful to Stephen Hancocks Ltd. for their generous sponsorship of this event. For those who were not able to attend the authors hope this article gives a flavour of the discussions and will encourage colleagues to attend future events. Involvement is open to Editors, Associate Editors, Publishers and others with an interest in scientific publishing. It is a very open group and all those with an interest will be welcome to join in. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Development of the STEM Career Interest Survey (STEM-CIS)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kier, Meredith W.; Blanchard, Margaret R.; Osborne, Jason W.; Albert, Jennifer L.

2014-01-01

Internationally, efforts to increase student interest in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers have been on the rise. It is often the goal of such efforts that increased interest in STEM careers should stimulate economic growth and enhance innovation. Scientific and educational organizations recommend that efforts to…

Joseph J. Berry | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Cells Team Lead Joe.Berry@nrel.gov | 303-384-7611 Joseph Berry is a senior research scientist at NREL Department of Physics at the University of Colorado at Boulder. Research Interests His interest in transport theme of his work throughout his scientific carrier. These interests in fundamental aspects of

75 FR 60128 - Submission for OMB Review; Comment Request; Brain Power! The NIDA Junior Scientist Program and...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-29

...- and post-test self-report measures. Surveys also will be administered to teachers after the completion... scientific literacy and stimulating interest in scientific careers. In order to test the effectiveness of the...

Ethics and Scientific Publication

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Benos, Dale J.; Fabres, Jorge; Farmer, John; Gutierrez, Jessica P.; Hennessy, Kristin; Kosek, David; Lee, Joo Hyoung; Olteanu, Dragos; Russell, Tara; Wang, Kai

2005-01-01

This article summarizes the major categories of ethical violations encountered during submission, review, and publication of scientific articles. We discuss data fabrication and falsification, plagiarism, redundant and duplicate publication, conflict of interest, authorship, animal and human welfare, and reviewer responsibility. In each section,…

Scientific Assistant Virtual Laboratory (SAVL)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alaghband, Gita; Fardi, Hamid; Gnabasik, David

2007-03-01

The Scientific Assistant Virtual Laboratory (SAVL) is a scientific discovery environment, an interactive simulated virtual laboratory, for learning physics and mathematics. The purpose of this computer-assisted intervention is to improve middle and high school student interest, insight and scores in physics and mathematics. SAVL develops scientific and mathematical imagination in a visual, symbolic, and experimental simulation environment. It directly addresses the issues of scientific and technological competency by providing critical thinking training through integrated modules. This on-going research provides a virtual laboratory environment in which the student directs the building of the experiment rather than observing a packaged simulation. SAVL: * Engages the persistent interest of young minds in physics and math by visually linking simulation objects and events with mathematical relations. * Teaches integrated concepts by the hands-on exploration and focused visualization of classic physics experiments within software. * Systematically and uniformly assesses and scores students by their ability to answer their own questions within the context of a Master Question Network. We will demonstrate how the Master Question Network uses polymorphic interfaces and C# lambda expressions to manage simulation objects.

Scientific Misconduct.

PubMed

Gross, Charles

2016-01-01

Scientific misconduct has been defined as fabrication, falsification, and plagiarism. Scientific misconduct has occurred throughout the history of science. The US government began to take systematic interest in such misconduct in the 1980s. Since then, a number of studies have examined how frequently individual scientists have observed scientific misconduct or were involved in it. Although the studies vary considerably in their methodology and in the nature and size of their samples, in most studies at least 10% of the scientists sampled reported having observed scientific misconduct. In addition to studies of the incidence of scientific misconduct, this review considers the recent increase in paper retractions, the role of social media in scientific ethics, several instructional examples of egregious scientific misconduct, and potential methods to reduce research misconduct.

Evaluation of oral microbiology lab curriculum reform.

PubMed

Nie, Min; Gao, Zhen Y; Wu, Xin Y; Jiang, Chen X; Du, Jia H

2015-12-07

According to the updated concept of oral microbiology, the School of Stomatology, Wuhan University, has carried out oral microbiology teaching reforms during the last 5 years. There was no lab curriculum before 2009 except for a theory course of oral microbiology. The school has implemented an innovative curriculum with oral medicine characteristics to strengthen understanding of knowledge, cultivate students' scientific interest and develop their potential, to cultivate the comprehensive ability of students. This study was designed to evaluate the oral microbiology lab curriculum by analyzing student performance and perceptions regarding the curriculum from 2009 to 2013. The lab curriculum adopted modalities for cooperative learning. Students collected dental plaque from each other and isolated the cariogenic bacteria with selective medium plates. Then they purified the enrichment culture medium and identified the cariogenic strains by Gram stain and biochemical tests. Both quantitative and qualitative data for 5 years were analysed in this study. Part One of the current study assessed student performance in the lab from 2009 to 2013. Part Two used qualitative means to assess students' perceptions by an open questionnaire. The 271 study students' grades on oral microbiology improved during the lab curriculum: "A" grades rose from 60.5 to 81.2 %, and "C" grades fell from 28.4 to 6.3 %. All students considered the lab curriculum to be interesting and helpful. Quantitative and qualitative data converge to suggest that the lab curriculum has strengthened students' grasp of important microbiology-related theory, cultivated their scientific interest, and developed their potential and comprehensive abilities. Our student performance and perception data support the continued use of the innovative teaching system. As an extension and complement of the theory course, the oral microbiology lab curriculum appears to improve the quality of oral medicine education and help to cultivate high-quality innovative medical talents.

Dedication to Professor Hannspeter Winter (1941 2006): Dedication to Professor Hannspeter Winter (1941 2006)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCullough, Bob

2007-03-01

Professor H Winter. It was with great sadness that we learnt of the death of colleague and friend Professor Hannspeter Winter in Vienna on the 8 November 2006. In memory of him and the contribution he made both to our conference and to the field of the physics of highly charged ions we dedicate these proceedings. Hannspeter was one of our distinguished invited speakers at HCI2006 and gave a talk on the status of the ITER programme. His invited paper on the subject is included in these proceedings. Hannspeter will be particularly remembered for his pioneering work on ion-surface interactions that, together with his colleagues at the Vienna University of Technology (TUW), has stimulated a worldwide experimental and theoretical interest in this field. He was appointed Director of the Institut fuer Allgemeine Physik at TUW in 1987 and using both his scientific and management skills has made it one of the leading university physics laboratories in the world. His research publications, of which there are 270, have inspired many others to work in the field of atomic and plasma physics. He was also a great European playing a major role in the EURATOM fusion programme, the European Physical Society and the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics and was an evaluator and advisory board member for many national and international institutions. Hannspeter was also an interesting and friendly social companion with interests in current affairs, music and fine wines and will be greatly missed both on a scientific and social level. Our condolences go to his wife Renate, son Dorian and his relatives. R W McCullough Co-chair HCI2006

A guide for writing in the scientific forum.

PubMed

Kotsis, Sandra V; Chung, Kevin C

2010-11-01

When considering the importance of scientific writing in disseminating new discoveries and ideas, it is quite remarkable that few physicians have received any formal instruction in this essential process. This article focuses on the fundamental principles of scientific writing that also include a "style and grace" component. The art of good scientific writing is to convey scientific materials in a clear and interesting way, while avoiding incomprehensible sentences that only serve to disguise marginal contents within the article. The goal of this article is to encourage authors and readers to critically examine the art of scientific writing to overcome the barrier to effective communication.

Science Fiction Exhibits as STEM Gateways

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Robie, Samantha

Women continue to hold less than a quarter of all STEM jobs in the United States, prompting many museums to develop programs and exhibits with the express goal of interesting young girls in scientific fields. At the same time, a number of recent museum exhibits have harnessed the popularity of pop culture and science fiction in order to interest general audiences in STEM subject matter, as well as using the exhibits as springboards to expand or shift mission goals and focus. Because science fiction appears to be successful at raising interest in STEM fields, it may be an effective way to garner the interest of young girls in STEM in particular. This research seeks to describe the ways in which museums are currently using science fiction exhibits to interest young girls in STEM fields and careers. Research focused on four institutions across the country hosting three separate exhibits, and included staff interviews and content analysis of exhibit descriptions, promotional materials, a summative evaluation and supplementary exhibit productions. In some ways, science fiction exhibits do serve young girls, primarily through the inclusion of female role models, staff awareness, and prototype testing to ensure interactives are attractive to girls as well as to boys. However, STEM appears to be underutilized, which may be partly due to a concern within the field that the outcome of targeting a specific gender could be construed as "stereotyping".

3D Scientific Visualization with Blender

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kent, Brian R.

2015-03-01

This is the first book written on using Blender for scientific visualization. It is a practical and interesting introduction to Blender for understanding key parts of 3D rendering and animation that pertain to the sciences via step-by-step guided tutorials. 3D Scientific Visualization with Blender takes you through an understanding of 3D graphics and modelling for different visualization scenarios in the physical sciences.

Scientific Misconduct in India: Causes and Perpetuation.

PubMed

Patnaik, Pratap R

2016-08-01

Along with economic strength, space technology and software expertise, India is also a leading nation in fraudulent scientific research. The problem is worsened by vested interests working in concert for their own benefits. These self-promoting cartels, together with biased evaluation methods and weak penal systems, combine to perpetuate scientific misconduct. Some of these issues are discussed in this commentary, with supporting examples and possible solutions.

Argument-Driven Inquiry as a Way to Help Students Learn How to Participate in Scientific Argumentation and Craft Written Arguments: An Exploratory Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sampson, Victor; Grooms, Jonathon; Walker, Joi Phelps

2011-01-01

This exploratory study examines how a series of laboratory activities designed using a new instructional model, called Argument-Driven Inquiry (ADI), influences the ways students participate in scientific argumentation and the quality of the scientific arguments they craft as part of this process. The two outcomes of interest were assessed with a…

The evolution of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB).

PubMed

Kissileff, Harry R; Ladenheim, Ellen

2013-09-10

This review summarizes the formation of the Society for the Study of Ingestive Behavior (SSIB), highlighting the many people whose commitment and perseverance brought together a wide range of disciplines for the common goal of investigating ingestive behavior and providing communication via scientific meetings. The goals and philosophy of the Society today are described along with the challenges it will face in the future. It concludes with the important message that excellence in science, combined with commitment to, and participation from, younger investigators, will ensure its continued success. The SSIB was officially incorporated on March 30, 1987 to serve a unique niche within the biological and behavioral sciences. Its initial vision was to serve as the "leading scientific organization for the study of ingestive behavior". This mission continues to drive the philosophy of the Society which currently boasts over 350 members representing 30 different countries. The SSIB melded scientific disciplines that included physiological and psychological aspects of food and fluid intake, as well as taste and olfaction. Prior to its creation, scientists from each of these disciplines met at several key conferences, most notably The International Conference on the Physiology of Food and Fluid Intake, a now defunct satellite of the International Union of Physiological Sciences, and The Eastern Psychological Association. From these and other smaller conferences came the idea of forming a society that integrated research from the biological, psychological and social aspects of food and fluid intake in both animals and humans. While this emphasis of the Society remains today, changing scientific priorities and interests continue to shape and influence the direction of the Society. Since its first meeting held at Princeton University in NJ in 1992, the annual meeting has become a major means of disseminating cutting-edge information on current research in the field of ingestive behavior. The record of its programs provides a valuable window into the workings of what was then a new scientific discipline and its evolution over time which may be useful, not only to members of the SSIB, but also to students of the history of science. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Why Science?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trefil, James

2007-01-01

Prize-winning scientist and bestselling author James Trefil explains why every U.S. citizen needs to be "scientifically literate" and, therefore, why schools must teach the fundamental principles of scientific literacy to every student. He lays out those principles straightforwardly, so that educators--and everyone who is interested in…

40 CFR 63.90 - Program overview.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... “proven technology” (generally accepted by the scientific community as equivalent or better) that is... enforceable test method involving “proven technology” (generally accepted by the scientific community as... interest; and (3) “Combining” a federally required method with another proven method for application to...

40 CFR 63.90 - Program overview.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... “proven technology” (generally accepted by the scientific community as equivalent or better) that is... enforceable test method involving “proven technology” (generally accepted by the scientific community as... interest; and (3) “Combining” a federally required method with another proven method for application to...

Scientific and Technical English.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Vaclavik, Jaroslav

Technical English differs from everyday English because of the specialized contexts in which it is used and because of the specialized interests of scientists and engineers. This text provides exercises in technical and scientific exposition in the following fields: mathematics, physics, temperature effects, mechanics, dynamics, conservation of…

The StratusLab cloud distribution: Use-cases and support for scientific applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Floros, E.

2012-04-01

The StratusLab project is integrating an open cloud software distribution that enables organizations to setup and provide their own private or public IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) computing clouds. StratusLab distribution capitalizes on popular infrastructure virtualization solutions like KVM, the OpenNebula virtual machine manager, Claudia service manager and SlipStream deployment platform, which are further enhanced and expanded with additional components developed within the project. The StratusLab distribution covers the core aspects of a cloud IaaS architecture, namely Computing (life-cycle management of virtual machines), Storage, Appliance management and Networking. The resulting software stack provides a packaged turn-key solution for deploying cloud computing services. The cloud computing infrastructures deployed using StratusLab can support a wide range of scientific and business use cases. Grid computing has been the primary use case pursued by the project and for this reason the initial priority has been the support for the deployment and operation of fully virtualized production-level grid sites; a goal that has already been achieved by operating such a site as part of EGI's (European Grid Initiative) pan-european grid infrastructure. In this area the project is currently working to provide non-trivial capabilities like elastic and autonomic management of grid site resources. Although grid computing has been the motivating paradigm, StratusLab's cloud distribution can support a wider range of use cases. Towards this direction, we have developed and currently provide support for setting up general purpose computing solutions like Hadoop, MPI and Torque clusters. For what concerns scientific applications the project is collaborating closely with the Bioinformatics community in order to prepare VM appliances and deploy optimized services for bioinformatics applications. In a similar manner additional scientific disciplines like Earth Science can take advantage of StratusLab cloud solutions. Interested users are welcomed to join StratusLab's user community by getting access to the reference cloud services deployed by the project and offered to the public.

The SCEC/UseIT Intern Program: Creating Open-Source Visualization Software Using Diverse Resources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Francoeur, H.; Callaghan, S.; Perry, S.; Jordan, T.

2004-12-01

The Southern California Earthquake Center undergraduate IT intern program (SCEC UseIT) conducts IT research to benefit collaborative earth science research. Through this program, interns have developed real-time, interactive, 3D visualization software using open-source tools. Dubbed LA3D, a distribution of this software is now in use by the seismic community. LA3D enables the user to interactively view Southern California datasets and models of importance to earthquake scientists, such as faults, earthquakes, fault blocks, digital elevation models, and seismic hazard maps. LA3D is now being extended to support visualizations anywhere on the planet. The new software, called SCEC-VIDEO (Virtual Interactive Display of Earth Objects), makes use of a modular, plugin-based software architecture which supports easy development and integration of new data sets. Currently SCEC-VIDEO is in beta testing, with a full open-source release slated for the future. Both LA3D and SCEC-VIDEO were developed using a wide variety of software technologies. These, which included relational databases, web services, software management technologies, and 3-D graphics in Java, were necessary to integrate the heterogeneous array of data sources which comprise our software. Currently the interns are working to integrate new technologies and larger data sets to increase software functionality and value. In addition, both LA3D and SCEC-VIDEO allow the user to script and create movies. Thus program interns with computer science backgrounds have been writing software while interns with other interests, such as cinema, geology, and education, have been making movies that have proved of great use in scientific talks, media interviews, and education. Thus, SCEC UseIT incorporates a wide variety of scientific and human resources to create products of value to the scientific and outreach communities. The program plans to continue with its interdisciplinary approach, increasing the relevance of the software and expanding its use in the scientific community.

From the archives of scientific diplomacy: science and the shared interests of Samuel Hartlib's London and Frederick Clodius's Gottorf.

PubMed

Keller, Vera; Penman, Leigh T I

2015-03-01

Many historians have traced the accumulation of scientific archives via communication networks. Engines for communication in early modernity have included trade, the extrapolitical Republic of Letters, religious enthusiasm, and the centralization of large emerging information states. The communication between Samuel Hartlib, John Dury, Duke Friedrich III of Gottorf-Holstein, and his key agent in England, Frederick Clodius, points to a less obvious but no less important impetus--the international negotiations of smaller states. Smaller states shaped communication networks in an international (albeit politically and religiously slanted) direction. Their networks of negotiation contributed to the internationalization of emerging science through a political and religious concept of shared interest. While interest has been central to social studies of science, interest itself has not often been historicized within the history of science. This case study demonstrates the co-production of science and society by tracing how period concepts of interest made science international.

A comparative analysis of soft computing techniques for gene prediction.

PubMed

Goel, Neelam; Singh, Shailendra; Aseri, Trilok Chand

2013-07-01

The rapid growth of genomic sequence data for both human and nonhuman species has made analyzing these sequences, especially predicting genes in them, very important and is currently the focus of many research efforts. Beside its scientific interest in the molecular biology and genomics community, gene prediction is of considerable importance in human health and medicine. A variety of gene prediction techniques have been developed for eukaryotes over the past few years. This article reviews and analyzes the application of certain soft computing techniques in gene prediction. First, the problem of gene prediction and its challenges are described. These are followed by different soft computing techniques along with their application to gene prediction. In addition, a comparative analysis of different soft computing techniques for gene prediction is given. Finally some limitations of the current research activities and future research directions are provided. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Detection and interrogation of biomolecules via nanoscale probes: From fundamental physics to DNA sequencing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zwolak, Michael

2013-03-01

A rapid and low-cost method to sequence DNA would revolutionize personalized medicine, where genetic information is used to diagnose, treat, and prevent diseases. There is a longstanding interest in nanopores as a platform for rapid interrogation of single DNA molecules. I will discuss a sequencing protocol based on the measurement of transverse electronic currents during the translocation of single-stranded DNA through nanopores. Using molecular dynamics simulations coupled to quantum mechanical calculations of the tunneling current, I will show that the DNA nucleotides are predicted to have distinguishable electronic signatures in experimentally realizable systems. Several recent experiments support our theoretical predictions. In addition to their possible impact in medicine and biology, the above methods offer ideal test beds to study open scientific issues in the relatively unexplored area at the interface between solids, liquids, and biomolecules at the nanometer length scale. http://mike.zwolak.org

A review of MEMS micropropulsion technologies for CubeSats and PocketQubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Silva, Marsil A. C.; Guerrieri, Daduí C.; Cervone, Angelo; Gill, Eberhard

2018-02-01

CubeSats have been extensively used in the past decade as scientific tools, technology demonstrators and for education. Recently, PocketQubes have emerged as an interesting and even smaller alternative to CubeSats. However, both satellite types often lack some key capabilities, such as micropropulsion, in order to further extend the range of applications of these small satellites. This paper reviews the current development status of micropropulsion systems fabricated with MEMS (micro electro-mechanical systems) and silicon technology intended to be used in CubeSat or PocketQube missions and compares different technologies with respect to performance parameters such as thrust, specific impulse, and power as well as in terms of operational complexity. More than 30 different devices are analyzed and divided into 7 main categories according to the working principle. A specific outcome of the research is the identification of the current status of MEMS technologies for micropropulsion including key opportunities and challenges.

The photobiological production of hydrogen: potential efficiency and effectiveness as a renewable fuel.

PubMed

Prince, Roger C; Kheshgi, Haroon S

2005-01-01

Photosynthetic microorganisms can produce hydrogen when illuminated, and there has been considerable interest in developing this to a commercially viable process. Its appealing aspects include the fact that the hydrogen would come from water, and that the process might be more energetically efficient than growing, harvesting, and processing crops. We review current knowledge about photobiological hydrogen production, and identify and discuss some of the areas where scientific and technical breakthroughs are essential for commercialization. First we describe the underlying biochemistry of the process, and identify some opportunities for improving photobiological hydrogen production at the molecular level. Then we address the fundamental quantum efficiency of the various processes that have been suggested, technological issues surrounding large-scale growth of hydrogen-producing microorganisms, and the scale and efficiency on which this would have to be practiced to make a significant contribution to current energy use.

Electrotherapy and the human voice: a literature review of the historical origins and contemporary applications.

PubMed

Gilman, Marina; Gilman, Sander L

2008-03-01

The present article surveys the literature on the electrotherapy treatment for voice disorders from the mid-18th century to World War I (1914--1918) and the post 1970s reappearance of such therapies. The reappearance of electrotherapy as treatment for voice disorders in the past 20 years has been heralded as a major breakthrough. In light of our reading of the scientific literature of the 19th century, it can be shown to repeat many of the presuppositions of electrotherapists of that time. The current resurgence of interest and research in electrical stimulation of the larynx is buoyed by technological innovations analogous to those in the 19th century. Although the current state of research has enhanced our understanding of vocal fold physiology, it does not necessarily provide a new therapeutic approach as a survey of the most recent literature shows.

Response to comment on "Pharmaceuticals, hormones, and other organic wastewater contaminants in U.S. streams, 1999-2000: A national reconnaissance"

USGS Publications Warehouse

Kolpin, Dana W.; Furlong, Edward T.; Meyer, Michael T.; Thurman, E. Michael; Zaugg, Steven D.; Buxton, Herbert T.

2002-01-01

We concur with the response of Eckel to our recent publication in this Journal (1). As the author notes, the topic of emerging contaminants is currently receiving extensive media coverage and scientific notice, but there are earlier reports that foreshadow this current interest. Eckel’s comment regarding the detection of pharmaceuticals and other organic wastewater contaminants (OWC) at a Superfund landfill site (2) is well taken, as other reports confirm the presence of such compounds at waste-disposal and landfill sites (3). In fact, literature from more than 20 years ago documented the occurrence of OWCs in the environment (4-7). A significant difference between these reports and our study is that we have systematically documented the frequent presence and low concentrations of a broad suite of OWCs in a wide variety of streams across the United States.

Measurement of solar extinction in tower plants with digital cameras

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ballestrín, J.; Monterreal, R.; Carra, M. E.; Fernandez-Reche, J.; Barbero, J.; Marzo, A.

2016-05-01

Atmospheric extinction of solar radiation between the heliostat field and the receiver is accepted as a non-negligible source of energy loss in the increasingly large central receiver plants. However, the reality is that there is currently no reliable measurement method for this quantity and at present these plants are designed, built and operated without knowing this local parameter. Nowadays digital cameras are used in many scientific applications for their ability to convert available light into digital images. Its broad spectral range, high resolution and high signal to noise ratio, make them an interesting device in solar technology. In this work a method for atmospheric extinction measurement based on digital images is presented. The possibility of defining a measurement setup in circumstances similar to those of a tower plant increases the credibility of the method. This procedure is currently being implemented at Plataforma Solar de Almería.

[Materials/Biomaterials in Clinical Practice - a Short Review and Current Trends].

PubMed

Bolle, T; Meyer, F; Walcher, F; Lohmann, C; Jockenhövel, S; Gries, T; Hoffmann, W

2017-04-01

Biomaterials play a major role in interventional medicine and surgery. However, the development of biomaterials is still in its early phases in spite of the huge progress made within the last decades. On the one hand, this is because our knowledge of the molecular and cellular processes associated with biomaterials is still increasing exponentially. On the other hand, a wide variety of advanced materials with highly interesting properties is being developed currently. This review provides a short introduction into the variety of materials in use as well as their application in interventional medicine and surgery. Also the importance of biomaterials for tissue engineering in the field of regenerative medicine and the functionalisation of biomaterials, including sterilisation methods are discussed. For the future, an even broader interdisciplinary scientific collaboration is necessary in order to develop novel biomaterials and facilitate their translation into clinical practice. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

The NASA land processes program - Status and future directions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, R. E.

1984-01-01

For most of the past decade, NASA focused its efforts on the immediate exploitation of space-based sensors in earth-oriented programs. After an assessment of the current situation with respect to the conducted programs, NASA has restructured its earth-oriented programs to concentrate on the scientific use of its satellites while other agencies and private enterprise have assumed responsibility for programs of interest to them. In making this change of direction, NASA has conducted a series of studies to obtain information as a basis for its planning activities regarding future programs. Attention is given to a plan for Land Global Habitability, the development of a basic structure for the land program, a program plan for global biology, and a study on the role of biochemical cycles. The three major facets of the land processes program are discussed along with some examples of current work.

The effect of scientific evidence on conservation practitioners' management decisions.

PubMed

Walsh, Jessica C; Dicks, Lynn V; Sutherland, William J

2015-02-01

A major justification of environmental management research is that it helps practitioners, yet previous studies show it is rarely used to inform their decisions. We tested whether conservation practitioners focusing on bird management were willing to use a synopsis of relevant scientific literature to inform their management decisions. This allowed us to examine whether the limited use of scientific information in management is due to a lack of access to the scientific literature or whether it is because practitioners are either not interested or unable to incorporate the research into their decisions. In on-line surveys, we asked 92 conservation managers, predominantly from Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, to provide opinions on 28 management techniques that could be applied to reduce predation on birds. We asked their opinions before and after giving them a summary of the literature about the interventions' effectiveness. We scored the overall effectiveness and certainty of evidence for each intervention through an expert elicitation process-the Delphi method. We used the effectiveness scores to assess the practitioners' level of understanding and awareness of the literature. On average, each survey participant changed their likelihood of using 45.7% of the interventions after reading the synopsis of the evidence. They were more likely to implement effective interventions and avoid ineffective actions, suggesting that their intended future management strategies may be more successful than current practice. More experienced practitioners were less likely to change their management practices than those with less experience, even though they were not more aware of the existing scientific information than less experienced practitioners. The practitioners' willingness to change their management choices when provided with summarized scientific evidence suggests that improved accessibility to scientific information would benefit conservation management outcomes. © 2014 The Authors. Conservation Biology published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of Society for Conservation Biology.

A Conservation Ethic and the Collecting of Animals by Institutions of Natural Heritage in the Twenty-First Century: Case Study of the Australian Museum

PubMed Central

Ikin, Timothy

2011-01-01

Simple Summary It is a core task of collecting institutions like museums to take examples of animals and preserve them as specimens in collections. In the twenty-first century, museums are equally the places where research is conducted and education is promoted in the service of conservation of animals in an era of the decline of biodiversity. In this paper, the balance of co-operation between collecting of animals by museums and the promotion and scientific pursuit of conservation of fauna in those museums is considered. As a “challenge” to museum science, it is considered in the context of Australia's oldest museum, and its policy and practice in the current century. Abstract Collecting of animals from their habitats for preservation by museums and related bodies is a core operation of such institutions. Conservation of biodiversity in the current era is a priority in the scientific agendas of museums of natural heritage in Australia and the world. Intuitively, to take animals from the wild, while engaged in scientific or other practices that are supposed to promote their ongoing survival, may appear be incompatible. The Australian Museum presents an interesting ground to consider zoological collecting by museums in the twenty-first century. Anderson and Reeves in 1994 argued that a milieu existed that undervalued native species, and that the role of natural history museums, up to as late as the mid-twentieth century, was only to make a record the faunal diversity of Australia, which would inevitably be extinct. Despite the latter, conservation of Australia's faunal diversity is a key aspect of research programmes in Australia's institutions of natural heritage in the current era. This paper analyses collecting of animals, a core task for institutions of natural heritage, and how this interacts with a professed “conservation ethic” in a twenty-first century Australian setting. PMID:26486222

CONFLICTS BETWEEN COMMERCIAL AND SCIENTIFIC INTERESTS IN PHARMACEUTICAL ADVERTISING FOR MEDICAL JOURNALS

PubMed Central

Tsai, Alexander C.

2011-01-01

In 1992, researchers from the University of California-Los Angeles published a study on the scientific merit and validity of pharmaceutical advertisements in medical journals. Their results led them to conclude, provocatively, that many pharmaceutical advertisements contained deficiencies in areas in which the U.S. Food and Drug Administration had established explicit standards of quality. This article provides a detailed account of third-party reactions to the study following its publication in the Annals of Internal Medicine, as well as the implications for those involved, including the authors, editors, and publisher. The increasingly diverging interests between medical journal editors and publishers are also discussed and highlighted by two recent cases of editors’ departures from prominent general-interest medical journals. PMID:14758858

Astrium spaceplane for scientific missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chavagnac, Christophe; Gai, Frédéric; Gharib, Thierry; Mora, Christophe

2013-12-01

Since years Novespace and Astrium are discussing mutual interest in cooperating together when considering Novespace well established capabilities and the ongoing development of the Astrium Spaceplane and its unique features. Indeed both companies are proposing service for non-public missions which require microgravity environment especially. It relies on assets of both parties: Novespace in operating 0-G aircraft platforms for the sake of the European scientific community for decades; Astrium and its Spaceplane currently in pre-development phase. Novespace and its Airbus A300 Zero-G exhibit a unique know-how in Europe for operating scientific payload on aeronautic platform(s). Moreover Astrium is preparing the development of a safe and passenger friendly Spaceplane, taking off and landing from a standard airport runway powered by turbofans and using a rocket engine of proven design to reach 100 km altitude. The paper details the joint service offered and the added value of the partnership of Novespace and Astrium for various end-users. In addition longer duration of on-board microgravity periods and ultra high altitude features of the Astrium Spaceplane mission expand the scope of possible non-public applications which includes e.g.: Earth system science and probing of uncharted layers of Earth atmosphere on a regular basis and in various locations worldwide; Spaceflight crew training.

Ethical considerations in clinical research on herbal medicine for prevention of cardiovascular disease in the ageing.

PubMed

Koonrungsesomboon, Nut; Karbwang, Juntra

2016-10-15

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) in the ageing is a major public health problem worldwide. The nature of most CVD is subclinical with pathological processes that can span over years. Use of preventive measures could be an appropriate approach to prevailing over CVD in the ageing, and herbal medicine is one of the promising preventive approaches and is currently of interest among medical societies. In the evidence-based era, herbal medicine is, however, often underestimated and approached with skepticism, mainly due to the paucity of scientific evidence. Properly designed clinical trials on herbal medicine for prevention of CVD in a geriatric population are thus of importance and of clinical value. To review ethical issues and discuss considerations when such research is proposed. Four ethical issues, including the scientific validity of research, risk-benefit assessments, subject selection and vulnerability, and informed consent, are structured and extensively discussed in this article. Ethical core considerations of prevention research of CVD on herbal medicine involve particular attention on the scientific validity of research, risk-benefit assessments, subject selection and vulnerability, and informed consent. These issues and considerations are keys, although they must be adapted to an individual research setting in which a clinical study is proposed. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Novel bibliometric scores for evaluating research quality and output: a correlation study with established indexes.

PubMed

Scotti, Valeria; De Silvestri, Annalisa; Scudeller, Luigia; Abele, Paola; Topuz, Funda; Curti, Moreno

2016-12-23

Novel bibliometric indexes (commonly known as altmetrics) are gaining interest within the scientific community and might represent an important alternative measure of research quality and output. We evaluate how these new metrics correlate with established bibliometric indexes such as the impact factor (IF), currently used as a measure of scientific production as well as a criterion for scientific research funding, and how they might be helpful in assessing the impact of research. We calculated altmetrics scores for all the articles published at our institution during a single year and examined the correlation between altmetrics scores and IFs as a measure of research quality and impact in all departments. For all articles from the various departments published in a single year, the altmetrics score and the sum of all IFs showed a strong and significant correlation (Spearman's rho 0.88). The correlation was significant also when the major components of altmetrics, including Facebook, Twitter and Mendeley, were analyzed. The implementation of altmetrics has been found to be easy and effective at both the researcher and librarian levels. The novel bibliographic index altmetrics is consistent and reliable and can complement or be considered a valid alternative to standard bibliometric indexes to benchmark output and quality of research for academic and funding purposes.

Girls on Ice: An Inquiry-Based Wilderness Science Education Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pettit, E. C.; Koppes, M. N.

2001-12-01

We developed a wilderness science education program for high school girls. The program offers opportunities for students to explore and learn about mountain glaciers and the alpine landscape through scientific field studies with geologists and glaciologists. Our purpose is to give students a feeling for the natural processes that create the alpine world and provide an environment that fosters the critical thinking necessary to all scientific inquiry. The program is currently being offered through the North Cascades Institute, a non-profit organization offering outdoor education programs for the general public. We lead eight girls for a weeklong expedition to the remote USGS South Cascade Glacier Research Station in Washington's North Cascades. For four days, we explore the glacier and the nearby alpine valleys. We encourage the girls to observe and think like scientists through making observations and inferences. They develop their own experiments to test ideas about glacier dynamics and geomorphology. In addition to scientific exploration, we engage the students in discussions about the philosophy of science and its role in our everyday lives. Our program exemplifies the success of hands-on, inquiry-based teaching in small groups for science education in the outdoors. The wilderness setting and single gender field team inspires young women's interest in science and provides a challenging environment that increases their physical and intellectual self-confidence.

Plastic debris and policy: Using current scientific understanding to invoke positive change.

PubMed

Rochman, Chelsea M; Cook, Anna-Marie; Koelmans, Albert A

2016-07-01

Captain Charles Moore introduced the world to the "Great Pacific Garbage Patch" in the mid-1990s, and images of plastic debris in the oceans began to sweep the media. Since then, there has been increasing interest from scientists, the public, and policy makers regarding plastic debris in the environment. Today, there remains no doubt that plastic debris contaminates aquatic (marine and freshwater) habitats and animals globally. The growing scientific evidence demonstrates widespread contamination from plastic debris, and researchers are beginning to understand the sources, fate, and effects of the material. As new scientific understanding breeds new questions, scientists are working to fill data gaps regarding the fate and effects of plastic debris and the mechanisms that drive these processes. In parallel, policy makers are working to mitigate this contamination. The authors focus on what is known about plastic debris that is relevant to policy by reviewing some of the weight of evidence regarding contamination, fate, and effects of the material. Moreover, they highlight some examples of how science has already been used to inform policy change and mitigation and discuss opportunities for future linkages between science and policy to continue the relationship and contribute to effective solutions for plastic debris. Environ Toxicol Chem 2016;35:1617-1626. © 2016 SETAC. © 2016 SETAC.

Support for global science: Remote sensing's challenge

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Estes, J. E.; Star, J. L.

1986-01-01

Remote sensing uses a wide variety of techniques and methods. Resulting data are analyzed by man and machine, using both analog and digital technology. The newest and most important initiatives in the U. S. civilian space program currently revolve around the space station complex, which includes the core station as well as co-orbiting and polar satellite platforms. This proposed suite of platforms and support systems offers a unique potential for facilitating long term, multidisciplinary scientific investigations on a truly global scale. Unlike previous generations of satellites, designed for relatively limited constituencies, the space station offers the potential to provide an integrated source of information which recognizes the scientific interest in investigating the dynamic coupling between the oceans, land surface, and atmosphere. Earth scientist already face problems that are truly global in extent. Problems such as the global carbon balance, regional deforestation, and desertification require new approaches, which combine multidisciplinary, multinational research teams, employing advanced technologies to produce a type, quantity, and quality of data not previously available. The challenge before the international scientific community is to continue to develop both the infrastructure and expertise to, on the one hand, develop the science and technology of remote sensing, while on the other hand, develop an integrated understanding of global life support systems, and work toward a quantiative science of the biosphere.

Protection of celestial environments and the law of outer space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tennen, Leslie; Race, Margaret

The law of outer space expressly addresses the matter of preservation and protection of natural celestial environments from harmful contamination and disruption by mankind in the explo-ration and use of outer space, including the moon and other celestial bodies. The Outer Space Treaty, however, does not prohibit all human impact to an extraterrestrial environment, but rather permits a wide range of activities that could have significant environmental ramifications. This legal regime may be in conflict with the interests of preserving celestial environments for scientific research, especially when considered in relation to activities conducted for commercial purposes. Nevertheless, the Moon Agreement provides a mechanism by which special protective measures can be implemented to protect particular areas of the moon and other celestial bodies for scientific investigation. This paper examines the current status of the law of outer space vis-a-vis the protection and preservation of natural celestial environments. Particular emphasis is placed on the policies on which the legal obligations are based, together with consideration of the non-appropriation principle, and the commercial use of lunar and other celestial resources and areas. In addition, the concepts of international scientific preserves, special regions, keep out zones, and planetary parks are compared and evaluated as potential means to limit the disturbance to celestial environments caused by the activities of mankind.

Layer-by-layer assembly for biomedical applications in the last decade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gentile, P.; Carmagnola, I.; Nardo, T.; Chiono, V.

2015-10-01

In the past two decades, the design and manufacture of nanostructured materials has been of tremendous interest to the scientific community for their application in the biomedical field. Among the available techniques, layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly has attracted considerable attention as a convenient method to fabricate functional coatings. Nowadays, more than 1000 scientific papers are published every year, tens of patents have been deposited and some commercial products based on LBL technology have become commercially available. LBL presents several advantages, such as (1): a precise control of the coating properties; (2) environmentally friendly, mild conditions and low-cost manufacturing; (3) versatility for coating all available surfaces; (4) obtainment of homogeneous film with controlled thickness; and (5) incorporation and controlled release of biomolecules/drugs. This paper critically reviews the scientific challenge of the last 10 years—functionalizing biomaterials by LBL to obtain appropriate properties for biomedical applications, in particular in tissue engineering (TE). The analysis of the state-of-the-art highlights the current techniques and the innovative materials for scaffold and medical device preparation that are opening the way for the preparation of LBL-functionalized substrates capable of modifying their surface properties for modulating cell interaction to improve substitution, repair or enhancement of tissue function.

76 FR 56205 - Request for Notification From Industry Organizations Interested in Participating in the Selection...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-12

... Products Scientific Advisory Committee, notify FDA in writing. FDA is also requesting nominations for... letters stating interest in participating in the selection process to FDA by October 12, 2011 (see... candidates should be sent to FDA by October 12, 2011. ADDRESSES: All letters of interest and nominations...

The Role of Content and Context in PISA Interest Scales: A study of the embedded interest items in the PISA 2006 science assessment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Drechsel, Barbara; Carstensen, Claus; Prenzel, Manfred

2011-01-01

This paper focuses interest in science as one of the attitudinal aspects of scientific literacy. Large-scale data from the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) 2006 are analysed in order to describe student interest more precisely. So far the analyses have provided a general indicator of interest, aggregated over all contexts and contents in the science test. With its innovative approach PISA embeds interest items within the cognitive test unit and its contents and contexts. The main difference from conventional interest measures is that in most questionnaires, a relatively small number of interest items cover broad fields of contents and contexts. The science units represent a number of systematically differentiated scientific contexts and contents. The units' stimulus texts allow for concrete descriptions of relevant content aspects, applications, and contexts. In the analyses, multidimensional item response models are applied in order to disentangle student interest. The results indicate that multidimensional models fit the data. A two-dimensional model separating interest into two different knowledge of science dimensions described in the PISA science framework is further analysed with respect to gender, performance differences, and country. The findings give a comprehensive description of students' interest in science. The paper deals with methodological problems and describes requirements of the test construction for further assessments. The results are discussed with regard to their significance for science education.

Biblio-MetReS: A bibliometric network reconstruction application and server

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background Reconstruction of genes and/or protein networks from automated analysis of the literature is one of the current targets of text mining in biomedical research. Some user-friendly tools already perform this analysis on precompiled databases of abstracts of scientific papers. Other tools allow expert users to elaborate and analyze the full content of a corpus of scientific documents. However, to our knowledge, no user friendly tool that simultaneously analyzes the latest set of scientific documents available on line and reconstructs the set of genes referenced in those documents is available. Results This article presents such a tool, Biblio-MetReS, and compares its functioning and results to those of other user-friendly applications (iHOP, STRING) that are widely used. Under similar conditions, Biblio-MetReS creates networks that are comparable to those of other user friendly tools. Furthermore, analysis of full text documents provides more complete reconstructions than those that result from using only the abstract of the document. Conclusions Literature-based automated network reconstruction is still far from providing complete reconstructions of molecular networks. However, its value as an auxiliary tool is high and it will increase as standards for reporting biological entities and relationships become more widely accepted and enforced. Biblio-MetReS is an application that can be downloaded from http://metres.udl.cat/. It provides an easy to use environment for researchers to reconstruct their networks of interest from an always up to date set of scientific documents. PMID:21975133

Peak Oil and Coal Fires: How Scientific Fact Becomes Debatable Political Questions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McCurdy, K. M.

2008-12-01

Political consensus in the United States cannot be more different from a scientific consensus. The latter situation allows for resolution of problems large and small based on recognized facts and procedures. Once a compelling problem is recognized the scientific community is able to marshal resources to examine that phenomenon. Political consensus however allows for the unending reconsideration of problems in the political arena depending on the outcome of elections and the intensity and sustained length of citizen interest. Serious problems can be trivialized by election campaign rhetoric, or can fail to rise to the level of aggregation necessary to be considered. Coal fires are an example of the latter while OCS exploration and production is an example of the former. Peak oil is a problem that will be avoided until there is a crisis. With current scientific evidence mounting that an important tipping point is approaching, and that societal collapse is a probable outcome of maintaining the status quo, it is vitally important to understand the structural limitations of government decisions. Long standing consensus in the legislature is transferred to the bureaucracy, which can maintain a policy position long after its electoral support has vanished. A legislature and executive experiencing thin electoral margins (51-54% of the vote or seats) produces a different sort of political environment than what is possible with safe margins (>60%). Supermajorities with veto proof margins (>65%) are rare, but not unknown (e.g. 1935-37; 1965-67) and allow for revolutionary policy innovation.

Science Fair Projects: The Environment.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bonnet, Bob; Keen, Dan

This book approaches the development of science fair projects from the point of view that science should be enjoyable, interesting, and thought-provoking. The scientific concepts introduced here will later help young students to understand more advanced scientific principles. These projects develop skills such as classification, making measured…

Resource Materials on Scientific Integrity Issues.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Macrina, Francis L., Ed.; Munro, Cindy L., Ed.

1993-01-01

The annotated bibliography contains 26 citations of books, monographs, and articles that may be useful to faculty and students in courses on scientific integrity. Topics addressed include ethical and legal considerations, fraud, technical writing and publication, intellectual property, notetaking, case study approach, conflict of interest, and…

Inquiry Learning in the Singaporean Context: Factors affecting student interest in school science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jocz, Jennifer Ann; Zhai, Junqing; Tan, Aik Ling

2014-10-01

Recent research reveals that students' interest in school science begins to decline at an early age. As this lack of interest could result in fewer individuals qualified for scientific careers and a population unprepared to engage with scientific societal issues, it is imperative to investigate ways in which interest in school science can be increased. Studies have suggested that inquiry learning is one way to increase interest in science. Inquiry learning forms the core of the primary syllabus in Singapore; as such, we examine how inquiry practices may shape students' perceptions of science and school science. This study investigates how classroom inquiry activities relate to students' interest in school science. Data were collected from 425 grade 4 students who responded to a questionnaire and 27 students who participated in follow-up focus group interviews conducted in 14 classrooms in Singapore. Results indicate that students have a high interest in science class. Additionally, self-efficacy and leisure-time science activities, but not gender, were significantly associated with an increased interest in school science. Interestingly, while hands-on activities are viewed as fun and interesting, connecting learning to real-life and discussing ideas with their peers had a greater relation to student interest in school science. These findings suggest that inquiry learning can increase Singaporean students' interest in school science; however, simply engaging students in hands-on activities is insufficient. Instead, student interest may be increased by ensuring that classroom activities emphasize the everyday applications of science and allow for peer discussion.

Turning Crisis into Opportunity: Enhancing Student-Teachers' Understanding of Nature of Science and Scientific Inquiry through a Case Study of the Scientific Research in Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Siu Ling; Hodson, Derek; Kwan, Jenny; Yung, Benny Hin Wai

2008-01-01

Interviews with key scientists involved in research on severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), together with analysis of media reports and documentaries produced during and after the SARS epidemic, revealed many interesting aspects of nature of science (NOS) and authentic scientific inquiry. This novel insight into practice in the rapidly…

[Food industry funding and epidemiologic research in public health nutrition].

PubMed

Navarrete-Muñoz, Eva María; Tardón, Adonina; Romaguera, Dora; Martínez-González, Miguel Ángel; Vioque, Jesús

The interests of the food industry to fund nutrition and health research are not limited to promoting scientific advances. Recently, several systematic reviews conducted about the effect of sugar-sweetened beverages and health outcomes have shown some biased conclusions in studies that acknowledge industry sponsorship. In this context, the Nutrition Working Group of the Spanish Epidemiology Society presented a scientific session entitled Food industry and epidemiologic research at its annual meeting. In a round table, four experts in nutrition research presented their points of view about whether the food industry should fund nutrition-related research and the related potential conflicts of interest of the food industry. All the experts agreed not only on defending independence in nutritional epidemiology regarding the design, interpretation and conclusion of their studies but also on the crucial need for guaranteed scientific rigor, scientific quality of the results and measures to protect studies against potential biases related to the conflicts of interest of funding by the food industry. Drs Pérez-Farinós and Romaguera believe that the most effective way to prevent conflicts of interest would be not to allow the food industry to fund nutrition research; Drs Marcos and Martínez-González suggested the need to establish mechanisms and strategies to prevent the potential influences of the food industry in selecting researchers or institutional sponsorship and in the analysis and results of the studies, to ensure maximum independence for researchers, as well as their professional ethics. Copyright © 2017 SESPAS. Publicado por Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Young science journalism: writing popular scientific articles may contribute to an increase of high-school students' interest in the natural sciences

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simon, Uwe K.; Steindl, Hanna; Larcher, Nicole; Kulac, Helga; Hotter, Annelies

2016-03-01

Far too few high-school students choose subjects from the natural sciences (NaSc) for their majors in many countries. Even fewer study biology, chemistry or physics at university. Those, that do, often lack training to present and discuss scientific results and ideas in texts. To meet these challenges the center for didactics of biology of Graz University has set up the program Young Science Journalism. This new workshop-based interdisciplinary concept was tested in an exploratory study with grade 10 students of one Austrian high school, engaging both the biology and the German teacher of the class. It was our aim to raise students' interest in the NaSc by encouraging them to write popular scientific articles about self-chosen topics, and to help them improve their writing competence. In this paper we focus on interest development through writing. Results from this pilot study were promising. Using a mixed-method approach (comparing pre- and post-test questionnaires and semi-structured interviews from different time points analyzed qualitatively), we found that almost all students valued the project-related work highly. Most of them showed higher interest in the NaSc at project end with girls, in average, seeming to profit more from project participation. We thus recommend integrating such writing tasks into school curricula to increase students' interest in NaSc or to even create new interest. Additionally, we introduce a network presentation of questionnaire data as a powerful tool to visualize the effect of an intervention on individual students and student profile groups.

Marine products with anti-protozoal activity: a review.

PubMed

García, Marley; Monzote, Lianet

2014-01-01

The marine organisms are a rich source of varied natural products with unique functionality. A variety of natural products of new molecular structures with diverse biological activities have been reported from marine flora and fauna for treatment and/or prevention of human diseases. The present review briefly illustrates current status of marine products as antiprotozoal agents. The in vitro and in vivo studies of marine algae, invertebrates and micro-organism against different protozoa parasites are included. The marine products studied, according to international criterions for selection of more promisory products in the different models reported, demonstrated their potentialities as antiprozoal agents. Herein, the interest of scientific community to search new alternatives from marine environment has been demonstrated.

[Clinical significance of autologous transplantation with hematopoietic stem cells in leukemia and solid tumors].

PubMed

Hinterberger, W; Adler, V; Bauer, K; Haberhauer, G; Habertheuer, K H; Höniger, S; Huber, K; Kier, P; Kittel, E; Ruckser, R

1995-01-01

Autologous Transplantation of hematopoietic tissue with frozen hematopoietic stem cells is increasingly used for leukemias and lymphomas, but also for some solid tumors. In the past, autotransplants have been performed with bone marrow as the source of hematopoietic stem cells. Circulating, blood derived hematopoietic stem cells, however, allow safe engraftment of all cell lines after supralethal chemo-radiotherapy. This survey describes the role of autologous stem cell transplantation in disorders that are currently in the center of clinical and scientific interest. This estimation is based on the proportion of protocols dealing with, and centering on, autologous stem cell transplantation in the context of treatment for leukemias and solid tumors ("Oncodisc", "PDQ").

Eliminating the Attentional Blink through Binaural Beats: A Case for Tailored Cognitive Enhancement.

PubMed

Reedijk, Susan A; Bolders, Anne; Colzato, Lorenza S; Hommel, Bernhard

2015-01-01

Enhancing human cognitive performance is a topic that continues to spark scientific interest. Studies into cognitive-enhancement techniques often fail to take inter-individual differences into account, however, which leads to underestimation of the effectiveness of these techniques. The current study investigated the effect of binaural beats, a cognitive-enhancement technique, on attentional control in an attentional blink (AB) task. As predicted from a neurocognitive approach to cognitive control, high-frequency binaural beats eliminated the AB, but only in individuals with low spontaneous eye-blink rates (indicating low striatal dopamine levels). This suggests that the way in which cognitive-enhancement techniques, such as binaural beats, affect cognitive performance depends on inter-individual differences.

Ramularia collo-cygni--An Emerging Pathogen of Barley Crops.

PubMed

Havis, Neil D; Brown, James K M; Clemente, Gladys; Frei, Peter; Jedryczka, Malgorzata; Kaczmarek, Joanna; Kaczmarek, Maciej; Matusinsky, Pavel; McGrann, Graham R D; Pereyra, Sylvia; Piotrowska, Marta; Sghyer, Hind; Tellier, Aurelien; Hess, Michael

2015-07-01

Ramularia collo-cygni is the biotic factor responsible for the disease Ramularia leaf spot (RLS) of barley (Hordeum vulgare). Despite having been described over 100 years ago and being considered a minor disease in some countries, the fungus is attracting interest in the scientific community as a result of the increasing number of recorded economically damaging disease epidemics. New reports of disease spread and fungal identification using molecular diagnostics have helped redefine RLS as a global disease. This review describes recent developments in our understanding of the biology and epidemiology of the fungus, outlines advances made in the field of the genetics of both the fungus and host, and summarizes the control strategies currently available.

Some Physics Constraints on Ultimate Achievement in Track and Field

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Frohlich, Cliff

2009-02-06

World records in track and field have improved remarkably throughout the last 100 years; however, in several events physics places quite strict limitations on ultimate performance. For example, analysis suggests that records in broad jump and pole vault have approached their optimum possible values. Physical constraints are more subtle for events such as javelin, high jump, and the distance races, and thus there may be opportunities for “breakthroughs” in current records. Considering that there is enormous cultural interest and economic expenditure on sports, for most events the level of scientific analysis isn’t very high. This presents a research opportunity formore » fans who are engineers or physicists.« less

Emerging Synergy between Nanotechnology and Implantable Biosensors: A Review

PubMed Central

Vaddiraju, Santhisagar; Tomazos, Ioannis; Burgess, Diane J; Jain, Faquir C; Papadimitrakopoulos, Fotios

2010-01-01

The development of implantable biosensors for continuous monitoring of metabolites is an area of sustained scientific and technological interest. On the other hand, nanotechnology, a discipline which deals with the properties of materials at the nanoscale, is developing as a potent tool to enhance the performance of these biosensors. This article reviews the current state of implantable biosensors, highlighting the synergy between nanotechnology and sensor performance. Emphasis is placed on the electrochemical method of detection in light of its widespread usage and substantial nanotechnology-based improvements in various aspects of electrochemical biosensor performance. Finally, issues regarding toxicity and biocompatibility of nanomaterials, along with future prospects for the application of nanotechnology in implantable biosensors, are discussed. PMID:20042326

Mars Surface Systems Common Capabilities and Challenges for Human Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Toups, Larry; Hoffman, Stephen J.; Watts, Kevin

2016-01-01

This paper describes the current status of common systems and operations as they are applied to actual locations on Mars that are representative of Exploration Zones (EZ) - NASA's term for candidate locations where humans could land, live and work on the martian surface. Given NASA's current concepts for human missions to Mars, an EZ is a collection of Regions of Interest (ROIs) located within approximately 100 kilometers of a centralized landing site. ROIs are areas that are relevant for scientific investigation and/or development/maturation of capabilities and resources necessary for a sustainable human presence. An EZ also contains a habitation site that will be used by multiple human crews during missions to explore and utilize the ROIs within the EZ. The Evolvable Mars Campaign (EMC), a description of NASA's current approach to these human Mars missions, assumes that a single EZ will be identified within which NASA will establish a substantial and durable surface infrastructure that will be used by multiple human crews. The process of identifying and eventually selecting this single EZ will likely take many years to finalized. Because of this extended EZ selection process it becomes important to evaluate the current suite of surface systems and operations being evaluated for the EMC as they are likely to perform at a variety of proposed EZ locations and for the types of operations - both scientific and development - that are proposed for these candidate EZs. It is also important to evaluate proposed EZs for their suitability to be explored or developed given the range of capabilities and constraints for the types of surface systems and operations being considered within the EMC.

Finding Near-Earth Asteroid (NEA) Destinations for Human Exploration: Implications for Astrobiology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Landis, Rob; Abell, Paul; Barbee, Brent; Johnson, Lindley

2012-01-01

The current number of known potential NEA targets for HSF is limited to those objects whose orbital characteristics are similar to that of the Earth. This is due to the projected capabilities of the exploration systems currently under consideration and development at NASA. However, NEAs with such orbital characteristics often have viewing geometries that place them at low solar elongations and thus are difficult to detect from the vicinity of Earth. While ongoing ground-based surveys and data archives maintained by the NEO Program Observation Program Office and the Minor Planet Center (MPC) have provided a solid basis upon which to build, a more complete catalog of the NEO population is required to inform a robust and sustainable HSF exploration program. Since all the present NEO observing assets are currently confined to the vicinity of the Earth, additional effort must be made to provide capabilities for detection of additional HSF targets via assets beyond Earth orbit. A space-based NEO survey telescope located beyond the vicinity of the Earth, has considerable implications for planetary science and astrobiology. Such a telescope will provide foundational knowledge of our Solar System small body population and detect targets of interest for both the HSF and scientific communities. Data from this asset will yield basic characterization data on the NEOs observed (i.e., albedo, size determination, potential for volatiles and organics, etc.) and help down select targets for future HSF missions. Ideally, the most attractive targets from both HSF and astrobiology perspectives are those NEAs that may contain organic and volatile materials, and which could be effectively sampled at a variety of locations and depths. Presented here is an overview of four space-based survey concepts; any one of which after just a few years of operation will discover many highly accessible NEO targets suitable for robotic and human exploration. Such a space-based survey mission will reveal incredible returns for several disciplines including: exploration, in situ resource utilization, planetary defense, and science. Of particular, interest to the scientific

Pre-Service Science Teachers' Perception of the Principles of Scientific Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Can, Sendil; Kaymakci, Güliz

2016-01-01

The purpose of the current study employing the survey method is to determine the pre-service science teachers' perceptions of the principles of scientific research and to investigate the effects of gender, grade level and the state of following scientific publications on their perceptions. The sampling of the current research is comprised of 125…

Leveraging Big Data for Exploring Occupational Diseases-Related Interest at the Level of Scientific Community, Media Coverage and Novel Data Streams: The Example of Silicosis as a Pilot Study

PubMed Central

Bragazzi, Nicola Luigi; Toletone, Alessandra; Brigo, Francesco; Durando, Paolo

2016-01-01

Objective Silicosis is an untreatable but preventable occupational disease, caused by exposure to silica. It can progressively evolve to lung impairment, respiratory failure and death, even after exposure has ceased. However, little is known about occupational diseases-related interest at the level of scientific community, media coverage and web behavior. This article aims at filling in this gap of knowledge, taking the silicosis as a case study. Methods We investigated silicosis-related web-activities using Google Trends (GT) for capturing the Internet behavior worldwide in the years 2004–2015. GT-generated data were, then, compared with the silicosis-related scientific production (i.e., PubMed and Google Scholar), the media coverage (i.e., Google news), the Wikipedia traffic (i.e, Wikitrends) and the usage of new media (i.e., YouTube and Twitter). Results A peak in silicosis-related web searches was noticed in 2010–2011: interestingly, both scientific articles production and media coverage markedly increased after these years in a statistically significant way. The public interest and the level of the public engagement were witnessed by an increase in likes, comments, hashtags, and re-tweets. However, it was found that only a small fraction of the posted/uploaded material contained accurate scientific information. Conclusions GT could be useful to assess the reaction of the public and the level of public engagement both to novel risk-factors associated to occupational diseases, and possibly related changes in disease natural history, and to the effectiveness of preventive workplace practices and legislative measures adopted to improve occupational health. Further, occupational clinicians should become aware of the topics most frequently searched by patients and proactively address these concerns during the medical examination. Institutional bodies and organisms should be more present and active in digital tools and media to disseminate and communicate scientifically accurate information. This manuscript should be intended as preliminary, exploratory communication, paving the way for further studies. PMID:27806115

Current experiments in germanium 0 ν β β search -- GERDA and MAJORANA

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

von Sturm, K.

2015-01-01

There are unanswered questions regarding neutrino physics that are of great interest for the scientific community. For example the absolute masses, the mass hierarchy and the nature of neutrinos are unknown up to now. The discovery of neutrinoless double beta decay (0νββ) would prove the existence of a Majorana mass, which would be linked to the half-life of the decay, and would in addition provide an elegant solution for the small mass of the neutrinos via the seesaw mechanism. Because of an existing discovery claim of 0νββ of 76Ge and the excellent energy resolution achievable, germanium is of special interest in the search for 0νββ . In this article the state of the art of germanium 0νββ search, namely the GERDA experiment and MAJORANA demonstrator, is presented. In particular, recent results of the GERDA collaboration, which strongly disfavour the above mentioned claim, are discussed.

Environmental Concerns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alma, Peter

1995-04-01

This series of A-level social biology topic books responds to the changing demands of social biology syllabuses, with each text dealing with a particular area of interest. Although the series is primarily intended for students of A-level social biology, the books will appeal to students studying a wide range of biological subjects at A-level. Environmental Concerns covers topics common to several A-level human and social biology syllabuses. It is particularly relevant to the human ecology and conservation options. The text focuses on the social and economic implications of current ecological issues as well as the basic biological concepts involved. It deals with the causes, effects and prevention of atmospheric and water pollution as well as with the disruption of ecosystems by changes in land use. The conflict of interests between conservation and exploitation is discussed, along with management techniques including the controversial method of culling to maintain diversity. The moral and aesthetic aspects of conservation and management are emphasised throughout, in addition to the scientific background of these techniques.

Research ethics I: Responsible conduct of research (RCR)--historical and contemporary issues pertaining to human and animal experimentation.

PubMed

Horner, Jennifer; Minifie, Fred D

2011-02-01

In this series of articles--Research Ethics I, Research Ethics II, and Research Ethics III--the authors provide a comprehensive review of the 9 core domains for the responsible conduct of research (RCR) as articulated by the Office of Research Integrity. In Research Ethics I, they present a historical overview of the evolution of RCR in the United States then examine the evolution of human and animal experimentation from the birth of scientific medicine through World War II to the present day. They relied on authoritative documents, both historical and contemporary, insightful commentary, and empirical research in order to identify current issues and controversies of potential interest to both faculty and students. The authors have written this article from a historical perspective because they think all readers interested in RCR should appreciate how the history of science and all the good--and harm--it has produced can inform how researchers practice responsible research in the 21st century and beyond.

Navigating translational ecology: Creating opportunities and overcoming obstacles for scientist participation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morelli, T. L.; Hallett, L. M.; Gerber, L. R.; Moritz, M.; Schwartz, M.; Stephenson, N.; Tank, J. L.; Williamson, M. A.; Woodhouse, C. A.

2016-12-01

As scientists seek to make their research more relevant and impactful, a growing number are interested in translational approaches that yield scientific and applied outcomes through iterative collaboration between scientists and practitioners. This is particularly true in the field of ecology, where many of its experts are interested in the resource management and conservation implications of their research. Unfortunately, the pathways to translational ecology are not always apparent. Here we will outline a set of principles to guide academic scientists in the process of translational ecology and provide concrete examples of novel outcomes. We will highlight structural aspects of collaborations, such as how to initiate and sustain projects in ways that meet the needs of all participants. We will also outline common pitfalls for scientists and practitioners, and ways in which translational research can help overcome them. Throughout we will use pressing environmental challenges to emphasize opportunities that exist within current institutional frameworks, while also highlighting ways in which institutions are changing to facilitate effective translational research.

The Devil's in the Deadlines

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Harland, Darci

2013-01-01

Research projects are worth doing. They raise student interest in science and offer experience in authentic scientific practices. Implementing independent research projects among students requires the teacher to be skilled not only in scientific research but also in project management. Teachers' duties include--but are not limited…

PTAL Database and Website: Developing a Novel Information System for the Scientific Exploitation of the Planetary Terrestrial Analogues Library

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veneranda, M.; Negro, J. I.; Medina, J.; Rull, F.; Lantz, C.; Poulet, F.; Cousin, A.; Dypvik, H.; Hellevang, H.; Werner, S. C.

2018-04-01

The PTAL website will store multispectral analysis of samples collected from several terrestrial analogue sites and pretend to become a cornerstone tool for the scientific community interested in deepening the knowledge on Mars geological processes.

Avi Purkayastha | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Austin, from 2001 to 2007. There he was principal in HPC applications and user support, as well as in research and development in large-scale scientific applications and different HPC systems and technologies Interests HPC applications performance and optimizations|HPC systems and accelerator technologies|Scientific

Ocean Science for Decision-Making: Current Activities of the National Research Council's Ocean Studies Board

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, S.; Glickson, D.; Mengelt, C.; Forrest, S.; Waddell, K.

2012-12-01

The National Research Council is a private, nonprofit organization chartered by Congress in 1916 as an expansion of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences. Its mission is to improve the use of science in government decision making and public policy, increase public understanding, and promote the acquisition and dissemination of knowledge in matters involving science, engineering, technology, and health. Within the National Research Council, the Ocean Studies Board (OSB) mission is to explore the science, policies, and infrastructure needed to understand, manage, and conserve coastal and marine environments and resources. OSB undertakes studies and workshops on emerging scientific and policy issues at the request of federal agencies, Congress, and others; provides program reviews and guidance; and facilitates communication on oceanographic issues among different sectors. OSB also serves as the U.S. National Committee to the international, nongovernmental Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR). OSB has produced reports on a wide range of topics of interest to researchers and educators, the federal government, the non-profit sector, and industry. Recent reports have focused on ecosystem services in the Gulf of Mexico after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, sea level rise on the U.S. west coast, scientific ocean drilling needs and accomplishments, requirements for sustained ocean color measurements, critical infrastructure for ocean research, tsunami warning and preparedness, ocean acidification, and marine and hydrokinetic power resource assessments. Studies that are currently underway include responding to oil spills in the Arctic, evaluating the effectiveness of fishery stock rebuilding plans, and reviewing the National Ocean Acidification Research Plan. OSB plays an important role in helping create policy decisions and disseminating important information regarding various aspects of ocean science.

The National Ocean Sciences Bowl: An Effective Model for Engaging High School Students in Ocean Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holloway, A. E.

2016-02-01

The National Ocean Sciences Bowl (NOSB) is an informal high school education program that engages students in ocean and environmental science and exposes them to the breadth of ocean-related careers. The NOSB strives to train the next generation of interdisciplinary capable scientists and build a STEM-literate society that harnesses the power of ocean and climate science to address environmental, economic, and societal issues. Through the NOSB, students not only learn scientific principles, but also apply them to compelling real-world problems. The NOSB provides a richer STEM education and exposes students to ocean science topics they may not otherwise study through classroom curriculum. A longitudinal study that began in 2007 has shown that NOSB participants have an enhanced interest in ocean-related hobbies and environmental stewardship and an increasing number of these students have remained in the STEM pipeline and workforce.While the NOSB is primarily an academic competition, it has evolved since its creation in 1998 to include a variety of practical and professional development components. One of the program enhancements, the Scientific Expert Briefing (SEB), gives students the opportunity to apply what they have studied and think critically about current and ongoing ocean science challenges. The SEB helps students connect their knowledge of ocean science with current and proposed policy initiatives. Students gain significant research, writing, and presentation skills, while enhancing their ability for collaboration and consensus building, all vital workforce skills. Ultimately, the SEB teaches students how to communicate complex scientific research into digestible information for decision-makers and the general public.This poster will examine the impact of the NOSB and its role in strengthening the workforce pipeline through a combination of independent learning, competition, and opportunities for communication skills development.

Pilot survey of NICU nurses' interest in the neonatal nurse practitioner role.

PubMed

Rasmussen, Lynn B; Vargo, Lyn E; Reavey, Daphne A; Hunter, Kim S

2005-02-01

This descriptive, qualitative pilot study explored the interest and perceptions of neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurses regarding the neonatal nurse practitioner (NNP) role. Motivating factors to become an NNP, challenges facing NNPs, and rewards of the NNP role from the perspectives of NICU nurses were explored. The convenience sample was obtained using 2 survey techniques. The first sample group included nurses who were employed in Level III NICUs located within 2 major Midwestern cities. In order to confirm the data and to expand the scope, the second sample group was recruited from NICU nurses who were attending a regional educational conference. All participants were currently employed NICU nurses and were therefore potential NNP students. Combining the participants of both enrollment techniques resulted in a potential of 696 subjects. A simple self-administered survey was used to collect data. Narrative data were qualitatively analyzed. Demographic data and categorical items were quantified. This study achieved a total 30% response rate (n = 209). Of the total participants, only 32% of Level III NICU nurses were interested in becoming an NNP. Analysis of the data revealed 6 major categories (themes) of reasons why nurses were not interested in the NNP role. The themes most often mentioned by the participants were (1) obligations to family and/or work (46%) and (2) too much responsibility in the NNP role (30%). The data also revealed several different rewards and challenges for those in the NNP role as well as factors that may motivate nurses to become an NNP. Given the current NNP shortage, an increase in the supply of NNPs for the workforce is imperative. Current enrollment in NNP academic programs does not appear to be meeting the demand. Exploring the factors that influence enrollment in NNP programs from the perspective of potential NNP students is the first step towards increasing the supply of NNPs. The majority of participants were not interested in becoming an NNP for a variety of reasons. Negative perceptions of the NNP role were identified. Solutions posed from these results may provide scientifically sound solutions to help ease the shortage of NNPs. The findings of this naturalistic inquiry may be used to develop an instrument to measure interest in the NNP role.

Twitter use at the 2016 Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health: analyzing #DIScience16.

PubMed

Allen, Caitlin G; Andersen, Brittany; Chambers, David A; Groshek, Jacob; Roberts, Megan C

2018-02-20

Poor dissemination of research findings may hamper the reach and impact of scientific discoveries. One key emerging platform for research dissemination is social media, including Twitter. While Twitter and other social media are increasingly being used to disseminate research content presented during scientific conferences, few studies have investigated the extent to which these tools are used throughout conferences and how they are being used. The aim for this study was to better understand the use of Twitter during the 2016 Annual Conference on the Science of Dissemination and Implementation in Health (D&I conference). We performed an analysis of Twitter use before, during, and after the 2016 D&I conference, which took place from December 14 to 15. All tweets (posted between December 1 and 31) that included the conference-specific hashtag (#DIScience16) were assessed. We identified 2639 tweets using the data analytics platform NUVI. We used NUVI software to generate statistics about reach, influence, mentions, and origin of the tweets. Individual tweet content was also assessed using DiscoverText and coded for disease category, implementation outcomes discussed, category of tweet, and conference track. A total of 2639 tweets were analyzed; 89.1% of the tweets were posted during the conference. A total of 389 unique users participated on Twitter, representing 31 states and 22 locations outside of the USA. Most (56.8%) tweets were re-tweets and were used for scientific promotion (50.6%). Key conference speakers and implementation outcomes (de-implementation, adaptation, and fidelity) were commonly discussed. Our findings reveal that Twitter was used as a platform during the D&I conference, both to facilitate conference discussion and to promote scientific ideas. This work contributes to the existing data analytics and implementation science literature in two major ways: (1) by advancing knowledge of how social media is used during annual academic conferences and (2) by providing a deeper understanding of themes and emerging areas of interest in the dissemination and implementation sciences. Knowing specific topics of interest can help planners and scientists better understand the landscape of current and future implementation research and encourage new research dissemination strategies.

Promoting the public's interest in meteor science and meteoritics in the framework of the Windows to Science project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Madiedo, J. M.

2012-09-01

Researchers working in Astronomical and Space Sciences can also play a very important role in education and outreach activities because of the interest of the public in these areas. Besides, direct interaction of the public with the researcher is desirable, as this gives the opportunity to get precise, detailed and interesting information from the main source of scientific data about projects that are currently being developed. With this aim, several initiatives have been developed in order to give access to the public to some of the research projects related to meteor and meteoritic science that are being developed at the University of Huelva, in Spain. These projects are related to the analysis of the flux of meteoroids impacting the Earth and the Moon, the determination of the parent bodies of these particles of interplanetary matter and the analysis of their chemical composition. When these particles survive their violent atmospheric entry and reach the ground they can be recovered as meteorites. Thus, these rocks are unique samples coming from different bodies that provide important keys related to the origin and evolution of the Solar System. One of these initiatives has been developed within the Windows to Science project.

Pilot climate data system: A state-of-the-art capability in scientific data management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, P. H.; Treinish, L. A.; Novak, L. V.

1983-01-01

The Pilot Climate Data System (PCDS) was developed by the Information Management Branch of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to manage a large collection of climate-related data of interest to the research community. The PCDS now provides uniform data catalogs, inventories, access methods, graphical displays and statistical calculations for selected NASA and non-NASA data sets. Data manipulation capabilities were developed to permit researchers to easily combine or compare data. The current capabilities of the PCDS include many tools for the statistical survey of climate data. A climate researcher can examine any data set of interest via flexible utilities to create a variety of two- and three-dimensional displays, including vector plots, scatter diagrams, histograms, contour plots, surface diagrams and pseudo-color images. The graphics and statistics subsystems employ an intermediate data storage format which is data-set independent. Outside of the graphics system there exist other utilities to select, filter, list, compress, and calculate time-averages and variances for any data of interest. The PCDS now fully supports approximately twenty different data sets and is being used on a trial basis by several different in-house research grounds.

The alcohol industry and public interest science.

PubMed

Stenius, Kerstin; Babor, Thomas F

2010-02-01

This report argues that the growing involvement of the alcohol industry in scientific research needs to be acknowledged and addressed. It suggests a set of principles to guide ethical decision-making in the future. We review relevant issues with regard to relationships between the alcohol industry and the international academic community, especially alcohol research scientists. The guiding principles proposed are modelled after expert committee statements, and describe the responsibilities of governmental agencies, the alcohol industry, journal editors and the academic community. These are followed by recommendations designed to inform individuals and institutions about current 'best practices' that are consistent with the principles. Growing evidence from the tobacco, pharmaceutical and medical fields suggests that financial interests of researchers may compromise their professional judgement and lead to research results that are biased in favour of commercial interests. It is recommended that the integrity of alcohol science is best served if all financial relationships with the alcoholic beverage industry are avoided. In cases where research funding, consulting, writing assignments and other activities are initiated, institutions, individuals and the alcoholic beverage industry itself are urged to follow appropriate guidelines that will increase the transparency and ethicality of such relationships.

Cervical Cancer Prevention

MedlinePlus

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Skin Cancer Prevention

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Lung Cancer Screening

MedlinePlus

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[The body--a sight worth seeing. Anatomy in controversy].

PubMed

Wetz, Franz Josef

2007-01-01

Astronomy and anatomy, for a long period at a standstill, mostly taught using old text books, gradually witnessed a reawakening. One began to trust one's own eyes, and the scientific view of the heavens and the dissected body satisfied both the needs of scientific enlightenment as well as people's curiosity and desire for sensation. In addition, the scientific view brought about an awareness of the individual's finiteness and his essential nothingness as well as an awe in the face of God's creation. In the 19th century, anatomy receded from public life, disappearing behind the closed doors of universities. From this perspective, only scientific, "expert" interest remained. Only in present times have the non-scientific views (mentioned above) been shown greater interest. It has become clear that anatomical exhibitions neither disturb the dead nor devalue their dignity, and these exhibitions have become popular worldwide. Not only do they satisfy peoples curiosity and desire for sensation, but also confront the individual with his existential vulnerability. Man's conception is now open to various interpretations, but seldom do historical, anatomical or pathological museums of medicine satisfy this human yearning to know, not to mention the pecuniary aspects of such institutions.

Poinsinet's Edition of the Naturalis historia (1771-1782) and the Revival of Pliny in the Sciences of the Enlightenment.

PubMed

Loveland, Jeff; Schmitt, Stéphane

2015-01-01

This paper analyses the revival of Pliny's Naturalis historia within the scientific culture of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, focusing on a French effort to produce an edition with annotations by scientists and scholars. Between the Renaissance and the early eighteenth century, the Naturalis historia had declined in scientific importance. Increasingly, it was relegated to the humanities, as we demonstrate with a review of editions. For a variety of reasons, however, scientific interest in the Naturalis historia grew in the second half of the eighteenth century. Epitomizing this interest was a plan for a scientifically annotated, Latin-French edition of the Naturalis historia. Initially coordinated by the French governmental minister Malesherbes in the 1750s, the edition was imperfectly realized by Poinsinet a few decades later. It was intended to rival two of the period's other distinguished multi-volume books of knowledge, Diderot and D'Alembert's Encyclopédie and Buffon's Histoire naturelle, to which we compare it. Besides narrating the scientific revival of the Historia naturalis during this period, we examine its causes and the factors contributing to its end in the first half of the nineteenth century.

Standard methods for sampling freshwater fishes: Opportunities for international collaboration

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bonar, Scott A.; Mercado-Silva, Norman; Hubert, Wayne A.; Beard, Douglas; Dave, Göran; Kubečka, Jan; Graeb, Brian D. S.; Lester, Nigel P.; Porath, Mark T.; Winfield, Ian J.

2017-01-01

With publication of Standard Methods for Sampling North American Freshwater Fishes in 2009, the American Fisheries Society (AFS) recommended standard procedures for North America. To explore interest in standardizing at intercontinental scales, a symposium attended by international specialists in freshwater fish sampling was convened at the 145th Annual AFS Meeting in Portland, Oregon, in August 2015. Participants represented all continents except Australia and Antarctica and were employed by state and federal agencies, universities, nongovernmental organizations, and consulting businesses. Currently, standardization is practiced mostly in North America and Europe. Participants described how standardization has been important for management of long-term data sets, promoting fundamental scientific understanding, and assessing efficacy of large spatial scale management strategies. Academics indicated that standardization has been useful in fisheries education because time previously used to teach how sampling methods are developed is now more devoted to diagnosis and treatment of problem fish communities. Researchers reported that standardization allowed increased sample size for method validation and calibration. Group consensus was to retain continental standards where they currently exist but to further explore international and intercontinental standardization, specifically identifying where synergies and bridges exist, and identify means to collaborate with scientists where standardization is limited but interest and need occur.

Tox-Database.net: a curated resource for data describing chemical triggered in vitro cardiac ion channels inhibition

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

Background Drugs safety issues are now recognized as being factors generating the most reasons for drug withdrawals at various levels of development and at the post-approval stage. Among them cardiotoxicity remains the main reason, despite the substantial effort put into in vitro and in vivo testing, with the main focus put on hERG channel inhibition as the hypothesized surrogate of drug proarrhythmic potency. The large interest in the IKr current has resulted in the development of predictive tools and informative databases describing a drug's susceptibility to interactions with the hERG channel, although there are no similar, publicly available sets of data describing other ionic currents driven by the human cardiomyocyte ionic channels, which are recognized as an overlooked drug safety target. Discussion The aim of this database development and publication was to provide a scientifically useful, easily usable and clearly verifiable set of information describing not only IKr (hERG), but also other human cardiomyocyte specific ionic channels inhibition data (IKs, INa, ICa). Summary The broad range of data (chemical space and in vitro settings) and the easy to use user interface makes tox-database.net a useful tool for interested scientists. Database URL http://tox-database.net. PMID:22947121

Linear Covariance Analysis For Proximity Operations Around Asteroid 2008 EV5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wright, Cinnamon A.; Bhatt, Sagar; Woffinden, David; Strube, Matthew; D'Souza, Chris

2015-01-01

The NASA initiative to collect an asteroid, the Asteroid Robotic Redirect Mission (ARRM), is currently investigating the option of retrieving a boulder from an asteroid, demonstrating planetary defense with an enhanced gravity tractor technique, and returning it to a lunar orbit. Techniques for accomplishing this are being investigated by the Satellite Servicing Capabilities Office (SSCO) at NASA GSFC in collaboration with JPL, NASA JSC, LaRC, and Draper Laboratory, Inc. Two critical phases of the mission are the descent to the boulder and the Enhanced Gravity Tractor demonstration. A linear covariance analysis is done for these phases to assess the feasibility of these concepts with the proposed design of the sensor and actuator suite of the Asteroid Redirect Vehicle (ARV). The sensor suite for this analysis includes a wide field of view camera, LiDAR, and an IMU. The proposed asteroid of interest is currently the C-type asteroid 2008 EV5, a carbonaceous chondrite that is of high interest to the scientific community. This paper presents an overview of the linear covariance analysis techniques and simulation tool, provides sensor and actuator models, and addresses the feasibility of descending to the surface of the asteroid within allocated requirements as well as the possibility of maintaining a halo orbit to demonstrate the Enhanced Gravity Tractor technique.

The California spotted owl: current state of knowledge

Treesearch

R.J. Gutiérrez; Patricia N. Manley; Peter A. Stine

2017-01-01

This conservation assessment represents a comprehensive review by scientists of the current scientific knowledge about the ecology, habitat use, population dynamics, and current threats to the viability of the California spotted owl (Strix occidentalis). It is based primarily on peer-reviewed published information with an emphasis on new scientific...

Tracking scientific interest in the dissociative disorders: a study of scientific publication output 1984-2003.

PubMed

Pope, Harrison G; Barry, Steven; Bodkin, Alexander; Hudson, James I

2006-01-01

We attempted to track scientific interest in dissociative amnesia and dissociative identity disorder by estimating the annual output of publications regarding these entities over the last 20 years. Using a standard medical index, PsycINFO, we counted the number of indexed publications involving dissociative amnesia and dissociative identity disorder listed for each year. We then compared these rates with those of well-established diagnoses such as anorexia nervosa, alcohol abuse, and schizophrenia. We also systematically reviewed all publications involving dissociative amnesia that appeared in 2003. Annual publications involving dissociative amnesia and dissociative identity disorder rose from low levels in the 1980's to a sharp peak in the mid 1990's, followed by an equally sharp decline to only about one quarter of their peak levels by 2002 and 2003. In contrast, all of the 25 comparison diagnoses in our survey showed constant or steadily rising publication rates; none showed the 'bubble' pattern of the dissociative disorders. Of the 34 papers involving dissociative amnesia identified by PsycINFO for 2003, 10 (32%) appeared skeptical of the validity of dissociative amnesia and/or recovered-memory therapy. Despite a detailed search using multiple medical indices and search terms, we could find only 13 explicit cases of individuals with dissociative amnesia worldwide in the 2003 literature. Dissociative amnesia and dissociative identity disorder have not generated consistent scientific interest over the years, but instead apparently enjoyed a brief period of fashion that now has waned. Overall, our observations suggest that these diagnostic entities presently do not command widespread scientific acceptance. Copyright 2006 S. Karger AG, Basel.

Risks of Lung Cancer Screening

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Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy

MedlinePlus

... Events Scientific Meetings & Lectures Conferences Advisory Board Meetings Social Media Events Cancer Currents Blog All Press Releases 2018 ... Events Scientific Meetings & Lectures Conferences Advisory Board Meetings Social Media Cancer Currents Blog About NCI NCI Overview History ...

Treatment Option Overview (Melanoma)

MedlinePlus

... Events Scientific Meetings & Lectures Conferences Advisory Board Meetings Social Media Events Cancer Currents Blog All Press Releases 2018 ... Events Scientific Meetings & Lectures Conferences Advisory Board Meetings Social Media Cancer Currents Blog About NCI NCI Overview History ...

Stages of Adult Hodgkin Lymphoma

MedlinePlus

... Events Scientific Meetings & Lectures Conferences Advisory Board Meetings Social Media Events Cancer Currents Blog All Press Releases 2018 ... Events Scientific Meetings & Lectures Conferences Advisory Board Meetings Social Media Cancer Currents Blog About NCI NCI Overview History ...

Hormone Therapy for Breast Cancer

MedlinePlus

... Events Scientific Meetings & Lectures Conferences Advisory Board Meetings Social Media Events Cancer Currents Blog All Press Releases 2018 ... Events Scientific Meetings & Lectures Conferences Advisory Board Meetings Social Media Cancer Currents Blog About NCI NCI Overview History ...

Stages of Childhood Craniopharyngioma

MedlinePlus

... Events Scientific Meetings & Lectures Conferences Advisory Board Meetings Social Media Events Cancer Currents Blog All Press Releases 2018 ... Events Scientific Meetings & Lectures Conferences Advisory Board Meetings Social Media Cancer Currents Blog About NCI NCI Overview History ...

Hyperthermia in Cancer Treatment

MedlinePlus

... Events Scientific Meetings & Lectures Conferences Advisory Board Meetings Social Media Events Cancer Currents Blog All Press Releases 2018 ... Events Scientific Meetings & Lectures Conferences Advisory Board Meetings Social Media Cancer Currents Blog About NCI NCI Overview History ...

Conflict Termination--Transitioning from Warrior to Constable: A Primer

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-04-15

historical or artistic interest; works of art, manuscripts, books, and other objects of artistic, historical, or archaeological interest; scientific ... collections and important collections of books or archives, or reproductions of the property defined above. Buildings used for cultural or religious

The lure of local SETI: Fifty years of field experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ailleris, Philippe

2011-01-01

With the commemoration in October 2007 of the Sputnik launch, space exploration celebrated its 50th anniversary. Despite impressive technological and scientific achievements the fascination for space has weakened during the last decades. One contributing factor has been the gradual disappearance of mankind's hope of discovering extraterrestrial life within its close neighbourhood. In striking contrast and since the middle of the 20th century, a non-negligible proportion of the population have already concluded that intelligent beings from other worlds do exist and visit Earth through space vehicles popularly called Unidentified Flying Objects (UFOs). In light of the continuous public interest for the UFO enigma symbolized by the recent widely diffused media announcements on the release of French and English governmental files; and considering the approach of broadening the strategies of the "Active SETI" approach and the existence of a rich multi-disciplinary UFO documentation of potential interest for SETI; this paper describes some past scientific attempts to demonstrate the physical reality of the phenomena and potentially the presence on Earth of probes of extraterrestrial origin. Details of the different instrumented field studies deployed by scientists and organizations during the period 1950-1990 in the USA, Canada and Europe are provided. In conclusion it will be argued that while continuing the current radio/optical SETI searches, there is the necessity to maintain sustaining attention to the topic of anomalous aerospace phenomena and to develop new rigorous research approaches.

Explore with Us

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Morales, Lester

2012-01-01

The fundamental goal of this vision is to advance U.S. scientific, security and economic interest through a robust space exploration program. Implement a sustained and affordable human and robotic program to explore the solar system and beyond. Extend human presence across the solar system, starting with a human return to the Moon by the year 2020, in preparation for human exploration of Mars and other destinations. Develop the innovative technologies, knowledge, and infrastructures both to explore and to support decisions about the destinations for human exploration. Promote international and commercial participation in exploration to further U.S. scientific, security, and economic interests.

Benjamin Franklin and medicine.

PubMed

Hirschmann, J V

2005-12-06

Benjamin Franklin, called Dr. Franklin after receiving an honorary degree in 1759 for his contributions to understanding electricity, was not formally trained as a physician. Nevertheless, he had numerous interests in medicine, including experimentation, shrewd observations about health and disease in himself and others, civic activities, and inventions of medical devices. These achievements show his capacity for detailed, perceptive insights; his fastidiousness in recording his observations; and his thoughtful analyses of scientific phenomena and human conduct. In medicine, perhaps uniquely in his life, his major interests intersected: scientific pursuits, civic activities, amused scrutiny of human behavior, and the desire to improve the lot of his fellow man.

Manufacturing doubt: journalists' roles and the construction of ignorance in a scientific controversy.

PubMed

Stocking, S Holly; Holstein, Lisa W

2009-01-01

In recent decades, corporate and special interests have developed a wide repertoire of methods to manufacture doubt about science that threatens their interests. In the case presented here, a trade association issued a rich assortment of rhetorical claims intended to sow public confusion about university studies that threatened to undermine its industry's activities. Journalists' use of these claims appeared to vary largely as a function of their perceptions of their journalistic roles and of their audiences, though their knowledge of science also appeared to play a role. Our findings offer insight into how and why reporters respond to rhetorical claims about scientific ignorance and uncertainty that actors use to discredit threatening science. In so doing, they contribute to growing scholarship on journalists' contributions to the social construction of ignorance in scientific controversies.

NASA Specialized Center of Research and Training (NSCORT) in Gravitational Biology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mclntire, Larry V.; Rudolph, Frederick B.

1996-01-01

The mission of our NSCORT is to investigate the effects of gravity and other environmental factors on biological function at the cellular and molecular level. The research efforts, training opportunities, and scientific exchange will promote the expansion of a scientific peer group well-educated in space-related biological issues. This will stimulate the interest of the larger scientific community and insure the continuing development of rigorous flight investigations in Gravitational Biology.

Where No Man Has Gone Before: A History of Apollo Lunar Exploration Missions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Compton, William David

1988-01-01

This book is a narrative account of the development of the science program for the Apollo lunar landing missions. It focuses on the interaction between scientific interests and operational considerations in such matters as landing site selection and training of crews, quarantine and back contamination control, and presentation of results from scientific investigations. Scientific exploration of the moon on later flights, Apollo 12 through Apollo 17 is emphasized.

The NASA Scientific and Technical Information System: Its scope and coverage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1978-01-01

Subjects of scientific and technical documents considered for inclusion in NASA's information bank are broadly summarized under the various categories used in Scientific and Technical Aerospace Reports and International Aerospace Abstracts. A general definition of each category is followed by a list of the aspects of each subject which are of exhaustive, selective, or negative interest because of their relevance to aerospace science and technology and to other NASA projects.

Impact and Potential of Decision Research on Decision Aiding

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-12-01

series was generated by the APA Committee on Research Support (CORS). a committee reporting to APA’s major scientific policy-making body, the Board of... Scientific Affairs. CORS initiated the series to provide a forum for the discussion of behavioral research issues related to the defense mission...are interested mainly in the scientific or theoretical aspects of their work, and are usually not in the best position to understand its potential

76 FR 54462 - Notification of a Public Teleconference; Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee; Air Monitoring...

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-09-01

... Scientific Advisory Committee; Air Monitoring and Methods Subcommittee AGENCY: Environmental Protection... Advisory Board (SAB) Staff Office announces a public teleconference of the Air Monitoring and Methods..., including definitions, basis of interest, and measurement methods. OAR requested CASAC advice on how to...

Exploration of options for publishing databases and supplemental material in society journals

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

As scientific information becomes increasingly more abundant, there is increasing interest among members of our societies to share databases. These databases have great value, for example, in providing long-term perspectives of various scientific problems and for use by modelers to extend the inform...

Creativity, Scientific Practice, and Knowledge Production

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Fryer, Marilyn

2010-01-01

In this interesting article, Hisham Ghassib (2010) describes the transformation of science from its craft status in a pre-modern era to the major knowledge industry it is today. He then compares the production of scientific knowledge with industrial production, but makes the important distinction between the process of developing scientific…

Avengers Assemble! Using Pop-Culture Icons to Communicate Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zehr, E. Paul

2014-01-01

Engaging communication of complex scientific concepts with the general public requires more than simplification. Compelling, relevant, and timely points of linkage between scientific concepts and the experiences and interests of the general public are needed. Pop-culture icons such as superheroes can represent excellent opportunities for exploring…

The Public Good vs. Commercial Interest: Research Scientists in Search of an Accommodation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wong, Rose H. C.; Westwood, Robert

2010-01-01

The environment for scientific research in public organisations is undergoing radical change, particularly with commercialisation pressures and blurring of the distinction between public and private research. The commercialisation pressures are reflected in government policy frameworks and institutional contexts for scientific work which are…