A New System To Support Knowledge Discovery: Telemakus.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Revere, Debra; Fuller, Sherrilynne S.; Bugni, Paul F.; Martin, George M.

2003-01-01

The Telemakus System builds on the areas of concept representation, schema theory, and information visualization to enhance knowledge discovery from scientific literature. This article describes the underlying theories and an overview of a working implementation designed to enhance the knowledge discovery process through retrieval, visual and…

Introductory Biology Textbooks Under-Represent Scientific Process

PubMed Central

Duncan, Dara B.; Lubman, Alexandra; Hoskins, Sally G.

2011-01-01

Attrition of undergraduates from Biology majors is a long-standing problem. Introductory courses that fail to engage students or spark their curiosity by emphasizing the open-ended and creative nature of biological investigation and discovery could contribute to student detachment from the field. Our hypothesis was that introductory biology books devote relatively few figures to illustration of the design and interpretation of experiments or field studies, thereby de-emphasizing the scientific process. To investigate this possibility, we examined figures in six Introductory Biology textbooks published in 2008. On average, multistep scientific investigations were presented in fewer than 5% of the hundreds of figures in each book. Devoting such a small percentage of figures to the processes by which discoveries are made discourages an emphasis on scientific thinking. We suggest that by increasing significantly the illustration of scientific investigations, textbooks could support undergraduates’ early interest in biology, stimulate the development of design and analytical skills, and inspire some students to participate in investigations of their own. PMID:23653758

Concept Formation in Scientific Knowledge Discovery from a Constructivist View

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Wei; Gero, John S.

The central goal of scientific knowledge discovery is to learn cause-effect relationships among natural phenomena presented as variables and the consequences their interactions. Scientific knowledge is normally expressed as scientific taxonomies and qualitative and quantitative laws [1]. This type of knowledge represents intrinsic regularities of the observed phenomena that can be used to explain and predict behaviors of the phenomena. It is a generalization that is abstracted and externalized from a set of contexts and applicable to a broader scope. Scientific knowledge is a type of third-person knowledge, i.e., knowledge that independent of a specific enquirer. Artificial intelligence approaches, particularly data mining algorithms that are used to identify meaningful patterns from large data sets, are approaches that aim to facilitate the knowledge discovery process [2]. A broad spectrum of algorithms has been developed in addressing classification, associative learning, and clustering problems. However, their linkages to people who use them have not been adequately explored. Issues in relation to supporting the interpretation of the patterns, the application of prior knowledge to the data mining process and addressing user interactions remain challenges for building knowledge discovery tools [3]. As a consequence, scientists rely on their experience to formulate problems, evaluate hypotheses, reason about untraceable factors and derive new problems. This type of knowledge which they have developed during their career is called “first-person” knowledge. The formation of scientific knowledge (third-person knowledge) is highly influenced by the enquirer’s first-person knowledge construct, which is a result of his or her interactions with the environment. There have been attempts to craft automatic knowledge discovery tools but these systems are limited in their capabilities to handle the dynamics of personal experience. There are now trends in developing approaches to assist scientists applying their expertise to model formation, simulation, and prediction in various domains [4], [5]. On the other hand, first-person knowledge becomes third-person theory only if it proves general by evidence and is acknowledged by a scientific community. Researchers start to focus on building interactive cooperation platforms [1] to accommodate different views into the knowledge discovery process. There are some fundamental questions in relation to scientific knowledge development. What aremajor components for knowledge construction and how do people construct their knowledge? How is this personal construct assimilated and accommodated into a scientific paradigm? How can one design a computational system to facilitate these processes? This chapter does not attempt to answer all these questions but serves as a basis to foster thinking along this line. A brief literature review about how people develop their knowledge is carried out through a constructivist view. A hydrological modeling scenario is presented to elucidate the approach.

Concept Formation in Scientific Knowledge Discovery from a Constructivist View

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peng, Wei; Gero, John S.

The central goal of scientific knowledge discovery is to learn cause-effect relationships among natural phenomena presented as variables and the consequences their interactions. Scientific knowledge is normally expressed as scientific taxonomies and qualitative and quantitative laws [1]. This type of knowledge represents intrinsic regularities of the observed phenomena that can be used to explain and predict behaviors of the phenomena. It is a generalization that is abstracted and externalized from a set of contexts and applicable to a broader scope. Scientific knowledge is a type of third-person knowledge, i.e., knowledge that independent of a specific enquirer. Artificial intelligence approaches, particularly data mining algorithms that are used to identify meaningful patterns from large data sets, are approaches that aim to facilitate the knowledge discovery process [2]. A broad spectrum of algorithms has been developed in addressing classification, associative learning, and clustering problems. However, their linkages to people who use them have not been adequately explored. Issues in relation to supporting the interpretation of the patterns, the application of prior knowledge to the data mining process and addressing user interactions remain challenges for building knowledge discovery tools [3]. As a consequence, scientists rely on their experience to formulate problems, evaluate hypotheses, reason about untraceable factors and derive new problems. This type of knowledge which they have developed during their career is called "first-person" knowledge. The formation of scientific knowledge (third-person knowledge) is highly influenced by the enquirer's first-person knowledge construct, which is a result of his or her interactions with the environment. There have been attempts to craft automatic knowledge discovery tools but these systems are limited in their capabilities to handle the dynamics of personal experience. There are now trends in developing approaches to assist scientists applying their expertise to model formation, simulation, and prediction in various domains [4], [5]. On the other hand, first-person knowledge becomes third-person theory only if it proves general by evidence and is acknowledged by a scientific community. Researchers start to focus on building interactive cooperation platforms [1] to accommodate different views into the knowledge discovery process. There are some fundamental questions in relation to scientific knowledge development. What aremajor components for knowledge construction and how do people construct their knowledge? How is this personal construct assimilated and accommodated into a scientific paradigm? How can one design a computational system to facilitate these processes? This chapter does not attempt to answer all these questions but serves as a basis to foster thinking along this line. A brief literature review about how people develop their knowledge is carried out through a constructivist view. A hydrological modeling scenario is presented to elucidate the approach.

T. rex, the Crater of Doom, and the Nature of Scientific Discovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lawson, Antone

Working from the 1970s to the early 1990s, Walter Alvarez and his research team sought the cause of the mass extinction that claimed the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. The present paper discusses that research in terms of eight puzzling observations, eight episodes of hypothetico-predictive reasoning, enumerative induction, and Jung's interrogative theory of scientific discovery. The Alvarez case history paints scientific discovery as a process in which causal questions are raised and answered through the creative use of analogical reasoning followed by an equally creative process of hypothesis testing in which predicted and observed results are compared. According to this account, puzzling observations, causal hypotheses, and imagined tests drive investigations and the search for evidence. Two implications follow. The first concerns the education of new scientists and science education researchers and the need to more clearly differentiate hypotheses from predictions in the research process. The second concerns standard science classroom instruction that should more frequently engage students in open inquiries that raise causal questions and encourage the generation of alternative causal hypotheses, which can then be explicitly tested in a hypothetico-predictive fashion.

Laboratory Replication of Scientific Discovery Processes

DTIC Science & Technology

1989-04-30

age, was explicit about his philosophical assumptions. We have studied his views with care, especially the Epitome of Copernican Astronomy (1618-21...diameters by Copernicus .) It is sometimes argued that the real problem of scientific discovery is not to find laws in data but to define the problem and...from Brahe and Copernicus , His merit was that he converted the data to a form that revealed the geometry of the heavens and laid the foundation for

The Relation of Learners' Motivation with the Process of Collaborative Scientific Discovery Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Saab, Nadira; van Joolingen, Wouter R.; van Hout-Wolters, B. H. A. M.

2009-01-01

In this study, we investigated the influence of individual learners' motivation on the collaborative discovery learning process. In this we distinguished the motivation of the individual learners and had eye for the composition of groups, which could be homogeneous or heterogeneous in terms of motivation. The study involved 73 dyads of 10th-grade…

Towards Robot Scientists for autonomous scientific discovery

PubMed Central

2010-01-01

We review the main components of autonomous scientific discovery, and how they lead to the concept of a Robot Scientist. This is a system which uses techniques from artificial intelligence to automate all aspects of the scientific discovery process: it generates hypotheses from a computer model of the domain, designs experiments to test these hypotheses, runs the physical experiments using robotic systems, analyses and interprets the resulting data, and repeats the cycle. We describe our two prototype Robot Scientists: Adam and Eve. Adam has recently proven the potential of such systems by identifying twelve genes responsible for catalysing specific reactions in the metabolic pathways of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This work has been formally recorded in great detail using logic. We argue that the reporting of science needs to become fully formalised and that Robot Scientists can help achieve this. This will make scientific information more reproducible and reusable, and promote the integration of computers in scientific reasoning. We believe the greater automation of both the physical and intellectual aspects of scientific investigations to be essential to the future of science. Greater automation improves the accuracy and reliability of experiments, increases the pace of discovery and, in common with conventional laboratory automation, removes tedious and repetitive tasks from the human scientist. PMID:20119518

Towards Robot Scientists for autonomous scientific discovery.

PubMed

Sparkes, Andrew; Aubrey, Wayne; Byrne, Emma; Clare, Amanda; Khan, Muhammed N; Liakata, Maria; Markham, Magdalena; Rowland, Jem; Soldatova, Larisa N; Whelan, Kenneth E; Young, Michael; King, Ross D

2010-01-04

We review the main components of autonomous scientific discovery, and how they lead to the concept of a Robot Scientist. This is a system which uses techniques from artificial intelligence to automate all aspects of the scientific discovery process: it generates hypotheses from a computer model of the domain, designs experiments to test these hypotheses, runs the physical experiments using robotic systems, analyses and interprets the resulting data, and repeats the cycle. We describe our two prototype Robot Scientists: Adam and Eve. Adam has recently proven the potential of such systems by identifying twelve genes responsible for catalysing specific reactions in the metabolic pathways of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This work has been formally recorded in great detail using logic. We argue that the reporting of science needs to become fully formalised and that Robot Scientists can help achieve this. This will make scientific information more reproducible and reusable, and promote the integration of computers in scientific reasoning. We believe the greater automation of both the physical and intellectual aspects of scientific investigations to be essential to the future of science. Greater automation improves the accuracy and reliability of experiments, increases the pace of discovery and, in common with conventional laboratory automation, removes tedious and repetitive tasks from the human scientist.

The Search for an Effective Clinical Behavior Analysis: The Nonlinear Thinking of Israel Goldiamond

PubMed Central

Layng, T.V Joe

2009-01-01

This paper has two purposes; the first is to reintroduce Goldiamond's constructional approach to clinical behavior analysis and to the field of behavior analysis as a whole, which, unfortunately, remains largely unaware of his nonlinear functional analysis and its implications. The approach is not simply a set of clinical techniques; instead it describes how basic, applied, and formal analyses may intersect to provide behavior-analytic solutions where the emphasis is on consequential selection. The paper takes the reader through a cumulative series of explorations, discoveries, and insights that hopefully brings the reader into contact with the power and comprehensiveness of Goldiamond's approach, and leads to an investigation of the original works cited. The second purpose is to provide the context of a life of scientific discovery that attempts to elucidate the variables and events that informed one of the most extraordinary scientific journeys in the history of behavior analysis, and expose the reader (especially young ones) to the exciting process of discovery followed by one of the field's most brilliant thinkers. One may perhaps consider this article a tribute to Goldiamond and his work, but the tribute is really to the process of scientific discovery over a professional lifetime. PMID:22478519

Big, Deep, and Smart Data in Scanning Probe Microscopy.

PubMed

Kalinin, Sergei V; Strelcov, Evgheni; Belianinov, Alex; Somnath, Suhas; Vasudevan, Rama K; Lingerfelt, Eric J; Archibald, Richard K; Chen, Chaomei; Proksch, Roger; Laanait, Nouamane; Jesse, Stephen

2016-09-27

Scanning probe microscopy (SPM) techniques have opened the door to nanoscience and nanotechnology by enabling imaging and manipulation of the structure and functionality of matter at nanometer and atomic scales. Here, we analyze the scientific discovery process in SPM by following the information flow from the tip-surface junction, to knowledge adoption by the wider scientific community. We further discuss the challenges and opportunities offered by merging SPM with advanced data mining, visual analytics, and knowledge discovery technologies.

A knowledgebase system to enhance scientific discovery: Telemakus

PubMed Central

Fuller, Sherrilynne S; Revere, Debra; Bugni, Paul F; Martin, George M

2004-01-01

Background With the rapid expansion of scientific research, the ability to effectively find or integrate new domain knowledge in the sciences is proving increasingly difficult. Efforts to improve and speed up scientific discovery are being explored on a number of fronts. However, much of this work is based on traditional search and retrieval approaches and the bibliographic citation presentation format remains unchanged. Methods Case study. Results The Telemakus KnowledgeBase System provides flexible new tools for creating knowledgebases to facilitate retrieval and review of scientific research reports. In formalizing the representation of the research methods and results of scientific reports, Telemakus offers a potential strategy to enhance the scientific discovery process. While other research has demonstrated that aggregating and analyzing research findings across domains augments knowledge discovery, the Telemakus system is unique in combining document surrogates with interactive concept maps of linked relationships across groups of research reports. Conclusion Based on how scientists conduct research and read the literature, the Telemakus KnowledgeBase System brings together three innovations in analyzing, displaying and summarizing research reports across a domain: (1) research report schema, a document surrogate of extracted research methods and findings presented in a consistent and structured schema format which mimics the research process itself and provides a high-level surrogate to facilitate searching and rapid review of retrieved documents; (2) research findings, used to index the documents, allowing searchers to request, for example, research studies which have studied the relationship between neoplasms and vitamin E; and (3) visual exploration interface of linked relationships for interactive querying of research findings across the knowledgebase and graphical displays of what is known as well as, through gaps in the map, what is yet to be tested. The rationale and system architecture are described and plans for the future are discussed. PMID:15507158

Effects of Students' Prior Knowledge on Scientific Reasoning in Density.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yang, Il-Ho; Kwon, Yong-Ju; Kim, Young-Shin; Jang, Myoung-Duk; Jeong, Jin-Woo; Park, Kuk-Tae

2002-01-01

Investigates the effects of students' prior knowledge on the scientific reasoning processes of performing the task of controlling variables with computer simulation and identifies a number of problems that students encounter in scientific discovery. Involves (n=27) 5th grade students and (n=33) 7th grade students. Indicates that students' prior…

Evolution and Religion: Adaptation in Process?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Binder, Michael; Crowther, Christopher

2014-01-01

There have been many revolutions in the past 500 years but none quite so sustained and "society changing" as the march of secularisation and the move from a theocentric perspective to a scientific world view. The age of scientific discovery has led to the scientific method--put simply, evidence that can be sustained by rigorous…

Translational experimental therapeutics: The translation of laboratory-based discovery into disease-related therapy.

PubMed

Kieburtz, Karl; Olanow, C Warren

2007-04-01

In the past decade, there has been an increasing emphasis on laboratory-based translational research. This has led to significant scientific advances in our understanding of disease mechanisms and in the development of novel approaches to therapy such as gene therapy, RNA interference, and stem cells. However, the translation of these remarkable scientific achievements into new and effective disease-modifying therapies has lagged behind these scientific accomplishments. We use the term "translational experimental therapeutics" to describe the pathway between the discovery of a basic disease mechanism or novel therapeutic approach and its translation into an effective treatment for patients with a specific disease. In this article, we review the components of this pathway, and discuss issues that might impede this process. Only by optimizing this pathway can we realize the full therapeutic potential of current scientific discoveries and translate the astounding advances that have been accomplished in the laboratory into effective treatments for our patients. Copyright (c) 2007 Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

Text-based discovery in biomedicine: the architecture of the DAD-system.

PubMed

Weeber, M; Klein, H; Aronson, A R; Mork, J G; de Jong-van den Berg, L T; Vos, R

2000-01-01

Current scientific research takes place in highly specialized contexts with poor communication between disciplines as a likely consequence. Knowledge from one discipline may be useful for the other without researchers knowing it. As scientific publications are a condensation of this knowledge, literature-based discovery tools may help the individual scientist to explore new useful domains. We report on the development of the DAD-system, a concept-based Natural Language Processing system for PubMed citations that provides the biomedical researcher such a tool. We describe the general architecture and illustrate its operation by a simulation of a well-known text-based discovery: The favorable effects of fish oil on patients suffering from Raynaud's disease [1].

How music training enhances working memory: a cerebrocerebellar blending mechanism that can lead equally to scientific discovery and therapeutic efficacy in neurological disorders.

PubMed

Vandervert, Larry

2015-01-01

Following in the vein of studies that concluded that music training resulted in plastic changes in Einstein's cerebral cortex, controlled research has shown that music training (1) enhances central executive attentional processes in working memory, and (2) has also been shown to be of significant therapeutic value in neurological disorders. Within this framework of music training-induced enhancement of central executive attentional processes, the purpose of this article is to argue that: (1) The foundational basis of the central executive begins in infancy as attentional control during the establishment of working memory, (2) In accordance with Akshoomoff, Courchesne and Townsend's and Leggio and Molinari's cerebellar sequence detection and prediction models, the rigors of volitional control demands of music training can enhance voluntary manipulation of information in thought and movement, (3) The music training-enhanced blending of cerebellar internal models in working memory as can be experienced as intuition in scientific discovery (as Einstein often indicated) or, equally, as moments of therapeutic advancement toward goals in the development of voluntary control in neurological disorders, and (4) The blending of internal models as in (3) thus provides a mechanism by which music training enhances central executive processes in working memory that can lead to scientific discovery and improved therapeutic outcomes in neurological disorders. Within the framework of Leggio and Molinari's cerebellar sequence detection model, it is determined that intuitive steps forward that occur in both scientific discovery and during therapy in those with neurological disorders operate according to the same mechanism of adaptive error-driven blending of cerebellar internal models. It is concluded that the entire framework of the central executive structure of working memory is a product of the cerebrocerebellar system which can, through the learning of internal models, incorporate the multi-dimensional rigor and volitional-control demands of music training and, thereby, enhance voluntary control. It is further concluded that this cerebrocerebellar view of the music training-induced enhancement of central executive control in working memory provides a needed mechanism to explain both the highest level of scientific discovery and the efficacy of music training in the remediation of neurological impairments.

The AIDS and Cancer Specimen Resource: Role in HIV/AIDS scientific discovery

PubMed Central

Ayers, Leona W; Silver, Sylvia; McGrath, Michael S; Orenstein, Jan M

2007-01-01

The AIDS Cancer and Specimen Resource (ACSR) supports scientific discovery in the area of HIV/AIDS-associated malignancies. The ACSR was established as a cooperative agreement between the NCI (Office of the Director, Division of Cancer Treatment and Diagnosis) and regional consortia, University of California, San Francisco (West Coast), George Washington University (East Coast) and Ohio State University (Mid-Region) to collect, preserve and disperse HIV-related tissues and biologic fluids and controls along with clinical data to qualified investigators. The available biological samples with clinical data and the application process are described on the ACSR web site. The ACSR tissue bank has more than 100,000 human HIV positive specimens that represent different processing (43), specimen (15), and anatomical site (50) types. The ACSR provides special biospecimen collections and prepares speciality items, e.g., tissue microarrays (TMA), DNA libraries. Requests have been greatest for Kaposi's sarcoma (32%) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (26%). Dispersed requests include 83% tissue (frozen and paraffin embedded), 18% plasma/serum and 9% other. ACSR also provides tissue microarrays of, e.g., Kaposi's sarcoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, for biomarker assays and has developed collaborations with other groups that provide access to additional AIDS-related malignancy specimens. ACSR members and associates have completed 63 podium and poster presentations. Investigators have submitted 125 letters of intent requests. Discoveries using ACSR have been reported in 61 scientific publications in notable journals with an average impact factor of 7. The ACSR promotes the scientific exploration of the relationship between HIV/AIDS and malignancy by participation at national and international scientific meetings, contact with investigators who have productive research in this area and identifying, collecting, preserving, enhancing, and dispersing HIV/AIDS-related malignancy specimens to funded, approved researchers at no fee. Scientific discovery has been advanced by this unique biorepository. Investigators are encouraged to browse the ACSR Internet site for materials to enhance their own scientific initiatives. PMID:17335575

Early patterns of commercial activity in graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shapira, Philip; Youtie, Jan; Arora, Sanjay

2012-03-01

Graphene, a novel nanomaterial consisting of a single layer of carbon atoms, has attracted significant attention due to its distinctive properties, including great strength, electrical and thermal conductivity, lightness, and potential benefits for diverse applications. The commercialization of scientific discoveries such as graphene is inherently uncertain, with the lag time between the scientific development of a new technology and its adoption by corporate actors revealing the extent to which firms are able to absorb knowledge and engage in learning to implement applications based on the new technology. From this perspective, we test for the existence of three different corporate learning and activity patterns: (1) a linear process where patenting follows scientific discovery; (2) a double-boom phenomenon where corporate (patenting) activity is first concentrated in technological improvements and then followed by a period of technology productization; and (3) a concurrent model where scientific discovery in publications occurs in parallel with patenting. By analyzing corporate publication and patent activity across country and application lines, we find that, while graphene as a whole is experiencing concurrent scientific development and patenting growth, country- and application-specific trends offer some evidence of the linear and double-boom models.

36 CFR 290.3 - Nomination, evaluation, and designation of significant caves.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... governmental agencies and the public, including those who utilize caves for scientific, educational, or... is located as new cave discoveries are made. Caves nominated but not approved for designation may be... mineralogic features that are fragile, represent formation processes that are of scientific interest, or that...

36 CFR 290.3 - Nomination, evaluation, and designation of significant caves.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... governmental agencies and the public, including those who utilize caves for scientific, educational, or... is located as new cave discoveries are made. Caves nominated but not approved for designation may be... mineralogic features that are fragile, represent formation processes that are of scientific interest, or that...

36 CFR 290.3 - Nomination, evaluation, and designation of significant caves.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... governmental agencies and the public, including those who utilize caves for scientific, educational, or... is located as new cave discoveries are made. Caves nominated but not approved for designation may be... mineralogic features that are fragile, represent formation processes that are of scientific interest, or that...

36 CFR 290.3 - Nomination, evaluation, and designation of significant caves.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... governmental agencies and the public, including those who utilize caves for scientific, educational, or... is located as new cave discoveries are made. Caves nominated but not approved for designation may be... mineralogic features that are fragile, represent formation processes that are of scientific interest, or that...

Teaching through Trade Books: Recording Scientific Explorations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Royce, Christine Anne

2016-01-01

Keeping a log of scientific investigations, discoveries, and notes is a process that scientists have used throughout history. Elementary-age children engage in similar types of documentation when they perform investigations and sketch, label, or provide details about their work and findings. This column includes activities inspired by children's…

The equivalence of learning paths in early science instruction: effect of direct instruction and discovery learning.

PubMed

Klahr, David; Nigam, Milena

2004-10-01

In a study with 112 third- and fourth-grade children, we measured the relative effectiveness of discovery learning and direct instruction at two points in the learning process: (a) during the initial acquisition of the basic cognitive objective (a procedure for designing and interpreting simple, unconfounded experiments) and (b) during the subsequent transfer and application of this basic skill to more diffuse and authentic reasoning associated with the evaluation of science-fair posters. We found not only that many more children learned from direct instruction than from discovery learning, but also that when asked to make broader, richer scientific judgments, the many children who learned about experimental design from direct instruction performed as well as those few children who discovered the method on their own. These results challenge predictions derived from the presumed superiority of discovery approaches in teaching young children basic procedures for early scientific investigations.

Data Mining Citizen Science Results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borne, K. D.

2012-12-01

Scientific discovery from big data is enabled through multiple channels, including data mining (through the application of machine learning algorithms) and human computation (commonly implemented through citizen science tasks). We will describe the results of new data mining experiments on the results from citizen science activities. Discovering patterns, trends, and anomalies in data are among the powerful contributions of citizen science. Establishing scientific algorithms that can subsequently re-discover the same types of patterns, trends, and anomalies in automatic data processing pipelines will ultimately result from the transformation of those human algorithms into computer algorithms, which can then be applied to much larger data collections. Scientific discovery from big data is thus greatly amplified through the marriage of data mining with citizen science.

Optical methods in nano-biotechnology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bruno, Luigi; Gentile, Francesco

2016-01-01

A scientific theory is not a mathematical paradigm. It is a framework that explains natural facts and may predict future observations. A scientific theory may be modified, improved, or rejected. Science is less a collection of theories and more the process that brings either to deny some hypothesis, maintain or accept somehow universal beliefs (or disbeliefs), and create new models that may improve or replace precedent theories. This process cannot be entrusted to common sense, personal experiences or anecdotes (many precepts in physics are indeed counterintuitive), but on a rigorous design, observation and rational to statistical analysis of new experiments. Scientific results are always provisional: scientists rarely proclaim an absolute truth or absolute certainty. Uncertainty is inevitable at the frontiers of knowledge. Notably, this is the definition of the scientific method and what we have written in the above echoes the opinion Marcia McNutt who is the Editor of Science 'Science is a method for deciding whether what we choose to believe has a basis in the laws of nature or not'. A new discovery, a new theory that explains that discovery and the scientific method itself need observations, verifications and are susceptible of falsification.

Statistical characteristics of breakthrough discoveries in science using the metaphor of black and white swans

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Carl J.; Qi, Eric P.; Li, Simon S.; Stanley, H. Eugene; Ye, Fred Y.

2017-12-01

A publication that reports a breakthrough discovery in a particular scientific field is referred to as a ;black swan;, and the most highly-cited papers previously published in the same field ;white swans;. Important scientific progress occurs when ;white swans; meet a ;black swan;, and the citation patterns of the ;white swans; change. This metaphor combines scientific discoveries and scientometric data and suggests that breakthrough scientific discoveries are either ;black swans; or ;grey-black swans;.

Lakota Undergraduates as Partners in Aging Research in American Indian Communities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Anagnopoulos, Cheryl

2006-01-01

Studies have established the beneficial role of engaging students in research at both the graduate and undergraduate level. Authentic research experiences serve as a tool for instruction where students are actively involved in the process of discovery, the scientific method, and advancing existing fields with scientific data. Further, students…

Chance in Science: The Discovery of Electromagnetism by H. C. Oersted

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kipnis, Nahum

2005-01-01

Ignoring the role of chance in science distorts the nature of the scientific process. Teachers can address this issue by means of several in-depth historical case studies, such as the discovery of electromagnetism by Oersted. Oersted was led to his lecture experiment by logic (two new hypotheses), but its success from the first trial was largely…

AutoDrug: fully automated macromolecular crystallography workflows for fragment-based drug discovery

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

Tsai, Yingssu; Stanford University, 333 Campus Drive, Mudd Building, Stanford, CA 94305-5080; McPhillips, Scott E.

New software has been developed for automating the experimental and data-processing stages of fragment-based drug discovery at a macromolecular crystallography beamline. A new workflow-automation framework orchestrates beamline-control and data-analysis software while organizing results from multiple samples. AutoDrug is software based upon the scientific workflow paradigm that integrates the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource macromolecular crystallography beamlines and third-party processing software to automate the crystallography steps of the fragment-based drug-discovery process. AutoDrug screens a cassette of fragment-soaked crystals, selects crystals for data collection based on screening results and user-specified criteria and determines optimal data-collection strategies. It then collects and processes diffraction data,more » performs molecular replacement using provided models and detects electron density that is likely to arise from bound fragments. All processes are fully automated, i.e. are performed without user interaction or supervision. Samples can be screened in groups corresponding to particular proteins, crystal forms and/or soaking conditions. A single AutoDrug run is only limited by the capacity of the sample-storage dewar at the beamline: currently 288 samples. AutoDrug was developed in conjunction with RestFlow, a new scientific workflow-automation framework. RestFlow simplifies the design of AutoDrug by managing the flow of data and the organization of results and by orchestrating the execution of computational pipeline steps. It also simplifies the execution and interaction of third-party programs and the beamline-control system. Modeling AutoDrug as a scientific workflow enables multiple variants that meet the requirements of different user groups to be developed and supported. A workflow tailored to mimic the crystallography stages comprising the drug-discovery pipeline of CoCrystal Discovery Inc. has been deployed and successfully demonstrated. This workflow was run once on the same 96 samples that the group had examined manually and the workflow cycled successfully through all of the samples, collected data from the same samples that were selected manually and located the same peaks of unmodeled density in the resulting difference Fourier maps.« less

Discovery stories in the science classroom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arya, Diana Jaleh

School science has been criticized for its lack of emphasis on the tentative, dynamic nature of science as a process of learning more about our world. This criticism is the guiding force for this present body of work, which focuses on the question: what are the educational benefits for middle school students of reading texts that highlight the process of science in the form of a discovery narrative? This dissertation traces my journey through a review of theoretical perspectives of narrative, an analysis of first-hand accounts of scientific discovery, the complex process of developing age-appropriate, cohesive and engaging science texts for middle school students, and a comparison study (N=209) that seeks to determine the unique benefits of the scientific discovery narrative for the interest in and retained understanding of conceptual information presented in middle school science texts. A total of 209 middle school participants in nine different classrooms from two different schools participated in the experimental study. Each subject read two science texts that differed in topic (the qualities of and uses for radioactive elements and the use of telescopic technology to see planets in space) and genre (the discovery narrative and the "conceptually known exposition" comparison text). The differences between the SDN and CKE versions for each topic were equivalent in all possible ways (initial introduction, overall conceptual accuracy, elements of human interest, coherence and readability level), save for the unique components of the discovery narrative (i.e., love for their work, acknowledgement of the known, identification of the unknown and the explorative or experimental process to discovery). Participants generally chose the discovery narrative version as the more interesting of the two texts. Additional findings from the experimental study suggest that science texts in the form of SDNs elicit greater long-term retention of key conceptual information, especially when the readers have little prior knowledge of a given topic. Further, ethnic minority groups of lower socio-economic level (i.e., Latin and African-American origins) demonstrated an even greater benefit from the SDN texts, suggesting that a scientist's story of discovery can help to close the gap in academic performance in science.

Rosenman's "Serendipity and Scientific Discovery" Revisited: Toward Defining Types of Chance Events.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Diaz de Chumaceiro, Cora L.; Yaber O., Guillermo E.

1994-01-01

The role of serendipity or "chance in all its forms" in scientific discovery is considered. The need to differentiate between purely accidental events and Rothenberg's "articulations of error" when discussing scientific discoveries is stressed. Examples of articulations of errors are noted, including Fleming (penicillin),…

Scientific Reasoning in Early and Middle Childhood: The Development of Domain-General Evidence Evaluation, Experimentation, and Hypothesis Generation Skills

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Piekny, Jeanette; Maehler, Claudia

2013-01-01

According to Klahr's (2000, 2005; Klahr & Dunbar, 1988) Scientific Discovery as Dual Search model, inquiry processes require three cognitive components: hypothesis generation, experimentation, and evidence evaluation. The aim of the present study was to investigate (a) when the ability to evaluate perfect covariation, imperfect covariation,…

Immediate Dissemination of Student Discoveries to a Model Organism Database Enhances Classroom-Based Research Experiences

PubMed Central

Wiley, Emily A.; Stover, Nicholas A.

2014-01-01

Use of inquiry-based research modules in the classroom has soared over recent years, largely in response to national calls for teaching that provides experience with scientific processes and methodologies. To increase the visibility of in-class studies among interested researchers and to strengthen their impact on student learning, we have extended the typical model of inquiry-based labs to include a means for targeted dissemination of student-generated discoveries. This initiative required: 1) creating a set of research-based lab activities with the potential to yield results that a particular scientific community would find useful and 2) developing a means for immediate sharing of student-generated results. Working toward these goals, we designed guides for course-based research aimed to fulfill the need for functional annotation of the Tetrahymena thermophila genome, and developed an interactive Web database that links directly to the official Tetrahymena Genome Database for immediate, targeted dissemination of student discoveries. This combination of research via the course modules and the opportunity for students to immediately “publish” their novel results on a Web database actively used by outside scientists culminated in a motivational tool that enhanced students’ efforts to engage the scientific process and pursue additional research opportunities beyond the course. PMID:24591511

Immediate dissemination of student discoveries to a model organism database enhances classroom-based research experiences.

PubMed

Wiley, Emily A; Stover, Nicholas A

2014-01-01

Use of inquiry-based research modules in the classroom has soared over recent years, largely in response to national calls for teaching that provides experience with scientific processes and methodologies. To increase the visibility of in-class studies among interested researchers and to strengthen their impact on student learning, we have extended the typical model of inquiry-based labs to include a means for targeted dissemination of student-generated discoveries. This initiative required: 1) creating a set of research-based lab activities with the potential to yield results that a particular scientific community would find useful and 2) developing a means for immediate sharing of student-generated results. Working toward these goals, we designed guides for course-based research aimed to fulfill the need for functional annotation of the Tetrahymena thermophila genome, and developed an interactive Web database that links directly to the official Tetrahymena Genome Database for immediate, targeted dissemination of student discoveries. This combination of research via the course modules and the opportunity for students to immediately "publish" their novel results on a Web database actively used by outside scientists culminated in a motivational tool that enhanced students' efforts to engage the scientific process and pursue additional research opportunities beyond the course.

Virtual drug discovery: beyond computational chemistry?

PubMed

Gilardoni, Francois; Arvanites, Anthony C

2010-02-01

This editorial looks at how a fully integrated structure that performs all aspects in the drug discovery process, under one company, is slowly disappearing. The steps in the drug discovery paradigm have been slowly increasing toward virtuality or outsourcing at various phases of product development in a company's candidate pipeline. Each step in the process, such as target identification and validation and medicinal chemistry, can be managed by scientific teams within a 'virtual' company. Pharmaceutical companies to biotechnology start-ups have been quick in adopting this new research and development business strategy in order to gain flexibility, access the best technologies and technical expertise, and decrease product developmental costs. In today's financial climate, the term virtual drug discovery has an organizational meaning. It represents the next evolutionary step in outsourcing drug development.

The Discovery of Insulin: A Case Study of Scientific Methodology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Stansfield, William D.

2012-01-01

The nature of scientific research sometimes involves a trial-and-error procedure. Popular reviews of successful results from this approach often sanitize the story by omitting unsuccessful trials, thus painting the rosy impression that research simply follows a direct route from hypothesis to experiment to scientific discovery. The discovery of…

K2 Citizen Science Discovery of a Four-Planet System in a Chain of 3:2 Resonances

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barentsen, Geert; Christiansen, Jessie; Crossfield, Ian; Barclay, Thomas; Lintott, Chris; Cox, Brian; Zemiro, Julia; Simmons, Brooke; Miller, Grant; NASA K2, Zooniverse, BBC, ABC

2017-06-01

We report on the discovery of a compact system of four transiting super-Earth-sized planets around a moderately bright K-type star (V=12) using data from Campaign 12 of NASA's K2 mission. Uniquely, the periods of the planets are 3.6d, 5.4d, 8.3d, and 12.8d, forming an unbroken chain of near 3:2 resonances. It is the first discovery made by citizen scientists participating in the Exoplanet Explorers project on the Zooniverse platform, and was discovered with the help of 15,000 volunteers recruited via the "Stargazing Live" show on Australia's ABC TV channel. K2's open data policy, combined with the unique format of a BBC TV production that does not shy away from including advanced scientific content, enabled the process of a genuine scientific discovery to be executed and witnessed live on air by nearly a million viewers.

The Parallelism between Scientists' and Students' Resistance to New Scientific Ideas.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Campanario, Juan Miguel

2002-01-01

Compares resistance by scientists to new ideas in scientific discovery with students' resistance to conceptual change in scientific learning. Studies the resistance by students to abandoning their misconceptions concerning scientific topics and the resistance by scientists to scientific discovery. (Contains 64 references.) (Author/YDS)

Relative Binding Free Energy Calculations in Drug Discovery: Recent Advances and Practical Considerations.

PubMed

Cournia, Zoe; Allen, Bryce; Sherman, Woody

2017-12-26

Accurate in silico prediction of protein-ligand binding affinities has been a primary objective of structure-based drug design for decades due to the putative value it would bring to the drug discovery process. However, computational methods have historically failed to deliver value in real-world drug discovery applications due to a variety of scientific, technical, and practical challenges. Recently, a family of approaches commonly referred to as relative binding free energy (RBFE) calculations, which rely on physics-based molecular simulations and statistical mechanics, have shown promise in reliably generating accurate predictions in the context of drug discovery projects. This advance arises from accumulating developments in the underlying scientific methods (decades of research on force fields and sampling algorithms) coupled with vast increases in computational resources (graphics processing units and cloud infrastructures). Mounting evidence from retrospective validation studies, blind challenge predictions, and prospective applications suggests that RBFE simulations can now predict the affinity differences for congeneric ligands with sufficient accuracy and throughput to deliver considerable value in hit-to-lead and lead optimization efforts. Here, we present an overview of current RBFE implementations, highlighting recent advances and remaining challenges, along with examples that emphasize practical considerations for obtaining reliable RBFE results. We focus specifically on relative binding free energies because the calculations are less computationally intensive than absolute binding free energy (ABFE) calculations and map directly onto the hit-to-lead and lead optimization processes, where the prediction of relative binding energies between a reference molecule and new ideas (virtual molecules) can be used to prioritize molecules for synthesis. We describe the critical aspects of running RBFE calculations, from both theoretical and applied perspectives, using a combination of retrospective literature examples and prospective studies from drug discovery projects. This work is intended to provide a contemporary overview of the scientific, technical, and practical issues associated with running relative binding free energy simulations, with a focus on real-world drug discovery applications. We offer guidelines for improving the accuracy of RBFE simulations, especially for challenging cases, and emphasize unresolved issues that could be improved by further research in the field.

Scientific Change as AN Evolutionary, Information Process: its Structural, Conceptual and Cultural Elements.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Bustany, Fatin Khalil Ismail

1989-09-01

My aim in this dissertation is to develop an evolutionary conception of science based on recent studies in evolution theory, the thermodynamics of non-equilibrium and information theory, as exemplified in the works of Prigogine, Jantsch, Wicken and Gatlin. The nature of scientific change is of interest to philosophers and historians of science. Some construe it after a revolutionary model (e.g. Kuhn), others adopt an evolutionary view (e.g. Toulmin). It appears to me that it is possible to construct an evolutionary model encompassing the revolutionary mode as well. The following strategies are employed: (1) A distinction is made between two types of growth: one represents gradual change, the other designates radical transformations, and two principles underlying the process of change, one of conservation, the other of innovation. (2) Science in general, and scientific theories in particular, are looked upon as dissipative structures. These are characterised by openness, irreversibility and self-organisation. In terms of these, one may identify a state of "normal" growth and another of violent fluctuations leading to a new order (revolutionary phase). These fluctuations are generated by the flow of information coming from the observable world. The chief merits of this evolutionary model of the development of science lie in the emphasis it puts on the relation of science to its environment, in the description of scientific change as a process of interaction between internal and external elements (structural, conceptual, and cultural), in the enhancement of our understanding progress and rationality in science, and in the post Neo -Darwinian conception of evolution, stressing self-organisation, the innovativeness of the evolutionary process and the trend toward complexification. These features are also manifested in the process of discovery, which is a fundamental part of the scientific enterprise. In addition, a distinction is made between two types of discovery which serves as a criterion for delineating various episodes in the development of science. The evolutionary model further displays a complementarity mode of description on several levels: between science and its milieu, stability and instability, discovery and confirmation.

Building Cognition: The Construction of Computational Representations for Scientific Discovery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chandrasekharan, Sanjay; Nersessian, Nancy J.

2015-01-01

Novel computational representations, such as simulation models of complex systems and video games for scientific discovery (Foldit, EteRNA etc.), are dramatically changing the way discoveries emerge in science and engineering. The cognitive roles played by such computational representations in discovery are not well understood. We present a…

A View of the Science Education Research Literature: Scientific Discovery Learning with Computer Simulations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Robinson, William R.

2000-01-01

Describes a review of research that addresses the effectiveness of simulations in promoting scientific discovery learning and the problems that learners may encounter when using discovery learning. (WRM)

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.

Search Pathways: Modeling GeoData Search Behavior to Support Usable Application Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yarmey, L.; Rosati, A.; Tressel, S.

2014-12-01

Recent technical advances have enabled development of new scientific data discovery systems. Metadata brokering, linked data, and other mechanisms allow users to discover scientific data of interes across growing volumes of heterogeneous content. Matching this complex content with existing discovery technologies, people looking for scientific data are presented with an ever-growing array of features to sort, filter, subset, and scan through search returns to help them find what they are looking for. This paper examines the applicability of available technologies in connecting searchers with the data of interest. What metrics can be used to track success given shifting baselines of content and technology? How well do existing technologies map to steps in user search patterns? Taking a user-driven development approach, the team behind the Arctic Data Explorer interdisciplinary data discovery application invested heavily in usability testing and user search behavior analysis. Building on earlier library community search behavior work, models were developed to better define the diverse set of thought processes and steps users took to find data of interest, here called 'search pathways'. This research builds a deeper understanding of the user community that seeks to reuse scientific data. This approach ensures that development decisions are driven by clearly articulated user needs instead of ad hoc technology trends. Initial results from this research will be presented along with lessons learned for other discovery platform development and future directions for informatics research into search pathways.

Novel opportunities for computational biology and sociology in drug discovery

PubMed Central

Yao, Lixia

2009-01-01

Drug discovery today is impossible without sophisticated modeling and computation. In this review we touch on previous advances in computational biology and by tracing the steps involved in pharmaceutical development, we explore a range of novel, high value opportunities for computational innovation in modeling the biological process of disease and the social process of drug discovery. These opportunities include text mining for new drug leads, modeling molecular pathways and predicting the efficacy of drug cocktails, analyzing genetic overlap between diseases and predicting alternative drug use. Computation can also be used to model research teams and innovative regions and to estimate the value of academy-industry ties for scientific and human benefit. Attention to these opportunities could promise punctuated advance, and will complement the well-established computational work on which drug discovery currently relies. PMID:19674801

The Need For ``Pleasure in Finding Things Out:'' The Use of History and Our Greatest Scientists for Human Survival and Scientific Integrity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borchardt, Joshua

2011-03-01

Why Homo sapiens search for interesting things and the methods of which we do so. The use of philosophical, theoretical, and demonstrated processes for exploration of the natural, and not so natural world are presented based on the ideas and wishes of some of History's greatest scientists, with concentration on Richard P. Feynman's lens on scientific discovery and pursuit, for which the abstract gets its title. This talk is presented towards the layman as well as the physicist, and gives insight to the nature of discovery and what it means to have pleasure in finding things out for the betterment of all mankind.

Textbook Writing and Creativity: The Case of Mendeleev.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Graham, Loren R.

1983-01-01

Historical reconstruction of Dmitrii Mendeleev's part in the creation of the Periodic Table of Elements illustrates how important the process of textbook writing was in this scientific development. A clear difference is seen between logical reconstruction of the discovery process and the insights provided by historical reconstruction of the same…

Interactive, Online, Adsorption Lab to Support Discovery of the Scientific Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carroll, K. C.; Ulery, A. L.; Chamberlin, B.; Dettmer, A.

2014-12-01

Science students require more than methods practice in lab activities; they must gain an understanding of the application of the scientific process through lab work. Large classes, time constraints, and funding may limit student access to science labs, denying students access to the types of experiential learning needed to motivate and develop new scientists. Interactive, discovery-based computer simulations and virtual labs provide an alternative, low-risk opportunity for learners to engage in lab processes and activities. Students can conduct experiments, collect data, draw conclusions, and even abort a session. We have developed an online virtual lab, through which students can interactively develop as scientists as they learn about scientific concepts, lab equipment, and proper lab techniques. Our first lab topic is adsorption of chemicals to soil, but the methodology is transferrable to other topics. In addition to learning the specific procedures involved in each lab, the online activities will prompt exploration and practice in key scientific and mathematical concepts, such as unit conversion, significant digits, assessing risks, evaluating bias, and assessing quantity and quality of data. These labs are not designed to replace traditional lab instruction, but to supplement instruction on challenging or particularly time-consuming concepts. To complement classroom instruction, students can engage in a lab experience outside the lab and over a shorter time period than often required with real-world adsorption studies. More importantly, students can reflect, discuss, review, and even fail at their lab experience as part of the process to see why natural processes and scientific approaches work the way they do. Our Media Productions team has completed a series of online digital labs available at virtuallabs.nmsu.edu and scienceofsoil.com, and these virtual labs are being integrated into coursework to evaluate changes in student learning.

PANORAMA: An approach to performance modeling and diagnosis of extreme-scale workflows

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

Deelman, Ewa; Carothers, Christopher; Mandal, Anirban

Here we report that computational science is well established as the third pillar of scientific discovery and is on par with experimentation and theory. However, as we move closer toward the ability to execute exascale calculations and process the ensuing extreme-scale amounts of data produced by both experiments and computations alike, the complexity of managing the compute and data analysis tasks has grown beyond the capabilities of domain scientists. Therefore, workflow management systems are absolutely necessary to ensure current and future scientific discoveries. A key research question for these workflow management systems concerns the performance optimization of complex calculation andmore » data analysis tasks. The central contribution of this article is a description of the PANORAMA approach for modeling and diagnosing the run-time performance of complex scientific workflows. This approach integrates extreme-scale systems testbed experimentation, structured analytical modeling, and parallel systems simulation into a comprehensive workflow framework called Pegasus for understanding and improving the overall performance of complex scientific workflows.« less

PANORAMA: An approach to performance modeling and diagnosis of extreme-scale workflows

DOE PAGES

Deelman, Ewa; Carothers, Christopher; Mandal, Anirban; ...

2015-07-14

Here we report that computational science is well established as the third pillar of scientific discovery and is on par with experimentation and theory. However, as we move closer toward the ability to execute exascale calculations and process the ensuing extreme-scale amounts of data produced by both experiments and computations alike, the complexity of managing the compute and data analysis tasks has grown beyond the capabilities of domain scientists. Therefore, workflow management systems are absolutely necessary to ensure current and future scientific discoveries. A key research question for these workflow management systems concerns the performance optimization of complex calculation andmore » data analysis tasks. The central contribution of this article is a description of the PANORAMA approach for modeling and diagnosing the run-time performance of complex scientific workflows. This approach integrates extreme-scale systems testbed experimentation, structured analytical modeling, and parallel systems simulation into a comprehensive workflow framework called Pegasus for understanding and improving the overall performance of complex scientific workflows.« less

iBiology: communicating the process of science

PubMed Central

Goodwin, Sarah S.

2014-01-01

The Internet hosts an abundance of science video resources aimed at communicating scientific knowledge, including webinars, massive open online courses, and TED talks. Although these videos are efficient at disseminating information for diverse types of users, they often do not demonstrate the process of doing science, the excitement of scientific discovery, or how new scientific knowledge is developed. iBiology (www.ibiology.org), a project that creates open-access science videos about biology research and science-related topics, seeks to fill this need by producing videos by science leaders that make their ideas, stories, and experiences available to anyone with an Internet connection. PMID:25080124

Studying Scientific Discovery by Computer Simulation.

DTIC Science & Technology

1983-03-30

Mendel’s laws of inheritance, the law of Gay- Lussac for gaseous reactions, tile law of Dulong and Petit, the derivation of atomic weights by Avogadro...neceseary mid identify by block number) scientific discovery -ittri sic properties physical laws extensive terms data-driven heuristics intensive...terms theory-driven heuristics conservation laws 20. ABSTRACT (Continue on revere. side It necessary and identify by block number) Scientific discovery

Establishing a reliable framework for harnessing the creative power of the scientific crowd.

PubMed

Carter, Adrian J; Donner, Amy; Lee, Wen Hwa; Bountra, Chas

2017-02-01

Discovering new medicines is difficult and increasingly expensive. The pharmaceutical industry has responded to this challenge by embracing open innovation to access external ideas. Historically, partnerships were usually bilateral, and the drug discovery process was shrouded in secrecy. This model is rapidly changing. With the advent of the Internet, drug discovery has become more decentralised, bottom-up, and scalable than ever before. The term open innovation is now accepted as just one of many terms that capture different but overlapping levels of openness in the drug discovery process. Many pharmaceutical companies recognise the advantages of revealing some proprietary information in the form of results, chemical tools, or unsolved problems in return for valuable insights and ideas. For example, such selective revealing can take the form of openly shared chemical tools to explore new biological mechanisms or by publicly admitting what is not known in the form of an open call. The essential ingredient for addressing these problems is access to the wider scientific crowd. The business of crowdsourcing, a form of outsourcing in which individuals or organisations solicit contributions from Internet users to obtain ideas or desired services, has grown significantly to fill this need and takes many forms today. Here, we posit that open-innovation approaches are more successful when they establish a reliable framework for converting creative ideas of the scientific crowd into practice with actionable plans.

Establishing a reliable framework for harnessing the creative power of the scientific crowd

PubMed Central

Donner, Amy; Lee, Wen Hwa; Bountra, Chas

2017-01-01

Discovering new medicines is difficult and increasingly expensive. The pharmaceutical industry has responded to this challenge by embracing open innovation to access external ideas. Historically, partnerships were usually bilateral, and the drug discovery process was shrouded in secrecy. This model is rapidly changing. With the advent of the Internet, drug discovery has become more decentralised, bottom-up, and scalable than ever before. The term open innovation is now accepted as just one of many terms that capture different but overlapping levels of openness in the drug discovery process. Many pharmaceutical companies recognise the advantages of revealing some proprietary information in the form of results, chemical tools, or unsolved problems in return for valuable insights and ideas. For example, such selective revealing can take the form of openly shared chemical tools to explore new biological mechanisms or by publicly admitting what is not known in the form of an open call. The essential ingredient for addressing these problems is access to the wider scientific crowd. The business of crowdsourcing, a form of outsourcing in which individuals or organisations solicit contributions from Internet users to obtain ideas or desired services, has grown significantly to fill this need and takes many forms today. Here, we posit that open-innovation approaches are more successful when they establish a reliable framework for converting creative ideas of the scientific crowd into practice with actionable plans. PMID:28199324

Basic Inferences of Scientific Reasoning, Argumentation, and Discovery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lawson, Anton E.

2010-01-01

Helping students better understand how scientists reason and argue to draw scientific conclusions has long been viewed as a critical component of scientific literacy, thus remains a central goal of science instruction. However, differences of opinion persist regarding the nature of scientific reasoning, argumentation, and discovery. Accordingly,…

Basic Blue Skies Research in the UK: Are we losing out?

PubMed Central

Linden, Belinda

2008-01-01

Background The term blue skies research implies a freedom to carry out flexible, curiosity-driven research that leads to outcomes not envisaged at the outset. This research often challenges accepted thinking and introduces new fields of study. Science policy in the UK has given growing support for short-term goal-oriented scientific research projects, with pressure being applied on researchers to demonstrate the future application of their work. These policies carry the risk of restricting freedom, curbing research direction, and stifling rather than stimulating the creativity needed for scientific discovery. Methods This study tracks the tortuous routes that led to three major discoveries in cardiology. It then investigates the constraints in current research, and opportunities that may be lost with existing funding processes, by interviewing selected scientists and fund providers for their views on curiosity-driven research and the freedom needed to allow science to flourish. The transcripts were analysed using a grounded theory approach to gather recurrent themes from the interviews. Results The results from these interviews suggest that scientists often cannot predict the future applications of research. Constraints such as lack of scientific freedom, and a narrow focus on relevance and accountability were believed to stifle the discovery process. Although it was acknowledged that some research projects do need a clear and measurable framework, the interviewees saw a need for inquisitive, blue skies research to be managed in a different way. They provided examples of situations where money allocated to 'safe' funding was used for more innovative research. Conclusion This sample of key UK scientists and grant providers acknowledge the importance of basic blue skies research. Yet the current evaluation process often requires that scientists predict their likely findings and estimate short-term impact, which does not permit freedom of research direction. There is a vital need for prominent scientists and for universities to help the media, the public, and policy makers to understand the importance of innovative thought along with the need for scientists to have the freedom to challenge accepted thinking. Encouraging an avenue for blue skies research could have immense influence over future scientific discoveries. PMID:18312612

Basic Blue Skies Research in the UK: Are we losing out?

PubMed

Linden, Belinda

2008-02-29

The term blue skies research implies a freedom to carry out flexible, curiosity-driven research that leads to outcomes not envisaged at the outset. This research often challenges accepted thinking and introduces new fields of study. Science policy in the UK has given growing support for short-term goal-oriented scientific research projects, with pressure being applied on researchers to demonstrate the future application of their work. These policies carry the risk of restricting freedom, curbing research direction, and stifling rather than stimulating the creativity needed for scientific discovery. This study tracks the tortuous routes that led to three major discoveries in cardiology. It then investigates the constraints in current research, and opportunities that may be lost with existing funding processes, by interviewing selected scientists and fund providers for their views on curiosity-driven research and the freedom needed to allow science to flourish. The transcripts were analysed using a grounded theory approach to gather recurrent themes from the interviews. The results from these interviews suggest that scientists often cannot predict the future applications of research. Constraints such as lack of scientific freedom, and a narrow focus on relevance and accountability were believed to stifle the discovery process. Although it was acknowledged that some research projects do need a clear and measurable framework, the interviewees saw a need for inquisitive, blue skies research to be managed in a different way. They provided examples of situations where money allocated to 'safe' funding was used for more innovative research. This sample of key UK scientists and grant providers acknowledge the importance of basic blue skies research. Yet the current evaluation process often requires that scientists predict their likely findings and estimate short-term impact, which does not permit freedom of research direction. There is a vital need for prominent scientists and for universities to help the media, the public, and policy makers to understand the importance of innovative thought along with the need for scientists to have the freedom to challenge accepted thinking. Encouraging an avenue for blue skies research could have immense influence over future scientific discoveries.

Big, Deep, and Smart Data in Scanning Probe Microscopy

DOE PAGES

Kalinin, Sergei V.; Strelcov, Evgheni; Belianinov, Alex; ...

2016-09-27

Scanning probe microscopy techniques open the door to nanoscience and nanotechnology by enabling imaging and manipulation of structure and functionality of matter on nanometer and atomic scales. We analyze the discovery process by SPM in terms of information flow from tip-surface junction to the knowledge adoption by scientific community. Furthermore, we discuss the challenges and opportunities offered by merging of SPM and advanced data mining, visual analytics, and knowledge discovery technologies.

Linking Automated Data Analysis and Visualization with Applications in Developmental Biology and High-Energy Physics

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

Ruebel, Oliver

2009-11-20

Knowledge discovery from large and complex collections of today's scientific datasets is a challenging task. With the ability to measure and simulate more processes at increasingly finer spatial and temporal scales, the increasing number of data dimensions and data objects is presenting tremendous challenges for data analysis and effective data exploration methods and tools. Researchers are overwhelmed with data and standard tools are often insufficient to enable effective data analysis and knowledge discovery. The main objective of this thesis is to provide important new capabilities to accelerate scientific knowledge discovery form large, complex, and multivariate scientific data. The research coveredmore » in this thesis addresses these scientific challenges using a combination of scientific visualization, information visualization, automated data analysis, and other enabling technologies, such as efficient data management. The effectiveness of the proposed analysis methods is demonstrated via applications in two distinct scientific research fields, namely developmental biology and high-energy physics.Advances in microscopy, image analysis, and embryo registration enable for the first time measurement of gene expression at cellular resolution for entire organisms. Analysis of high-dimensional spatial gene expression datasets is a challenging task. By integrating data clustering and visualization, analysis of complex, time-varying, spatial gene expression patterns and their formation becomes possible. The analysis framework MATLAB and the visualization have been integrated, making advanced analysis tools accessible to biologist and enabling bioinformatic researchers to directly integrate their analysis with the visualization. Laser wakefield particle accelerators (LWFAs) promise to be a new compact source of high-energy particles and radiation, with wide applications ranging from medicine to physics. To gain insight into the complex physical processes of particle acceleration, physicists model LWFAs computationally. The datasets produced by LWFA simulations are (i) extremely large, (ii) of varying spatial and temporal resolution, (iii) heterogeneous, and (iv) high-dimensional, making analysis and knowledge discovery from complex LWFA simulation data a challenging task. To address these challenges this thesis describes the integration of the visualization system VisIt and the state-of-the-art index/query system FastBit, enabling interactive visual exploration of extremely large three-dimensional particle datasets. Researchers are especially interested in beams of high-energy particles formed during the course of a simulation. This thesis describes novel methods for automatic detection and analysis of particle beams enabling a more accurate and efficient data analysis process. By integrating these automated analysis methods with visualization, this research enables more accurate, efficient, and effective analysis of LWFA simulation data than previously possible.« less

Anatomy of the Crowd4Discovery crowdfunding campaign.

PubMed

Perlstein, Ethan O

2013-01-01

Crowdfunding allows the public to fund creative projects, including curiosity-driven scientific research. Last Fall, I was part of a team that raised $25,460 from an international coalition of "micropatrons" for an open, pharmacological research project called Crowd4Discovery. The goal of Crowd4Discovery is to determine the precise location of amphetamines inside mouse brain cells, and we are sharing the results of this project on the Internet as they trickle in. In this commentary, I will describe the genesis of Crowd4Discovery, our motivations for crowdfunding, an analysis of our fundraising data, and the nuts and bolts of running a crowdfunding campaign. Science crowdfunding is in its infancy but has already been successfully used by an array of scientists in academia and in the private sector as both a supplement and a substitute to grants. With traditional government sources of funding for basic scientific research contracting, an alternative model that couples fundraising and outreach - and in the process encourages more openness and accountability - may be increasingly attractive to researchers seeking to diversify their funding streams.

Ontology for Transforming Geo-Spatial Data for Discovery and Integration of Scientific Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen, L.; Chee, T.; Minnis, P.

2013-12-01

Discovery and access to geo-spatial scientific data across heterogeneous repositories and multi-discipline datasets can present challenges for scientist. We propose to build a workflow for transforming geo-spatial datasets into semantic environment by using relationships to describe the resource using OWL Web Ontology, RDF, and a proposed geo-spatial vocabulary. We will present methods for transforming traditional scientific dataset, use of a semantic repository, and querying using SPARQL to integrate and access datasets. This unique repository will enable discovery of scientific data by geospatial bound or other criteria.

Fabrication of Superconducting Detectors for Studying the Universe

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Ari-David

2012-01-01

Superconducting detectors offer unparalleled means of making astronomical/cosmological observations. Fabrication of these detectors is somewhat unconventional; however, a lot of novel condensed matter physics/materials scientific discoveries and semiconductor fabrication processes can be generated in making these devices.

Dreams, Daydreams and Discovery.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, R. A.; Luckcock, R. G.

1978-01-01

It has been discovered that dreams and daydreams can be productive states in the process of scientific innovation. An attempt is made to provide some typical examples of insights which have come to scientists during dream-like states and in sleep. (Author/MA)

Serendipity and Scientific Discovery.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Rosenman, Martin F.

1988-01-01

The discovery of penicillin is cited in a discussion of the role of serendipity as it relates to scientific discovery. The importance of sagacity as a personality trait is noted. Successful researchers have questioning minds, are willing to view data from several perspectives, and recognize and appreciate the unexpected. (JW)

Patent border wars: defining the boundary between scientific discoveries and patentable inventions.

PubMed

Holman, Christopher M

2007-12-01

Drawing an appropriate boundary between unpatentable natural phenomena and patentable inventions is crucial in preventing the patent laws from unduly restricting access to fundamental scientific discoveries. Some would argue that, particularly in the U.S., patents are being issued that purport to claim a novel product or process but that, in effect, encompass any practical application of a fundamental biological principle. Examples include gene patents, which Congress is considering banning, and patents relating to biological correlations and pathways, such as the patents at issue in the headline-grabbing LabCorp v. Metabolite and Ariad v. Eli Lilly litigations. In view of the mounting concern, it seems likely that Congress and/or the courts will address the issue, and perhaps substantially shift the boundary.

Science discovery in clinician-economist collaboration: legacy and future challenges.

PubMed

Wells, Kenneth B

2002-06-01

2002 Carl Taube Lecture at the NIMH Mental Health Economics Meeting. To analyze the contribution and process of clinician/economist collaboration. Personal scientific autobiography, using relationships with three economists as case examples. In joint efforts by clinicians and economists, clinicians bring an interest in case examples and in responding to unmet need, while economists bring structured analysis methods and respect for a societal perspective. Through mutual respect and discovery, both clinicians and economists can define unmet need in clinical and economic terms and help develop models and programs to improve clinical care, while maintaining a societal evaluation perspective. Key to scientific discovery is the principle that the emotions generated by data, such as hope and despair, need to be acknowledged and utilized rather than avoided or buried, provided that such feelings are used in a balanced manner in research. According to the author, collaboration helps maintain such a balance. Collaboration requires and builds trust, and improves the depth of research by combining different personal and disciplinary perspectives and strengths. Young investigators should be encouraged to explore collaboration and to consider their feelings in response to health and economic data as an important scientific and creative resource.

Rho Chi lecture. Pharmaceutical sciences in the next millennium.

PubMed

Triggle, D J

1999-02-01

Even a cursory survey of this article suggests that the pharmaceutical sciences are being rapidly transformed under the influence of both the new technologies and sciences and the economic imperatives. Of particular importance are scientific and technological advances that may greatly accelerate the critical process of discovery. The possibility of a drug discovery process built around the principles of directed diversity, self-reproduction, evolution, and self-targeting suggests a new paradigm of lead discovery, one based quite directly on the paradigms of molecular biology. Coupled with the principles of nanotechnology, we may contemplate miniature molecular machines containing directed drug factories, circulating the body and capable of self-targeting against defective cells and pathways -- the ultimate "drug delivery machine." However, science and technology are not the only factors that will transform the pharmaceutical sciences in the next century. The necessary reductions in the costs of drug discovery brought about by the rapidly increasing costs of the current drug discovery paradigms means that efforts to decrease the discovery phase and to make drug development part of drug discovery will become increasingly important. This is likely to involve increasing numbers of "alliances," as well as the creation of pharmaceutical research cells -- highly mobile and entrepreneurial groups within or outside of a pharmaceutical company that are formed to carry out specific discovery processes. Some of these will be in the biotechnology industry, but an increasing number will be in universities. The linear process from basic science to applied technology that has been the Western model since Vannevar Bush's Science: The Endless Frontier has probably never been particularly linear and, in any event, is likely to be rapidly supplanted by models where science, scientific development, and technology are more intimately linked. The pharmaceutical sciences have always been an example of use-directed basic research, but the relationships between the pharmaceutical industry, small and large, and the universities seems likely to become increasingly developed in the next century. This may serve as a significant catalyst for the continued transformation of universities into the "knowledge factories" of the 21st century. Regardless, we may expect to see major changes in the research organizational structure in the pharmaceutical sciences even as pharmaceutical companies enjoy record prosperity. And this is in anticipation of tough times to come.

Systematic identification of latent disease-gene associations from PubMed articles.

PubMed

Zhang, Yuji; Shen, Feichen; Mojarad, Majid Rastegar; Li, Dingcheng; Liu, Sijia; Tao, Cui; Yu, Yue; Liu, Hongfang

2018-01-01

Recent scientific advances have accumulated a tremendous amount of biomedical knowledge providing novel insights into the relationship between molecular and cellular processes and diseases. Literature mining is one of the commonly used methods to retrieve and extract information from scientific publications for understanding these associations. However, due to large data volume and complicated associations with noises, the interpretability of such association data for semantic knowledge discovery is challenging. In this study, we describe an integrative computational framework aiming to expedite the discovery of latent disease mechanisms by dissecting 146,245 disease-gene associations from over 25 million of PubMed indexed articles. We take advantage of both Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) modeling and network-based analysis for their capabilities of detecting latent associations and reducing noises for large volume data respectively. Our results demonstrate that (1) the LDA-based modeling is able to group similar diseases into disease topics; (2) the disease-specific association networks follow the scale-free network property; (3) certain subnetwork patterns were enriched in the disease-specific association networks; and (4) genes were enriched in topic-specific biological processes. Our approach offers promising opportunities for latent disease-gene knowledge discovery in biomedical research.

Systematic identification of latent disease-gene associations from PubMed articles

PubMed Central

Mojarad, Majid Rastegar; Li, Dingcheng; Liu, Sijia; Tao, Cui; Yu, Yue; Liu, Hongfang

2018-01-01

Recent scientific advances have accumulated a tremendous amount of biomedical knowledge providing novel insights into the relationship between molecular and cellular processes and diseases. Literature mining is one of the commonly used methods to retrieve and extract information from scientific publications for understanding these associations. However, due to large data volume and complicated associations with noises, the interpretability of such association data for semantic knowledge discovery is challenging. In this study, we describe an integrative computational framework aiming to expedite the discovery of latent disease mechanisms by dissecting 146,245 disease-gene associations from over 25 million of PubMed indexed articles. We take advantage of both Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) modeling and network-based analysis for their capabilities of detecting latent associations and reducing noises for large volume data respectively. Our results demonstrate that (1) the LDA-based modeling is able to group similar diseases into disease topics; (2) the disease-specific association networks follow the scale-free network property; (3) certain subnetwork patterns were enriched in the disease-specific association networks; and (4) genes were enriched in topic-specific biological processes. Our approach offers promising opportunities for latent disease-gene knowledge discovery in biomedical research. PMID:29373609

The Monarch Watch.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brown, Ken

1994-01-01

Science education can be an exciting process of observation and discovery. This article describes the use of the Monarch Watch project by environmental educators to study migratory behavior and scientific research through the tagging of Monarch butterflies. Discusses reasons the national project has been successful. (LZ)

Opening the Mind's Eye to Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hassard, Jack

1982-01-01

Emphasizes the importance of imagination in scientific discovery and science education and identifies three processes which increase the richness of the visualization experience: relaxing, concentrating, and seeing. Suggests topics for guided experiences and example models for earth/space, life, and physical sciences. (DC)

Novel opportunities for computational biology and sociology in drug discovery☆

PubMed Central

Yao, Lixia; Evans, James A.; Rzhetsky, Andrey

2013-01-01

Current drug discovery is impossible without sophisticated modeling and computation. In this review we outline previous advances in computational biology and, by tracing the steps involved in pharmaceutical development, explore a range of novel, high-value opportunities for computational innovation in modeling the biological process of disease and the social process of drug discovery. These opportunities include text mining for new drug leads, modeling molecular pathways and predicting the efficacy of drug cocktails, analyzing genetic overlap between diseases and predicting alternative drug use. Computation can also be used to model research teams and innovative regions and to estimate the value of academy–industry links for scientific and human benefit. Attention to these opportunities could promise punctuated advance and will complement the well-established computational work on which drug discovery currently relies. PMID:20349528

Discovery as a process

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

Loehle, C.

1994-05-01

The three great myths, which form a sort of triumvirate of misunderstanding, are the Eureka! myth, the hypothesis myth, and the measurement myth. These myths are prevalent among scientists as well as among observers of science. The Eureka! myth asserts that discovery occurs as a flash of insight, and as such is not subject to investigation. This leads to the perception that discovery or deriving a hypothesis is a moment or event rather than a process. Events are singular and not subject to description. The hypothesis myth asserts that proper science is motivated by testing hypotheses, and that if somethingmore » is not experimentally testable then it is not scientific. This myth leads to absurd posturing by some workers conducting empirical descriptive studies, who dress up their study with a ``hypothesis`` to obtain funding or get it published. Methods papers are often rejected because they do not address a specific scientific problem. The fact is that many of the great breakthroughs in silence involve methods and not hypotheses or arise from largely descriptive studies. Those captured by this myth also try to block funding for those developing methods. The third myth is the measurement myth, which holds that determining what to measure is straightforward, so one doesn`t need a lot of introspection to do science. As one ecologist put it to me ``Don`t give me any of that philosophy junk, just let me out in the field. I know what to measure.`` These myths lead to difficulties for scientists who must face peer review to obtain funding and to get published. These myths also inhibit the study of science as a process. Finally, these myths inhibit creativity and suppress innovation. In this paper I first explore these myths in more detail and then propose a new model of discovery that opens the supposedly miraculous process of discovery to doser scrutiny.« less

A Drupal-Based Collaborative Framework for Science Workflows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pinheiro da Silva, P.; Gandara, A.

2010-12-01

Cyber-infrastructure is built from utilizing technical infrastructure to support organizational practices and social norms to provide support for scientific teams working together or dependent on each other to conduct scientific research. Such cyber-infrastructure enables the sharing of information and data so that scientists can leverage knowledge and expertise through automation. Scientific workflow systems have been used to build automated scientific systems used by scientists to conduct scientific research and, as a result, create artifacts in support of scientific discoveries. These complex systems are often developed by teams of scientists who are located in different places, e.g., scientists working in distinct buildings, and sometimes in different time zones, e.g., scientist working in distinct national laboratories. The sharing of these specifications is currently supported by the use of version control systems such as CVS or Subversion. Discussions about the design, improvement, and testing of these specifications, however, often happen elsewhere, e.g., through the exchange of email messages and IM chatting. Carrying on a discussion about these specifications is challenging because comments and specifications are not necessarily connected. For instance, the person reading a comment about a given workflow specification may not be able to see the workflow and even if the person can see the workflow, the person may not specifically know to which part of the workflow a given comments applies to. In this paper, we discuss the design, implementation and use of CI-Server, a Drupal-based infrastructure, to support the collaboration of both local and distributed teams of scientists using scientific workflows. CI-Server has three primary goals: to enable information sharing by providing tools that scientists can use within their scientific research to process data, publish and share artifacts; to build community by providing tools that support discussions between scientists about artifacts used or created through scientific processes; and to leverage the knowledge collected within the artifacts and scientific collaborations to support scientific discoveries.

Scientific Discoveries the Year I Was Born

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cherif, Abour

2012-01-01

The author has successfully used a learning activity titled "The Year I Was Born" to motivate students to conduct historical research and present key scientific discoveries from their birth year. The activity promotes writing, helps students enhance their scientific literacy, and also improves their attitude toward the learning of science. As one…

QuarkNet: Benefits for Teachers, Their Students and Physicists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bardeen, Marjorie

2017-01-01

The QuarkNet Collaboration has forged nontraditional relationships among particle physicists, high school teachers and their students. QuarkNet centers are located at 50 + universities and labs across the U.S. and Puerto Rico. We provide professional development for teachers and create opportunities for teachers and students to engage in particle physics data investigations and join research teams. Students develop scientific knowledge and habits of mind by working alongside scientists to make sense of the world using authentic experimental data. Our program is based a classroom vision where teaching strategies emulate closely the way scientists build knowledge through inquiry. We look at how student engagement in research and masterclasses develops an understanding about the process of scientific discovery and science using current scientific data. We also look at ways and to what extent teachers provide scientific discovery and science practices for students and how QuarkNet contributes to the professionalism of participating teachers. Also, we describe success factors that enhance local center programs and describe important benefits of the program that flow to university faculty. Funded by the National Science Foundation and the US Department of Energy.

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.

New strategies in drug discovery.

PubMed

Ohlstein, Eliot H; Johnson, Anthony G; Elliott, John D; Romanic, Anne M

2006-01-01

Gene identification followed by determination of the expression of genes in a given disease and understanding of the function of the gene products is central to the drug discovery process. The ability to associate a specific gene with a disease can be attributed primarily to the extraordinary progress that has been made in the areas of gene sequencing and information technologies. Selection and validation of novel molecular targets have become of great importance in light of the abundance of new potential therapeutic drug targets that have emerged from human gene sequencing. In response to this revolution within the pharmaceutical industry, the development of high-throughput methods in both biology and chemistry has been necessitated. Further, the successful translation of basic scientific discoveries into clinical experimental medicine and novel therapeutics is an increasing challenge. As such, a new paradigm for drug discovery has emerged. This process involves the integration of clinical, genetic, genomic, and molecular phenotype data partnered with cheminformatics. Central to this process, the data generated are managed, collated, and interpreted with the use of informatics. This review addresses the use of new technologies that have arisen to deal with this new paradigm.

Merging Electronic Health Record Data and Genomics for Cardiovascular Research

PubMed Central

Hall, Jennifer L.; Ryan, John J.; Bray, Bruce E.; Brown, Candice; Lanfear, David; Newby, L. Kristin; Relling, Mary V.; Risch, Neil J.; Roden, Dan M.; Shaw, Stanley Y.; Tcheng, James E.; Tenenbaum, Jessica; Wang, Thomas N.; Weintraub, William S.

2017-01-01

The process of scientific discovery is rapidly evolving. The funding climate has influenced a favorable shift in scientific discovery toward the use of existing resources such as the electronic health record. The electronic health record enables long-term outlooks on human health and disease, in conjunction with multidimensional phenotypes that include laboratory data, images, vital signs, and other clinical information. Initial work has confirmed the utility of the electronic health record for understanding mechanisms and patterns of variability in disease susceptibility, disease evolution, and drug responses. The addition of biobanks and genomic data to the information contained in the electronic health record has been demonstrated. The purpose of this statement is to discuss the current challenges in and the potential for merging electronic health record data and genomics for cardiovascular research. PMID:26976545

The science of sharing and the sharing of science.

PubMed

Milkman, Katherine L; Berger, Jonah

2014-09-16

Why do members of the public share some scientific findings and not others? What can scientists do to increase the chances that their findings will be shared widely among nonscientists? To address these questions, we integrate past research on the psychological drivers of interpersonal communication with a study examining the sharing of hundreds of recent scientific discoveries. Our findings offer insights into (i) how attributes of a discovery and the way it is described impact sharing, (ii) who generates discoveries that are likely to be shared, and (iii) which types of people are most likely to share scientific discoveries. The results described here, combined with a review of recent research on interpersonal communication, suggest how scientists can frame their work to increase its dissemination. They also provide insights about which audiences may be the best targets for the diffusion of scientific content.

["Unintended consequences of scientific discoveries" or: "Heterogeny of purposes" as phenomena of the history of science].

PubMed

Wittkau-Horgby, A

2001-01-01

This paper deals with an old observation in respect to man's action--the problem of unintended consequences of human action. It presents the scientific approaches to this phenomenon in the 18th century and focusses then on the problem of unintended consequences of scientific discoveries. Using the prominent examples of Copernicus and Darwin the author shows that the actual outcomes and final effects of scientific discoveries must not necessarily be the originally intended ones. On the contrary, especially those results of scientific discoveries which have affected the sphere of world view (Weltanschauung) like the research works of Copernicus and Darwin were originally meant to be only scientific studies. The final results in respect to the world view were on Copernicus' side not even realized and on Darwin's side neither intended nor welcomed. The conclusion of this analysis is that due to the fact that both scientists did not have the intention to change the world view they can only partly be regarded to be responsible for the fundamental changes they finally caused.

A New Global Geomorphology?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Baker, V. R.

1985-01-01

Geomorphology is entering a new era of discovery and scientific excitement centered on expanding scales of concern in both time and space. The catalysts for this development include technological advances in global remote sensing systems, mathematical modeling, and the dating of geomorphic surfaces and processes. Even more important are new scientific questions centered on comparative planetary geomorphology, the interaction of tectonism with landscapes, the dynamics of late Cenozoic climatic changes, the influence of cataclysmic processes, the recognition of extremely ancient landforms, and the history of the world's hydrologic systems. These questions all involve feedback relationships with allied sciences that have recently yielded profound developments.

Advancements in Large-Scale Data/Metadata Management for Scientific Data.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guntupally, K.; Devarakonda, R.; Palanisamy, G.; Frame, M. T.

2017-12-01

Scientific data often comes with complex and diverse metadata which are critical for data discovery and users. The Online Metadata Editor (OME) tool, which was developed by an Oak Ridge National Laboratory team, effectively manages diverse scientific datasets across several federal data centers, such as DOE's Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) Data Center and USGS's Core Science Analytics, Synthesis, and Libraries (CSAS&L) project. This presentation will focus mainly on recent developments and future strategies for refining OME tool within these centers. The ARM OME is a standard based tool (https://www.archive.arm.gov/armome) that allows scientists to create and maintain metadata about their data products. The tool has been improved with new workflows that help metadata coordinators and submitting investigators to submit and review their data more efficiently. The ARM Data Center's newly upgraded Data Discovery Tool (http://www.archive.arm.gov/discovery) uses rich metadata generated by the OME to enable search and discovery of thousands of datasets, while also providing a citation generator and modern order-delivery techniques like Globus (using GridFTP), Dropbox and THREDDS. The Data Discovery Tool also supports incremental indexing, which allows users to find new data as and when they are added. The USGS CSAS&L search catalog employs a custom version of the OME (https://www1.usgs.gov/csas/ome), which has been upgraded with high-level Federal Geographic Data Committee (FGDC) validations and the ability to reserve and mint Digital Object Identifiers (DOIs). The USGS's Science Data Catalog (SDC) (https://data.usgs.gov/datacatalog) allows users to discover a myriad of science data holdings through a web portal. Recent major upgrades to the SDC and ARM Data Discovery Tool include improved harvesting performance and migration using new search software, such as Apache Solr 6.0 for serving up data/metadata to scientific communities. Our presentation will highlight the future enhancements of these tools which enable users to retrieve fast search results, along with parallelizing the retrieval process from online and High Performance Storage Systems. In addition, these improvements to the tools will support additional metadata formats like the Large-Eddy Simulation (LES) ARM Symbiotic and Observation (LASSO) bundle data.

Information Science Research: The Search for the Nature of Information.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kochen, Manfred

1984-01-01

High-level scientific research in the information sciences is illustrated by sampling of recent discoveries involving adaptive information processing strategies, computer and information systems, centroid scaling, economic growth of computer and communication industries, and information flow in biological systems. Relationship of information…

To ontologise or not to ontologise: An information model for a geospatial knowledge infrastructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stock, Kristin; Stojanovic, Tim; Reitsma, Femke; Ou, Yang; Bishr, Mohamed; Ortmann, Jens; Robertson, Anne

2012-08-01

A geospatial knowledge infrastructure consists of a set of interoperable components, including software, information, hardware, procedures and standards, that work together to support advanced discovery and creation of geoscientific resources, including publications, data sets and web services. The focus of the work presented is the development of such an infrastructure for resource discovery. Advanced resource discovery is intended to support scientists in finding resources that meet their needs, and focuses on representing the semantic details of the scientific resources, including the detailed aspects of the science that led to the resource being created. This paper describes an information model for a geospatial knowledge infrastructure that uses ontologies to represent these semantic details, including knowledge about domain concepts, the scientific elements of the resource (analysis methods, theories and scientific processes) and web services. This semantic information can be used to enable more intelligent search over scientific resources, and to support new ways to infer and visualise scientific knowledge. The work describes the requirements for semantic support of a knowledge infrastructure, and analyses the different options for information storage based on the twin goals of semantic richness and syntactic interoperability to allow communication between different infrastructures. Such interoperability is achieved by the use of open standards, and the architecture of the knowledge infrastructure adopts such standards, particularly from the geospatial community. The paper then describes an information model that uses a range of different types of ontologies, explaining those ontologies and their content. The information model was successfully implemented in a working geospatial knowledge infrastructure, but the evaluation identified some issues in creating the ontologies.

Successful applications of computer aided drug discovery: moving drugs from concept to the clinic.

PubMed

Talele, Tanaji T; Khedkar, Santosh A; Rigby, Alan C

2010-01-01

Drug discovery and development is an interdisciplinary, expensive and time-consuming process. Scientific advancements during the past two decades have changed the way pharmaceutical research generate novel bioactive molecules. Advances in computational techniques and in parallel hardware support have enabled in silico methods, and in particular structure-based drug design method, to speed up new target selection through the identification of hits to the optimization of lead compounds in the drug discovery process. This review is focused on the clinical status of experimental drugs that were discovered and/or optimized using computer-aided drug design. We have provided a historical account detailing the development of 12 small molecules (Captopril, Dorzolamide, Saquinavir, Zanamivir, Oseltamivir, Aliskiren, Boceprevir, Nolatrexed, TMI-005, LY-517717, Rupintrivir and NVP-AUY922) that are in clinical trial or have become approved for therapeutic use.

An Inquiry-Based Biochemistry Laboratory Structure Emphasizing Competency in the Scientific Process: A Guided Approach with an Electronic Notebook Format

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hall, Mona L.; Vardar-Ulu, Didem

2014-01-01

The laboratory setting is an exciting and gratifying place to teach because you can actively engage the students in the learning process through hands-on activities; it is a dynamic environment amenable to collaborative work, critical thinking, problem-solving and discovery. The guided inquiry-based approach described here guides the students…

Potential of small-molecule fungal metabolites in antiviral chemotherapy

PubMed Central

Roy, Biswajit G

2017-01-01

Various viral diseases, such as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, influenza, and hepatitis, have emerged as leading causes of human death worldwide. Scientific endeavor since invention of DNA-dependent RNA polymerase of pox virus in 1967 resulted in better understanding of virus replication and development of various novel therapeutic strategies. Despite considerable advancement in every facet of drug discovery process, development of commercially viable, safe, and effective drugs for these viruses still remains a big challenge. Decades of intense research yielded a handful of natural and synthetic therapeutic options. But emergence of new viruses and drug-resistant viral strains had made new drug development process a never-ending battle. Small-molecule fungal metabolites due to their vast diversity, stereochemical complexity, and preapproved biocompatibility always remain an attractive source for new drug discovery. Though, exploration of therapeutic importance of fungal metabolites has started early with discovery of penicillin, recent prediction asserted that only a small percentage (5–10%) of fungal species have been identified and much less have been scientifically investigated. Therefore, exploration of new fungal metabolites, their bioassay, and subsequent mechanistic study bears huge importance in new drug discovery endeavors. Though no fungal metabolites so far approved for antiviral treatment, many of these exhibited high potential against various viral diseases. This review comprehensively discussed about antiviral activities of fungal metabolites of diverse origin against some important viral diseases. This also highlighted the mechanistic details of inhibition of viral replication along with structure–activity relationship of some common and important classes of fungal metabolites. PMID:28737040

Kak Amerikantsy iskali vetra v pole, a nashli radiatsionnyj poyas i kak Russkie iskali radiatsionnyj poyas, a nashli solnechnyj veter Chast' I %t How Americans looked for "a wind in a field" but found a radiation belt, and how Russians looked for a radiation belt but found a solar wind or physical experiments on the first artificial Earth's satellites and a discovery of radiation belts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zavidonov, I. V.

The history of the most important scientific discovery of the early space era - the discovery of the inner and outer radiation belts of the Earth in 1958 is reconstructed. The paper uses archival records to bring to light the relative contributions of Soviet and American reseachers to the complex process of discovery. It also shows how misuses of science in mass-media political propaganda led to misrepresentations of the real historical portrayal of early space research.

Modeling Human Disease Phenotype in Model Organisms: “It’s only a model!”

PubMed Central

Marian, A.J.

2011-01-01

Preface A perspective by definition is a viewpoint. A viewpoint, like any other opinion, could be utterly erroneous. This Perspective is meant to be provocative but not to lessen the accomplishments of the scientific society as a whole or belittle any particular field of science or investigators. Scientific discoveries are typically incremental with various levels of increments. Often the significance of the discoveries remains unrecognized for many years if not decades, as was the case for the discovery of DNA by Friedrich Miescher in 1868 1. The significance of the discovery remained largely unrecognized for about 75 years, until simple and elegant experiments by Hershey and Chase showed that DNA and not protein, as was commonly perceived, was the genetic material 2. Our shortcomings in recognizing the significance of the scientific discoveries should not deter us from Cartesian skepticism, which was pioneered by the Persian philosopher Ghazali and popularized by Rene Descartes’ “I doubt, therefore I think, therefore I am.” An essential component of our academic society is the freedom to express viewpoints. Yet, personal opinions must not guide judgment on merits of the scientific discoveries and other peer-review matters. Science must be judged by the scientific standards of the time. It must not be judged by personal views. Scientific referees like all judges must be impartial and devoid of personal biases on rendering judgments. Accordingly, this viewpoint is simply that, a viewpoint. It is not indicative of author’s personal biases on any specific scientific discipline. The Perspective is aimed to raise doubts, as doubt is an incentive to truth. PMID:21817163

Knowledge Discovery and Data Mining in Iran's Climatic Researches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karimi, Mostafa

2013-04-01

Advances in measurement technology and data collection is the database gets larger. Large databases require powerful tools for analysis data. Iterative process of acquiring knowledge from information obtained from data processing is done in various forms in all scientific fields. However, when the data volume large, and many of the problems the Traditional methods cannot respond. in the recent years, use of databases in various scientific fields, especially atmospheric databases in climatology expanded. in addition, increases in the amount of data generated by the climate models is a challenge for analysis of it for extraction of hidden pattern and knowledge. The approach to this problem has been made in recent years uses the process of knowledge discovery and data mining techniques with the use of the concepts of machine learning, artificial intelligence and expert (professional) systems is overall performance. Data manning is analytically process for manning in massive volume data. The ultimate goal of data mining is access to information and finally knowledge. climatology is a part of science that uses variety and massive volume data. Goal of the climate data manning is Achieve to information from variety and massive atmospheric and non-atmospheric data. in fact, Knowledge Discovery performs these activities in a logical and predetermined and almost automatic process. The goal of this research is study of uses knowledge Discovery and data mining technique in Iranian climate research. For Achieve This goal, study content (descriptive) analysis and classify base method and issue. The result shown that in climatic research of Iran most clustering, k-means and wards applied and in terms of issues precipitation and atmospheric circulation patterns most introduced. Although several studies in geography and climate issues with statistical techniques such as clustering and pattern extraction is done, Due to the nature of statistics and data mining, but cannot say for internal climate studies in data mining and knowledge discovery techniques are used. However, it is necessary to use the KDD Approach and DM techniques in the climatic studies, specific interpreter of climate modeling result.

DataHub: Knowledge-based data management for data discovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Handley, Thomas H.; Li, Y. Philip

1993-08-01

Currently available database technology is largely designed for business data-processing applications, and seems inadequate for scientific applications. The research described in this paper, the DataHub, will address the issues associated with this shortfall in technology utilization and development. The DataHub development is addressing the key issues in scientific data management of scientific database models and resource sharing in a geographically distributed, multi-disciplinary, science research environment. Thus, the DataHub will be a server between the data suppliers and data consumers to facilitate data exchanges, to assist science data analysis, and to provide as systematic approach for science data management. More specifically, the DataHub's objectives are to provide support for (1) exploratory data analysis (i.e., data driven analysis); (2) data transformations; (3) data semantics capture and usage; analysis-related knowledge capture and usage; and (5) data discovery, ingestion, and extraction. Applying technologies that vary from deductive databases, semantic data models, data discovery, knowledge representation and inferencing, exploratory data analysis techniques and modern man-machine interfaces, DataHub will provide a prototype, integrated environement to support research scientists' needs in multiple disciplines (i.e. oceanography, geology, and atmospheric) while addressing the more general science data management issues. Additionally, the DataHub will provide data management services to exploratory data analysis applications such as LinkWinds and NCSA's XIMAGE.

The science of sharing and the sharing of science

PubMed Central

Milkman, Katherine L.; Berger, Jonah

2014-01-01

Why do members of the public share some scientific findings and not others? What can scientists do to increase the chances that their findings will be shared widely among nonscientists? To address these questions, we integrate past research on the psychological drivers of interpersonal communication with a study examining the sharing of hundreds of recent scientific discoveries. Our findings offer insights into (i) how attributes of a discovery and the way it is described impact sharing, (ii) who generates discoveries that are likely to be shared, and (iii) which types of people are most likely to share scientific discoveries. The results described here, combined with a review of recent research on interpersonal communication, suggest how scientists can frame their work to increase its dissemination. They also provide insights about which audiences may be the best targets for the diffusion of scientific content. PMID:25225360

Neptune's Discovery: Le Verrier, Adams, and the Assignment of Credit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sheehan, William

2011-01-01

As one of the most significant achievements of 19th century astronomy, the discovery of Neptune has been the subject of a vast literature. A large part of this literature--beginning with the period immediately after the optical discovery in Berlin--has been the obsession with assigning credit to the two men who attempted to calculate the planet's position (and initially this played out against the international rivalry between France and England). Le Verrier and Adams occupied much different positions in the Scientific Establishments of their respective countries; had markedly different personalities; and approached the investigation using different methods. A psychiatrist and historian of astronomy tries to provide some new contexts to the familiar story of the discovery of Neptune, and argues that the personalities of these two men played crucial roles in their approaches to the problem they set themselves and the way others reacted to their stimuli. Adams had features of high-functioning autism, while Le Verrier's domineering, obsessive, orderly personality--though it allowed him to be immensely productive--eventually led to serious difficulties with his peers (and an outright revolt). Though it took extraordinary smarts to calculate the position of Neptune, the discovery required social skills that these men lacked--and thus the process to discovery was more bumbling and adventitious than it might have been. The discovery of Neptune occurred at a moment when astronomy was changing from that of heroic individuals to team collaborations involving multiple experts, and remains an object lesson in the sociological aspects of scientific endeavor.

Argonne wins four R&D 100 Awards | Argonne National Laboratory

Science.gov Websites

. High-Energy Concentration-Gradient Cathode Material for Plug-in Hybrids and All-Electric Vehicles converting discovery science into innovative, high-impact products, processes and systems." Globus scientific facilities (such as supercomputing centers and high energy physics experiments), cloud storage

Air Pollution Data for Model Evaluation and Application

EPA Science Inventory

One objective of designing an air pollution monitoring network is to obtain data for evaluating air quality models that are used in the air quality management process and scientific discovery.^1.2 A common use is to relate emissions to air quality, including assessing ...

Understanding University Technology Transfer

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Association of American Universities, 2011

2011-01-01

Federal government agencies provide about $33 billion a year to universities to conduct scientific research. That continuing investment expands human knowledge and helps educate the next generation of science and technology leaders. New discoveries from university research also form the basis for many new products and processes that benefit the…

Facilitating Stewardship of scientific data through standards based workflows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bastrakova, I.; Kemp, C.; Potter, A. K.

2013-12-01

There are main suites of standards that can be used to define the fundamental scientific methodology of data, methods and results. These are firstly Metadata standards to enable discovery of the data (ISO 19115), secondly the Sensor Web Enablement (SWE) suite of standards that include the O&M and SensorML standards and thirdly Ontology that provide vocabularies to define the scientific concepts and relationships between these concepts. All three types of standards have to be utilised by the practicing scientist to ensure that those who ultimately have to steward the data stewards to ensure that the data can be preserved curated and reused and repurposed. Additional benefits of this approach include transparency of scientific processes from the data acquisition to creation of scientific concepts and models, and provision of context to inform data use. Collecting and recording metadata is the first step in scientific data flow. The primary role of metadata is to provide details of geographic extent, availability and high-level description of data suitable for its initial discovery through common search engines. The SWE suite provides standardised patterns to describe observations and measurements taken for these data, capture detailed information about observation or analytical methods, used instruments and define quality determinations. This information standardises browsing capability over discrete data types. The standardised patterns of the SWE standards simplify aggregation of observation and measurement data enabling scientists to transfer disintegrated data to scientific concepts. The first two steps provide a necessary basis for the reasoning about concepts of ';pure' science, building relationship between concepts of different domains (linked-data), and identifying domain classification and vocabularies. Geoscience Australia is re-examining its marine data flows, including metadata requirements and business processes, to achieve a clearer link between scientific data acquisition and analysis requirements and effective interoperable data management and delivery. This includes participating in national and international dialogue on development of standards, embedding data management activities in business processes, and developing scientific staff as effective data stewards. Similar approach is applied to the geophysical data. By ensuring the geophysical datasets at GA strictly follow metadata and industry standards we are able to implement a provenance based workflow where the data is easily discoverable, geophysical processing can be applied to it and results can be stored. The provenance based workflow enables metadata records for the results to be produced automatically from the input dataset metadata.

Reengineering the National Clinical and Translational Research Enterprise: The Strategic Plan of the National Clinical and Translational Science Awards Consortium

PubMed Central

Reis, Steven E.; Berglund, Lars; Bernard, Gordon R.; Califf, Robert M.; FitzGerald, Garret A.; Johnson, Peter C.

2009-01-01

Advances in human health require the efficient and rapid translation of scientific discoveries into effective clinical treatments; this process in turn depends upon observational data gathered from patients, communities, and public-health research that can be used to guide basic scientific investigation. Such bidirectional translational science, however, faces unprecedented challenges due to the rapid pace of scientific and technological development, as well as the difficulties of negotiating increasingly complex regulatory and commercial environments that overlap the research domain. Further, numerous barriers to translational science have emerged among the nation’s academic research centers, including basic structural and cultural impediments to innovation and collaboration, shortages of trained investigators, and inadequate funding. To address these serious and systemic problems, in 2006, the National Institutes of Health created the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) program, which aims to catalyze the transformation of biomedical research at a national level, speeding the discovery and development of therapies, fostering collaboration, engaging communities, and training succeeding generations of clinical and translational researchers. The authors report in detail on the planning process, begun in 2008, that was used to engage stakeholders and to identify, refine, and ultimately implement the CTSA program’s overarching strategic goals. They also discuss the implications and likely impact of this strategic planning process as it is applied among the nation’s academic health centers. PMID:20182119

Reengineering the national clinical and translational research enterprise: the strategic plan of the National Clinical and Translational Science Awards Consortium.

PubMed

Reis, Steven E; Berglund, Lars; Bernard, Gordon R; Califf, Robert M; Fitzgerald, Garret A; Johnson, Peter C

2010-03-01

Advances in human health require the efficient and rapid translation of scientific discoveries into effective clinical treatments; this process, in turn, depends on observational data gathered from patients, communities, and public health research that can be used to guide basic scientific investigation. Such bidirectional translational science, however, faces unprecedented challenges due to the rapid pace of scientific and technological development, as well as the difficulties of negotiating increasingly complex regulatory and commercial environments that overlap the research domain. Further, numerous barriers to translational science have emerged among the nation's academic research centers, including basic structural and cultural impediments to innovation and collaboration, shortages of trained investigators, and inadequate funding.To address these serious and systemic problems, in 2006 the National Institutes of Health created the Clinical and Translational Science Awards (CTSA) program, which aims to catalyze the transformation of biomedical research at a national level, speeding the discovery and development of therapies, fostering collaboration, engaging communities, and training succeeding generations of clinical and translational researchers. The authors report in detail on the planning process, begun in 2008, that was used to engage stakeholders and to identify, refine, and ultimately implement the CTSA program's overarching strategic goals. They also discuss the implications and likely impact of this strategic planning process as it is applied among the nation's academic health centers.

76 FR 4924 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-01-27

... Emphasis Panel; RFA Panel: Drug Discovery for the Nervous System. Date: February 17-18, 2011. Time: 8 a.m... Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; RFA Panel: Drug Discovery for the Nervous System. Date: February 18...

Toward Routine Automatic Pathway Discovery from On-line Scientific Text Abstracts.

PubMed

Ng; Wong

1999-01-01

We are entering a new era of research where the latest scientific discoveries are often first reported online and are readily accessible by scientists worldwide. This rapid electronic dissemination of research breakthroughs has greatly accelerated the current pace in genomics and proteomics research. The race to the discovery of a gene or a drug has now become increasingly dependent on how quickly a scientist can scan through voluminous amount of information available online to construct the relevant picture (such as protein-protein interaction pathways) as it takes shape amongst the rapidly expanding pool of globally accessible biological data (e.g. GENBANK) and scientific literature (e.g. MEDLINE). We describe a prototype system for automatic pathway discovery from on-line text abstracts, combining technologies that (1) retrieve research abstracts from online sources, (2) extract relevant information from the free texts, and (3) present the extracted information graphically and intuitively. Our work demonstrates that this framework allows us to routinely scan online scientific literature for automatic discovery of knowledge, giving modern scientists the necessary competitive edge in managing the information explosion in this electronic age.

LSST Astroinformatics And Astrostatistics: Data-oriented Astronomical Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borne, Kirk D.; Stassun, K.; Brunner, R. J.; Djorgovski, S. G.; Graham, M.; Hakkila, J.; Mahabal, A.; Paegert, M.; Pesenson, M.; Ptak, A.; Scargle, J.; Informatics, LSST; Statistics Team

2011-01-01

The LSST Informatics and Statistics Science Collaboration (ISSC) focuses on research and scientific discovery challenges posed by the very large and complex data collection that LSST will generate. Application areas include astroinformatics, machine learning, data mining, astrostatistics, visualization, scientific data semantics, time series analysis, and advanced signal processing. Research problems to be addressed with these methodologies include transient event characterization and classification, rare class discovery, correlation mining, outlier/anomaly/surprise detection, improved estimators (e.g., for photometric redshift or early onset supernova classification), exploration of highly dimensional (multivariate) data catalogs, and more. We present sample science results from these data-oriented approaches to large-data astronomical research. We present results from LSST ISSC team members, including the EB (Eclipsing Binary) Factory, the environmental variations in the fundamental plane of elliptical galaxies, and outlier detection in multivariate catalogs.

The next generation of training for Arabidopsis researchers: bioinformatics and quantitative biology

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

It has been more than 50 years since Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) was first introduced as a model organism to understand basic processes in plant biology. A well-organized scientific community has used this small reference plant species to make numerous fundamental plant biology discoveries (P...

The Translation of Health Research in Kinesiology

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Ainsworth, Barbara E.

2009-01-01

The translation of health research is a process of transforming scientific discoveries arising from laboratory, clinical, or population studies into clinical or population-based applications to improve health by reducing disease incidence, morbidity, and mortality. Initiated by the National Institutes for Health Roadmap Initiative and the U.S.…

Inquiry in Limnology Lessons

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Variano, Evan; Taylor, Karen

2006-01-01

Inquiry can be implemented in various ways, ranging from simple classroom discussions to longterm research projects. In this article, the authors developed a project in which high school students were introduced to the nature and process of scientific discovery through a two-week guided inquiry unit on "limnology"--the study of fresh water, which…

75 FR 55593 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-13

... Behavioral Processes Integrated Review Group; Motor Function, Speech and Rehabilitation Study Section. Date... and Imaging Technologies Study Section. Date: October 7-8, 2010. Time: 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Agenda: To... Review Group; Drug Discovery and Mechanisms of Antimicrobial Resistance Study Section. Date: October 14...

Early Detection of Cancer by Affinity Mass Spectrometry-Set Aside funds — EDRN Public Portal

Cancer.gov

A.   RATIONALE The recent introduction of multiple reaction monitoring capabilities offers unprecedented capability to the research arsenal available to protein based biomarker discovery. Specific to the discovery process this technology offers an ability to monitor specific protein changes in concentration and/or post-translational modification. The ability to accurately confirm specific biomarkers in a sensitive and reproducible manner is critical to the confirmation and pre-validation process. We are proposing two collaborative studies that promise to develop Multiple Reaction Monitoring (MRM) work flows for the biomarker scientific community and specifically for EDRN. B.   GOALS The overall goal for this proposal is the identification of protein biomarkers that can be associated with prostate cancer detection. The underlying goal is the application of a novel technological approach aided by MRM toward biomarker discovery. An additional goal will be the dissemination of knowledge gained from these studies EDRN wide.

Bringing your tools to CyVerse Discovery Environment using Docker

PubMed Central

Devisetty, Upendra Kumar; Kennedy, Kathleen; Sarando, Paul; Merchant, Nirav; Lyons, Eric

2016-01-01

Docker has become a very popular container-based virtualization platform for software distribution that has revolutionized the way in which scientific software and software dependencies (software stacks) can be packaged, distributed, and deployed. Docker makes the complex and time-consuming installation procedures needed for scientific software a one-time process. Because it enables platform-independent installation, versioning of software environments, and easy redeployment and reproducibility, Docker is an ideal candidate for the deployment of identical software stacks on different compute environments such as XSEDE and Amazon AWS. CyVerse’s Discovery Environment also uses Docker for integrating its powerful, community-recommended software tools into CyVerse’s production environment for public use. This paper will help users bring their tools into CyVerse Discovery Environment (DE) which will not only allows users to integrate their tools with relative ease compared to the earlier method of tool deployment in DE but will also help users to share their apps with collaborators and release them for public use. PMID:27803802

Bringing your tools to CyVerse Discovery Environment using Docker.

PubMed

Devisetty, Upendra Kumar; Kennedy, Kathleen; Sarando, Paul; Merchant, Nirav; Lyons, Eric

2016-01-01

Docker has become a very popular container-based virtualization platform for software distribution that has revolutionized the way in which scientific software and software dependencies (software stacks) can be packaged, distributed, and deployed. Docker makes the complex and time-consuming installation procedures needed for scientific software a one-time process. Because it enables platform-independent installation, versioning of software environments, and easy redeployment and reproducibility, Docker is an ideal candidate for the deployment of identical software stacks on different compute environments such as XSEDE and Amazon AWS. CyVerse's Discovery Environment also uses Docker for integrating its powerful, community-recommended software tools into CyVerse's production environment for public use. This paper will help users bring their tools into CyVerse Discovery Environment (DE) which will not only allows users to integrate their tools with relative ease compared to the earlier method of tool deployment in DE but will also help users to share their apps with collaborators and release them for public use.

Open source drug discovery--a new paradigm of collaborative research in tuberculosis drug development.

PubMed

Bhardwaj, Anshu; Scaria, Vinod; Raghava, Gajendra Pal Singh; Lynn, Andrew Michael; Chandra, Nagasuma; Banerjee, Sulagna; Raghunandanan, Muthukurussi V; Pandey, Vikas; Taneja, Bhupesh; Yadav, Jyoti; Dash, Debasis; Bhattacharya, Jaijit; Misra, Amit; Kumar, Anil; Ramachandran, Srinivasan; Thomas, Zakir; Brahmachari, Samir K

2011-09-01

It is being realized that the traditional closed-door and market driven approaches for drug discovery may not be the best suited model for the diseases of the developing world such as tuberculosis and malaria, because most patients suffering from these diseases have poor paying capacity. To ensure that new drugs are created for patients suffering from these diseases, it is necessary to formulate an alternate paradigm of drug discovery process. The current model constrained by limitations for collaboration and for sharing of resources with confidentiality hampers the opportunities for bringing expertise from diverse fields. These limitations hinder the possibilities of lowering the cost of drug discovery. The Open Source Drug Discovery project initiated by Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, India has adopted an open source model to power wide participation across geographical borders. Open Source Drug Discovery emphasizes integrative science through collaboration, open-sharing, taking up multi-faceted approaches and accruing benefits from advances on different fronts of new drug discovery. Because the open source model is based on community participation, it has the potential to self-sustain continuous development by generating a storehouse of alternatives towards continued pursuit for new drug discovery. Since the inventions are community generated, the new chemical entities developed by Open Source Drug Discovery will be taken up for clinical trial in a non-exclusive manner by participation of multiple companies with majority funding from Open Source Drug Discovery. This will ensure availability of drugs through a lower cost community driven drug discovery process for diseases afflicting people with poor paying capacity. Hopefully what LINUX the World Wide Web have done for the information technology, Open Source Drug Discovery will do for drug discovery. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Choosing experiments to accelerate collective discovery

DOE PAGES

Rzhetsky, Andrey; Foster, Jacob G.; Foster, Ian T.; ...

2015-11-24

Scientists perform a tiny subset of all possible experiments. What characterizes the experiments they choose? What are the consequences of those choices for the pace of scientific discovery? We model scientific knowledge as a network and science as a sequence of experiments designed to gradually uncover it. By analyzing millions of biomedical articles published over 30 y, we find that biomedical scientists pursue conservative research strategies exploring the local neighborhood of central, important molecules. Although such strategies probably serve scientific careers, we show that they slow scientific advance, especially in mature fields, where more risk and less redundant experimentation wouldmore » accelerate discovery of the network. Lastly, we also consider institutional arrangements that could help science pursue these more efficient strategies.« less

STS-82 Discovery payloads being integrated in VPF

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-01-30

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLORIDA STS-82 PREPARATIONS VIEW --- Payload processing workers in the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Vertical Processing Facility (VPF) prepare to integrate the Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS), suspended at center, into the Orbiter Replacement Unit (ORU) Carrier and Scientific Instrument Protective Enclosure (SIPE). STIS will replace the Goddard High Resolution Spectrograph (GHRS) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Four of the seven STS-82 crew members will perform a series of spacewalks to replace two scientific instruments with two new instruments, including STIS, and perform other tasks during the second HST servicing mission. HST was deployed nearly seven years ago and was initially serviced in 1993.

Exascale computing and big data

DOE PAGES

Reed, Daniel A.; Dongarra, Jack

2015-06-25

Scientific discovery and engineering innovation requires unifying traditionally separated high-performance computing and big data analytics. The tools and cultures of high-performance computing and big data analytics have diverged, to the detriment of both; unification is essential to address a spectrum of major research domains. The challenges of scale tax our ability to transmit data, compute complicated functions on that data, or store a substantial part of it; new approaches are required to meet these challenges. Finally, the international nature of science demands further development of advanced computer architectures and global standards for processing data, even as international competition complicates themore » openness of the scientific process.« less

Exascale computing and big data

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

Reed, Daniel A.; Dongarra, Jack

Scientific discovery and engineering innovation requires unifying traditionally separated high-performance computing and big data analytics. The tools and cultures of high-performance computing and big data analytics have diverged, to the detriment of both; unification is essential to address a spectrum of major research domains. The challenges of scale tax our ability to transmit data, compute complicated functions on that data, or store a substantial part of it; new approaches are required to meet these challenges. Finally, the international nature of science demands further development of advanced computer architectures and global standards for processing data, even as international competition complicates themore » openness of the scientific process.« less

[The study of tomato fruit weight quantitative trait locus and its application in genetics teaching].

PubMed

Wang, Hai-yan

2015-08-01

The classical research cases, which have greatly promoted the development of genetics in history, can be combined with the content of courses in genetics teaching to train students' ability of scientific thinking and genetic analysis. The localization and clone of gene controlling tomato fruit weight is a pioneer work in quantitative trait locus (QTL) studies and represents a complete process of QTL research in plants. Application of this integrated case in genetics teaching, which showed a wonderful process of scientific discovery and the fascination of genetic research, has inspired students' interest in genetics and achieved a good teaching effect.

Integrate Data into Scientific Workflows for Terrestrial Biosphere Model Evaluation through Brokers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Y.; Cook, R. B.; Du, F.; Dasgupta, A.; Poco, J.; Huntzinger, D. N.; Schwalm, C. R.; Boldrini, E.; Santoro, M.; Pearlman, J.; Pearlman, F.; Nativi, S.; Khalsa, S.

2013-12-01

Terrestrial biosphere models (TBMs) have become integral tools for extrapolating local observations and process-level understanding of land-atmosphere carbon exchange to larger regions. Model-model and model-observation intercomparisons are critical to understand the uncertainties within model outputs, to improve model skill, and to improve our understanding of land-atmosphere carbon exchange. The DataONE Exploration, Visualization, and Analysis (EVA) working group is evaluating TBMs using scientific workflows in UV-CDAT/VisTrails. This workflow-based approach promotes collaboration and improved tracking of evaluation provenance. But challenges still remain. The multi-scale and multi-discipline nature of TBMs makes it necessary to include diverse and distributed data resources in model evaluation. These include, among others, remote sensing data from NASA, flux tower observations from various organizations including DOE, and inventory data from US Forest Service. A key challenge is to make heterogeneous data from different organizations and disciplines discoverable and readily integrated for use in scientific workflows. This presentation introduces the brokering approach taken by the DataONE EVA to fill the gap between TBMs' evaluation scientific workflows and cross-organization and cross-discipline data resources. The DataONE EVA started the development of an Integrated Model Intercomparison Framework (IMIF) that leverages standards-based discovery and access brokers to dynamically discover, access, and transform (e.g. subset and resampling) diverse data products from DataONE, Earth System Grid (ESG), and other data repositories into a format that can be readily used by scientific workflows in UV-CDAT/VisTrails. The discovery and access brokers serve as an independent middleware that bridge existing data repositories and TBMs evaluation scientific workflows but introduce little overhead to either component. In the initial work, an OpenSearch-based discovery broker is leveraged to provide a consistent mechanism for data discovery. Standards-based data services, including Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) Web Coverage Service (WCS) and THREDDS are leveraged to provide on-demand data access and transformations through the data access broker. To ease the adoption of broker services, a package of broker client VisTrails modules have been developed to be easily plugged into scientific workflows. The initial IMIF has been successfully tested in selected model evaluation scenarios involved in the NASA-funded Multi-scale Synthesis and Terrestrial Model Intercomparison Project (MsTMIP).

Visual representation of scientific information.

PubMed

Wong, Bang

2011-02-15

Great technological advances have enabled researchers to generate an enormous amount of data. Data analysis is replacing data generation as the rate-limiting step in scientific research. With this wealth of information, we have an opportunity to understand the molecular causes of human diseases. However, the unprecedented scale, resolution, and variety of data pose new analytical challenges. Visual representation of data offers insights that can lead to new understanding, whether the purpose is analysis or communication. This presentation shows how art, design, and traditional illustration can enable scientific discovery. Examples will be drawn from the Broad Institute's Data Visualization Initiative, aimed at establishing processes for creating informative visualization models.

Technology Opens Doors to Scientific Discovery, Portrait Unveiled of Former NLM Director Lindberg | NIH MedlinePlus the ...

MedlinePlus

... version of this page please turn JavaScript on. Technology Opens Doors to Scientific Discovery Past Issues / Spring 2016 Table of Contents Susannah Fox, chief technology officer of the U.S. Department of Health and ...

Scientific Discoveries: What Is Required for Lasting Impact.

PubMed

Lømo, Terje

2016-01-01

I have been involved in two scientific discoveries of some impact. One is the discovery of long-term potentiation (LTP), the phenomenon that brief, high-frequency impulse activity at synapses in the brain can lead to long-lasting increases in their efficiency of transmission. This finding demonstrated that synapses are plastic, a property thought to be necessary for learning and memory. The other discovery is that nerve-evoked muscle impulse activity, rather than putative trophic factors, controls the properties of muscle fibers. Here I describe how these two discoveries were made, the unexpected difficulties of reproducing the first discovery, and the controversies that followed the second discovery. I discuss why the first discovery took many years to become generally recognized, whereas the second caused an immediate sensation and entered textbooks and major reviews but is now largely forgotten. In the long run, discovering a new phenomenon has greater impact than falsifying a popular hypothesis.

Discovery and development of new antibacterial drugs: learning from experience?

PubMed

Jackson, Nicole; Czaplewski, Lloyd; Piddock, Laura J V

2018-06-01

Antibiotic (antibacterial) resistance is a serious global problem and the need for new treatments is urgent. The current antibiotic discovery model is not delivering new agents at a rate that is sufficient to combat present levels of antibiotic resistance. This has led to fears of the arrival of a 'post-antibiotic era'. Scientific difficulties, an unfavourable regulatory climate, multiple company mergers and the low financial returns associated with antibiotic drug development have led to the withdrawal of many pharmaceutical companies from the field. The regulatory climate has now begun to improve, but major scientific hurdles still impede the discovery and development of novel antibacterial agents. To facilitate discovery activities there must be increased understanding of the scientific problems experienced by pharmaceutical companies. This must be coupled with addressing the current antibiotic resistance crisis so that compounds and ultimately drugs are delivered to treat the most urgent clinical challenges. By understanding the causes of the failures and successes of the pharmaceutical industry's research history, duplication of discovery programmes will be reduced, increasing the productivity of the antibiotic drug discovery pipeline by academia and small companies. The most important scientific issues to address are getting molecules into the Gram-negative bacterial cell and avoiding their efflux. Hence screening programmes should focus their efforts on whole bacterial cells rather than cell-free systems. Despite falling out of favour with pharmaceutical companies, natural product research still holds promise for providing new molecules as a basis for discovery.

Building New Partnerships--Museums, Universities, and Schools: A "Rocks and Minerals" Thematic Loan Kit.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

O'Brien, George E.; And Others

Ten activities that feature a hands-on, student inquiry-based investigatory approach to rocks and minerals are presented. "Guided discovery" and/or inquiry instructional strategies are emphasized. They focus on a student-centered active classroom. Each activity includes the heading, science content, the scientific process skills, objective or…

Science and Worldviews in the Classroom: Joseph Priestley and Photosynthesis

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Michael R.

2009-01-01

This paper elaborates on the life and publications of Joseph Priestley, the eighteenth-century polymath. The paper outlines his particular place in the European Enlightenment; it stresses the importance of philosophy and worldview in his scientific work on pneumatic chemistry, the composition of air, and his discovery of the process of…

The Power of Music: The Use of Music Protocols to Enhance Neurological Function

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Summa-Chadwick, Martha

2009-01-01

Discoveries, reached through scientific and technological advances in the evidence-based empirical domain, about how the body physiologically responds to music have opened new possibilities for developing therapeutic archetypes to actively channel specific aspects of music to assist in the learning processes of children with special needs. The…

Figure Facts: Encouraging Undergraduates to Take a Data-Centered Approach to Reading Primary Literature

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Round, Jennifer E.; Campbell, A. Malcolm

2013-01-01

The ability to interpret experimental data is essential to understanding and participating in the process of scientific discovery. Reading primary research articles can be a frustrating experience for undergraduate biology students because they have very little experience interpreting data. To enhance their data interpretation skills, students…

The Processes and Effects of an Internal Technology Discovery Program upon Management.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Schuelke, L. David

This paper summarizes the results of a field study conducted by the Center for Research in Scientific Communication at the University of Minnesota, Saint Paul, which concerned the effects of a technology-monitoring program on communication activities, behaviors, and attitudes of employees at a multinational, Minneapolis-based company. It was…

Polanyi and the Role of Tradition in Scientific Inquiry

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Mitchell, Mark T.

2011-01-01

A characteristic of the modern mind is a disdain for tradition. Polanyi argues that neglecting the role of tradition leads to philosophical incoherence as well as moral and political chaos. Polanyi's postcritical philosophy represents an attempt to show how tradition plays a vital role in the process of discovery. Ultimately, a coherent account of…

The Science of Learning Meets the Art of Teaching

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Park, Beverley

2006-01-01

Through the discoveries of neuroscience, educators have moved beyond the intuitive knowledge of how and when learning occurs to a demonstrated scientific understanding of the learning process itself. These new understandings have a two-fold appeal to educators: they allow them to design better, research-based teaching practices, and they help them…

Redefining Authentic Research Experiences in Introductory Biology Laboratories and Barriers to Their Implementation

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spell, Rachelle M.; Guinan, Judith A.; Miller, Kristen R.; Beck, Christopher W.

2014-01-01

Incorporating authentic research experiences in introductory biology laboratory classes would greatly expand the number of students exposed to the excitement of discovery and the rigor of the scientific process. However, the essential components of an authentic research experience and the barriers to their implementation in laboratory classes are…

Effective Tooling for Linked Data Publishing in Scientific Research

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

Purohit, Sumit; Smith, William P.; Chappell, Alan R.

Challenges that make it difficult to find, share, and combine published data, such as data heterogeneity and resource discovery, have led to increased adoption of semantic data standards and data publishing technologies. To make data more accessible, interconnected and discoverable, some domains are being encouraged to publish their data as Linked Data. Consequently, this trend greatly increases the amount of data that semantic web tools are required to process, store, and interconnect. In attempting to process and manipulate large data sets, tools–ranging from simple text editors to modern triplestores– eventually breakdown upon reaching undefined thresholds. This paper offers a systematicmore » approach that data publishers can use to categorize suitable tools to meet their data publishing needs. We present a real-world use case, the Resource Discovery for Extreme Scale Collaboration (RDESC), which features a scientific dataset(maximum size of 1.4 billion triples) used to evaluate a toolbox for data publishing in climate research. This paper also introduces a semantic data publishing software suite developed for the RDESC project.« less

Satellite image-based maps: Scientific inference or pretty pictures?

Treesearch

Ronald E. McRoberts

2011-01-01

The scientific method has been characterized as having two distinct components, Discovery and Justification. Discovery emphasizes ideas and creativity, focuses on conceiving hypotheses and constructing models, and is generally regarded as lacking a formal logic. Justification begins with the hypotheses and models and ends with a...

Data Generation in the Discovery Sciences—Learning from the Practices in an Advanced Research Laboratory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roth, Wolff-Michael

2013-08-01

General scientific literacy includes understanding the grounds on which scientific claims are based. The measurements scientists make and the data that they produce from them generally constitute these grounds. However, the nature of data generation has received relatively little attention from those interested in teaching science through inquiry. To inform curriculum designers about the process of data generation and its relation to the understanding of patterns as these may arise from graphs, this 5-year ethnographic study in one advanced research laboratory was designed to investigate how natural scientists make decisions about the inclusion/exclusion of certain measurements in/from their data sources. The study shows that scientists exclude measurements from their data sources even before attempting to mathematize and interpret the data. The excluded measurements therefore never even enter the ground from and against which the scientific phenomenon emerges and therefore remain invisible to it. I conclude by encouraging science educators to squarely address this aspect of the discovery sciences in their teaching, which has both methodological and ethical implications.

The role of inspiration in scientific scholarship and discovery: views of theistic scientists.

PubMed

O'Grady, Kari A; Richards, P Scott

2011-01-01

This qualitative research study examined the ways those who identify themselves as theistic scientists and scholars experience inspiration, as defined as divine guidance or influence, in their scientific scholarship and discovery. It also explored participants' beliefs about how scientists and scholars can seek and prepare to receive inspiration in their work. Open-ended surveys of 450 participants from the behavioral and natural sciences and from a variety of religious backgrounds were analyzed for content themes in the areas of experiences with inspiration, preparing to receive inspiration, and further thoughts on inspiration in science. The themes extracted indicated that these scientists and scholars have experienced inspiration throughout all stages of the research process. They also believe that certain practices and virtues, such as openness to inspiration and nurturing a relationship with God, can help scientists and scholars be more prepared to receive inspiration in their work. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Enrico Fermi Awards Ceremony for Dr. Allen J. Bard and Dr. Andrew Sessler, February 2014 (Presentations, including remarks by Energy Secretary, Dr. Ernest Moniz)

ScienceCinema

Moniz, Ernest; Dehmer, Patricia

2018-05-04

The Fermi Award is a Presidential award and is one of the oldest and most prestigious science and technology honors bestowed by the U.S. Government. On February 3, 2014 it was conferred upon two exceptional scientists. The first to be recognized is Dr. Allen J. Bard, 'for international leadership in electrochemical science and technology, for advances in photoelectrochemistry and photocatalytic materials, processes, and devices, and for discovery and development of electrochemical methods including electrogenerated chemiluminescence and scanning electrochemical microscopy.' The other honoree is Dr. Andrew Sessler, 'for advancing accelerators as powerful tools of scientific discovery, for visionary direction of the research enterprise focused on challenges in energy and the environment, and for championing outreach and freedom of scientific inquiry worldwide.' Dr. Patricia Dehmer opened the ceremony, and Dr. Ernest Moniz presented the awards.

Merging Electronic Health Record Data and Genomics for Cardiovascular Research: A Science Advisory From the American Heart Association.

PubMed

Hall, Jennifer L; Ryan, John J; Bray, Bruce E; Brown, Candice; Lanfear, David; Newby, L Kristin; Relling, Mary V; Risch, Neil J; Roden, Dan M; Shaw, Stanley Y; Tcheng, James E; Tenenbaum, Jessica; Wang, Thomas N; Weintraub, William S

2016-04-01

The process of scientific discovery is rapidly evolving. The funding climate has influenced a favorable shift in scientific discovery toward the use of existing resources such as the electronic health record. The electronic health record enables long-term outlooks on human health and disease, in conjunction with multidimensional phenotypes that include laboratory data, images, vital signs, and other clinical information. Initial work has confirmed the utility of the electronic health record for understanding mechanisms and patterns of variability in disease susceptibility, disease evolution, and drug responses. The addition of biobanks and genomic data to the information contained in the electronic health record has been demonstrated. The purpose of this statement is to discuss the current challenges in and the potential for merging electronic health record data and genomics for cardiovascular research. © 2016 American Heart Association, Inc.

Enrico Fermi Awards Ceremony for Dr. Allen J. Bard and Dr. Andrew Sessler, February 2014 (Presentations, including remarks by Energy Secretary, Dr. Ernest Moniz)

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

Moniz, Ernest; Dehmer, Patricia

The Fermi Award is a Presidential award and is one of the oldest and most prestigious science and technology honors bestowed by the U.S. Government. On February 3, 2014 it was conferred upon two exceptional scientists. The first to be recognized is Dr. Allen J. Bard, 'for international leadership in electrochemical science and technology, for advances in photoelectrochemistry and photocatalytic materials, processes, and devices, and for discovery and development of electrochemical methods including electrogenerated chemiluminescence and scanning electrochemical microscopy.' The other honoree is Dr. Andrew Sessler, 'for advancing accelerators as powerful tools of scientific discovery, for visionary direction of themore » research enterprise focused on challenges in energy and the environment, and for championing outreach and freedom of scientific inquiry worldwide.' Dr. Patricia Dehmer opened the ceremony, and Dr. Ernest Moniz presented the awards.« less

Apprenticeships, Collaboration and Scientific Discovery in Academic Field Studies

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Madden, Derek Scott; Grayson, Diane J.; Madden, Erinn H.; Milewski, Antoni V.; Snyder, Cathy Ann

2012-01-01

Teachers may use apprenticeships and collaboration as instructional strategies that help students to make authentic scientific discoveries as they work as amateur researchers in academic field studies. This concept was examined with 643 students, ages 14-72, who became proficient at field research through cognitive apprenticeships with the…

Causal discovery in the geosciences-Using synthetic data to learn how to interpret results

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ebert-Uphoff, Imme; Deng, Yi

2017-02-01

Causal discovery algorithms based on probabilistic graphical models have recently emerged in geoscience applications for the identification and visualization of dynamical processes. The key idea is to learn the structure of a graphical model from observed spatio-temporal data, thus finding pathways of interactions in the observed physical system. Studying those pathways allows geoscientists to learn subtle details about the underlying dynamical mechanisms governing our planet. Initial studies using this approach on real-world atmospheric data have shown great potential for scientific discovery. However, in these initial studies no ground truth was available, so that the resulting graphs have been evaluated only by whether a domain expert thinks they seemed physically plausible. The lack of ground truth is a typical problem when using causal discovery in the geosciences. Furthermore, while most of the connections found by this method match domain knowledge, we encountered one type of connection for which no explanation was found. To address both of these issues we developed a simulation framework that generates synthetic data of typical atmospheric processes (advection and diffusion). Applying the causal discovery algorithm to the synthetic data allowed us (1) to develop a better understanding of how these physical processes appear in the resulting connectivity graphs, and thus how to better interpret such connectivity graphs when obtained from real-world data; (2) to solve the mystery of the previously unexplained connections.

Designing an intuitive web application for drug discovery scientists.

PubMed

Karamanis, Nikiforos; Pignatelli, Miguel; Carvalho-Silva, Denise; Rowland, Francis; Cham, Jennifer A; Dunham, Ian

2018-06-01

We discuss how we designed the Open Targets Platform (www.targetvalidation.org), an intuitive application for bench scientists working in early drug discovery. To meet the needs of our users, we applied lean user experience (UX) design methods: we started engaging with users very early and carried out research, design and evaluation activities within an iterative development process. We also emphasize the collaborative nature of applying lean UX design, which we believe is a foundation for success in this and many other scientific projects. Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

Preliminary scientific results from the first six months of the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soifer, B. T.; Neugebauer, G.; Beichman, C. A.; Houck, J. R.; Rowan-Robinson, M.

1984-01-01

The Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) was successfully launched on January 25, 1983. This paper presents results based on analysis of early scientific data returned from IRAS. Among the early results of IRAS are the discovery of comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock, evidence for a shell of large particles around the nearby bright star Vega, detection of stars in the process of formation, and detection of many infrared bright galaxies. These early results demonstrate that the IRAS data will be a treasure chest for astronomers for years to come.

Preliminary scientific results from the first six months of the Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soifer, B. T.; Beichman, C. A.; Houck, J. R.; Neugebauer, G.; Rowan-Robinson, M.

1984-04-01

The Infrared Astronomical Satellite (IRAS) was successfully launched on January 25, 1983. This paper presents results based on analysis of early scientific data returned from IRAS. Among the early results of IRAS are the discovery of comet IRAS-Araki-Alcock, evidence for a shell of large particles around the nearby bright star Vega, detection of stars in the process of formation, and detection of many infrared bright galaxies. These early results demonstrate that the IRAS data will be a treasure chest for astronomers for years to come.

Continued reduction and analysis of data from the Dynamics Explorer Plasma Wave Instrument

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gurnett, Donald A.; Weimer, Daniel R.

1994-01-01

The plasma wave instrument on the Dynamics Explorer 1 spacecraft provided measurements of the electric and magnetic components of plasma waves in the Earth's magnetosphere. Four receiver systems processed signals from five antennas. Sixty-seven theses, scientific papers and reports were prepared from the data generated. Data processing activities and techniques used to analyze the data are described and highlights of discoveries made and research undertaken are tabulated.

Serendipity: Accidental Discoveries in Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roberts, Royston M.

1989-06-01

Many of the things discovered by accident are important in our everyday lives: Teflon, Velcro, nylon, x-rays, penicillin, safety glass, sugar substitutes, and polyethylene and other plastics. And we owe a debt to accident for some of our deepest scientific knowledge, including Newton's theory of gravitation, the Big Bang theory of Creation, and the discovery of DNA. Even the Rosetta Stone, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the ruins of Pompeii came to light through chance. This book tells the fascinating stories of these and other discoveries and reveals how the inquisitive human mind turns accident into discovery. Written for the layman, yet scientifically accurate, this illuminating collection of anecdotes portrays invention and discovery as quintessentially human acts, due in part to curiosity, perserverance, and luck.

Anticoagulant factor V: factors affecting the integration of novel scientific discoveries into the broader framework.

PubMed

LaBonte, Michelle L

2014-09-01

Since its initial discovery in the 1940s, factor V has long been viewed as an important procoagulant protein in the coagulation cascade. However, in the later part of the 20th century, two different scientists proposed novel anticoagulant roles for factor V. Philip Majerus proposed the first anticoagulant function for factor V in 1983, yet ultimately it was not widely accepted by the broader scientific community. In contrast, Björn Dahlbäck proposed a different anticoagulant role for factor V in 1994. While this role was initially contested, it was ultimately accepted and integrated into the scientific framework. In this paper, I present a detailed historical account of these two anticoagulant discoveries and propose three key reasons why Dahlbäck's anticoagulant role for factor V was accepted whereas Majerus' proposed role was largely overlooked. Perhaps most importantly, Dahlbäck's proposed anticoagulant role was of great clinical interest because the discovery involved the study of an important subset of patients with thrombophilia. Soon after Dahlbäck's 1994 work, this patient population was shown to possess the factor V Leiden mutation. Also key in the ultimate acceptance of the second proposed anticoagulant role was the persistence of the scientist who made the discovery and the interest in and ability of others to replicate and reinforce this work. This analysis of two different yet similar discoveries sheds light on factors that play an important role in how new discoveries are incorporated into the existing scientific framework. Copyright © 2014 The Author. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

75 FR 57965 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-09-23

... Emphasis Panel; RFA Panel: Drug Discovery for the Nervous System. Date: October 14-15, 2010. Time: 8 a.m...: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; RFA Panel: Drug Discovery for the Nervous System... Review Special Emphasis Panel; Small Business: Visual Systems. Date: October 28, 2010. Time: 8 a.m. to 6...

Triple Scheme of Learning Support Design for Scientific Discovery Learning Based on Computer Simulation: Experimental Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zhang, Jianwei; Chen, Qi; Sun, Yanquing; Reid, David J.

2004-01-01

Learning support studies involving simulation-based scientific discovery learning have tended to adopt an ad hoc strategies-oriented approach in which the support strategies are typically pre-specified according to learners' difficulties in particular activities. This article proposes a more integrated approach, a triple scheme for learning…

Detangling Spaghetti: Tracking Deep Ocean Currents in the Gulf of Mexico

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Curran, Mary Carla; Bower, Amy S.; Furey, Heather H.

2017-01-01

Creation of physical models can help students learn science by enabling them to be more involved in the scientific process of discovery and to use multiple senses during investigations. This activity achieves these goals by having students model ocean currents in the Gulf of Mexico. In general, oceans play a key role in influencing weather…

The Evolution of Software Publication in Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cantiello, Matteo

2018-01-01

Software is a fundamental component of the scientific research process. As astronomical discoveries increasingly rely on complex numerical calculations and the analysis of big data sets, publishing and documenting software is a fundamental step in ensuring transparency and reproducibility of results. I will briefly discuss the recent history of software publication and highlight the challenges and opportunities ahead.

Immediate Dissemination of Student Discoveries to a Model Organism Database Enhances Classroom-Based Research Experiences

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wiley, Emily A.; Stover, Nicholas A.

2014-01-01

Use of inquiry-based research modules in the classroom has soared over recent years, largely in response to national calls for teaching that provides experience with scientific processes and methodologies. To increase the visibility of in-class studies among interested researchers and to strengthen their impact on student learning, we have…

Using the Moon as a Tool for Discovery-Oriented Learning.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cummins, Robert Hays; Ritger, Scott David; Myers, Christopher Adam

1992-01-01

Students test the hypothesis that the moon revolves east to west around the earth, determine by observation approximately how many degrees the moon revolves per night, and develop a scale model of the earth-sun-moon system in this laboratory exercise. Students are actively involved in the scientific process and are introduced to the importance of…

Pseudoscience and Mental Ability: The Origins and Fallacies of the IQ Controversy.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Blum, Jeffrey M.

Pseudoscience, or the process of persuasion by establishing a pretense of scientific discovery, is examined in this book in an effort to dispel false notions about the validity of various measures of intelligence and the correlations of genetics to mental ability. The history and development of concepts related to hereditary intelligence and…

An Introductory Biology Lab that Uses Enzyme Histochemistry to Teach Students about Skeletal Muscle Fiber Types

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sweeney, Lauren J.; Brodfuehrer, Peter D.; Raughley, Beth L.

2004-01-01

One important goal of introductory biology laboratory experiences is to engage students directly in all steps in the process of scientific discovery. Even when laboratory experiences are built on principles discussed in the classroom, students often do not adequately apply this background to interpretation of results they obtain in lab. This…

Science education as an exercise in foreign affairs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cobern, William W.

1995-07-01

In Kuhnian terms, science education has been a process of inducting students into the reigning paradigms of science. In 1985, Duschl noted that science education had not kept pace with developments in the history and philosophy of science. The claim of certainty for scientific knowledge which science educators grounded in positivist philosophy was rendered untenable years ago and it turns out that social and cultural factors surrounding discovery may be at least as important as the justification of knowledge. Capitalizing on these new developments, Duschl, Hamilton, and Grandy (1990) wrote a compelling argument for the need to have a joint research effort in science education involving the philosophy and history of science along with cognitive psychology. However, the issue of discovery compels the research community go one step further. If the science education community has been guilty of neglecting historical and philosophical issues in science, let it not now be guilty of ignoring sociological issues in science. A collaborative view ought also to include the sociological study of cultural milieu in which scientific ideas arise. In other words, an external sociological perspective on science. The logic of discovery from a sociological point of view implies that conceptual change can also be viewed from a sociological perspective.

What Neural Substrates Trigger the Adept Scientific Pattern Discovery by Biologists?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jun-Ki; Kwon, Yong-Ju

2011-04-01

This study investigated the neural correlates of experts and novices during biological object pattern detection using an fMRI approach in order to reveal the neural correlates of a biologist's superior pattern discovery ability. Sixteen healthy male participants (8 biologists and 8 non-biologists) volunteered for the study. Participants were shown fifteen series of organism pictures and asked to detect patterns amid stimulus pictures. Primary findings showed significant activations in the right middle temporal gyrus and inferior parietal lobule amongst participants in the biologist (expert) group. Interestingly, the left superior temporal gyrus was activated in participants from the non-biologist (novice) group. These results suggested that superior pattern discovery ability could be related to a functional facilitation of the parieto-temporal network, which is particularly driven by the right middle temporal gyrus and inferior parietal lobule in addition to the recruitment of additional brain regions. Furthermore, the functional facilitation of the network might actually pertain to high coherent processing skills and visual working memory capacity. Hence, study results suggested that adept scientific thinking ability can be detected by neuronal substrates, which may be used as criteria for developing and evaluating a brain-based science curriculum and test instrument.

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

Gallarno, George; Rogers, James H; Maxwell, Don E

The high computational capability of graphics processing units (GPUs) is enabling and driving the scientific discovery process at large-scale. The world s second fastest supercomputer for open science, Titan, has more than 18,000 GPUs that computational scientists use to perform scientific simu- lations and data analysis. Understanding of GPU reliability characteristics, however, is still in its nascent stage since GPUs have only recently been deployed at large-scale. This paper presents a detailed study of GPU errors and their impact on system operations and applications, describing experiences with the 18,688 GPUs on the Titan supercom- puter as well as lessons learnedmore » in the process of efficient operation of GPUs at scale. These experiences are helpful to HPC sites which already have large-scale GPU clusters or plan to deploy GPUs in the future.« less

Enhancements to VTK enabling Scientific Visualization in Immersive Environments

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

O'Leary, Patrick; Jhaveri, Sankhesh; Chaudhary, Aashish

Modern scientific, engineering and medical computational sim- ulations, as well as experimental and observational data sens- ing/measuring devices, produce enormous amounts of data. While statistical analysis provides insight into this data, scientific vi- sualization is tactically important for scientific discovery, prod- uct design and data analysis. These benefits are impeded, how- ever, when scientific visualization algorithms are implemented from scratch—a time-consuming and redundant process in im- mersive application development. This process can greatly ben- efit from leveraging the state-of-the-art open-source Visualization Toolkit (VTK) and its community. Over the past two (almost three) decades, integrating VTK with a virtual reality (VR)more » environment has only been attempted to varying degrees of success. In this pa- per, we demonstrate two new approaches to simplify this amalga- mation of an immersive interface with visualization rendering from VTK. In addition, we cover several enhancements to VTK that pro- vide near real-time updates and efficient interaction. Finally, we demonstrate the combination of VTK with both Vrui and OpenVR immersive environments in example applications.« less

Effects of traditional and discovery instructional approaches on learning outcomes for learners of different intellectual development: A study of chemistry students in Zambia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulopo, Moses M.; Seymour Fowler, H.

This study examined the differential effectiveness of traditional and discovery methods of instruction for the teaching of science concepts, understandings about science, and scientific attitudes, to learners at the concrete and formal level of cognitive development. The dependent variables were achievement, understanding science, and scientific attitude; assessed through the use of the ACS Achievement Test (high school chemistry, Form 1979), the Test on Understanding Science (Form W), and the Test on Scientific Attitude, respectively. Mode of instruction and cognitive development were the independent variables. Subjects were 120 Form IV (11th grade) males enrolled in chemistry classes in Lusaka, Zambia. Sixty of these were concrete reasoners (mean age = 18.23) randomly selected from one of the two schools. The remaining 60 subjects were formal reasoners (mean age 18.06) randomly selected from a second boys' school. Each of these two groups was randomly split into two subgroups with 30 subjects. Traditional and discovery approaches were randomly assigned to the two subgroups of concrete reasoners and to the two subgroups of formal reasoners. Prior to instruction, the subjects were pretested using the ACS Achievement Test, the Test on Understanding Science, and the Test on Scientific Attitude. Subjects received instruction covering eight chemistry topics during approximately 10 weeks. Posttests followed using the same standard tests. Two-way analysis of covariance, with pretest scores serving as covariates was used and 0.05 level of significant was accepted. Tukey WSD technique was used as a follow-up test where applicable. It was found that (1) for the formal reasoners, the discovery group earned significantly higher understanding science scores than the traditional group. For the concrete reasoners mode of instruction did not make a difference; (2) overall, formal reasoners earned significantly higher achievement scores than concrete reasoners; (3) in general, subjects taught by the discovery approach earned significantly higher scientific attitude scores than those taught by the traditional approach. The traditional group outperformed the discovery group in achievement scores. It was concluded that the traditional approach might be an efficient instructional mode for the teaching of scientific facts and principles to high school students, while the discovery approach seemed to be more suitable for teaching scientific attitudes and for promoting understanding about science and scientists among formal operational learners.

iBiology: communicating the process of science.

PubMed

Goodwin, Sarah S

2014-08-01

The Internet hosts an abundance of science video resources aimed at communicating scientific knowledge, including webinars, massive open online courses, and TED talks. Although these videos are efficient at disseminating information for diverse types of users, they often do not demonstrate the process of doing science, the excitement of scientific discovery, or how new scientific knowledge is developed. iBiology (www.ibiology.org), a project that creates open-access science videos about biology research and science-related topics, seeks to fill this need by producing videos by science leaders that make their ideas, stories, and experiences available to anyone with an Internet connection. © 2014 Goodwin. This article is distributed by The American Society for Cell Biology under license from the author(s). Two months after publication it is available to the public under an Attribution–Noncommercial–Share Alike 3.0 Unported Creative Commons License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0).

THE GHOST IN OUR GENES: LEGAL AND ETHICAL IMPLICATIONS OF EPIGENETICS

PubMed Central

Rothstein, Mark A.; Cai, Yu; Marchant, Gary E.

2011-01-01

Epigenetics is one of the most scientifically important, and legally and ethically significant, cutting-edge subjects of scientific discovery. Epigenetics link environmental and genetic influences on the traits and characteristics of an individual, and new discoveries reveal that a large range of environmental, dietary, behavioral, and medical experiences can significantly affect the future development and health of an individual and their offspring. This article describes and analyzes the ethical and legal implications of these new scientific findings. PMID:19459537

The Goal Specificity Effect on Strategy Use and Instructional Efficiency during Computer-Based Scientific Discovery Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kunsting, Josef; Wirth, Joachim; Paas, Fred

2011-01-01

Using a computer-based scientific discovery learning environment on buoyancy in fluids we investigated the "effects of goal specificity" (nonspecific goals vs. specific goals) for two goal types (problem solving goals vs. learning goals) on "strategy use" and "instructional efficiency". Our empirical findings close an important research gap,…

A History of NASA Remote Sensing Contributions to Archaeology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giardino, Marco J.

2010-01-01

During its long history of developing and deploying remote sensing instruments, NASA has provided a scientific data that have benefitted a variety of scientific applications among them archaeology. Multispectral and hyperspectral instrument mounted on orbiting and suborbital platforms have provided new and important information for the discovery, delineation and analysis of archaeological sites worldwide. Since the early 1970s, several of the ten NASA centers have collaborated with archaeologists to refine and validate the use of active and passive remote sensing for archeological use. The Stennis Space Center (SSC), located in Mississippi USA has been the NASA leader in archeological research. Together with colleagues from Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC), and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), SSC scientists have provided the archaeological community with useful images and sophisticated processing that have pushed the technological frontiers of archaeological research and applications. Successful projects include identifying prehistoric roads in Chaco canyon, identifying sites from the Lewis and Clark Corps of Discovery exploration and assessing prehistoric settlement patterns in southeast Louisiana. The Scientific Data Purchase (SDP) stimulated commercial companies to collect archaeological data. At present, NASA formally solicits "space archaeology" proposals through its Earth Science Directorate and continues to assist archaeologists and cultural resource managers in doing their work more efficiently and effectively. This paper focuses on passive remote sensing and does not consider the significant contributions made by NASA active sensors. Hyperspectral data offers new opportunities for future archeological discoveries.

Decades of Discovery

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

2011-06-01

For the past two-and-a-half decades, the Office of Science at the U.S. Department of Energy has been at the forefront of scientific discovery. Over 100 important discoveries supported by the Office of Science are represented in this document.

A bioinformatics knowledge discovery in text application for grid computing

PubMed Central

Castellano, Marcello; Mastronardi, Giuseppe; Bellotti, Roberto; Tarricone, Gianfranco

2009-01-01

Background A fundamental activity in biomedical research is Knowledge Discovery which has the ability to search through large amounts of biomedical information such as documents and data. High performance computational infrastructures, such as Grid technologies, are emerging as a possible infrastructure to tackle the intensive use of Information and Communication resources in life science. The goal of this work was to develop a software middleware solution in order to exploit the many knowledge discovery applications on scalable and distributed computing systems to achieve intensive use of ICT resources. Methods The development of a grid application for Knowledge Discovery in Text using a middleware solution based methodology is presented. The system must be able to: perform a user application model, process the jobs with the aim of creating many parallel jobs to distribute on the computational nodes. Finally, the system must be aware of the computational resources available, their status and must be able to monitor the execution of parallel jobs. These operative requirements lead to design a middleware to be specialized using user application modules. It included a graphical user interface in order to access to a node search system, a load balancing system and a transfer optimizer to reduce communication costs. Results A middleware solution prototype and the performance evaluation of it in terms of the speed-up factor is shown. It was written in JAVA on Globus Toolkit 4 to build the grid infrastructure based on GNU/Linux computer grid nodes. A test was carried out and the results are shown for the named entity recognition search of symptoms and pathologies. The search was applied to a collection of 5,000 scientific documents taken from PubMed. Conclusion In this paper we discuss the development of a grid application based on a middleware solution. It has been tested on a knowledge discovery in text process to extract new and useful information about symptoms and pathologies from a large collection of unstructured scientific documents. As an example a computation of Knowledge Discovery in Database was applied on the output produced by the KDT user module to extract new knowledge about symptom and pathology bio-entities. PMID:19534749

A bioinformatics knowledge discovery in text application for grid computing.

PubMed

Castellano, Marcello; Mastronardi, Giuseppe; Bellotti, Roberto; Tarricone, Gianfranco

2009-06-16

A fundamental activity in biomedical research is Knowledge Discovery which has the ability to search through large amounts of biomedical information such as documents and data. High performance computational infrastructures, such as Grid technologies, are emerging as a possible infrastructure to tackle the intensive use of Information and Communication resources in life science. The goal of this work was to develop a software middleware solution in order to exploit the many knowledge discovery applications on scalable and distributed computing systems to achieve intensive use of ICT resources. The development of a grid application for Knowledge Discovery in Text using a middleware solution based methodology is presented. The system must be able to: perform a user application model, process the jobs with the aim of creating many parallel jobs to distribute on the computational nodes. Finally, the system must be aware of the computational resources available, their status and must be able to monitor the execution of parallel jobs. These operative requirements lead to design a middleware to be specialized using user application modules. It included a graphical user interface in order to access to a node search system, a load balancing system and a transfer optimizer to reduce communication costs. A middleware solution prototype and the performance evaluation of it in terms of the speed-up factor is shown. It was written in JAVA on Globus Toolkit 4 to build the grid infrastructure based on GNU/Linux computer grid nodes. A test was carried out and the results are shown for the named entity recognition search of symptoms and pathologies. The search was applied to a collection of 5,000 scientific documents taken from PubMed. In this paper we discuss the development of a grid application based on a middleware solution. It has been tested on a knowledge discovery in text process to extract new and useful information about symptoms and pathologies from a large collection of unstructured scientific documents. As an example a computation of Knowledge Discovery in Database was applied on the output produced by the KDT user module to extract new knowledge about symptom and pathology bio-entities.

From the EBM pyramid to the Greek temple: a new conceptual approach to Guidelines as implementation tools in mental health.

PubMed

Salvador-Carulla, L; Lukersmith, S; Sullivan, W

2017-04-01

Guideline methods to develop recommendations dedicate most effort around organising discovery and corroboration knowledge following the evidence-based medicine (EBM) framework. Guidelines typically use a single dimension of information, and generally discard contextual evidence and formal expert knowledge and consumer's experiences in the process. In recognition of the limitations of guidelines in complex cases, complex interventions and systems research, there has been significant effort to develop new tools, guides, resources and structures to use alongside EBM methods of guideline development. In addition to these advances, a new framework based on the philosophy of science is required. Guidelines should be defined as implementation decision support tools for improving the decision-making process in real-world practice and not only as a procedure to optimise the knowledge base of scientific discovery and corroboration. A shift from the model of the EBM pyramid of corroboration of evidence to the use of broader multi-domain perspective graphically depicted as 'Greek temple' could be considered. This model takes into account the different stages of scientific knowledge (discovery, corroboration and implementation), the sources of knowledge relevant to guideline development (experimental, observational, contextual, expert-based and experiential); their underlying inference mechanisms (deduction, induction, abduction, means-end inferences) and a more precise definition of evidence and related terms. The applicability of this broader approach is presented for the development of the Canadian Consensus Guidelines for the Primary Care of People with Developmental Disabilities.

Callisto: A World in its Own Right

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moore, Jeffrey M.; Schenk, Paul M.

2003-01-01

Callisto, once unknown and then disregarded after Voyager, has emerged in the post-Galileo era worthy of the same intense scientific scrutiny that is lavished upon her sisters, playing an essential role in our understanding of the evolution of icy moons, and in a larger sense, the grand tapestry of solar system history. Along with the discovery of Callisto s con- ducting, probably fluid sub-surface layer, major Gulileo discoveries about Callisto include the complete absence of cryo-volcanic resurfacing, the relatively undifferentiated interior, and the presence of massive landform erosion from sublimation processes. Callisto s landscape at decameter scales is unique among the Galilean satellites, and might be most akin to that of cometary nuclei. The process of sublimation degradation, previously underappreciated, is now recognized as a major surface modification process on Callisto. Its role in mass wasting and landslide initiation was elemental in creating the bizarre and astonishing scenery imaged by Galileo.

An explanation of resisted discoveries based on construal-level theory.

PubMed

Fang, Hui

2015-02-01

New discoveries and theories are crucial for the development of science, but they are often initially resisted by the scientific community. This paper analyses resistance to scientific discoveries that supplement previous research results or conclusions with new phenomena, such as long chains in macromolecules, Alfvén waves, parity nonconservation in weak interactions and quasicrystals. Construal-level theory is used to explain that the probability of new discoveries may be underestimated because of psychological distance. Thus, the insufficiently examined scope of an accepted theory may lead to overstating the suitable scope and underestimating the probability of its undiscovered counter-examples. Therefore, psychological activity can result in people instinctively resisting new discoveries. Direct evidence can help people judge the validity of a hypothesis with rational thinking. The effects of authorities and textbooks on the resistance to discoveries are also discussed. From the results of our analysis, suggestions are provided to reduce resistance to real discoveries, which will benefit the development of science.

Revolutionary Science

PubMed Central

Fang, Ferric C.

2016-01-01

ABSTRACT On rare occasions in the history of science, remarkable discoveries transform human society and forever alter mankind’s view of the world. Examples of such discoveries include the heliocentric theory, Newtonian physics, the germ theory of disease, quantum theory, plate tectonics and the discovery that DNA carries genetic information. The science philosopher Thomas Kuhn famously described science as long periods of normality punctuated by times of crisis, when anomalous observations culminate in revolutionary changes that replace one paradigm with another. This essay examines several transformative discoveries in the light of Kuhn’s formulation. We find that each scientific revolution is unique, with disparate origins that may include puzzle solving, serendipity, inspiration, or a convergence of disparate observations. The causes of revolutionary science are varied and lack an obvious common structure. Moreover, it can be difficult to draw a clear distinction between so-called normal and revolutionary science. Revolutionary discoveries often emerge from basic science and are critically dependent on nonrevolutionary research. Revolutionary discoveries may be conceptual or technological in nature, lead to the creation of new fields, and have a lasting impact on many fields in addition to the field from which they emerge. In contrast to political revolutions, scientific revolutions do not necessarily require the destruction of the previous order. For humanity to continue to benefit from revolutionary discoveries, a broad palette of scientific inquiry with a particular emphasis on basic science should be supported. PMID:26933052

Revolutionary Science.

PubMed

Casadevall, Arturo; Fang, Ferric C

2016-03-01

On rare occasions in the history of science, remarkable discoveries transform human society and forever alter mankind's view of the world. Examples of such discoveries include the heliocentric theory, Newtonian physics, the germ theory of disease, quantum theory, plate tectonics and the discovery that DNA carries genetic information. The science philosopher Thomas Kuhn famously described science as long periods of normality punctuated by times of crisis, when anomalous observations culminate in revolutionary changes that replace one paradigm with another. This essay examines several transformative discoveries in the light of Kuhn's formulation. We find that each scientific revolution is unique, with disparate origins that may include puzzle solving, serendipity, inspiration, or a convergence of disparate observations. The causes of revolutionary science are varied and lack an obvious common structure. Moreover, it can be difficult to draw a clear distinction between so-called normal and revolutionary science. Revolutionary discoveries often emerge from basic science and are critically dependent on nonrevolutionary research. Revolutionary discoveries may be conceptual or technological in nature, lead to the creation of new fields, and have a lasting impact on many fields in addition to the field from which they emerge. In contrast to political revolutions, scientific revolutions do not necessarily require the destruction of the previous order. For humanity to continue to benefit from revolutionary discoveries, a broad palette of scientific inquiry with a particular emphasis on basic science should be supported. Copyright © 2016 Casadevall and Fang.

Representation of Serendipitous Scientific Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

James, Mark

2006-01-01

A computer program defines and implements an innovative kind of data structure than can be used for representing information derived from serendipitous discoveries made via collection of scientific data on long exploratory spacecraft missions. Data structures capable of collecting any kind of data can easily be implemented in advance, but the task of designing a fixed and efficient data structure suitable for processing raw data into useful information and taking advantage of serendipitous scientific discovery is becoming increasingly difficult as missions go deeper into space. The present software eases the task by enabling definition of arbitrarily complex data structures that can adapt at run time as raw data are transformed into other types of information. This software runs on a variety of computers, and can be distributed in either source code or binary code form. It must be run in conjunction with any one of a number of Lisp compilers that are available commercially or as shareware. It has no specific memory requirements and depends upon the other software with which it is used. This program is implemented as a library that is called by, and becomes folded into, the other software with which it is used.

The Impact of Research on the Future of Dental Education: How Research and Innovation Shape Dental Education and the Dental Profession.

PubMed

Slavkin, Harold C

2017-09-01

Scientific inquiry and discovery are the fuel for education, research, technology, and health care in all the health professions: dentistry, medicine, nursing, pharmacy, and allied health sciences. The progression of discoveries from basic or fundamental to clinical research is followed by the progression from clinical to implementation and improved health outcomes and processes. Generally, implementation science is the scientific study of methods to promote the systematic uptake of research findings (e.g., basic, translational, behavioral, socioeconomic, and clinical) as well as other related evidence-based practices into standards of care, thereby improving the quality, effectiveness, and cost benefits of health care services. There is little doubt that science has and will continue to provide the essential fuel for innovations that lead to new and improved technologies for risk assessment, prevention, diagnosis, treatments and therapeutics, and implementation for addressing oral and craniofacial diseases and disorders. The history of the U.S. dental profession reviewed in this article gives testimony to the continued need for investments in scientific inquiry that accelerate progress in comprehensive health care for all people. This article was written as part of the project "Advancing Dental Education in the 21 st Century."

University Research Initiative Research Program Summaries

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-06-01

application to intelligent tutoring systems (John Anderson), o Autonomous learning systems (Jaime Carbonell), o Learning algorithms for parallel processing...test them. The primary project will be: o Learning mechanisms in scientific discovery (Herbert Simon). Tutoring systems. These projects are aimed at...near-term results. They 19 will produce tutors for training specific subject matter areas. These projects will push theories of learning forward by

Redefining Authentic Research Experiences in Introductory Biology Laboratories and Barriers to Their Implementation

PubMed Central

Spell, Rachelle M.; Guinan, Judith A.; Miller, Kristen R.; Beck, Christopher W.

2014-01-01

Incorporating authentic research experiences in introductory biology laboratory classes would greatly expand the number of students exposed to the excitement of discovery and the rigor of the scientific process. However, the essential components of an authentic research experience and the barriers to their implementation in laboratory classes are poorly defined. To guide future reform efforts in this area, we conducted a national survey of biology faculty members to determine 1) their definitions of authentic research experiences in laboratory classes, 2) the extent of authentic research experiences currently experienced in their laboratory classes, and 3) the barriers that prevent incorporation of authentic research experiences into these classes. Strikingly, the definitions of authentic research experiences differ among faculty members and tend to emphasize either the scientific process or the discovery of previously unknown data. The low level of authentic research experiences in introductory biology labs suggests that more development and support is needed to increase undergraduate exposure to research experiences. Faculty members did not cite several barriers commonly assumed to impair pedagogical reform; however, their responses suggest that expanded support for development of research experiences in laboratory classes could address the most common barrier. PMID:24591509

Redefining authentic research experiences in introductory biology laboratories and barriers to their implementation.

PubMed

Spell, Rachelle M; Guinan, Judith A; Miller, Kristen R; Beck, Christopher W

2014-01-01

Incorporating authentic research experiences in introductory biology laboratory classes would greatly expand the number of students exposed to the excitement of discovery and the rigor of the scientific process. However, the essential components of an authentic research experience and the barriers to their implementation in laboratory classes are poorly defined. To guide future reform efforts in this area, we conducted a national survey of biology faculty members to determine 1) their definitions of authentic research experiences in laboratory classes, 2) the extent of authentic research experiences currently experienced in their laboratory classes, and 3) the barriers that prevent incorporation of authentic research experiences into these classes. Strikingly, the definitions of authentic research experiences differ among faculty members and tend to emphasize either the scientific process or the discovery of previously unknown data. The low level of authentic research experiences in introductory biology labs suggests that more development and support is needed to increase undergraduate exposure to research experiences. Faculty members did not cite several barriers commonly assumed to impair pedagogical reform; however, their responses suggest that expanded support for development of research experiences in laboratory classes could address the most common barrier.

Being there: The continuing need for human presence in the deep ocean for scientific research and discovery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fryer, P.; Fornari, D.; Perfit, M.; Von Damm, K.; Humphris, S.; Fox, P. J.; Lippsett, L.

We see with our mind's eye. This poetic phrase attempts to describe a complex set of human interactions by which we take in and process information about the physical world around us. For millennia, scientists and philosophers have relied on our ability to apply the uniquely human traits of perception, cognition, memory and motor action to scientific observations and experiments. "There is no authority higher than the human eye," observed Leonardo Da Vinci, and his statement still holds true; as most field scientists will attest, there is no substitute for direct observation.

From scientific discovery to cures: bright stars within a galaxy.

PubMed

Williams, R Sanders; Lotia, Samad; Holloway, Alisha K; Pico, Alexander R

2015-09-24

We propose that data mining and network analysis utilizing public databases can identify and quantify relationships between scientific discoveries and major advances in medicine (cures). Further development of such approaches could help to increase public understanding and governmental support for life science research and could enhance decision making in the quest for cures. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The Role of the Scientific Discovery Narrative in Middle School Science Education: An Experimental Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Arya, Diana J.; Maul, Andrew

2012-01-01

In an experimental study (N = 209), the authors compared the effects of exposure to typical middle-school written science content when presented in the context of the scientific discovery narrative and when presented in a more traditional nonnarrative format on 7th and 8th grade students in the United States. The development of texts was…

The importance of Leonhard Euler's discoveries in the field of shipbuilding for the scientific evolution of academician A. N. Krylov

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sharkov, N. A.; Sharkova, O. A.

2018-05-01

The paper identifies the importance of the Leonhard Euler's discoveries in the field of shipbuilding for the scientific evolution of academician A. N. Krylov and for the modern knowledge in survivability and safety of ships. The works by Leonard Euler "Marine Science" and "The Moon Motion New Theory" are discussed.

Discovery in Science and in Teaching Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kipnis, Nahum

2007-01-01

A proper presentation of scientific discoveries may allow science teachers to eliminate certain myths about the nature of science, which originate from an uncertainty among scholars about what constitutes a discovery. It is shown that a disagreement on this matter originates from a confusion of the act of discovery with response to it. It is…

Too good to be true?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kalogera, Vicky

2017-04-01

Scientific discovery is often perceived as associated with a single act of genius or a moment in time that changes one's thinking and scientific discourse. Most scientists know that this perception is almost always far from reality. Scientific discovery is reached through long, persistent effort from groups of people who are willing to take risks and are not afraid to fail. Equally important is that funders of scientific research appreciate the need for such persistent effort and do not look only for easily identifiable, short-term benefits. We may occasionally recognize historic 'moments', but these often occur because of the less famous but equally important advances that came before, often over decades of work.

The Academic Tree of Howard V. Malmstadt: From Early Scientific Exploration to Modern Analytical Chemistry.

PubMed

Storey, Andrew P; Hieftje, Gary M

2016-12-01

Over the last several decades, science has benefited tremendously by the implementation of digital electronic components for analytical instrumentation. A pioneer in this area of scientific inquiry was Howard Malmstadt. Frequently, such revolutions in scientific history can be viewed as a series of discoveries without a great deal of attention as to how mentorship shapes the careers and methodologies of those who made great strides forward for science. This paper focuses on the verifiable relationships of those who are connected through the academic tree of Malmstadt and how their experiences and the context of world events influenced their scientific pursuits. Particular attention is dedicated to the development of American chemistry departments and the critical role played by many of the individuals in the tree in this process. © The Author(s) 2016.

Scientific Prediction and Prophetic Patenting in Drug Discovery.

PubMed

Curry, Stephen H; Schneiderman, Anne M

2015-01-01

Pharmaceutical patenting involves writing claims based on both discoveries already made, and on prophesy of future developments in an ongoing project. This is necessitated by the very different timelines involved in the drug discovery and product development process on the one hand, and successful patenting on the other. If patents are sought too early there is a risk that patent examiners will disallow claims because of lack of enablement. If patenting is delayed, claims are at risk of being denied on the basis of existence of prior art, because the body of relevant known science will have developed significantly while the project was being pursued. This review examines the role of prophetic patenting in relation to the essential predictability of many aspects of drug discovery science, promoting the concepts of discipline-related and project-related prediction. This is especially directed towards patenting activities supporting commercialization of academia-based discoveries, where long project timelines occur, and where experience, and resources to pay for patenting, are limited. The need for improved collaborative understanding among project scientists, technology transfer professionals in, for example, universities, patent attorneys, and patent examiners is emphasized.

Have artificial neural networks met expectations in drug discovery as implemented in QSAR framework?

PubMed

Dobchev, Dimitar; Karelson, Mati

2016-07-01

Artificial neural networks (ANNs) are highly adaptive nonlinear optimization algorithms that have been applied in many diverse scientific endeavors, ranging from economics, engineering, physics, and chemistry to medical science. Notably, in the past two decades, ANNs have been used widely in the process of drug discovery. In this review, the authors discuss advantages and disadvantages of ANNs in drug discovery as incorporated into the quantitative structure-activity relationships (QSAR) framework. Furthermore, the authors examine the recent studies, which span over a broad area with various diseases in drug discovery. In addition, the authors attempt to answer the question about the expectations of the ANNs in drug discovery and discuss the trends in this field. The old pitfalls of overtraining and interpretability are still present with ANNs. However, despite these pitfalls, the authors believe that ANNs have likely met many of the expectations of researchers and are still considered as excellent tools for nonlinear data modeling in QSAR. It is likely that ANNs will continue to be used in drug development in the future.

Was Muller's 1946 Nobel Prize research for radiation-induced gene mutations peer-reviewed?

PubMed

Calabrese, Edward J

2018-06-06

This historical analysis indicates that it is highly unlikely that the Nobel Prize winning research of Hermann J. Muller was peer-reviewed. The published paper of Muller lacked a research methods section, cited no references, and failed to acknowledge and discuss the work of Gager and Blakeslee (PNAS 13:75-79, 1927) that claimed to have induced gene mutation via ionizing radiation six months prior to Muller's non-data Science paper (Muller, Science 66(1699):84-87, 1927a). Despite being well acclimated into the scientific world of peer-review, Muller choose to avoid the peer-review process on his most significant publication. It appears that Muller's actions were strongly influenced by his desire to claim primacy for the discovery of gene mutation. The actions of Muller have important ethical lessons and implications today, when self-interest trumps one's obligations to society and the scientific culture that supports the quest for new knowledge and discovery.

Comparing the Consumption of CPU Hours with Scientific Output for the Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE).

PubMed

Knepper, Richard; Börner, Katy

2016-01-01

This paper presents the results of a study that compares resource usage with publication output using data about the consumption of CPU cycles from the Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE) and resulting scientific publications for 2,691 institutions/teams. Specifically, the datasets comprise a total of 5,374,032,696 central processing unit (CPU) hours run in XSEDE during July 1, 2011 to August 18, 2015 and 2,882 publications that cite the XSEDE resource. Three types of studies were conducted: a geospatial analysis of XSEDE providers and consumers, co-authorship network analysis of XSEDE publications, and bi-modal network analysis of how XSEDE resources are used by different research fields. Resulting visualizations show that a diverse set of consumers make use of XSEDE resources, that users of XSEDE publish together frequently, and that the users of XSEDE with the highest resource usage tend to be "traditional" high-performance computing (HPC) community members from astronomy, atmospheric science, physics, chemistry, and biology.

Communicating the Science from NASA's Astrophysics Missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasan, Hashima; Smith, Denise A.

2015-01-01

Communicating science from NASA's Astrophysics missions has multiple objectives, which leads to a multi-faceted approach. While a timely dissemination of knowledge to the scientific community follows the time-honored process of publication in peer reviewed journals, NASA delivers newsworthy research result to the public through news releases, its websites and social media. Knowledge in greater depth is infused into the educational system by the creation of educational material and teacher workshops that engage students and educators in cutting-edge NASA Astrophysics discoveries. Yet another avenue for the general public to learn about the science and technology through NASA missions is through exhibits at museums, science centers, libraries and other public venues. Examples of the variety of ways NASA conveys the excitement of its scientific discoveries to students, educators and the general public will be discussed in this talk. A brief overview of NASA's participation in the International Year of Light will also be given, as well as of the celebration of the twenty-fifth year of the launch of the Hubble Space Telescope.

Future translational applications from the contemporary genomics era: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association.

PubMed

Fox, Caroline S; Hall, Jennifer L; Arnett, Donna K; Ashley, Euan A; Delles, Christian; Engler, Mary B; Freeman, Mason W; Johnson, Julie A; Lanfear, David E; Liggett, Stephen B; Lusis, Aldons J; Loscalzo, Joseph; MacRae, Calum A; Musunuru, Kiran; Newby, L Kristin; O'Donnell, Christopher J; Rich, Stephen S; Terzic, Andre

2015-05-12

The field of genetics and genomics has advanced considerably with the achievement of recent milestones encompassing the identification of many loci for cardiovascular disease and variable drug responses. Despite this achievement, a gap exists in the understanding and advancement to meaningful translation that directly affects disease prevention and clinical care. The purpose of this scientific statement is to address the gap between genetic discoveries and their practical application to cardiovascular clinical care. In brief, this scientific statement assesses the current timeline for effective translation of basic discoveries to clinical advances, highlighting past successes. Current discoveries in the area of genetics and genomics are covered next, followed by future expectations, tools, and competencies for achieving the goal of improving clinical care. © 2015 American Heart Association, Inc.

Genomics, "Discovery Science," Systems Biology, and Causal Explanation: What Really Works?

PubMed

Davidson, Eric H

2015-01-01

Diverse and non-coherent sets of epistemological principles currently inform research in the general area of functional genomics. Here, from the personal point of view of a scientist with over half a century of immersion in hypothesis driven scientific discovery, I compare and deconstruct the ideological bases of prominent recent alternatives, such as "discovery science," some productions of the ENCODE project, and aspects of large data set systems biology. The outputs of these types of scientific enterprise qualitatively reflect their radical definitions of scientific knowledge, and of its logical requirements. Their properties emerge in high relief when contrasted (as an example) to a recent, system-wide, predictive analysis of a developmental regulatory apparatus that was instead based directly on hypothesis-driven experimental tests of mechanism.

The discovery of viruses: advancing science and medicine by challenging dogma.

PubMed

Artenstein, Andrew W

2012-07-01

The discovery of viruses in the final years of the nineteenth century represented the culmination of two decades of work on tobacco mosaic disease by three botanical scientists. Eventually their discovery led to a paradigm shift in scientific thought, but it took more than 20 years to appreciate its implications because it was inconsistent with the prevailing dogma of the time-Koch's postulates. Although these 'rules' were actually conceived of as guidelines upon which to establish microbial causality and their implementation resulted in many new discoveries, they also had the unintended effect of limiting the interpretation of novel findings. However, by challenging existing dogma through rigorous scientific observation and sheer persistence, the investigators advanced medicine and heralded new areas of discovery. Copyright © 2012 International Society for Infectious Diseases. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

XVis: Visualization for the Extreme-Scale Scientific-Computation Ecosystem: Mid-year report FY17 Q2

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

Moreland, Kenneth D.; Pugmire, David; Rogers, David

The XVis project brings together the key elements of research to enable scientific discovery at extreme scale. Scientific computing will no longer be purely about how fast computations can be performed. Energy constraints, processor changes, and I/O limitations necessitate significant changes in both the software applications used in scientific computation and the ways in which scientists use them. Components for modeling, simulation, analysis, and visualization must work together in a computational ecosystem, rather than working independently as they have in the past. This project provides the necessary research and infrastructure for scientific discovery in this new computational ecosystem by addressingmore » four interlocking challenges: emerging processor technology, in situ integration, usability, and proxy analysis.« less

XVis: Visualization for the Extreme-Scale Scientific-Computation Ecosystem: Year-end report FY17.

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

Moreland, Kenneth D.; Pugmire, David; Rogers, David

The XVis project brings together the key elements of research to enable scientific discovery at extreme scale. Scientific computing will no longer be purely about how fast computations can be performed. Energy constraints, processor changes, and I/O limitations necessitate significant changes in both the software applications used in scientific computation and the ways in which scientists use them. Components for modeling, simulation, analysis, and visualization must work together in a computational ecosystem, rather than working independently as they have in the past. This project provides the necessary research and infrastructure for scientific discovery in this new computational ecosystem by addressingmore » four interlocking challenges: emerging processor technology, in situ integration, usability, and proxy analysis.« less

XVis: Visualization for the Extreme-Scale Scientific-Computation Ecosystem. Mid-year report FY16 Q2

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

Moreland, Kenneth D.; Sewell, Christopher; Childs, Hank

The XVis project brings together the key elements of research to enable scientific discovery at extreme scale. Scientific computing will no longer be purely about how fast computations can be performed. Energy constraints, processor changes, and I/O limitations necessitate significant changes in both the software applications used in scientific computation and the ways in which scientists use them. Components for modeling, simulation, analysis, and visualization must work together in a computational ecosystem, rather than working independently as they have in the past. This project provides the necessary research and infrastructure for scientific discovery in this new computational ecosystem by addressingmore » four interlocking challenges: emerging processor technology, in situ integration, usability, and proxy analysis.« less

XVis: Visualization for the Extreme-Scale Scientific-Computation Ecosystem: Year-end report FY15 Q4.

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

Moreland, Kenneth D.; Sewell, Christopher; Childs, Hank

The XVis project brings together the key elements of research to enable scientific discovery at extreme scale. Scientific computing will no longer be purely about how fast computations can be performed. Energy constraints, processor changes, and I/O limitations necessitate significant changes in both the software applications used in scientific computation and the ways in which scientists use them. Components for modeling, simulation, analysis, and visualization must work together in a computational ecosystem, rather than working independently as they have in the past. This project provides the necessary research and infrastructure for scientific discovery in this new computational ecosystem by addressingmore » four interlocking challenges: emerging processor technology, in situ integration, usability, and proxy analysis.« less

At the cross-roads of participatory research and biomarker discovery in autism: the need for empirical data.

PubMed

Yusuf, Afiqah; Elsabbagh, Mayada

2015-12-15

Identifying biomarkers for autism can improve outcomes for those affected by autism. Engaging the diverse stakeholders in the research process using community-based participatory research (CBPR) can accelerate biomarker discovery into clinical applications. However, there are limited examples of stakeholder involvement in autism research, possibly due to conceptual and practical concerns. We evaluate the applicability of CBPR principles to biomarker discovery in autism and critically review empirical studies adopting these principles. Using a scoping review methodology, we identified and evaluated seven studies using CBPR principles in biomarker discovery. The limited number of studies in biomarker discovery adopting CBPR principles coupled with their methodological limitations suggests that such applications are feasible but challenging. These studies illustrate three CBPR themes: community assessment, setting global priorities, and collaboration in research design. We propose that further research using participatory principles would be useful in accelerating the pace of discovery and the development of clinically meaningful biomarkers. For this goal to be successful we advocate for increased attention to previously identified conceptual and methodological challenges to participatory approaches in health research, including improving scientific rigor and developing long-term partnerships among stakeholders.

The history of aerobic ammonia oxidizers: from the first discoveries to today.

PubMed

Monteiro, Maria; Séneca, Joana; Magalhães, Catarina

2014-07-01

Nitrification, the oxidation of ammonia to nitrite and nitrate, has long been considered a central biological process in the global nitrogen cycle, with its first description dated 133 years ago. Until 2005, bacteria were considered the only organisms capable of nitrification. However, the recent discovery of a chemoautotrophic ammonia-oxidizing archaeon, Nitrosopumilus maritimus, changed our concept of the range of organisms involved in nitrification, highlighting the importance of ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) as potential players in global biogeochemical nitrogen transformations. The uniqueness of these archaea justified the creation of a novel archaeal phylum, Thaumarchaeota. These recent discoveries increased the global scientific interest within the microbial ecology society and have triggered an analysis of the importance of bacterial vs archaeal ammonia oxidation in a wide range of natural ecosystems. In this mini review we provide a chronological perspective of the current knowledge on the ammonia oxidation pathway of nitrification, based on the main physiological, ecological and genomic discoveries.

77 FR 45345 - DOE/Advanced Scientific Computing Advisory Committee

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-07-31

... Recompetition results for Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing (SciDAC) applications Co-design Public... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY DOE/Advanced Scientific Computing Advisory Committee AGENCY: Office of... the Advanced Scientific Computing Advisory Committee (ASCAC). The Federal Advisory Committee Act (Pub...

Multi-year Content Analysis of User Facility Related Publications

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

Patton, Robert M; Stahl, Christopher G; Hines, Jayson

2013-01-01

Scientific user facilities provide resources and support that enable scientists to conduct experiments or simulations pertinent to their respective research. Consequently, it is critical to have an informed understanding of the impact and contributions that these facilities have on scientific discoveries. Leveraging insight into scientific publications that acknowledge the use of these facilities enables more informed decisions by facility management and sponsors in regard to policy, resource allocation, and influencing the direction of science as well as more effectively understand the impact of a scientific user facility. This work discusses preliminary results of mining scientific publications that utilized resources atmore » the Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility (OLCF) at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). These results show promise in identifying and leveraging multi-year trends and providing a higher resolution view of the impact that a scientific user facility may have on scientific discoveries.« less

Scientific Knowledge Discovery in Complex Semantic Networks of Geophysical Systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fox, P.

2012-04-01

The vast majority of explorations of the Earth's systems are limited in their ability to effectively explore the most important (often most difficult) problems because they are forced to interconnect at the data-element, or syntactic, level rather than at a higher scientific, or semantic, level. Recent successes in the application of complex network theory and algorithms to climate data, raise expectations that more general graph-based approaches offer the opportunity for new discoveries. In the past ~ 5 years in the natural sciences there has substantial progress in providing both specialists and non-specialists the ability to describe in machine readable form, geophysical quantities and relations among them in meaningful and natural ways, effectively breaking the prior syntax barrier. The corresponding open-world semantics and reasoning provide higher-level interconnections. That is, semantics provided around the data structures, using semantically-equipped tools, and semantically aware interfaces between science application components allowing for discovery at the knowledge level. More recently, formal semantic approaches to continuous and aggregate physical processes are beginning to show promise and are soon likely to be ready to apply to geoscientific systems. To illustrate these opportunities, this presentation presents two application examples featuring domain vocabulary (ontology) and property relations (named and typed edges in the graphs). First, a climate knowledge discovery pilot encoding and exploration of CMIP5 catalog information with the eventual goal to encode and explore CMIP5 data. Second, a multi-stakeholder knowledge network for integrated assessments in marine ecosystems, where the data is highly inter-disciplinary.

The Problem of False Discovery: Many Scientific Results Can't Be Replicated, Leading to Serious Questions about What's True and False in the World of Research.

PubMed

Foster, Kenneth R; Skufca, Joseph

2016-01-01

Is there a Cheshire Cat in science? One might believe so, given the many published scientific discoveries that cannot be independently reproduced. The ?replication crisis? in science has become a widely discussed issue among scientists and the lay media and even has its own entry in Wikipedia.

Storyboards and Science: Introducing the Planetary Data Storyboard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

King, T. A.; Del Villar, A.; Alkhawaja, A.; Grayzeck, E. J.; Galica, C.; Odess, J.; Erickson, K. J.

2015-12-01

Every discovery has a story and storytelling is an ancient form of education. The stories of scientific discovery are often very formal and technical and not always very accessible. As in the past, today most scientific storytelling is done as in-person presentations in the form of slide shows or movies that unfold according to the design of its author. Things have changed. Using today's technologies telling stories can be a rich multi-media experience with a blending of text, animations, movies and infographics. Also, with presentations on the web the presentation can provide links to more details and the audience (reader) can jump to the linked information. Even so, the most common form of today's storytelling is as a narrative that starts with a page, a link to a single movie or a slide-show. We introduce a new promising form of scientific storytelling, the storyboard. With a storyboard a story is presented as a set of panels that contain representative images of an event and may have associated notes or instructions. The panels are arranged in a timeline that allow the audience to experience the discovery in the same way it occurred. A panel can also link to a more detailed source such as a publication, the data that was collected or items derived from the research (like movies or animations). Scientific storyboards can make science discovery more accessible to people by presenting events in an easy to follow layout. Scientific storyboards can also help to teach the scientific method, by following the experiences of a researcher as they investigate a phenomenon or try to understand a new set of observations. We illustrate the unique features of scientific storyboards with the Planetary Data Storyboard using data archived by the Planetary Data System.

Bio-TDS: bioscience query tool discovery system.

PubMed

Gnimpieba, Etienne Z; VanDiermen, Menno S; Gustafson, Shayla M; Conn, Bill; Lushbough, Carol M

2017-01-04

Bioinformatics and computational biology play a critical role in bioscience and biomedical research. As researchers design their experimental projects, one major challenge is to find the most relevant bioinformatics toolkits that will lead to new knowledge discovery from their data. The Bio-TDS (Bioscience Query Tool Discovery Systems, http://biotds.org/) has been developed to assist researchers in retrieving the most applicable analytic tools by allowing them to formulate their questions as free text. The Bio-TDS is a flexible retrieval system that affords users from multiple bioscience domains (e.g. genomic, proteomic, bio-imaging) the ability to query over 12 000 analytic tool descriptions integrated from well-established, community repositories. One of the primary components of the Bio-TDS is the ontology and natural language processing workflow for annotation, curation, query processing, and evaluation. The Bio-TDS's scientific impact was evaluated using sample questions posed by researchers retrieved from Biostars, a site focusing on BIOLOGICAL DATA ANALYSIS: The Bio-TDS was compared to five similar bioscience analytic tool retrieval systems with the Bio-TDS outperforming the others in terms of relevance and completeness. The Bio-TDS offers researchers the capacity to associate their bioscience question with the most relevant computational toolsets required for the data analysis in their knowledge discovery process. © The Author(s) 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Nucleic Acids Research.

Does the PFC model of analogy account for decision making, problem solving, reasoning, flexibility, adaptability, and even creativity?

PubMed

Barutta, Joaquin; Guex, Raphael; Ibáñez, Agustín

2010-06-01

Abstract From everyday cognition to scientific discovery, analogical processes play an important role: bringing connection, integration, and interrelation of information. Recently, a PFC model of analogy has been proposed to explain many cognitive processes and integrate general functional properties of PFC. We argue here that analogical processes do not suffice to explain the cognitive processes and functions of PFC. Moreover the model does not satisfactorily integrate specific explanatory mechanisms required for the different processes involved. Its relevance would be improved if fewer cognitive phenomena were considered and more specific predictions and explanations about those processes were stated.

Center for Center for Technology for Advanced Scientific Component Software (TASCS)

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

Kostadin, Damevski

A resounding success of the Scientific Discovery through Advanced Computing (SciDAC) program is that high-performance computational science is now universally recognized as a critical aspect of scientific discovery [71], complementing both theoretical and experimental research. As scientific communities prepare to exploit unprecedented computing capabilities of emerging leadership-class machines for multi-model simulations at the extreme scale [72], it is more important than ever to address the technical and social challenges of geographically distributed teams that combine expertise in domain science, applied mathematics, and computer science to build robust and flexible codes that can incorporate changes over time. The Center for Technologymore » for Advanced Scientific Component Software (TASCS)1 tackles these these issues by exploiting component-based software development to facilitate collaborative high-performance scientific computing.« less

Leaps in the Dark - The making of scientific reputations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Waller, John

2004-12-01

In Leaps in the Dark , John Waller presents another collection of revelations from the world of science. He considers experiments in which the scientists' awareness was not perhaps as keen as they might have claimed in retrospect; he investigates the jealousy and opposition that scientific ideas can provoke; he celebrates the scientists who were wrong, but for very good reasons; and he demonstrates how national interest can affect scientists and their theories. The result is an entertaining and highly readable re-examination of scientific discoveries and reputations from the Renaissance to the twentieth century. The tales in Leaps in the Dark range across a wide historical field, from a seventeenth-century witch-finder, Joseph Glanvill, to Sir Robert Watson-Watt, the self-proclaimed 'Father of radar'. Each story underscores the rich, fascinating complexity of scientific discovery. Writing in a clear and engaging style, and skilfully weaving history in with the science, John Waller brings these scientists to life, illustrating how their work and their discoveries influenced their careers and the wider world around them.

New global communication process in thermodynamics: impact on quality of published experimental data.

PubMed

Frenkel, M; Chirico, R D; Diky, V; Muzny, C; Dong, Q; Marsh, K N; Dymond, J H; Wakeham, W A; Stein, S E; Königsberger, E; Goodwin, A R H; Magee, J W; Thijssen, M; Haynes, W M; Watanasiri, S; Satyro, M; Schmidt, M; Johns, A I; Hardin, G R

2006-01-01

Thermodynamic data are a key resource in the search for new relationships between properties of chemical systems that constitutes the basis of the scientific discovery process. In addition, thermodynamic information is critical for development and improvement of all chemical process technologies. Historically, peer-reviewed journals are the major source of this information obtained by experimental measurement or prediction. Technological advances in measurement science have propelled enormous growth in the scale of published thermodynamic data (almost doubling every 10 years). This expansion has created new challenges in data validation at all stages of the data delivery process. Despite the peer-review process, problems in data validation have led, in many instances, to publication of data that are grossly erroneous and, at times, inconsistent with the fundamental laws of nature. This article describes a new global data communication process in thermodynamics and its impact in addressing these challenges as well as in streamlining the delivery of the thermodynamic data from "data producers" to "data users". We believe that the prolific growth of scientific data in numerous and diverse fields outside thermodynamics, together with the demonstrated effectiveness and versatility of the process described in this article, will foster development of such processes in other scientific fields.

Flexible End2End Workflow Automation of Hit-Discovery Research.

PubMed

Holzmüller-Laue, Silke; Göde, Bernd; Thurow, Kerstin

2014-08-01

The article considers a new approach of more complex laboratory automation at the workflow layer. The authors purpose the automation of end2end workflows. The combination of all relevant subprocesses-whether automated or manually performed, independently, and in which organizational unit-results in end2end processes that include all result dependencies. The end2end approach focuses on not only the classical experiments in synthesis or screening, but also on auxiliary processes such as the production and storage of chemicals, cell culturing, and maintenance as well as preparatory activities and analyses of experiments. Furthermore, the connection of control flow and data flow in the same process model leads to reducing of effort of the data transfer between the involved systems, including the necessary data transformations. This end2end laboratory automation can be realized effectively with the modern methods of business process management (BPM). This approach is based on a new standardization of the process-modeling notation Business Process Model and Notation 2.0. In drug discovery, several scientific disciplines act together with manifold modern methods, technologies, and a wide range of automated instruments for the discovery and design of target-based drugs. The article discusses the novel BPM-based automation concept with an implemented example of a high-throughput screening of previously synthesized compound libraries. © 2014 Society for Laboratory Automation and Screening.

Creating a gold standard surgical device: scientific discoveries leading to TVT and beyond: Ulf Ulmsten Memorial Lecture 2014.

PubMed

Petros, Peter

2015-04-01

The discovery of tension-free vaginal tape (TVT) began in 1986 with two unrelated observations: pressure applied unilaterally at the midurethra controlled urine loss on coughing; implanted Teflon tape caused a collagenous tissue reaction. In 1987, Mersilene tape was implanted retropubically in 13 large dogs, with the aim of creating an artificial collagenous pubourethral neoligament. Extensive testing showed that the operation was safe and effective. In 1988-1989, human testing was carried out (n = 30). Mersilene tape cured 100 % of stress and mixed incontinence with a sling in situ; however, there was simultaneous recurrence of the two symptoms in 50 % on sling removal. X-rays showed no elevation of the bladder neck. In 1990-1993, collaboration with Ulf Ulmsten took place: a permanently implanted tape was required. Polypropylene was the ideal material. In 2003, the neoligament principle was applied as an adjustable "micro" sling to the arcus tendineus fasciae pelvis (ATFP), cardinal, uterosacral ligaments, and perineal body for cure of cystocele, rectocele, and apical prolapse. It was found that symptoms such as urgency, nocturia, chronic pelvic pain, obstructive defecation syndrome (ODS), and fecal incontinence were frequently cured or improved. The lecture concluded with advice to younger members. Without new paradigms, there are no randomized controlled trials, no meta-analyses, Cochrane. Indeed, no progress. Be open to new concepts. Read Kuhn's "The Structure of Scientific Revolutions" to understand the discovery process. Examine the relationship among symptoms, ATFP, cardinal, uterosacral ligaments, and the perineal body. This is the next paradigm. Don't disregard anomalies. Pursue them. They are the pathway to discovery. Innovation is born from challenge, not conformity. Persist, even when meeting resistance. Resistance is a sign that your discovery is important.

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Interdisciplinary Laboratory Course Facilitating Knowledge Integration, Mutualistic Teaming, and Original Discovery.

PubMed

Full, Robert J; Dudley, Robert; Koehl, M A R; Libby, Thomas; Schwab, Cheryl

2015-11-01

Experiencing the thrill of an original scientific discovery can be transformative to students unsure about becoming a scientist, yet few courses offer authentic research experiences. Increasingly, cutting-edge discoveries require an interdisciplinary approach not offered in current departmental-based courses. Here, we describe a one-semester, learning laboratory course on organismal biomechanics offered at our large research university that enables interdisciplinary teams of students from biology and engineering to grow intellectually, collaborate effectively, and make original discoveries. To attain this goal, we avoid traditional "cookbook" laboratories by training 20 students to use a dozen research stations. Teams of five students rotate to a new station each week where a professor, graduate student, and/or team member assists in the use of equipment, guides students through stages of critical thinking, encourages interdisciplinary collaboration, and moves them toward authentic discovery. Weekly discussion sections that involve the entire class offer exchange of discipline-specific knowledge, advice on experimental design, methods of collecting and analyzing data, a statistics primer, and best practices for writing and presenting scientific papers. The building of skills in concert with weekly guided inquiry facilitates original discovery via a final research project that can be presented at a national meeting or published in a scientific journal. © The Author 2015. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. All rights reserved. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Using a Historical Lens to Envision the Next Generation of Genomic Translation Research.

PubMed

McBride, Colleen M; Abrams, Leah R; Koehly, Laura M

2015-01-01

The past 20 years have witnessed successive and exponential advances in genomic discovery and technology, with a broad scientific imperative pushing for continual advancements. The most consistent critique of these advances is that they have vastly outpaced translation of new knowledge into improvements in public health and medicine. We employ a historical and epistemological analysis to characterize how prevailing scientific meta-narratives have shaped the pace and priorities of research applying genomics to health promotion. We use four 'pivotal events' - the genetic characterization of Down syndrome, the launch of the Human Genome Research Project, the discovery of BRCA1, and the emergence of direct-to- consumer genetic testing - to illustrate how these scientific meta-narratives have inhibited genomic translation research. The notion that discovery should precede translation research has over-focused translation research on the latest genetic testing platform. The idea that genetic-related research has an exceptional potential for public harm has encouraged research on worst case scenarios. The perceived competition between genetics and social determinants of health has discouraged a unified research agenda to move genomic translation forward. We make a case for creating new scientific meta-narratives in which discovery and translation research agendas are envisioned as an interdependent enterprise. © 2015 S. Karger AG, Basel.

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

Wojick, D E; Warnick, W L; Carroll, B C

With the United States federal government spending billions annually for research and development, ways to increase the productivity of that research can have a significant return on investment. The process by which science knowledge is spread is called diffusion. It is therefore important to better understand and measure the benefits of this diffusion of knowledge. In particular, it is important to understand whether advances in Internet searching can speed up the diffusion of scientific knowledge and accelerate scientific progress despite the fact that the vast majority of scientific information resources continue to be held in deep web databases that manymore » search engines cannot fully access. To address the complexity of the search issue, the term global discovery is used for the act of searching across heterogeneous environments and distant communities. This article discusses these issues and describes research being conducted by the Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI).« less

Realism, Instrumentalism, and Scientific Symbiosis: Psychological Theory as a Search for Truth and the Discovery of Solutions

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cacioppo, John T.; Semin, Gun R.; Berntson, Gary G.

2004-01-01

Scientific realism holds that scientific theories are approximations of universal truths about reality, whereas scientific instrumentalism posits that scientific theories are intellectual structures that provide adequate predictions of what is observed and useful frameworks for answering questions and solving problems in a given domain. These…

Brazil: An emerging partner in drug R&D.

PubMed

Rodrigues, Debora G

2009-08-01

With the need for innovation in drug discovery and development and changes to patent laws that are enabling greater IP protection, many pharmaceutical companies are pursuing international cooperation agreements with foreign companies as part of a global development strategy to enhance product pipelines. Brazil, the largest pharmaceutical market in Latin America, has improved its infrastructure, scientific and technological capabilities and has created a sustainable strategy to promote drug discovery research activities. Positive economic growth, a stable political structure, expanding patient populations an increasing governmental, private and foreign investments are creating a new landscape for drug R&D in the country. As Brazilian-based pharmaceutical companies become further established, new opportunities for partnerships and collaborative alliances are becoming available for the drug discovery process, as well as for co-manufacturing and co-marketing efforts. This feature review provides an overview of the Brazilian pharmaceutical market and discusses current opportunities, emerging trends and challenges for this expanding market.

Culture evolves

PubMed Central

Whiten, Andrew; Hinde, Robert A.; Laland, Kevin N.; Stringer, Christopher B.

2011-01-01

Culture pervades human lives and has allowed our species to create niches all around the world and its oceans, in ways quite unlike any other primate. Indeed, our cultural nature appears so distinctive that it is often thought to separate humanity from the rest of nature and the Darwinian forces that shape it. A contrary view arises through the recent discoveries of a diverse range of disciplines, here brought together to illustrate the scope of a burgeoning field of cultural evolution and to facilitate cross-disciplinary fertilization. Each approach emphasizes important linkages between culture and evolutionary biology rather than quarantining one from the other. Recent studies reveal that processes important in cultural transmission are more widespread and significant across the animal kingdom than earlier recognized, with important implications for evolutionary theory. Recent archaeological discoveries have pushed back the origins of human culture to much more ancient times than traditionally thought. These developments suggest previously unidentified continuities between animal and human culture. A third new array of discoveries concerns the later diversification of human cultures, where the operations of Darwinian-like processes are identified, in part, through scientific methods borrowed from biology. Finally, surprising discoveries have been made about the imprint of cultural evolution in the predispositions of human minds for cultural transmission. PMID:21357216

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2012-09-26

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Semantically-enabled Knowledge Discovery in the Deep Carbon Observatory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, H.; Chen, Y.; Ma, X.; Erickson, J. S.; West, P.; Fox, P. A.

2013-12-01

The Deep Carbon Observatory (DCO) is a decadal effort aimed at transforming scientific and public understanding of carbon in the complex deep earth system from the perspectives of Deep Energy, Deep Life, Extreme Physics and Chemistry, and Reservoirs and Fluxes. Over the course of the decade DCO scientific activities will generate a massive volume of data across a variety of disciplines, presenting significant challenges in terms of data integration, management, analysis and visualization, and ultimately limiting the ability of scientists across disciplines to make insights and unlock new knowledge. The DCO Data Science Team (DCO-DS) is applying Semantic Web methodologies to construct a knowledge representation focused on the DCO Earth science disciplines, and use it together with other technologies (e.g. natural language processing and data mining) to create a more expressive representation of the distributed corpus of DCO artifacts including datasets, metadata, instruments, sensors, platforms, deployments, researchers, organizations, funding agencies, grants and various awards. The embodiment of this knowledge representation is the DCO Data Science Infrastructure, in which unique entities within the DCO domain and the relations between them are recognized and explicitly identified. The DCO-DS Infrastructure will serve as a platform for more efficient and reliable searching, discovery, access, and publication of information and knowledge for the DCO scientific community and beyond.

Translational science: past, present, and future.

PubMed

Curry, Stephen H

2008-02-01

The concept of translational science is at least 15 years old. However, in its most recent incarnation, it represents the identification of a funding category designed to encourage academic participation in a critical stage of the drug discovery and product development process. It is hoped that this will make the process both shorter and more efficient. In this review, the author first considers the historical development of the pharmaceutical R&D process. The place of translational science in the process, the scientific techniques involved, and aspects of the business environment necessary for its success are then considered. Translational science does not displace preclinical development. Both concepts are relevant to the paramount importance of successfully and expeditiously bridging the gap between preclinical science and clinical testing, "from bench to bedside." Translational science is particularly likely to stimulate biomarker research in the universities and related business community and will probably give a modest boost to early clinical testing and commercialization of discoveries within the academic setting. Whether there will be a consequent improvement in the quality and efficiency of the overall process remains to be seen.

Spacelab program's scientific benefits to mankind

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Graft, Harry G., Jr.; Marmann, Richard A.

1993-01-01

The paper describes the important scientific discoveries and accomplishments achieved by the Spacelab program during the ten years of its operation starting with the first flight in 1983, with emphasis on the discoveries and accomplishments in the fields of astronomy and astrophysics, atmospheric science, life sciences, microgravity science, plasma physics, and earth observations. The Spacelab systems performance and operations are discussed with particular attention given to the operations applicable to the Space Station era.

Polar Domain Discovery with Sparkler

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duerr, R.; Khalsa, S. J. S.; Mattmann, C. A.; Ottilingam, N. K.; Singh, K.; Lopez, L. A.

2017-12-01

The scientific web is vast and ever growing. It encompasses millions of textual, scientific and multimedia documents describing research in a multitude of scientific streams. Most of these documents are hidden behind forms which require user action to retrieve and thus can't be directly accessed by content crawlers. These documents are hosted on web servers across the world, most often on outdated hardware and network infrastructure. Hence it is difficult and time-consuming to aggregate documents from the scientific web, especially those relevant to a specific domain. Thus generating meaningful domain-specific insights is currently difficult. We present an automated discovery system (Figure 1) using Sparkler, an open-source, extensible, horizontally scalable crawler which facilitates high throughput and focused crawling of documents pertinent to a particular domain such as information about polar regions. With this set of highly domain relevant documents, we show that it is possible to answer analytical questions about that domain. Our domain discovery algorithm leverages prior domain knowledge to reach out to commercial/scientific search engines to generate seed URLs. Subject matter experts then annotate these seed URLs manually on a scale from highly relevant to irrelevant. We leverage this annotated dataset to train a machine learning model which predicts the `domain relevance' of a given document. We extend Sparkler with this model to focus crawling on documents relevant to that domain. Sparkler avoids disruption of service by 1) partitioning URLs by hostname such that every node gets a different host to crawl and by 2) inserting delays between subsequent requests. With an NSF-funded supercomputer Wrangler, we scaled our domain discovery pipeline to crawl about 200k polar specific documents from the scientific web, within a day.

A case study of one school system's adoption and implementation of an elementary science program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kelly, Michael Patrick

2000-10-01

The researcher's purpose in this study was to examine the process used by the Minot Public Schools to adopt and implement a new elementary science program from Silver Burdett Ginn called Discovery Works. Using case study methods within a naturalistic design, the researcher investigated teachers' concerns as they adopted and implemented Discovery Works in their classrooms. Data were gathered using the Concerns Based Adoption Model (CBAM) instrument, interviews with adoption committee members, classroom teachers, grade level meetings, and document analysis of field notes related to each phase of the study. Content analysis methods were used to analyze the data. Emergent themes were presented and substantiated in the data, in terms of six research questions that guided this research. The data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively to provide a rich, thick description that and enabled the researcher to confirm and triangulate the concerns of teachers in this study. The quantitative data revealed a general nonuser profile by teachers as they implemented Discovery Works. Three major themes of concerns emerged from a qualitative analysis of the data. The first theme was implementation, including issues related to teacher attitudes and inservice needs. The second theme, management issues, had five concerns subsumed within it. These included concerns related to time, materials, storage, reorder, and cooperative groups. The third theme, effects on students, included issues concerning hands-on methods of teaching science, vocabulary, especially at the upper elementary, and assessment issues. Possible solutions to resolve each of the concerns were presented. Major conclusions are that teacher concerns about Discovery Works were normal for any group experiencing a new innovation. Teachers and students enjoyed using the hands-on materials, and that Minot Public Schools has taken a small, but important step forward on the road to science education reform. Although there is still a strong emphasis on the language arts of science, as opposed to scientific inquiry, there has been increased learning of science content and the process skills necessary to do scientific inquiry. Recommendations were made for professional development activities that would assist teachers in the next phase of the implementation process.

From Visual Exploration to Storytelling and Back Again.

PubMed

Gratzl, S; Lex, A; Gehlenborg, N; Cosgrove, N; Streit, M

2016-06-01

The primary goal of visual data exploration tools is to enable the discovery of new insights. To justify and reproduce insights, the discovery process needs to be documented and communicated. A common approach to documenting and presenting findings is to capture visualizations as images or videos. Images, however, are insufficient for telling the story of a visual discovery, as they lack full provenance information and context. Videos are difficult to produce and edit, particularly due to the non-linear nature of the exploratory process. Most importantly, however, neither approach provides the opportunity to return to any point in the exploration in order to review the state of the visualization in detail or to conduct additional analyses. In this paper we present CLUE (Capture, Label, Understand, Explain), a model that tightly integrates data exploration and presentation of discoveries. Based on provenance data captured during the exploration process, users can extract key steps, add annotations, and author "Vistories", visual stories based on the history of the exploration. These Vistories can be shared for others to view, but also to retrace and extend the original analysis. We discuss how the CLUE approach can be integrated into visualization tools and provide a prototype implementation. Finally, we demonstrate the general applicability of the model in two usage scenarios: a Gapminder-inspired visualization to explore public health data and an example from molecular biology that illustrates how Vistories could be used in scientific journals. (see Figure 1 for visual abstract).

Discovery: Under the Microscope at Kennedy Space Center

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Howard, Philip M.

2013-01-01

The National Aeronautics & Space Administration (NASA) is known for discovery, exploration, and advancement of knowledge. Since the days of Leeuwenhoek, microscopy has been at the forefront of discovery and knowledge. No truer is that statement than today at Kennedy Space Center (KSC), where microscopy plays a major role in contamination identification and is an integral part of failure analysis. Space exploration involves flight hardware undergoing rigorous "visually clean" inspections at every step of processing. The unknown contaminants that are discovered on these inspections can directly impact the mission by decreasing performance of sensors and scientific detectors on spacecraft and satellites, acting as micrometeorites, damaging critical sealing surfaces, and causing hazards to the crew of manned missions. This talk will discuss how microscopy has played a major role in all aspects of space port operations at KSC. Case studies will highlight years of analysis at the Materials Science Division including facility and payload contamination for the Navigation Signal Timing and Ranging Global Positioning Satellites (NA VST AR GPS) missions, quality control monitoring of monomethyl hydrazine fuel procurement for launch vehicle operations, Shuttle Solids Rocket Booster (SRB) foam processing failure analysis, and Space Shuttle Main Engine Cut-off (ECO) flight sensor anomaly analysis. What I hope to share with my fellow microscopists is some of the excitement of microscopy and how its discoveries has led to hardware processing, that has helped enable the successful launch of vehicles and space flight missions here at Kennedy Space Center.

From Visual Exploration to Storytelling and Back Again

PubMed Central

Gratzl, S.; Lex, A.; Gehlenborg, N.; Cosgrove, N.; Streit, M.

2016-01-01

The primary goal of visual data exploration tools is to enable the discovery of new insights. To justify and reproduce insights, the discovery process needs to be documented and communicated. A common approach to documenting and presenting findings is to capture visualizations as images or videos. Images, however, are insufficient for telling the story of a visual discovery, as they lack full provenance information and context. Videos are difficult to produce and edit, particularly due to the non-linear nature of the exploratory process. Most importantly, however, neither approach provides the opportunity to return to any point in the exploration in order to review the state of the visualization in detail or to conduct additional analyses. In this paper we present CLUE (Capture, Label, Understand, Explain), a model that tightly integrates data exploration and presentation of discoveries. Based on provenance data captured during the exploration process, users can extract key steps, add annotations, and author “Vistories”, visual stories based on the history of the exploration. These Vistories can be shared for others to view, but also to retrace and extend the original analysis. We discuss how the CLUE approach can be integrated into visualization tools and provide a prototype implementation. Finally, we demonstrate the general applicability of the model in two usage scenarios: a Gapminder-inspired visualization to explore public health data and an example from molecular biology that illustrates how Vistories could be used in scientific journals. (see Figure 1 for visual abstract) PMID:27942091

SCIFIO: an extensible framework to support scientific image formats.

PubMed

Hiner, Mark C; Rueden, Curtis T; Eliceiri, Kevin W

2016-12-07

No gold standard exists in the world of scientific image acquisition; a proliferation of instruments each with its own proprietary data format has made out-of-the-box sharing of that data nearly impossible. In the field of light microscopy, the Bio-Formats library was designed to translate such proprietary data formats to a common, open-source schema, enabling sharing and reproduction of scientific results. While Bio-Formats has proved successful for microscopy images, the greater scientific community was lacking a domain-independent framework for format translation. SCIFIO (SCientific Image Format Input and Output) is presented as a freely available, open-source library unifying the mechanisms of reading and writing image data. The core of SCIFIO is its modular definition of formats, the design of which clearly outlines the components of image I/O to encourage extensibility, facilitated by the dynamic discovery of the SciJava plugin framework. SCIFIO is structured to support coexistence of multiple domain-specific open exchange formats, such as Bio-Formats' OME-TIFF, within a unified environment. SCIFIO is a freely available software library developed to standardize the process of reading and writing scientific image formats.

Comparing the Consumption of CPU Hours with Scientific Output for the Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE)

PubMed Central

Börner, Katy

2016-01-01

This paper presents the results of a study that compares resource usage with publication output using data about the consumption of CPU cycles from the Extreme Science and Engineering Discovery Environment (XSEDE) and resulting scientific publications for 2,691 institutions/teams. Specifically, the datasets comprise a total of 5,374,032,696 central processing unit (CPU) hours run in XSEDE during July 1, 2011 to August 18, 2015 and 2,882 publications that cite the XSEDE resource. Three types of studies were conducted: a geospatial analysis of XSEDE providers and consumers, co-authorship network analysis of XSEDE publications, and bi-modal network analysis of how XSEDE resources are used by different research fields. Resulting visualizations show that a diverse set of consumers make use of XSEDE resources, that users of XSEDE publish together frequently, and that the users of XSEDE with the highest resource usage tend to be “traditional” high-performance computing (HPC) community members from astronomy, atmospheric science, physics, chemistry, and biology. PMID:27310174

Brain structure links trait creativity to openness to experience

PubMed Central

Huang, Lijie; Kong, Xiangzhen; Yang, Wenjing; Wei, Dongtao; Li, Jingguang; Cheng, Hongsheng; Zhang, Qinglin

2015-01-01

Creativity is crucial to the progression of human civilization and has led to important scientific discoveries. Especially, individuals are more likely to have scientific discoveries if they possess certain personality traits of creativity (trait creativity), including imagination, curiosity, challenge and risk-taking. This study used voxel-based morphometry to identify the brain regions underlying individual differences in trait creativity, as measured by the Williams creativity aptitude test, in a large sample (n = 246). We found that creative individuals had higher gray matter volume in the right posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG), which might be related to semantic processing during novelty seeking (e.g. novel association, conceptual integration and metaphor understanding). More importantly, although basic personality factors such as openness to experience, extroversion, conscientiousness and agreeableness (as measured by the NEO Personality Inventory) all contributed to trait creativity, only openness to experience mediated the association between the right pMTG volume and trait creativity. Taken together, our results suggest that the basic personality trait of openness might play an important role in shaping an individual’s trait creativity. PMID:24603022

The discovery and measurements of a Higgs boson.

PubMed

Gianotti, F; Virdee, T S

2015-01-13

In July 2012, the ATLAS and CMS collaborations at CERN's Large Hadron Collider announced the discovery of a Higgs-like boson, a new heavy particle at a mass more than 130 times the mass of a proton. Since then, further data have revealed its properties to be strikingly similar to those of the Standard Model Higgs boson, a particle expected from the mechanism introduced almost 50 years ago by six theoreticians including British physicists Peter Higgs from Edinburgh University and Tom Kibble from Imperial College London. The discovery is the culmination of a truly remarkable scientific journey and undoubtedly the most significant scientific discovery of the twenty-first century so far. Its experimental confirmation turned out to be a monumental task requiring the creation of an accelerator and experiments of unprecedented capability and complexity, designed to discern the signatures that correspond to the Higgs boson. Thousands of scientists and engineers, in each of the ATLAS and CMS teams, came together from all four corners of the world to make this massive discovery possible.

From Science to e-Science to Semantic e-Science: A Heliosphysics Case Study

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Narock, Thomas; Fox, Peter

2011-01-01

The past few years have witnessed unparalleled efforts to make scientific data web accessible. The Semantic Web has proven invaluable in this effort; however, much of the literature is devoted to system design, ontology creation, and trials and tribulations of current technologies. In order to fully develop the nascent field of Semantic e-Science we must also evaluate systems in real-world settings. We describe a case study within the field of Heliophysics and provide a comparison of the evolutionary stages of data discovery, from manual to semantically enable. We describe the socio-technical implications of moving toward automated and intelligent data discovery. In doing so, we highlight how this process enhances what is currently being done manually in various scientific disciplines. Our case study illustrates that Semantic e-Science is more than just semantic search. The integration of search with web services, relational databases, and other cyberinfrastructure is a central tenet of our case study and one that we believe has applicability as a generalized research area within Semantic e-Science. This case study illustrates a specific example of the benefits, and limitations, of semantically replicating data discovery. We show examples of significant reductions in time and effort enable by Semantic e-Science; yet, we argue that a "complete" solution requires integrating semantic search with other research areas such as data provenance and web services.

[The discovery of blood circulation: revolution or revision?].

PubMed

Crignon, Claire

2011-01-01

The discovery of the principle of blood circulation by William Harvey is generally considered as one of the major events of the "scientific revolution" of the 17th century. This paper reconsiders the question by taking in account the way Harvey's discovery was discussed by some contemporary philosophers and physicians, in particular Fontenelle, who insisted on the necessity of redefining methods and principles of medical knowledge, basing themselves on the revival of anatomy and physiology, and of its consequences on the way it permits to think about the human nature. This return allows us to consider the opportunity of substituting the kuhnian scheme of "structure of scientific revolutions" for the bachelardian concept of "refonte".

Macromolecules of extracellular matrix: determination of selective structures and their functional significance.

PubMed

Butler, William T

2008-01-01

In this brief review, I recount events and scientific endeavors in which I have been privileged to participate. The descriptive information includes discovery and characterization of hydroxylysine glycosides from collagen, isolation of dentin sialoprotein (DSP), investigations on dentin phosphoprotein (DPP), and the discovery of a single gene for both DSP and DPP that requires posttranslational proteolytic cleavage of the parent DSPP molecule to generate the two fragments. Finally, I address our unexpected finding of fragments of DMP1 in bone extracts. These fragments are from the NH2-terminal (37 kDa) and COOH-terminal (57 kDa) regions of DMP1. Our studies showed that, similar to DSPP, DMP1 is proteolytically processed by cleavages at X-Asp bonds.

Bioinformatics-based tools in drug discovery: the cartography from single gene to integrative biological networks.

PubMed

Ramharack, Pritika; Soliman, Mahmoud E S

2018-06-01

Originally developed for the analysis of biological sequences, bioinformatics has advanced into one of the most widely recognized domains in the scientific community. Despite this technological evolution, there is still an urgent need for nontoxic and efficient drugs. The onus now falls on the 'omics domain to meet this need by implementing bioinformatics techniques that will allow for the introduction of pioneering approaches in the rational drug design process. Here, we categorize an updated list of informatics tools and explore the capabilities of integrative bioinformatics in disease control. We believe that our review will serve as a comprehensive guide toward bioinformatics-oriented disease and drug discovery research. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Scientific resistance to research, training and utilization of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in treating post-war disorders.

PubMed

Russell, Mark C

2008-12-01

In this study, Barber's [(1961). Resistance by scientists to scientific discovery. Science, 134, 596-602] analysis of scientists' resistance to discoveries is examined in relation to an 18-year controversy between the dominant cognitive-behavioral paradigm or zeitgeist and its chief rival - eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) in treating trauma-related disorders. Reasons for persistent opposition to training, utilization and research into an identified 'evidence-based treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder' (EBT-PTSD) within US military and veterans' agencies closely parallels Barber's description of resistance based upon socio-cultural factors and scientific bias versus genuine scientific skepticism. The implications of sustained resistance to EMDR for combat veterans and other trauma sufferers are discussed. A unified or super-ordinate goal is offered to reverse negative trends impacting current and future mental healthcare of military personnel, veterans and other trauma survivors, and to bridge the scientific impasse.

Myc

PubMed Central

Wasylishen, Amanda R.; Penn, Linda Z.

2010-01-01

The iconic history of the Myc oncoprotein encompasses 3 decades of intense scientific discovery. There is no question that Myc has been a pioneer, advancing insight into the molecular basis of cancer as well as functioning as a critical control center for several diverse biological processes and regulatory mechanisms. This narrative chronicles the journey and milestones that have defined the understanding of Myc, and it provides an opportunity to consider future directions in this challenging yet rewarding field. PMID:21779457

The Interplay of Psychology and Mathematics Education: From the Attraction of Psychology to the Discovery of the Social

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Francois, Karen; Coessens, Kathleen; Van Bendegem, Jean Paul

2012-01-01

It is a rather safe statement to claim that the social dimensions of the scientific process are accepted in a fair share of studies in the philosophy of science. It is a somewhat safe statement to claim that the social dimensions are now seen as an essential element in the understanding of what human cognition is and how it functions. But it would…

78 FR 66022 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-04

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Center for Scientific Review... unwarranted invasion of personal privacy. Name of Committee: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; Small Business: Biological Chemistry, Biophysics and Drug Discovery. Date: November 4, 2013. Time...

Child Predictors of Learning to Control Variables via Instruction or Self-Discovery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wagensveld, Barbara; Segers, Eliane; Kleemans, Tijs; Verhoeven, Ludo

2015-01-01

We examined the role child factors on the acquisition and transfer of learning the control of variables strategy (CVS) via instruction or self-discovery. Seventy-six fourth graders and 43 sixth graders were randomly assigned to a group receiving direct CVS instruction or a discovery learning group. Prior to the intervention, cognitive, scientific,…

Business development activities at academic institutions as related to the education, training, and career development of the next generation of scientists and professionals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mobarhan, Kamran S.

2007-06-01

Every year large sums of tax payers money are used to fund scientific research at various universities. The result is outstanding new discoveries which are published in scientific journals. However, more often than not, once the funding for these research programs end, the results of these new discoveries are buried deep within old issues of technical journals which are archived in university libraries and are consequently forgotten. Ideally, these scientific discoveries and technological advances generated at our academic institutions should lead to the creation of new jobs for our graduating students and emerging scientists and professionals. In this fashion the students who worked hard to produce these new discoveries and technological advances, can continue with their good work at companies that they helped launch and establish. This article explores some of the issues related to new business development activities at academic institutions. Included is a discussion of possible ways of helping graduating students create jobs for themselves, and for their fellow students, through creation of new companies which are based on the work that they did during their course of university studies.

77 FR 37424 - Center For Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-06-21

... Special Emphasis Panel; Small Business Biological Chemistry, Biophyscis and Drug Discovery. Date: July 16...: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; Fellowship: Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biophysics, and...

Discovery Planetary Mission Operations Concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coffin, R.

1994-01-01

The NASA Discovery Program of small planetary missions will provide opportunities to continue scientific exploration of the solar system in today's cost-constrained environment. Using a multidisciplinary team, JPL has developed plans to provide mission operations within the financial parameters established by the Discovery Program. This paper describes experiences and methods that show promise of allowing the Discovery Missions to operate within the program cost constraints while maintaining low mission risk, high data quality, and reponsive operations.

A Scientific Revolution: The Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gardner, Jonathan P.

2011-01-01

Astronomy is going through a scientific revolution, responding to a Rood of data from the Hubble Space Telescope, other space missions, and large telescopes on the ground. In this talk, Dr. Gardner will discuss some of the most important astronomical discoveries of the last 10 years, and the role that space telescopes have played in those discoveries. The next decade looks equally bright with the newly refurbished Hubble and the promise of its successor, the James Webb Space Telescope.

NASA's 2018 To Do List

NASA Image and Video Library

2017-12-19

This is NASA's 2018 'To Do' list. The work we do, which will continue in 2018, helps the United States maintain its world leadership in space exploration and scientific discovery. Launches, discoveries and more exploration await in the year ahead.

PCSK9: From Basic Science Discoveries to Clinical Trials.

PubMed

Shapiro, Michael D; Tavori, Hagai; Fazio, Sergio

2018-05-11

Unknown 15 years ago, PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) is now common parlance among scientists and clinicians interested in prevention and treatment of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. What makes this story so special is not its recent discovery nor the fact that it uncovered previously unknown biology but rather that these important scientific insights have been translated into an effective medical therapy in record time. Indeed, the translation of this discovery to novel therapeutic serves as one of the best examples of how genetic insights can be leveraged into intelligent target drug discovery. The PCSK9 saga is unfolding quickly but is far from complete. Here, we review major scientific understandings as they relate to the role of PCSK9 in lipoprotein metabolism and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and the impact that therapies designed to inhibit its action are having in the clinical setting. © 2018 American Heart Association, Inc.

Anthelmintics: From discovery to resistance II (San Diego, 2016).

PubMed

Martin, Richard J; Wolstenholme, Adrian J; Caffrey, Conor R

2016-12-01

The second scientific meeting in the series: "Anthelmintics: From Discovery to Resistance" was held in San Diego in February, 2016. The focus topics of the meeting, related to anthelmintic discovery and resistance, were novel technologies, bioinformatics, commercial interests, anthelmintic modes of action and anthelmintic resistance. Basic scientific, human and veterinary interests were addressed in oral and poster presentations. The delegates were from universities and industries in the US, Europe, Australia and New Zealand. The papers were a great representation of the field, and included the use of C. elegans for lead discovery, mechanisms of anthelmintic resistance, nematode neuropeptides, proteases, B. thuringiensis crystal protein, nicotinic receptors, emodepside, benzimidazoles, P-glycoproteins, natural products, microfluidic techniques and bioinformatics approaches. The NIH also presented NIAID-specific parasite genomic priorities and initiatives. From these papers we introduce below selected papers with a focus on anthelmintic drug screening and development. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

77 FR 30540 - Center for Scientific Review Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-05-23

... Committee: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; Drug Discovery for the Nervous System...: Digestive, Kidney and Urological Systems Integrated Review Group; Kidney Molecular Biology and Genitourinary...

7 CFR 3400.20 - Grantee review prior to award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-01-01

... the funded project has changed significantly, other scientific discoveries have affected the project... scientific peer review conducted in accordance with § 3400.21. For education and extension projects, such...

Data Mining and Machine Learning in Time-Domain Discovery and Classification

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bloom, Joshua S.; Richards, Joseph W.

2012-03-01

The changing heavens have played a central role in the scientific effort of astronomers for centuries. Galileo's synoptic observations of the moons of Jupiter and the phases of Venus starting in 1610, provided strong refutation of Ptolemaic cosmology. These observations came soon after the discovery of Kepler's supernova had challenged the notion of an unchanging firmament. In more modern times, the discovery of a relationship between period and luminosity in some pulsational variable stars [41] led to the inference of the size of the Milky way, the distance scale to the nearest galaxies, and the expansion of the Universe (see Ref. [30] for review). Distant explosions of supernovae were used to uncover the existence of dark energy and provide a precise numerical account of dark matter (e.g., [3]). Repeat observations of pulsars [71] and nearby main-sequence stars revealed the presence of the first extrasolar planets [17,35,44,45]. Indeed, time-domain observations of transient events and variable stars, as a technique, influences a broad diversity of pursuits in the entire astronomy endeavor [68]. While, at a fundamental level, the nature of the scientific pursuit remains unchanged, the advent of astronomy as a data-driven discipline presents fundamental challenges to the way in which the scientific process must now be conducted. Digital images (and data cubes) are not only getting larger, there are more of them. On logistical grounds, this taxes storage and transport systems. But it also implies that the intimate connection that astronomers have always enjoyed with their data - from collection to processing to analysis to inference - necessarily must evolve. Figure 6.1 highlights some of the ways that the pathway to scientific inference is now influenced (if not driven by) modern automation processes, computing, data-mining, and machine-learning (ML). The emerging reliance on computation and ML is a general one - a central theme of this book - but the time-domain aspect of the data and the objects of interest presents some unique challenges. First, any collection, storage, transport, and computational framework for processing the streaming data must be able to keep up with the dataflow. This is not necessarily true, for instance, with static sky science, where metrics of interest can be computed off-line and on a timescale much longer than the time required to obtain the data. Second, many types of transient (one-off) events evolve quickly in time and require more observations to fully understand the nature of the events. This demands that time-changing events are quickly discovered, classified, and broadcast to other follow-up facilities. All of this must happen robustly with, in some cases, very limited data. Last, the process of discovery and classification must be calibrated to the available resources for computation and follow-up. That is, the precision of classification must be weighed against the computational cost of producing that level of precision. Likewise, the cost of being wrong about the classification of some sorts of sources must be balanced against the scientific gains about being right about the classification of other types of sources. Quantifying these trade-offs, especially in the presence of a limited amount of follow-up resources (such as the availability of larger telescope observations) is not straightforward and inheres domain-specific imperatives that will, in general, differ from astronomer to astronomer. This chapter presents an overview of the current directions in ML and data-mining techniques in the context of time-domain astronomy. Ultimately the goal - if not just the necessity given the data rates and the diversity of questions to be answered - is to abstract the traditional role of astronomer in the entire scientific process. In some sense, this takes us full circle from the pre modern view of the scientific pursuit presented in Vermeer's "The Astronomer" (Figure 6.2): in broad daylight, he contemplates the nighttime heavens from depictions presented to him on globe, based on observations that others have made. He is an abstract thinker, far removed from data collection and processing; his most visceral connection to the skies is just the feel of the orb under his fingers. Substitute the globe for a plot on a screen generated from a structured query language (SQL) query to a massive public database in the cloud, and we have a picture of the modern astronomer benefitting from the ML and data-mining tools operating on an almost unfathomable amount of raw data.

Pendulum Phenomena and the Assessment of Scientific Inquiry Capabilities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zachos, Paul

2004-01-01

Phenomena associated with the "pendulum" present numerous opportunities for assessing higher order human capabilities related to "scientific inquiry" and the "discovery" of natural law. This paper illustrates how systematic "assessment of scientific inquiry capabilities", using "pendulum" phenomena, can provide a useful tool for classroom teachers…

[Insert Your Science Here] Week: Creating science-driven public awareness campaigns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mattson, Barbara; Mitchell, Sara; McElvery, Raleigh; Reddy, Francis; Wiessinger, Scott; Skelly, Clare; Saravia, Claire; Straughn, Amber N.; Washington, Dewayne

2018-01-01

NASA Goddard’s in-house Astrophysics Communications Team is responsible for facilitating the production of traditional and social media products to provide understanding and inspiration about NASA’s astrophysics missions and discoveries. Our team is largely driven by the scientific news cycle of launches, mission milestones, anniversaries, and discoveries, which can leave a number of topics behind, waiting for a discovery to be highlighted. These overlooked topics include compelling stories about ongoing research, underlying science, and science not tied to a specific mission. In looking for a way to boost coverage of these unsung topics, we struck upon an idea of creating “theme weeks” which bring together the broader scientific community around a topic, object, or scientific concept. This poster will present the first two of our Goddard-led theme weeks: Pulsar Week and Dark Energy Week. We will describe the efforts involved, our metrics, and the benefits and challenges we encountered. We will also suggest a template for doing this for your own science based on our successes.

Origins of magnetospheric physics

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

Van Allen, J.A.

1983-01-01

The history of the scientific investigation of the earth magnetosphere during the period 1946-1960 is reviewed, with a focus on satellite missions leading to the discovery of the inner and outer radiation belts. Chapters are devoted to ground-based studies of the earth magnetic field through the 1930s, the first U.S. rocket flights carrying scientific instruments, the rockoon flights from the polar regions (1952-1957), U.S. planning for scientific use of artificial satellites (1956), the launch of Sputnik I (1957), the discovery of the inner belt by Explorers I and III (1958), the Argus high-altitude atomic-explosion tests (1958), the confirmation of themore » inner belt and discovery of the outer belt by Explorer IV and Pioneers I-V, related studies by Sputniks II and III and Luniks I-III, and the observational and theoretical advances of 1959-1961. Photographs, drawings, diagrams, graphs, and copies of original notes and research proposals are provided. 227 references.« less

Using Deep-Sea Scientific Drilling to Enhance Ocean Science Literacy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Passow, Michael; Cooper, Sharon; Kurtz, Nicole; Burgio, Marion; Cicconi, Alessia

2017-04-01

Beginning with confirmation of sea floor spreading in Leg 3 of the Deep Sea Drilling Project in 1968, scientific ocean drilling has provided much of the evidence supporting modern understanding of the Earth System, global climate changes, and many other important concepts. But for more than three decades, results of discoveries were published primarily in scientific journals and cruise volumes. On occasion, science journalists would write articles for the general public, but organized educational outreach efforts were rare. Starting about a decade ago, educators were included in the scientific party aboard the JOIDES Resolution. These "teachers-at-sea" developed formats to translate the technical and scientific activities into language understandable to students, teachers, and the public. Several "Schools of Rock" have enabled groups of teachers and informal science educators to experience what happens aboard the JOIDES Resolution. Over the past few years, educational outreach efforts based on scientific drilling expanded to create a large body of resources that promote Ocean Science Literacy. Partnerships between scientists and educators have produced a searchable database of inquiry-centered classroom and informal science activities. These are available for free through the JOIDES Resolution website, joidesresolution.org. Activities are aligned with the Ocean Literacy Principles (http://oceanliteracy.wp2.coexploration.org/) and Science Education Standards. In addition to a suite of lessons based on the science behind scientific drilling, participants have developed a range of educational resources that include graphic novels ("Tales of the Resolution" (http://joidesresolution.org/node/263) ; children's books ("Uncovering Earth's Secrets" and "Where the Wild Microbes Grow" http://joidesresolution.org/node/2998); posters, videos, and other materials. Cooper and Kurtz are currently overseeing improvements and revisions to the JR education website pages. The International Ocean Discovery Program continues to offer annual School of Rock professional development workshops to which educators can apply for participation. During these all-expense paid experiences, they learn about IODP science and develop new activities for their audiences. Cicconi and Passow will describe their experiences during some of these programs. European teachers have also participated in "teacher-at-sea" programs sponsored by ECORD aboard the JOIDES Resolution. Burgio participated in Expedition 360 from December 2015 to the end of January 2016 (http://joidesresolution.org/node/4253). This cruise focused on the global effort to drill to the Moho through the Southwest Indian Ridge. As they drilled down to the Moho, scientists obtained new discoveries about life in the crust, interactions between water and rocks, and magmatic processes that build the oceanic crust at very slow spreading ridges. The Education Officers team used a panel of strategies to communicate during the efforts during their two months onboard. She used social media and live-streaming to share the last discoveries about the oceanic crust with students all over the world. Additional materials have been created by teachers and other non-science participants from many countries across the globe. Educational outreach programs associated with scientific ocean drilling provide effective opportunities to enhance Ocean Science Literacy.

Being an expert witness in geomorphology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keller, Edward A.

2015-02-01

Gathering your own data and coming to your own conclusion through scientific research and discovery is the most important principle to remember when being an expert witness in geomorphology. You can only be questioned in deposition and trial in your area of expertise. You are qualified as an expert by education, knowledge, and experience. You will have absolutely nothing to fear from cross-examination if you are prepared and confident about your work. Being an expert witness requires good communication skills. When you make a presentation, speak clearly and avoid jargon, especially when addressing a jury. Keep in mind that when you take on a case that may eventually go to court as a lawsuit, the entire process, with appeals and so forth, can take several years. Therefore, being an expert may become a long-term commitment of your time and energy. You may be hired by either side in a dispute, but your job is the same - determine the scientific basis of the case and explain your scientific reasoning to the lawyers, the judge, and the jury. Your work, including pre-trial investigations, often determines what the case will be based on. The use of science in the discovery part of an investigation is demonstrated from a California case involving the Ventura River, where building of a flood control levee restricted flow to a narrower channel, increasing unit stream power as well as potential for bank erosion and landsliding.

Early Cosmic Ray Research with Balloons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walter, Michael

2013-06-01

The discovery of cosmic rays by Victor Hess during a balloon flight in 1912 at an altitude of 5350 m would not have been possible without the more than one hundred years development of scientific ballooning. The discovery of hot air and hydrogen balloons and their first flights in Europe is shortly described. Scientific ballooning was mainly connected with activities of meteorologists. It was also the geologist and meteorologist Franz Linke, who probably observed first indications of a penetrating radiation whose intensity seemed to increase with the altitude. Karl Bergwitz and Albert Gockel were the first physicists studying the penetrating radiation during balloon flights. The main part of the article deals with the discovery of the extraterrestrial radiation by V. Hess and the confirmation by Werner Kolhörster.

Future Translational Applications From the Contemporary Genomics Era

PubMed Central

Fox, Caroline S.; Hall, Jennifer L.; Arnett, Donna K.; Ashley, Euan A.; Delles, Christian; Engler, Mary B.; Freeman, Mason W.; Johnson, Julie A.; Lanfear, David E.; Liggett, Stephen B.; Lusis, Aldons J.; Loscalzo, Joseph; MacRae, Calum A.; Musunuru, Kiran; Newby, L. Kristin; O’Donnell, Christopher J.; Rich, Stephen S.; Terzic, Andre

2016-01-01

The field of genetics and genomics has advanced considerably with the achievement of recent milestones encompassing the identification of many loci for cardiovascular disease and variable drug responses. Despite this achievement, a gap exists in the understanding and advancement to meaningful translation that directly affects disease prevention and clinical care. The purpose of this scientific statement is to address the gap between genetic discoveries and their practical application to cardiovascular clinical care. In brief, this scientific statement assesses the current timeline for effective translation of basic discoveries to clinical advances, highlighting past successes. Current discoveries in the area of genetics and genomics are covered next, followed by future expectations, tools, and competencies for achieving the goal of improving clinical care. PMID:25882488

A Mars Exploration Discovery Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hansen, C. J.; Paige, D. A.

2000-07-01

The Mars Exploration Program should consider following the Discovery Program model. In the Discovery Program a team of scientists led by a PI develop the science goals of their mission, decide what payload achieves the necessary measurements most effectively, and then choose a spacecraft with the capabilities needed to carry the payload to the desired target body. The primary constraints associated with the Discovery missions are time and money. The proposer must convince reviewers that their mission has scientific merit and is feasible. Every Announcement of Opportunity has resulted in a collection of creative ideas that fit within advertised constraints. Following this model, a "Mars Discovery Program" would issue an Announcement of Opportunity for each launch opportunity with schedule constraints dictated by the launch window and fiscal constraints in accord with the program budget. All else would be left to the proposer to choose, based on the science the team wants to accomplish, consistent with the program theme of "Life, Climate and Resources". A proposer could propose a lander, an orbiter, a fleet of SCOUT vehicles or penetrators, an airplane, a balloon mission, a large rover, a small rover, etc. depending on what made the most sense for the science investigation and payload. As in the Discovery program, overall feasibility relative to cost, schedule and technology readiness would be evaluated and be part of the selection process.

Literature Mining for the Discovery of Hidden Connections between Drugs, Genes and Diseases

PubMed Central

Frijters, Raoul; van Vugt, Marianne; Smeets, Ruben; van Schaik, René; de Vlieg, Jacob; Alkema, Wynand

2010-01-01

The scientific literature represents a rich source for retrieval of knowledge on associations between biomedical concepts such as genes, diseases and cellular processes. A commonly used method to establish relationships between biomedical concepts from literature is co-occurrence. Apart from its use in knowledge retrieval, the co-occurrence method is also well-suited to discover new, hidden relationships between biomedical concepts following a simple ABC-principle, in which A and C have no direct relationship, but are connected via shared B-intermediates. In this paper we describe CoPub Discovery, a tool that mines the literature for new relationships between biomedical concepts. Statistical analysis using ROC curves showed that CoPub Discovery performed well over a wide range of settings and keyword thesauri. We subsequently used CoPub Discovery to search for new relationships between genes, drugs, pathways and diseases. Several of the newly found relationships were validated using independent literature sources. In addition, new predicted relationships between compounds and cell proliferation were validated and confirmed experimentally in an in vitro cell proliferation assay. The results show that CoPub Discovery is able to identify novel associations between genes, drugs, pathways and diseases that have a high probability of being biologically valid. This makes CoPub Discovery a useful tool to unravel the mechanisms behind disease, to find novel drug targets, or to find novel applications for existing drugs. PMID:20885778

A Mars Exploration Discovery Program

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hansen, C. J.; Paige, D. A.

2000-01-01

The Mars Exploration Program should consider following the Discovery Program model. In the Discovery Program a team of scientists led by a PI develop the science goals of their mission, decide what payload achieves the necessary measurements most effectively, and then choose a spacecraft with the capabilities needed to carry the payload to the desired target body. The primary constraints associated with the Discovery missions are time and money. The proposer must convince reviewers that their mission has scientific merit and is feasible. Every Announcement of Opportunity has resulted in a collection of creative ideas that fit within advertised constraints. Following this model, a "Mars Discovery Program" would issue an Announcement of Opportunity for each launch opportunity with schedule constraints dictated by the launch window and fiscal constraints in accord with the program budget. All else would be left to the proposer to choose, based on the science the team wants to accomplish, consistent with the program theme of "Life, Climate and Resources". A proposer could propose a lander, an orbiter, a fleet of SCOUT vehicles or penetrators, an airplane, a balloon mission, a large rover, a small rover, etc. depending on what made the most sense for the science investigation and payload. As in the Discovery program, overall feasibility relative to cost, schedule and technology readiness would be evaluated and be part of the selection process.

7 CFR 3400.20 - Grantee review prior to award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... significantly, other scientific discoveries have affected the project, or the need for the project has changed... in this subpart. For research projects, such review must be a scientific peer review conducted in...

7 CFR 3400.20 - Grantee review prior to award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... significantly, other scientific discoveries have affected the project, or the need for the project has changed... in this subpart. For research projects, such review must be a scientific peer review conducted in...

7 CFR 3400.20 - Grantee review prior to award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... significantly, other scientific discoveries have affected the project, or the need for the project has changed... in this subpart. For research projects, such review must be a scientific peer review conducted in...

7 CFR 3400.20 - Grantee review prior to award.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... significantly, other scientific discoveries have affected the project, or the need for the project has changed... in this subpart. For research projects, such review must be a scientific peer review conducted in...

Sustainable Ammonia Synthesis – Exploring the scientific challenges associated with discovering alternative, sustainable processes for ammonia production

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

Nørskov, Jens; Chen, Jingguang; Miranda, Raul

Ammonia (NH 3) is essential to all life on our planet. Until about 100 years ago, NH 3 produced by reduction of dinitrogen (N 2) in air came almost exclusively from bacteria containing the enzyme nitrogenase.. DOE convened a roundtable of experts on February 18, 2016. Participants in the Roundtable discussions concluded that the scientific basis for sustainable processes for ammonia synthesis is currently lacking, and it needs to be enhanced substantially before it can form the foundation for alternative processes. The Roundtable Panel identified an overarching grand challenge and several additional scientific grand challenges and research opportunities: -Discovery ofmore » active, selective, scalable, long-lived catalysts for sustainable ammonia synthesis. -Development of relatively low pressure (<10 atm) and relatively low temperature (<200 C) thermal processes. -Integration of knowledge from nature (enzyme catalysis), molecular/homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysis. -Development of electrochemical and photochemical routes for N 2 reduction based on proton and electron transfer -Development of biochemical routes to N 2 reduction -Development of chemical looping (solar thermochemical) approaches -Identification of descriptors of catalytic activity using a combination of theory and experiments -Characterization of surface adsorbates and catalyst structures (chemical, physical and electronic) under conditions relevant to ammonia synthesis.« less

What Constitutes Science and Scientific Evidence: Roles of Null Hypothesis Testing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Chang, Mark

2017-01-01

We briefly discuss the philosophical basis of science, causality, and scientific evidence, by introducing the hidden but most fundamental principle of science: the similarity principle. The principle's use in scientific discovery is illustrated with Simpson's paradox and other examples. In discussing the value of null hypothesis statistical…

Lone Geniuses in Popular Science: The Devaluation of Scientific Consensus

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Charney, Davida

2003-01-01

Popular accounts of scientific discoveries diverge from scholarly accounts, stripping off hedges and promoting short-term social consequences. This case study illustrates how the "horse-race" framing of popular accounts devalues the collective sharing, challenging, and extending of scientific work. In her best-selling "Longitude," Dava Sobel…

Choosing experiments to accelerate collective discovery

PubMed Central

Rzhetsky, Andrey; Foster, Jacob G.; Foster, Ian T.

2015-01-01

A scientist’s choice of research problem affects his or her personal career trajectory. Scientists’ combined choices affect the direction and efficiency of scientific discovery as a whole. In this paper, we infer preferences that shape problem selection from patterns of published findings and then quantify their efficiency. We represent research problems as links between scientific entities in a knowledge network. We then build a generative model of discovery informed by qualitative research on scientific problem selection. We map salient features from this literature to key network properties: an entity’s importance corresponds to its degree centrality, and a problem’s difficulty corresponds to the network distance it spans. Drawing on millions of papers and patents published over 30 years, we use this model to infer the typical research strategy used to explore chemical relationships in biomedicine. This strategy generates conservative research choices focused on building up knowledge around important molecules. These choices become more conservative over time. The observed strategy is efficient for initial exploration of the network and supports scientific careers that require steady output, but is inefficient for science as a whole. Through supercomputer experiments on a sample of the network, we study thousands of alternatives and identify strategies much more efficient at exploring mature knowledge networks. We find that increased risk-taking and the publication of experimental failures would substantially improve the speed of discovery. We consider institutional shifts in grant making, evaluation, and publication that would help realize these efficiencies. PMID:26554009

Computational knowledge integration in biopharmaceutical research.

PubMed

Ficenec, David; Osborne, Mark; Pradines, Joel; Richards, Dan; Felciano, Ramon; Cho, Raymond J; Chen, Richard O; Liefeld, Ted; Owen, James; Ruttenberg, Alan; Reich, Christian; Horvath, Joseph; Clark, Tim

2003-09-01

An initiative to increase biopharmaceutical research productivity by capturing, sharing and computationally integrating proprietary scientific discoveries with public knowledge is described. This initiative involves both organisational process change and multiple interoperating software systems. The software components rely on mutually supporting integration techniques. These include a richly structured ontology, statistical analysis of experimental data against stored conclusions, natural language processing of public literature, secure document repositories with lightweight metadata, web services integration, enterprise web portals and relational databases. This approach has already begun to increase scientific productivity in our enterprise by creating an organisational memory (OM) of internal research findings, accessible on the web. Through bringing together these components it has also been possible to construct a very large and expanding repository of biological pathway information linked to this repository of findings which is extremely useful in analysis of DNA microarray data. This repository, in turn, enables our research paradigm to be shifted towards more comprehensive systems-based understandings of drug action.

Basic statistics with Microsoft Excel: a review.

PubMed

Divisi, Duilio; Di Leonardo, Gabriella; Zaccagna, Gino; Crisci, Roberto

2017-06-01

The scientific world is enriched daily with new knowledge, due to new technologies and continuous discoveries. The mathematical functions explain the statistical concepts particularly those of mean, median and mode along with those of frequency and frequency distribution associated to histograms and graphical representations, determining elaborative processes on the basis of the spreadsheet operations. The aim of the study is to highlight the mathematical basis of statistical models that regulate the operation of spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel.

Basic statistics with Microsoft Excel: a review

PubMed Central

Di Leonardo, Gabriella; Zaccagna, Gino; Crisci, Roberto

2017-01-01

The scientific world is enriched daily with new knowledge, due to new technologies and continuous discoveries. The mathematical functions explain the statistical concepts particularly those of mean, median and mode along with those of frequency and frequency distribution associated to histograms and graphical representations, determining elaborative processes on the basis of the spreadsheet operations. The aim of the study is to highlight the mathematical basis of statistical models that regulate the operation of spreadsheets in Microsoft Excel. PMID:28740690

Tsung-Dao Lee and BEPC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Zhipeng

2017-03-01

The scientific world is well aware of Prof. Tsung-Dao Lee’s contribution to the Beijing Electron-Positron Collider (BEPC). At this time, between his ninetieth birthday and the sixtieth anniversary of the discovery of parity violation, as one of those involved in building the BEPC, I would like to recall some of the history around the construction of the BEPC, to discuss T. D. Lee’s key role in the process and show his passion for science in China.

Myc: the beauty and the beast.

PubMed

Wasylishen, Amanda R; Penn, Linda Z

2010-06-01

The iconic history of the Myc oncoprotein encompasses 3 decades of intense scientific discovery. There is no question that Myc has been a pioneer, advancing insight into the molecular basis of cancer as well as functioning as a critical control center for several diverse biological processes and regulatory mechanisms. This narrative chronicles the journey and milestones that have defined the understanding of Myc, and it provides an opportunity to consider future directions in this challenging yet rewarding field.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in KSC's Vertical Processing Facility inspect the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) on its handling fixture. NICMOS is one of two new scientific instruments that will replace two outdated instruments on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). NICMOS will provide HST with the capability for infrared imaging and spectroscopic observations of astronomical targets. The refrigerator-sized NICMOS also is HST's first cryogenic instrument — its sensitive infrared detectors must operate at very cold temperatures of minus 355 degrees Fahrenheit or 58 degrees Kelvin. NICMOS will be installed in Hubble during STS-82, the second Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. Liftoff is targeted Feb. 11 aboard Discovery with a crew of seven.

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-01-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in KSC's Vertical Processing Facility inspect the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) on its handling fixture. NICMOS is one of two new scientific instruments that will replace two outdated instruments on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). NICMOS will provide HST with the capability for infrared imaging and spectroscopic observations of astronomical targets. The refrigerator-sized NICMOS also is HST's first cryogenic instrument — its sensitive infrared detectors must operate at very cold temperatures of minus 355 degrees Fahrenheit or 58 degrees Kelvin. NICMOS will be installed in Hubble during STS-82, the second Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. Liftoff is targeted Feb. 11 aboard Discovery with a crew of seven.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in KSC's Vertical Processing Facility lift the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) prior to its installation in the Second Axial Carrier. NICMOS is one of two new scientific instruments that will replace two outdated instruments on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). NICMOS will provide HST with the capability for infrared imaging and spectroscopic observations of astronomical targets. The refrigerator-sized NICMOS also is HST's first cryogenic instrument — its sensitive infrared detectors must operate at very cold temperatures of minus 355 degrees Fahrenheit or 58 degrees Kelvin. NICMOS will be installed in Hubble during STS-82, the second Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. Liftoff is targeted Feb. 11 aboard Discovery with a crew of seven.

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-01-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in KSC's Vertical Processing Facility lift the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) prior to its installation in the Second Axial Carrier. NICMOS is one of two new scientific instruments that will replace two outdated instruments on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). NICMOS will provide HST with the capability for infrared imaging and spectroscopic observations of astronomical targets. The refrigerator-sized NICMOS also is HST's first cryogenic instrument — its sensitive infrared detectors must operate at very cold temperatures of minus 355 degrees Fahrenheit or 58 degrees Kelvin. NICMOS will be installed in Hubble during STS-82, the second Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. Liftoff is targeted Feb. 11 aboard Discovery with a crew of seven.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in KSC's Vertical Processing Facility lower the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) into the Second Axial Carrier. NICMOS is one of two new scientific instruments that will replace two outdated instruments on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). NICMOS will provide HST with the capability for infrared imaging and spectroscopic observations of astronomical targets. The refrigerator-sized NICMOS also is HST's first cryogenic instrument — its sensitive infrared detectors must operate at very cold temperatures of minus 355 degrees Fahrenheit or 58 degrees Kelvin. NICMOS will be installed in Hubble during STS-82, the second Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. Liftoff is targeted Feb. 11 aboard Discovery with a crew of seven.

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-01-18

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in KSC's Vertical Processing Facility lower the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) into the Second Axial Carrier. NICMOS is one of two new scientific instruments that will replace two outdated instruments on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). NICMOS will provide HST with the capability for infrared imaging and spectroscopic observations of astronomical targets. The refrigerator-sized NICMOS also is HST's first cryogenic instrument — its sensitive infrared detectors must operate at very cold temperatures of minus 355 degrees Fahrenheit or 58 degrees Kelvin. NICMOS will be installed in Hubble during STS-82, the second Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. Liftoff is targeted Feb. 11 aboard Discovery with a crew of seven.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in KSC's Vertical Processing Facility lower the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) into the Second Axial Carrier. NICMOS is one of two new scientific instruments that will replace two outdated instruments on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). NICMOS will provide HST with the capability for infrared imaging and spectroscopic observations of astronomical targets. The refrigerator-sized NICMOS is HST's first cryogenic instrument -- its sensitive infrared detectors must operate at very cold temperatures of minus 355 degrees Fahrenheit or 58 derees Kelvin. NICMOS will be installed in Hubble during STS-82, the second Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. Liftoff is targeted Feb. 11 aboard Discovery with a crew of seven.

NASA Image and Video Library

1997-01-16

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. - Workers in KSC's Vertical Processing Facility lower the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) into the Second Axial Carrier. NICMOS is one of two new scientific instruments that will replace two outdated instruments on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). NICMOS will provide HST with the capability for infrared imaging and spectroscopic observations of astronomical targets. The refrigerator-sized NICMOS is HST's first cryogenic instrument -- its sensitive infrared detectors must operate at very cold temperatures of minus 355 degrees Fahrenheit or 58 derees Kelvin. NICMOS will be installed in Hubble during STS-82, the second Hubble Space Telescope servicing mission. Liftoff is targeted Feb. 11 aboard Discovery with a crew of seven.

The threshold vs LNT showdown: Dose rate findings exposed flaws in the LNT model part 1. The Russell-Muller debate

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

Calabrese, Edward J., E-mail: edwardc@schoolph.uma

This paper assesses the discovery of the dose-rate effect in radiation genetics and how it challenged fundamental tenets of the linear non-threshold (LNT) dose response model, including the assumptions that all mutational damage is cumulative and irreversible and that the dose-response is linear at low doses. Newly uncovered historical information also describes how a key 1964 report by the International Commission for Radiological Protection (ICRP) addressed the effects of dose rate in the assessment of genetic risk. This unique story involves assessments by two leading radiation geneticists, Hermann J. Muller and William L. Russell, who independently argued that the report'smore » Genetic Summary Section on dose rate was incorrect while simultaneously offering vastly different views as to what the report's summary should have contained. This paper reveals occurrences of scientific disagreements, how conflicts were resolved, which view(s) prevailed and why. During this process the Nobel Laureate, Muller, provided incorrect information to the ICRP in what appears to have been an attempt to manipulate the decision-making process and to prevent the dose-rate concept from being adopted into risk assessment practices. - Highlights: • The discovery of radiation dose rate challenged the scientific basis of LNT. • Radiation dose rate occurred in males and females. • The dose rate concept supported a threshold dose-response for radiation.« less

Does innovation in obesity drugs affect stock markets? An event study analysis.

PubMed

Pérez-Rodríguez, Jorge V; González López-Valcárcel, Beatriz

2012-01-01

This study empirically analyzes the effects of public information about the pharmaceutical R&D process on the market valuation of the sponsoring firm. We examined the market's response to scientific news and regulatory decisions about an antiobesity drug, rimonabant, and the effects on the sponsoring company (Sanofi-Aventis) and its incumbent competitors (Abbott and Roche). Event study methodology was used to test the null hypothesis of no market response. We covered the full life cycle of rimonabant (1994-2008), using a data set of daily closing price and volume. The results suggest that scientific news in the initial stages of the drug R&D process (i.e., drug discovery, preclinical and clinical trials) had no significant effects. However, news related to regulatory decisions, such as recall or safety warning, had significant negative effects on the company's market value. No spillover/contagion effects on competitor firms were detected. Market reactions occur at the time when the regulator takes decisions about drugs. Scientific news, even those of high-impact, may pass unnoticed. Copyright © 2011 SESPAS. Published by Elsevier España, S.L. All rights reserved.

Hackathons as a means of accelerating scientific discoveries and knowledge transfer.

PubMed

Ghouila, Amel; Siwo, Geoffrey Henry; Entfellner, Jean-Baka Domelevo; Panji, Sumir; Button-Simons, Katrina A; Davis, Sage Zenon; Fadlelmola, Faisal M; Ferdig, Michael T; Mulder, Nicola

2018-05-01

Scientific research plays a key role in the advancement of human knowledge and pursuit of solutions to important societal challenges. Typically, research occurs within specific institutions where data are generated and subsequently analyzed. Although collaborative science bringing together multiple institutions is now common, in such collaborations the analytical processing of the data is often performed by individual researchers within the team, with only limited internal oversight and critical analysis of the workflow prior to publication. Here, we show how hackathons can be a means of enhancing collaborative science by enabling peer review before results of analyses are published by cross-validating the design of studies or underlying data sets and by driving reproducibility of scientific analyses. Traditionally, in data analysis processes, data generators and bioinformaticians are divided and do not collaborate on analyzing the data. Hackathons are a good strategy to build bridges over the traditional divide and are potentially a great agile extension to the more structured collaborations between multiple investigators and institutions. © 2018 Ghouila et al.; Published by Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press.

76 FR 30371 - Center for Scientific Review; Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-05-25

... Panel; RFA Panel: Drug Discovery for the Nervous System. Date: June 16-17, 2011. Time: 8 a.m. to 10 a.m... Special Emphasis Panel; RFA Panel: Drug Discovery for the Nervous System. Date: June 17, 2011. Time: 10 a...

Women and the Elements: The Role of Women in Element and Fission Discoveries.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Spradley, Joseph L.

1989-01-01

Describes the scientific work of several women, including Marie Curie, Lise Meitner, Ida Noddack, Irene Curie, Marguerite Perey, Chien-Shiung Wu, and Maria Mayer. Discusses the connections between their discoveries. Thirty-six references are listed. (YP)

Opportunities to Apply the 3Rs in Safety Assessment Programs

PubMed Central

Sewell, Fiona; Edwards, Joanna; Prior, Helen; Robinson, Sally

2016-01-01

Abstract Before a potential new medicine can be administered to humans it is essential that its safety is adequately assessed. Safety assessment in animals forms an integral part of this process, from early drug discovery and initial candidate selection to the program of recommended regulatory tests in animals. The 3Rs (replacement, reduction, and refinement of animals in research) are integrated in the current regulatory requirements and expectations and, in the EU, provide a legal and ethical framework for in vivo research to ensure the scientific objectives are met whilst minimizing animal use and maintaining high animal welfare standards. Though the regulations are designed to uncover potential risks, they are intended to be flexible, so that the most appropriate approach can be taken for an individual product. This article outlines current and future opportunities to apply the 3Rs in safety assessment programs for pharmaceuticals, and the potential (scientific, financial, and ethical) benefits to the industry, across the drug discovery and development process. For example, improvements to, or the development of, novel, early screens (e.g., in vitro, in silico, or nonmammalian screens) designed to identify compounds with undesirable characteristics earlier in development have the potential to reduce late-stage attrition by improving the selection of compounds that require regulatory testing in animals. Opportunities also exist within the current regulatory framework to simultaneously reduce and/or refine animal use and improve scientific outcomes through improvements to technical procedures and/or adjustments to study designs. It is important that approaches to safety assessment are continuously reviewed and challenged to ensure they are science-driven and predictive of relevant effects in humans. PMID:28053076

Microbial Dark Matter Investigations: How Microbial Studies Transform Biological Knowledge and Empirically Sketch a Logic of Scientific Discovery

PubMed Central

Bernard, Guillaume; Pathmanathan, Jananan S; Lannes, Romain; Lopez, Philippe; Bapteste, Eric

2018-01-01

Abstract Microbes are the oldest and most widespread, phylogenetically and metabolically diverse life forms on Earth. However, they have been discovered only 334 years ago, and their diversity started to become seriously investigated even later. For these reasons, microbial studies that unveil novel microbial lineages and processes affecting or involving microbes deeply (and repeatedly) transform knowledge in biology. Considering the quantitative prevalence of taxonomically and functionally unassigned sequences in environmental genomics data sets, and that of uncultured microbes on the planet, we propose that unraveling the microbial dark matter should be identified as a central priority for biologists. Based on former empirical findings of microbial studies, we sketch a logic of discovery with the potential to further highlight the microbial unknowns. PMID:29420719

STS-51 preparation: ACTS, ORFEUS, Discovery in VAB

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1993-01-01

In NASA's building AM on Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, STS-51 mission specialist Carl Walz (right) and Deutsche Aerospace technician Gregor Dawidowitsch check over the scientific instruments mounted on the Shuttle Pallet Satellite (SPAS) carrier (38573); The Orbiting and Retrievable Far and Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrometer (ORFEUS) and SPAS is readied for hoisting into a test cell at the Vertical Processing Facility (VPF) (38574); Mating of the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite (ACTS) with the Transfer Orbit Stage (TOS) booster is under way in the Payload Hazardous Servicing Facility (PHSF) (38575); The mated ACTS and TOS are ready to be moved from the PHSF to the Vertical Processsing Facility (VPF) (38576); The orbiter Discovery is rolled into the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) for mating with the external tank and twin solid rocket boosters (38577-8).

β-thalassemias: paradigmatic diseases for scientific discoveries and development of innovative therapies.

PubMed

Rivella, Stefano

2015-04-01

β-thalassemias are monogenic disorders characterized by defective synthesis of the β-globin chain, one of the major components of adult hemoglobin. A large number of mutations in the β-globin gene or its regulatory elements have been associated with β-thalassemias. Due to the complexity of the regulation of the β-globin gene and the role of red cells in many physiological processes, patients can manifest a large spectrum of phenotypes, and clinical requirements vary from patient to patient. It is important to consider the major differences in the light of potential novel therapeutics. This review summarizes the main discoveries and mechanisms associated with the synthesis of β-globin and abnormal erythropoiesis, as well as current and novel therapies. Copyright© Ferrata Storti Foundation.

STS-42 MS/PLC Norman E. Thagard adjusts Rack 10 FES equipment in IML-1 module

NASA Image and Video Library

1992-01-30

STS042-05-006 (22-30 Jan 1992) --- Astronaut Norman E. Thagard, payload commander, performs the Fluids Experiment System (FES) in the International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-1) science module. The FES is a NASA-developed facility that produces optical images of fluid flows during the processing of materials in space. The system's sophisticated optics consist of a laser to make holograms of samples and a video camera to record images of flows in and around samples. Thagard was joined by six fellow crewmembers for eight days of scientific research aboard Discovery in Earth-orbit. Most of their on-duty time was spent in this IML-1 science module, positioned in the cargo bay and attached via a tunnel to Discovery's airlock.

76 FR 65739 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-10-24

... Committee: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel, Discovery, Design, and Development of... Assistance Program Nos. 93.306, Comparative Medicine; 93.333, Clinical Research, 93.306, 93.333, 93.337, 93...

76 FR 5597 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2011-02-01

... Special Emphasis Panel; Drug Discovery for the Nervous System. Date: February 25, 2011. Time: 1 p.m. to 4... Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; Small Business: Biomaterials, Delivery Systems, and Nanotechnology...

Delivering Data Packages for Discovery, Analysis, and Preservation

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2018-01-10

The United States Department of Transportation (USDOT) Plan to Increase Public Access to the Results of Federally-Funded Scientific Research (PA), requires, in part, that digitally formatted scientific data resulting from unclassified research sup...

42 CFR 426.405 - Authority of the ALJ.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

...) Consult with scientific and clinical experts on his or her own motion concerning clinical or scientific... documentary discovery as permitted by this part. (15) Regulate the course of a hearing and the conduct of...

48 CFR 31.205-18 - Independent research and development and bid and proposal costs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... determine and exploit the potential of scientific discoveries or improvements in technology, materials... systematic use, under whatever name, of scientific and technical knowledge in the design, development, test...

48 CFR 31.205-18 - Independent research and development and bid and proposal costs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... determine and exploit the potential of scientific discoveries or improvements in technology, materials... systematic use, under whatever name, of scientific and technical knowledge in the design, development, test...

42 CFR 426.405 - Authority of the ALJ.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

...) Consult with scientific and clinical experts on his or her own motion concerning clinical or scientific... documentary discovery as permitted by this part. (15) Regulate the course of a hearing and the conduct of...

48 CFR 31.205-18 - Independent research and development and bid and proposal costs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... determine and exploit the potential of scientific discoveries or improvements in technology, materials... systematic use, under whatever name, of scientific and technical knowledge in the design, development, test...

48 CFR 31.205-18 - Independent research and development and bid and proposal costs.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... determine and exploit the potential of scientific discoveries or improvements in technology, materials... systematic use, under whatever name, of scientific and technical knowledge in the design, development, test...

Accelerating scientific discovery : 2007 annual report.

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

Beckman, P.; Dave, P.; Drugan, C.

2008-11-14

As a gateway for scientific discovery, the Argonne Leadership Computing Facility (ALCF) works hand in hand with the world's best computational scientists to advance research in a diverse span of scientific domains, ranging from chemistry, applied mathematics, and materials science to engineering physics and life sciences. Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science, researchers are using the IBM Blue Gene/L supercomputer at the ALCF to study and explore key scientific problems that underlie important challenges facing our society. For instance, a research team at the University of California-San Diego/ SDSC is studying the molecular basis ofmore » Parkinson's disease. The researchers plan to use the knowledge they gain to discover new drugs to treat the disease and to identify risk factors for other diseases that are equally prevalent. Likewise, scientists from Pratt & Whitney are using the Blue Gene to understand the complex processes within aircraft engines. Expanding our understanding of jet engine combustors is the secret to improved fuel efficiency and reduced emissions. Lessons learned from the scientific simulations of jet engine combustors have already led Pratt & Whitney to newer designs with unprecedented reductions in emissions, noise, and cost of ownership. ALCF staff members provide in-depth expertise and assistance to those using the Blue Gene/L and optimizing user applications. Both the Catalyst and Applications Performance Engineering and Data Analytics (APEDA) teams support the users projects. In addition to working with scientists running experiments on the Blue Gene/L, we have become a nexus for the broader global community. In partnership with the Mathematics and Computer Science Division at Argonne National Laboratory, we have created an environment where the world's most challenging computational science problems can be addressed. Our expertise in high-end scientific computing enables us to provide guidance for applications that are transitioning to petascale as well as to produce software that facilitates their development, such as the MPICH library, which provides a portable and efficient implementation of the MPI standard--the prevalent programming model for large-scale scientific applications--and the PETSc toolkit that provides a programming paradigm that eases the development of many scientific applications on high-end computers.« less

Collaborative Research to Advance Precision Medicine in the Post-Genomic World | Office of Cancer Genomics

Cancer.gov

My name is Subhashini Jagu, and I am the Scientific Program Manager for the Cancer Target Discovery and Development (CTD2) Network at the Office of Cancer Genomics (OCG). In my new role, I help CTD2 work toward its mission, which is to develop new scientific approaches to accelerate the translation of genomic discoveries into new treatments. Collaborative efforts that bring together a variety of expertise and infrastructure are needed to understand and successfully treat cancer, a highly complex disease.

A Scientific Revolution: the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gardner, Jonathan P.

2011-01-01

Astronomy is going through a scientific revolution, responding to a flood of data from the Hubble Space Telescope, other space missions, and large telescopes on the ground. In this talk, I will discuss some of the most important astronomical discoveries of the last 10 years, and the role that space telescopes have played in those discoveries. The next decade looks equally bright with the newly refurbished Hubble and the promise of its successor, the James Webb Space Telescope. I will describe how Hubble was upgraded and how and why we are building Webb.

A Scientific Revolution: The Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gardner, Jonathan

2011-01-01

Astronomy is going through a scientific revolution, responding to a flood of data from the Hubble Space Telescope, other space missions, and large telescopes on the ground. In this talk, I will discuss some of the most important astronomical discoveries of the last 10 years, and the role that space telescopes have played in those discoveries. The next decade looks equally bright with the newly refurbished Hubble and the promise of its successor, the James Webb Space Telescope. I will describe how Hubble was upgraded and how and why we are building Webb.

A Scientific Revolution: The Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gardner, Jonathan P.

2009-01-01

Astronomy is going through a scientific revolution, responding to a flood of data from the Hubble Space Telescope, other space missions, and large telescopes on the ground. In this talk, I will discuss the top 10 astronomical discoveries of the last 10 years, and the role that space telescopes have played in those discoveries. The next decade looks equally bright with the newly refurbished Hubble and the promise of its successor, the James Webb Space Telescope. I will describe how Hubble was upgraded and how and why we are building Webb.

A Scientific Revolution: the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gardner, Jonathan P.

2012-01-01

Astronomy is going through a scientific revolution, responding to a flood of data from the Hubble Space Telescope, other space missions, and large telescopes on the ground. In this talk, I will discuss some of the most important astronomical discoveries of the last IO years, and the role that space telescopes have played in those discoveries. The next decade looks equally bright with the newly refurbished Hubble and the promise of its successor, the James Webb Space Telescope. I will describe how Hubble was upgraded and how and why we are building Webb.

Dismantling Hubble's Legacy?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Way, Michael Joseph

2013-01-01

Edwin Hubble is famous for a number of discoveries that are well known to amateur and professional astronomers, students and the general public. The origins of these discoveries are examined and it is demonstrated that, in each case, a great deal of supporting evidence was already in place. In some cases the discoveries had either already been made, or competing versions were not adopted for complex scientific and sociological reasons.

The role of philosophy in the conceptual development of quantum physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diamond, Ethel

Making a distinction between the context of discovery and the context of justification, I examine the relationship between philosophy and the discovery of quantum physics. I do this by focusing on four of the most important contributors to quantum theory: Albert Einstein, Werner Heisenberg, Erwin Schrodinger and Niels Bohr. Looking to the period immediately preceding the era in which quantum physics was developed, I first explore the scientific writings of Hermann von Helmholtz, Ernst Mach, Heinrich Hertz and Ludwig Boltzmann. In doing so, I uncover the integral role classic philosophy played in the scientific investigations of nineteenth-century German and Austrian physicists. After establishing the cultural link between scientific writing and philosophic training at that time and place in history, I investigate the formative philosophic influences on Einstein, Heisenberg, Schrodinger and Bohr. By a close examination of some of their most important scientific papers, this dissertation reveals the way in which these early twentieth-century scientists continued an important nineteenth-century European tradition of integrating philosophic thought in their scientific creative thinking.

Reflections on my journey in biomedical research: the art, science, and politics of advocacy.

PubMed

Slavkin, H C

2013-01-01

Scientific Discovery often reflects the art, science, and advocacy for biomedical research. Here the author reflects on selected highlights of discovery that contributed to several aspects of our understanding of craniofacial biology and craniofacial diseases and disorders.

Dulse on the Distaff Side.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MacKenzie, Marion

1983-01-01

Scientific research leading to the discovery of female plants of the red alga Palmaria plamata (dulse) is described. This discovery has not only advanced knowledge of marine organisms and taxonomic relationships but also has practical implications. The complete life cycle of this organism is included. (JN)

Discovering Mendeleev's Model.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Sterling, Donna

1996-01-01

Presents an activity that introduces the historical developments in science that led to the discovery of the periodic table and lets students experience scientific discovery firsthand. Enables students to learn about patterns among the elements and experience how scientists analyze data to discover patterns and build models. (JRH)

From hero to Newcomen: the critical scientific and technological developments that led to the invention of the steam engine.

PubMed

Kitsikopoulos, Harry

2013-09-01

This essay provides an analytical account of the history of various steam devices by tracing the key technological and scientific developments culminating in the Savery and Newcomen models. It begins in antiquity with the writings of Hero of Alexandria, which were rediscovered and translated in Italy fourteen centuries later, followed by the construction of simple steam devices. The most decisive development comes in the middle of the seventeenth century with the overturning, through the experimental work of Torricelli, Pascal, and Guericke, of the Aristotelian dogma that no vacuum exists. The final stretch of this discovery process amounted to an Anglo-French race, with English inventors being more successful in the end.

Design tools for complex dynamic security systems.

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

Byrne, Raymond Harry; Rigdon, James Brian; Rohrer, Brandon Robinson

2007-01-01

The development of tools for complex dynamic security systems is not a straight forward engineering task but, rather, a scientific task where discovery of new scientific principles and math is necessary. For years, scientists have observed complex behavior but have had difficulty understanding it. Prominent examples include: insect colony organization, the stock market, molecular interactions, fractals, and emergent behavior. Engineering such systems will be an even greater challenge. This report explores four tools for engineered complex dynamic security systems: Partially Observable Markov Decision Process, Percolation Theory, Graph Theory, and Exergy/Entropy Theory. Additionally, enabling hardware technology for next generation security systemsmore » are described: a 100 node wireless sensor network, unmanned ground vehicle and unmanned aerial vehicle.« less

[The amazing story of the fraudulent cloned embryos and what it tells us about science, technology, and the media].

PubMed

Souza, Iara Maria de Almeida; Caitité, Amanda Muniz Logeto

2010-06-01

Based on news reports from Brazilian papers, the article examines the case of scientific fraud involving cloned embryos, committed by South Korean scientist Hwang. The media generally focus on the intellectual process of science, its discoveries, and the new possibilities it promises. In this case, however, science is shown the other way around, revealing a web that interweaves elements of a radically disparate nature, like the Korean government, researchers, tools, research funds, human eggs and funguses, scientific journals, among others. These ties are what make up science in practice, yet they only become visible in the media when there is tension between them and, in this case, when something illicit happens.

Structural Genomics and Drug Discovery for Infectious Diseases

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

Anderson, W.F.

The application of structural genomics methods and approaches to proteins from organisms causing infectious diseases is making available the three dimensional structures of many proteins that are potential drug targets and laying the groundwork for structure aided drug discovery efforts. There are a number of structural genomics projects with a focus on pathogens that have been initiated worldwide. The Center for Structural Genomics of Infectious Diseases (CSGID) was recently established to apply state-of-the-art high throughput structural biology technologies to the characterization of proteins from the National Institute for Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) category A-C pathogens and organisms causing emerging,more » or re-emerging infectious diseases. The target selection process emphasizes potential biomedical benefits. Selected proteins include known drug targets and their homologs, essential enzymes, virulence factors and vaccine candidates. The Center also provides a structure determination service for the infectious disease scientific community. The ultimate goal is to generate a library of structures that are available to the scientific community and can serve as a starting point for further research and structure aided drug discovery for infectious diseases. To achieve this goal, the CSGID will determine protein crystal structures of 400 proteins and protein-ligand complexes using proven, rapid, highly integrated, and cost-effective methods for such determination, primarily by X-ray crystallography. High throughput crystallographic structure determination is greatly aided by frequent, convenient access to high-performance beamlines at third-generation synchrotron X-ray sources.« less

Zebrafish xenograft models of cancer and metastasis for drug discovery.

PubMed

Brown, Hannah K; Schiavone, Kristina; Tazzyman, Simon; Heymann, Dominique; Chico, Timothy Ja

2017-04-01

Patients with metastatic cancer suffer the highest rate of cancer-related death, but existing animal models of metastasis have disadvantages that limit our ability to understand this process. The zebrafish is increasingly used for cancer modelling, particularly xenografting of human cancer cell lines, and drug discovery, and may provide novel scientific and therapeutic insights. However, this model system remains underexploited. Areas covered: The authors discuss the advantages and disadvantages of the zebrafish xenograft model for the study of cancer, metastasis and drug discovery. They summarise previous work investigating the metastatic cascade, such as tumour-induced angiogenesis, intravasation, extravasation, dissemination and homing, invasion at secondary sites, assessing metastatic potential and evaluation of cancer stem cells in zebrafish. Expert opinion: The practical advantages of zebrafish for basic biological study and drug discovery are indisputable. However, their ability to sufficiently reproduce and predict the behaviour of human cancer and metastasis remains unproven. For this to be resolved, novel mechanisms must to be discovered in zebrafish that are subsequently validated in humans, and for therapeutic interventions that modulate cancer favourably in zebrafish to successfully translate to human clinical studies. In the meantime, more work is required to establish the most informative methods in zebrafish.

Reports from Other Journals: Nature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heinhorst, Sabine; Cannon, Gordon

1997-05-01

The first Nature issue of the new year (January 2, 1997, pp 13-16) featured the annual commentary on anniversaries of scientific discoveries and inventions through the centuries, a brief tour de force in the history of science. This year's enlightening list includes, among other things, the discovery of the electron (1897) and of mountains on the moon (1647), and the first description of Herba inebrians, now commonly known as tobacco (1497). A new book reviewed in the January 16 issue (pp 215-216), The Scientific 100: A Ranking of the Most Influential Scientists, Past and Present, describes lives and scientific contributions of the 100 most important scientists, as perceived by author John Simmons. "Top-of-the-line" scientists include Isaac Newton (No. 1), Niels Bohr (3),

Biological network extraction from scientific literature: state of the art and challenges.

PubMed

Li, Chen; Liakata, Maria; Rebholz-Schuhmann, Dietrich

2014-09-01

Networks of molecular interactions explain complex biological processes, and all known information on molecular events is contained in a number of public repositories including the scientific literature. Metabolic and signalling pathways are often viewed separately, even though both types are composed of interactions involving proteins and other chemical entities. It is necessary to be able to combine data from all available resources to judge the functionality, complexity and completeness of any given network overall, but especially the full integration of relevant information from the scientific literature is still an ongoing and complex task. Currently, the text-mining research community is steadily moving towards processing the full body of the scientific literature by making use of rich linguistic features such as full text parsing, to extract biological interactions. The next step will be to combine these with information from scientific databases to support hypothesis generation for the discovery of new knowledge and the extension of biological networks. The generation of comprehensive networks requires technologies such as entity grounding, coordination resolution and co-reference resolution, which are not fully solved and are required to further improve the quality of results. Here, we analyse the state of the art for the extraction of network information from the scientific literature and the evaluation of extraction methods against reference corpora, discuss challenges involved and identify directions for future research. © The Author 2013. Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

77 FR 10539 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-02-22

... personal privacy. Name of Committee: Center for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel; Drug Discovery and Mechanisms of Antimicrobial Resistance Overflow. Date: March 1-2, 2012. Time: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m...

Commentary: The Hash House Harriers and the winding path to materials discovery

DOE PAGES

Canfield, Paul C.

2015-04-07

Materials science research can be both very demanding and extremely rewarding. In this Commentary, in my own research of new electronic and magnetic materials, I give numerous exemplars of the path followed to materials discovery. I also highlight the parallels between my research experiences with the pastime of running. I hope that my thoughts will help guide junior researchers along the often tortuous and exciting path to new materials and that I can teach them to be open minded and persistent about following new lines of discovery. “No-pain, no-gain” applies to many things in life, running and scientific research beingmore » just two examples, but I hope in the case of scientific research that I can convince you the gain normally outweighs the pain.« less

Brain structure links trait creativity to openness to experience.

PubMed

Li, Wenfu; Li, Xueting; Huang, Lijie; Kong, Xiangzhen; Yang, Wenjing; Wei, Dongtao; Li, Jingguang; Cheng, Hongsheng; Zhang, Qinglin; Qiu, Jiang; Liu, Jia

2015-02-01

Creativity is crucial to the progression of human civilization and has led to important scientific discoveries. Especially, individuals are more likely to have scientific discoveries if they possess certain personality traits of creativity (trait creativity), including imagination, curiosity, challenge and risk-taking. This study used voxel-based morphometry to identify the brain regions underlying individual differences in trait creativity, as measured by the Williams creativity aptitude test, in a large sample (n = 246). We found that creative individuals had higher gray matter volume in the right posterior middle temporal gyrus (pMTG), which might be related to semantic processing during novelty seeking (e.g. novel association, conceptual integration and metaphor understanding). More importantly, although basic personality factors such as openness to experience, extroversion, conscientiousness and agreeableness (as measured by the NEO Personality Inventory) all contributed to trait creativity, only openness to experience mediated the association between the right pMTG volume and trait creativity. Taken together, our results suggest that the basic personality trait of openness might play an important role in shaping an individual's trait creativity. © The Author (2014). Published by Oxford University Press. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Unknown caller: can we effectively manage the announcement of discovery of extraterrestrial life?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gartrelle, Gordon M.

2015-10-01

The definitive discovery of another form of life from beyond Earth will answer one of our most fundamental questions: Are we alone in the Universe? This announcement will be the most significant in history. It will have impact on every facet of our lives and affect everyone on Earth. Ensuring the announcement is handled properly represents an opportunity to unify government, industrial, and scientific resources to work together on a global scale issue. The purpose of the present paper is to understand whether we have the overall strategy, management structures and process disciplines in place on a global scale to handle an announcement of this magnitude. The research methodology included review and analysis of peer-reviewed work on the topic, publications from appropriate scientific and policy organizations, and public statements from several acknowledged experts in the field of astrobiology and extraterrestrial communications. The 1996 case of the announcement of possible life from Martian meteorite ALH84001 was also analysed. The findings of the paper are multiple deficiencies exist in the ability to manage this problem globally in an integrated fashion across borders, institutional boundaries, and through the media. High-level recommendations are offered to address major identified gaps.

Mining of relations between proteins over biomedical scientific literature using a deep-linguistic approach.

PubMed

Rinaldi, Fabio; Schneider, Gerold; Kaljurand, Kaarel; Hess, Michael; Andronis, Christos; Konstandi, Ourania; Persidis, Andreas

2007-02-01

The amount of new discoveries (as published in the scientific literature) in the biomedical area is growing at an exponential rate. This growth makes it very difficult to filter the most relevant results, and thus the extraction of the core information becomes very expensive. Therefore, there is a growing interest in text processing approaches that can deliver selected information from scientific publications, which can limit the amount of human intervention normally needed to gather those results. This paper presents and evaluates an approach aimed at automating the process of extracting functional relations (e.g. interactions between genes and proteins) from scientific literature in the biomedical domain. The approach, using a novel dependency-based parser, is based on a complete syntactic analysis of the corpus. We have implemented a state-of-the-art text mining system for biomedical literature, based on a deep-linguistic, full-parsing approach. The results are validated on two different corpora: the manually annotated genomics information access (GENIA) corpus and the automatically annotated arabidopsis thaliana circadian rhythms (ATCR) corpus. We show how a deep-linguistic approach (contrary to common belief) can be used in a real world text mining application, offering high-precision relation extraction, while at the same time retaining a sufficient recall.

Submission of scientifically sound and ethical manuscripts to peer-reviewed journals - a reviewer's personal perspective on bioanalytical publications.

PubMed

Weng, Naidong

2012-11-01

In the pharmaceutical industry, bioanalysis is very dynamic and is probably one of the few fields of research covering the entire drug discovery, development and post-marketing process. Important decisions on drug safety can partially rely on bioanalytical data, which therefore can be subject to regulatory scrutiny. Bioanalytical scientists have historically contributed significant numbers of scientific manuscripts in many peer-reviewed analytical journals. All of these journals provide some high-level instructions, but they also leave sufficient flexibility for reviewers to perform independent critique and offer recommendations for each submitted manuscript. Reviewers play a pivotal role in the process of bioanalytical publication to ensure the publication of high-quality manuscripts in a timely fashion. Their efforts usually lead to improved manuscripts. However, it has to be a joint effort among authors, reviewers and editors to promote scientifically sound and ethically fair bioanalytical publications. Most of the submitted manuscripts were well written with only minor or moderate revisions required for further improvement. Nevertheless, there were small numbers of submitted manuscripts that did not meet the requirements for publications because of scientific or ethical deficiencies, which are discussed in this Letter to the Editor. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Substructure Discovery of Macro-Operators

DTIC Science & Technology

1988-05-01

Aspects of Scientific Discovery," in Machine Learning: An Artifcial Intelligence Approach, Vol. II. R. S. Michalski, J. G. Carbonell and T. M. Mitchell (ed... intelligent robot using this system could learn how to perform new tasks by watching tasks being performed by someone else. even if the robot does not possess...Substructure Discovery of Macro-Operators* Bradley L. Whitehall Artificial Intelligence Research Group Coordinated Science Laboratory ’University of Illinois at

Biodesign process and culture to enable pediatric medical technology innovation.

PubMed

Wall, James; Wynne, Elizabeth; Krummel, Thomas

2015-06-01

Innovation is the process through which new scientific discoveries are developed and promoted from bench to bedside. In an effort to encourage young entrepreneurs in this area, Stanford Biodesign developed a medical device innovation training program focused on need-based innovation. The program focuses on teaching systematic evaluation of healthcare needs, invention, and concept development. This process can be applied to any field of medicine, including Pediatric Surgery. Similar training programs have gained traction throughout the United States and beyond. Equally important to process in the success of these programs is an institutional culture that supports transformative thinking. Key components of this culture include risk tolerance, patience, encouragement of creativity, management of conflict, and networking effects. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

An Analysis of Citizen Science Based Research: Usage and Publication Patterns

PubMed Central

Follett, Ria; Strezov, Vladimir

2015-01-01

The use of citizen science for scientific discovery relies on the acceptance of this method by the scientific community. Using the Web of Science and Scopus as the source of peer reviewed articles, an analysis of all published articles on “citizen science” confirmed its growth, and found that significant research on methodology and validation techniques preceded the rapid rise of the publications on research outcomes based on citizen science methods. Of considerable interest is the growing number of studies relying on the re-use of collected datasets from past citizen science research projects, which used data from either individual or multiple citizen science projects for new discoveries, such as for climate change research. The extent to which citizen science has been used in scientific discovery demonstrates its importance as a research approach. This broad analysis of peer reviewed papers on citizen science, that included not only citizen science projects, but the theory and methods developed to underpin the research, highlights the breadth and depth of the citizen science approach and encourages cross-fertilization between the different disciplines. PMID:26600041

An Analysis of Citizen Science Based Research: Usage and Publication Patterns.

PubMed

Follett, Ria; Strezov, Vladimir

2015-01-01

The use of citizen science for scientific discovery relies on the acceptance of this method by the scientific community. Using the Web of Science and Scopus as the source of peer reviewed articles, an analysis of all published articles on "citizen science" confirmed its growth, and found that significant research on methodology and validation techniques preceded the rapid rise of the publications on research outcomes based on citizen science methods. Of considerable interest is the growing number of studies relying on the re-use of collected datasets from past citizen science research projects, which used data from either individual or multiple citizen science projects for new discoveries, such as for climate change research. The extent to which citizen science has been used in scientific discovery demonstrates its importance as a research approach. This broad analysis of peer reviewed papers on citizen science, that included not only citizen science projects, but the theory and methods developed to underpin the research, highlights the breadth and depth of the citizen science approach and encourages cross-fertilization between the different disciplines.

Games as a Platform for Student Participation in Authentic Scientific Research

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Magnussen, Rikke; Hansen, Sidse Damgaard; Planke, Tilo; Sherson, Jacob Friis

2014-01-01

This paper presents results from the design and testing of an educational version of Quantum Moves, a Scientific Discovery Game that allows players to help solve authentic scientific challenges in the effort to develop a quantum computer. The primary aim of developing a game-based platform for student-research collaboration is to investigate if…

The Role of Authentic Objects in Museums of the History of Science and Technology: Findings from a Visitor Study

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hampp, Constanze; Schwan, Stephan

2015-01-01

One characteristic of science centers and science museums is that they communicate scientific findings by presenting real scientific objects. In particular, science museums focus on the historical context of scientific discoveries by displaying authentic objects, defined as original objects that once served a science-related, real-world purpose…

Application of the Institution of Exclusive Rights in the Field of Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yakovlev, D.; Yushkov, E.; Zanardo, A.; Bogatyreova, M.

2017-01-01

The problem of legal protection of scientific research results is of growing interest nowadays. However, none of the three hitherto existing rights (the right for trade secrets, patent and copyright) is able to fully take into account the characteristics of scientific activities. In Russia, the problem of legal protection of scientific research results has been developed actively since the 50-ies of the last century, in connection with the introduction of the system of state registration of scientific discoveries. A further concept allowed for not only the registration of discoveries, but also the entire array of scientific results. However, theoretical applicability of exclusive rights institutions in the sphere of science remained unstudied. The article describes a new system, which is not fixed in legislation and remains unnoticed by the vast majority of researchers. That is the institution of scientific and positional rights, focused on the recognition procedure of authorship, priority, and other characteristics of intellectual scientific results value. In case of complex intellectual results, comprising scientific results, the recognition of result-oriented exclusive rights proves to be unsustainable. This circumstance urges us to foreground the institution of scientific and positional exclusive rights. Its scope is budget science where non-fee published scientific results are generated. Any exclusive right to use open scientific results is out of the question. The sphere of open (budget) science is dominated by scientific and positional exclusive rights, sanctioned both by the state (S-sanctioned), the bodies of the scientific community (BSC-sanctioned) and scientific community (SC-sanctioned) rights.

Scientific Training in the Era of Big Data: A New Pedagogy for Graduate Education.

PubMed

Aikat, Jay; Carsey, Thomas M; Fecho, Karamarie; Jeffay, Kevin; Krishnamurthy, Ashok; Mucha, Peter J; Rajasekar, Arcot; Ahalt, Stanley C

2017-03-01

The era of "big data" has radically altered the way scientific research is conducted and new knowledge is discovered. Indeed, the scientific method is rapidly being complemented and even replaced in some fields by data-driven approaches to knowledge discovery. This paradigm shift is sometimes referred to as the "fourth paradigm" of data-intensive and data-enabled scientific discovery. Interdisciplinary research with a hard emphasis on translational outcomes is becoming the norm in all large-scale scientific endeavors. Yet, graduate education remains largely focused on individual achievement within a single scientific domain, with little training in team-based, interdisciplinary data-oriented approaches designed to translate scientific data into new solutions to today's critical challenges. In this article, we propose a new pedagogy for graduate education: data-centered learning for the domain-data scientist. Our approach is based on four tenets: (1) Graduate training must incorporate interdisciplinary training that couples the domain sciences with data science. (2) Graduate training must prepare students for work in data-enabled research teams. (3) Graduate training must include education in teaming and leadership skills for the data scientist. (4) Graduate training must provide experiential training through academic/industry practicums and internships. We emphasize that this approach is distinct from today's graduate training, which offers training in either data science or a domain science (e.g., biology, sociology, political science, economics, and medicine), but does not integrate the two within a single curriculum designed to prepare the next generation of domain-data scientists. We are in the process of implementing the proposed pedagogy through the development of a new graduate curriculum based on the above four tenets, and we describe herein our strategy, progress, and lessons learned. While our pedagogy was developed in the context of graduate education, the general approach of data-centered learning can and should be applied to students and professionals at any stage of their education, including at the K-12, undergraduate, graduate, and professional levels. We believe that the time is right to embed data-centered learning within our educational system and, thus, generate the talent required to fully harness the potential of big data.

CCR Careers | Center for Cancer Research

Cancer.gov

Be part of our mission to make breakthrough scientific discoveries to find cures and treatments for cancer. Our principal investigators lead teams of laboratory scientists, trainees, clinicians, and administrators to unlock scientific knowledge to advance the fight against cancer and HIV/AIDS.

Historical milestones and discoveries that shaped the toxicology sciences.

PubMed

Hayes, Antoinette N; Gilbert, Steven G

2009-01-01

Knowledge of the toxic and healing properties of plants, animals, and minerals has shaped civilization for millennia. The foundations of modern toxicology are built upon the significant milestones and discoveries of serendipity and crude experimentation. Throughout the ages, toxicological science has provided information that has shaped and guided society. This chapter examines the development of the discipline of toxicology and its influence on civilization by highlighting significant milestones and discoveries related to toxicology. The examples shed light on the beginnings of toxicology, as well as examine lessons learned and re-learned. This chapter also examines how toxicology and the toxicologist have interacted with other scientific and cultural disciplines, including religion, politics, and the government. Toxicology has evolved to a true scientific discipline with its own dedicated scientists, educational institutes, sub-disciplines, professional societies, and journals. It now stands as its own entity while traversing such fields as chemistry, physiology, pharmacology, and molecular biology. We invite you to join us on a path of discovery and to offer our suggestions as to what are the most significant milestones and discoveries in toxicology. Additional information is available on the history section of Toxipedia (www.toxipedia.org).

Cosmology Without Finality

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mahootian, F.

2009-12-01

The rapid convergence of advancing sensor technology, computational power, and knowledge discovery techniques over the past decade has brought unprecedented volumes of astronomical data together with unprecedented capabilities of data assimilation and analysis. A key result is that a new, data-driven "observational-inductive'' framework for scientific inquiry is taking shape and proving viable. The anticipated rise in data flow and processing power will have profound effects, e.g., confirmations and disconfirmations of existing theoretical claims both for and against the big bang model. But beyond enabling new discoveries can new data-driven frameworks of scientific inquiry reshape the epistemic ideals of science? The history of physics offers a comparison. The Bohr-Einstein debate over the "completeness'' of quantum mechanics centered on a question of ideals: what counts as science? We briefly examine lessons from that episode and pose questions about their applicability to cosmology. If the history of 20th century physics is any indication, the abandonment of absolutes (e.g., space, time, simultaneity, continuity, determinacy) can produce fundamental changes in understanding. The classical ideal of science, operative in both physics and cosmology, descends from the European Enlightenment. This ideal has for over 200 years guided science to seek the ultimate order of nature, to pursue the absolute theory, the "theory of everything.'' But now that we have new models of scientific inquiry powered by new technologies and driven more by data than by theory, it is time, finally, to relinquish dreams of a "final'' theory.

New classes of piezoelectrics, ferroelectrics, and antiferroelectrics by first-principles high-throughput materials design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennett, Joseph

2013-03-01

Functional materials, such as piezoelectrics, ferroelectrics, and antiferroelectrics, exhibit large changes with applied fields and stresses. This behavior enables their incorporation into a wide variety of devices in technological fields such as energy conversion/storage and information processing/storage. Discovery of functional materials with improved performance or even new types of responses is thus not only a scientific challenge, but can have major impacts on society. In this talk I will review our efforts to uncover new families of functional materials using a combined crystallographic database/high-throughput first-principles approach. I will describe our work on the design and discovery of thousands of new functional materials, specifically the LiAlSi family as piezoelectrics, the LiGaGe family as ferroelectrics, and the MgSrSi family as antiferroelectrics.

LULL(ed) into complacency: a perspective on licenses and stem cell translational science

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

The US has had a very successful model for facilitating the translation of a basic discovery to a commercial application. The success of the model has hinged on providing clarity on ownership of a discovery, facilitating the licensing process, providing adequate incentive to the inventors, and developing a self-sustaining model for reinvestment. In recent years, technological, political, and regulatory changes have put strains on this model and in some cases have hindered progress rather than facilitated it. This is particularly true for the nascent field of regenerative medicine. To illustrate this, I will describe the contributing practices of several different entities, including universities, repositories, patent trolls, and service providers. It is my hope that the scientific community will be motivated to coordinate efforts against these obstacles to translation. PMID:23953837

Hubble Space Telescope - Scientific, Technological and Social Contributions to the Public Discourse on Science

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wiseman, Jennifer

2012-01-01

The Hubble Space Telescope has unified the world with a sense of awe and wonder for 2 I years and is currently more scientifically powerful than ever. I will present highlights of discoveries made with the Hubble Space Telescope, including details of planetary weather, star formation, extra-solar planets, colliding galaxies, and a universe expanding with the acceleration of dark energy. I will also present the unique technical challenges and triumphs of this phenomenal observatory, and discuss how our discoveries in the cosmos affect our sense of human unity, significance, and wonder.

Women's Careers in Biomedical Sciences: Implications for the Economy, Scientific Discovery, and Women's Health.

PubMed

Plank-Bazinet, Jennifer L; Heggeness, Misty L; Lund, P Kay; Clayton, Janine Austin

2017-05-01

While women have been well represented in medical school and biomedical doctoral degree programs, they do not comprise half of academic medicine faculty positions. Furthermore, there is a significant paucity of women in academic medicine leadership positions, as evidenced by the fact that only 16% of dean positions at United States Medical schools are filled by women. In this commentary, the authors review the state of women in academic medicine and argue that increased representation of women in the academic workforce will lead to economic gains, increased scientific discovery, and improvements to women's health.

Data-driven predictions in the science of science.

PubMed

Clauset, Aaron; Larremore, Daniel B; Sinatra, Roberta

2017-02-03

The desire to predict discoveries-to have some idea, in advance, of what will be discovered, by whom, when, and where-pervades nearly all aspects of modern science, from individual scientists to publishers, from funding agencies to hiring committees. In this Essay, we survey the emerging and interdisciplinary field of the "science of science" and what it teaches us about the predictability of scientific discovery. We then discuss future opportunities for improving predictions derived from the science of science and its potential impact, positive and negative, on the scientific community. Copyright © 2017, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Women's Careers in Biomedical Sciences: Implications for the Economy, Scientific Discovery, and Women's Health

PubMed Central

Heggeness, Misty L.; Lund, P. Kay; Clayton, Janine Austin

2017-01-01

Abstract While women have been well represented in medical school and biomedical doctoral degree programs, they do not comprise half of academic medicine faculty positions. Furthermore, there is a significant paucity of women in academic medicine leadership positions, as evidenced by the fact that only 16% of dean positions at United States Medical schools are filled by women. In this commentary, the authors review the state of women in academic medicine and argue that increased representation of women in the academic workforce will lead to economic gains, increased scientific discovery, and improvements to women's health. PMID:27509297

The Phenomenon of Child Creativity

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Kudryavtsev, Vladimir T.

2011-01-01

Children's creativity is different from the creativity shown by adults. Discovery for others, which is what adults do, results in technological, scientific or artistic advances that then become part of the general culture. Discovery for oneself is more subjective, and results in a change in the person rather than in the culture. Although adults…

Effects of Generative Video on Students' Scientific Problem Posing. Draft.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Hickey, Daniel T.; Petrosino, Anthony

A central premise of the discovery-learning and progressive education movements was that the child's own questions are the most appropriate starting point for instruction. Recent advances present new opportunities for discovery-oriented learning. This project has been attempting to create a classroom environment which affords students the…

Performance analysis of a dual-tree algorithm for computing spatial distance histograms

PubMed Central

Chen, Shaoping; Tu, Yi-Cheng; Xia, Yuni

2011-01-01

Many scientific and engineering fields produce large volume of spatiotemporal data. The storage, retrieval, and analysis of such data impose great challenges to database systems design. Analysis of scientific spatiotemporal data often involves computing functions of all point-to-point interactions. One such analytics, the Spatial Distance Histogram (SDH), is of vital importance to scientific discovery. Recently, algorithms for efficient SDH processing in large-scale scientific databases have been proposed. These algorithms adopt a recursive tree-traversing strategy to process point-to-point distances in the visited tree nodes in batches, thus require less time when compared to the brute-force approach where all pairwise distances have to be computed. Despite the promising experimental results, the complexity of such algorithms has not been thoroughly studied. In this paper, we present an analysis of such algorithms based on a geometric modeling approach. The main technique is to transform the analysis of point counts into a problem of quantifying the area of regions where pairwise distances can be processed in batches by the algorithm. From the analysis, we conclude that the number of pairwise distances that are left to be processed decreases exponentially with more levels of the tree visited. This leads to the proof of a time complexity lower than the quadratic time needed for a brute-force algorithm and builds the foundation for a constant-time approximate algorithm. Our model is also general in that it works for a wide range of point spatial distributions, histogram types, and space-partitioning options in building the tree. PMID:21804753

The principle of safety evaluation in medicinal drug - how can toxicology contribute to drug discovery and development as a multidisciplinary science?

PubMed

Horii, Ikuo

2016-01-01

Pharmaceutical (drug) safety assessment covers a diverse science-field in the drug discovery and development including the post-approval and post-marketing phases in order to evaluate safety and risk management. The principle in toxicological science is to be placed on both of pure and applied sciences that are derived from past/present scientific knowledge and coming new science and technology. In general, adverse drug reactions are presented as "biological responses to foreign substances." This is the basic concept of thinking about the manifestation of adverse drug reactions. Whether or not toxic expressions are extensions of the pharmacological effect, adverse drug reactions as seen from molecular targets are captured in the category of "on-target" or "off-target", and are normally expressed as a biological defense reaction. Accordingly, reactions induced by pharmaceuticals can be broadly said to be defensive reactions. Recent molecular biological conception is in line with the new, remarkable scientific and technological developments in the medical and pharmaceutical areas, and the viewpoints in the field of toxicology have shown that they are approaching toward the same direction as well. This paper refers to the basic concept of pharmaceutical toxicology, the differences for safety assessment in each stage of drug discovery and development, regulatory submission, and the concept of scientific considerations for risk assessment and management from the viewpoint of "how can multidisciplinary toxicology contribute to innovative drug discovery and development?" And also realistic translational research from preclinical to clinical application is required to have a significant risk management in post market by utilizing whole scientific data derived from basic and applied scientific research works. In addition, the significance for employing the systems toxicology based on AOP (Adverse Outcome Pathway) analysis is introduced, and coming challenges on precision medicine are to be addressed for the new aspect of efficacy and safety evaluation.

Lighter-than-Air Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

MOSAIC, 1977

1977-01-01

Reviews practical applications, particularly in scientific research, of hot air balloons. Recent U.S. governmental projects in near-space research are described. Lists (1) major accomplishments of scientific ballooning, including discoveries in cosmic ray particles, gamma and x-rays, and other radiation; (2) measurement of fluorocarbon…

Facts as Theory: Aspects of Goethe's Philosophy of Science.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zajonc, Arthur G.

1983-01-01

After showing that Goethe's declarations and admonishments concerning the scope and methods of science often foreshadowed later developments, the author reconsiders Goethe's own scientific efforts. Goethe continually strove to fully integrate human experience into all levels of scientific inquiry and discovery. (JMK)

36 CFR Appendix 2 to Part 801 - Special Procedures for Identification and Consideration of Archeological Properties in an Urban...

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... scientific or historical research problems; or b. Historical or ethnographic data, or discoveries of material... the study of significant scientific or historical research questions, and d. The recent history of the...

48 CFR 35.001 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... determine and exploit the potential of scientific discoveries or improvements in technology, materials... aim is the design, development, or testing of specific items or services to be considered for sale..., means the systematic use of scientific and technical knowledge in the design, development, testing, or...

48 CFR 35.001 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... determine and exploit the potential of scientific discoveries or improvements in technology, materials... aim is the design, development, or testing of specific items or services to be considered for sale..., means the systematic use of scientific and technical knowledge in the design, development, testing, or...

48 CFR 35.001 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... determine and exploit the potential of scientific discoveries or improvements in technology, materials... aim is the design, development, or testing of specific items or services to be considered for sale..., means the systematic use of scientific and technical knowledge in the design, development, testing, or...

48 CFR 35.001 - Definitions.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... determine and exploit the potential of scientific discoveries or improvements in technology, materials... aim is the design, development, or testing of specific items or services to be considered for sale..., means the systematic use of scientific and technical knowledge in the design, development, testing, or...

The thrill of scientific discovery and leadership with my group

PubMed Central

Greco, Valentina

2016-01-01

My group and I feel tremendously honored to be recognized with the 2016 Early Career Life Scientist Award from the American Society for Cell Biology. In this essay I share the scientific questions that my lab has been excitedly pursuing since starting in August 2009 and the leadership behaviors we have adopted that enable our collective scientific productivity. PMID:27799490

Cognitive and Social Structure of the Elite Collaboration Network of Astrophysics: A Case Study on Shifting Network Structures

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Heidler, Richard

2011-01-01

Scientific collaboration can only be understood along the epistemic and cognitive grounding of scientific disciplines. New scientific discoveries in astrophysics led to a major restructuring of the elite network of astrophysics. To study the interplay of the epistemic grounding and the social network structure of a discipline, a mixed-methods…

Using HeLa Cell Stress Response to Introduce First Year Students to the Scientific Method, Laboratory Techniques, Primary Literature, and Scientific Writing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Resendes, Karen K.

2015-01-01

Incorporating scientific literacy into inquiry driven research is one of the most effective mechanisms for developing an undergraduate student's strength in writing. Additionally, discovery-based laboratories help develop students who approach science as critical thinkers. Thus, a three-week laboratory module for an introductory cell and molecular…

Innovating Chinese Herbal Medicine: From Traditional Health Practice to Scientific Drug Discovery.

PubMed

Gu, Shuo; Pei, Jianfeng

2017-01-01

As one of the major contemporary alternative medicines, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) continues its influence in Chinese communities and has begun to attract the academic attention in the world of western medicine. This paper aims to examine Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), the essential branch of TCM, from both narrative and scientific perspectives. CHM is a traditional health practice originated from Chinese philosophy and religion, holding the belief of holism and balance in the body. With the development of orthodox medicine and science during the last centuries, CHM also seized the opportunity to change from traditional health practice to scientific drug discovery illustrated in the famous story of the herb-derived drug artemisinin. However, hindered by its culture and founding principles, CHM faces the questions of the research paradigm posed by the convention of science. To address these questions, we discussed two essential questions concerning the relationship of CHM and science, and then upheld the paradigm of methodological reductionism in scientific research. Finally, the contemporary narrative of CHM in the 21st century was discussed in the hope to preserve this medical tradition in tandem with scientific research.

Scientific Teaching: Defining a Taxonomy of Observable Practices

PubMed Central

Couch, Brian A.; Brown, Tanya L.; Schelpat, Tyler J.; Graham, Mark J.; Knight, Jennifer K.

2015-01-01

Over the past several decades, numerous reports have been published advocating for changes to undergraduate science education. These national calls inspired the formation of the National Academies Summer Institutes on Undergraduate Education in Biology (SI), a group of regional workshops to help faculty members learn and implement interactive teaching methods. The SI curriculum promotes a pedagogical framework called Scientific Teaching (ST), which aims to bring the vitality of modern research into the classroom by engaging students in the scientific discovery process and using student data to inform the ongoing development of teaching methods. With the spread of ST, the need emerges to systematically define its components in order to establish a common description for education researchers and practitioners. We describe the development of a taxonomy detailing ST’s core elements and provide data from classroom observations and faculty surveys in support of its applicability within undergraduate science courses. The final taxonomy consists of 15 pedagogical goals and 37 supporting practices, specifying observable behaviors, artifacts, and features associated with ST. This taxonomy will support future educational efforts by providing a framework for researchers studying the processes and outcomes of ST-based course transformations as well as a concise guide for faculty members developing classes. PMID:25713097

On the first direct detection of gravitational waves (Scientific session of the Physical Sciences Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences, 2 March 2016)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2016-09-01

A scientific session of the Physical Sciences Division of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), "On the first direct detection of gravitational waves," was held in the conference hall of the Lebedev Physical Institute, RAS on 2 March 2016. The papers collected in this issue were written based on talks given at the session: (1) Pustovoit V I (Scientific and Technological Center of Unique Instrumentation, Moscow) "On the direct detection of gravitational waves"; (2) Braginsky V B, Bilenko I A, Vyatchanin S P, Gorodetsky M L, Mitrofanov V P, Prokhorov L G, Strigin S E, Khalili F Ya (Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow) "The road to the discovery of gravitational waves"; (3) Khazanov E A (Institute of Applied Physics, RAS, Nizhny Novgorod) "Thermooptics of magnetoactive media: Faraday isolators for high average power lasers"; (4) Cherepashchuk A M (Sternberg Astronomical Institute, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow) "Discovery of gravitational waves: a new chapter in black hole studies"; (5) Lipunov V M (Sternberg Astronomical Institute, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow) "Astrophysical meaning of the discovery of gravitational waves." Papers based on talks 2-5 are published in this issue of the journal. A paper based on talk 1 will be published in a forthcoming issue of Physics-Uspekhi. Additional information on the discovery of gravitational waves, the history of their theoretical prediction, and the advances in possible methods for their investigation can be found on the Physics-Uspekhi site www.ufn.ru, on the page http://ufn.ru/en/events/gravitational_waves_discovery.html dedicated to this outstanding discovery. • The road to the discovery of gravitational waves, V B Braginsky, I A Bilenko, S P Vyatchanin, M L Gorodetskii, V P Mitrofanov, L G Prokhorov, S E Strigin, F Ya Khalili Physics-Uspekhi, 2016, Volume 59, Number 9, Pages 879-885 • Thermooptics of magnetoactive media: Faraday isolators for high average power lasers, E A Khazanov Physics-Uspekhi, 2016, Volume 59, Number 9, Pages 886-909 • Discovery of gravitational waves: a new chapter in black hole studies, A M Cherepashchuk Physics-Uspekhi, 2016, Volume 59, Number 9, Pages 910-917 • Astrophysical meaning of the discovery of gravitational waves, V M Lipunov Physics-Uspekhi, 2016, Volume 59, Number 9, Pages 918-928

Hundreds of Cruises, Thousands of People, Endless Discoveries - Education and Outreach in the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peart, L.; Niemitz, M.; Boa, S.; Corsiglia, J.; Klaus, A.; Petronotis, K.; Iturrino, G.

2005-12-01

For 37 years, scientific ocean drilling programs have sponsored hundreds of expeditions, drilled at over 1,800 sites and recovered over 200 miles of core. The discoveries of these programs have led to important realizations of how our earth works. Past expeditions have validated the theory of plate tectonics, provided unparalleled ancient climate records and recovered evidence of the asteroid impact that wiped out the dinosaurs 65 million years ago - and new discoveries occur with every expedition. By producing education materials and programs and encouraging mass media journalists' interest in our news, we strive to fulfill our commitment to communicate our programs' scientific discoveries to the public, in a way that people - not just other scientists - understand. With the advent of the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP), education and outreach efforts have expanded to pursue new opportunities and engage wider audiences. Through our strategy of Teaching for Science, Learning for LifeTM, our education efforts seek to utilize the interdisciplinary nature of scientific ocean drilling to teach career awareness, scientific methods, teamwork, and problem solving techniques for a lifetime of learning, decision making and good citizenship. In pursuit of this goal, we have implemented professional and resource development programs and expanded our outreach at education-focused conferences to help teachers use IODP science to satiate the student's need to learn the methods of science that apply to everyday life. We believe that this message also applies to life-long learners and thus we have focused our efforts on news media outreach and education opportunities surrounding ports of call of the JOIDES Resolution, permanent and traveling museum exhibits. In addition, our outreach to undergraduate and graduate audiences, through a lecture series, research fellowships and internships, helps to create future generations of science leaders.

Computational Science: A Research Methodology for the 21st Century

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Orbach, Raymond L.

2004-03-01

Computational simulation - a means of scientific discovery that employs computer systems to simulate a physical system according to laws derived from theory and experiment - has attained peer status with theory and experiment. Important advances in basic science are accomplished by a new "sociology" for ultrascale scientific computing capability (USSCC), a fusion of sustained advances in scientific models, mathematical algorithms, computer architecture, and scientific software engineering. Expansion of current capabilities by factors of 100 - 1000 open up new vistas for scientific discovery: long term climatic variability and change, macroscopic material design from correlated behavior at the nanoscale, design and optimization of magnetic confinement fusion reactors, strong interactions on a computational lattice through quantum chromodynamics, and stellar explosions and element production. The "virtual prototype," made possible by this expansion, can markedly reduce time-to-market for industrial applications such as jet engines and safer, more fuel efficient cleaner cars. In order to develop USSCC, the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center (NERSC) announced the competition "Innovative and Novel Computational Impact on Theory and Experiment" (INCITE), with no requirement for current DOE sponsorship. Fifty nine proposals for grand challenge scientific problems were submitted for a small number of awards. The successful grants, and their preliminary progress, will be described.

Our Solar System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coates, Andrew

2005-10-01

Up until the dark ages, humankind knew of six planets including our own. The invention of the telescope, and the beginnings of scientific thought on orbits and planetary motion, were in the seventeenth century. The next three centuries added Uranus, Neptune and Pluto to the known list as well as the many moons, asteroids and comets that we know today. It is only in the latter part of the 20th century that we have been privileged to carry out in-situ exploration of the planets, comets and the solar wind's realm and to begin to understand the special conditions on Earth which meant that life started here. This is leading to a detailed view of the processes which have shaped our solar system. Here, we briefly review our current knowledge of the solar system we inhabit. We discuss the current picture of how the solar system began. Important processes at work, such as collisions and volcanism, and atmospheric evolution, are discussed. The planets, comets and asteroids are all discussed in general terms, together with the important discoveries from space missions which have led to our current views. For each of the bodies we present the current understanding of the physical properties and interrelationships and present questions for further study. The significance of recent results, such as proof that there were one standing bodies of water on Mars, and the discovery of what appears to be an Oort cloud comet, are put into context. What is in store for planetary exploration and discoveries in the future? Already a sequence of Mars exploration missions, a landing on a comet, further exploration of Saturn and the Jovian system and the first flyby of Pluto are planned. We examine the major scientific questions to be answered. We also discuss the prospects for finding other Earth-like planets elsewhere, and for finding extraterrestrial life both within and beyond our own solar system.

EarthCube Activities: Community Engagement Advancing Geoscience Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kinkade, D.

2015-12-01

Our ability to advance scientific research in order to better understand complex Earth systems, address emerging geoscience problems, and meet societal challenges is increasingly dependent upon the concept of Open Science and Data. Although these terms are relatively new to the world of research, Open Science and Data in this context may be described as transparency in the scientific process. This includes the discoverability, public accessibility and reusability of scientific data, as well as accessibility and transparency of scientific communication (www.openscience.org). Scientists and the US government alike are realizing the critical need for easy discovery and access to multidisciplinary data to advance research in the geosciences. The NSF-supported EarthCube project was created to meet this need. EarthCube is developing a community-driven common cyberinfrastructure for the purpose of accessing, integrating, analyzing, sharing and visualizing all forms of data and related resources through advanced technological and computational capabilities. Engaging the geoscience community in EarthCube's development is crucial to its success, and EarthCube is providing several opportunities for geoscience involvement. This presentation will provide an overview of the activities EarthCube is employing to entrain the community in the development process, from governance development and strategic planning, to technical needs gathering. Particular focus will be given to the collection of science-driven use cases as a means of capturing scientific and technical requirements. Such activities inform the development of key technical and computational components that collectively will form a cyberinfrastructure to meet the research needs of the geoscience community.

ISO 19115 Experiences in NASA's Earth Observing System (EOS) ClearingHOuse (ECHO)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cechini, M. F.; Mitchell, A.

2011-12-01

Metadata is an important entity in the process of cataloging, discovering, and describing earth science data. As science research and the gathered data increases in complexity, so does the complexity and importance of descriptive metadata. To meet these growing needs, the metadata models required utilize richer and more mature metadata attributes. Categorizing, standardizing, and promulgating these metadata models to a politically, geographically, and scientifically diverse community is a difficult process. An integral component of metadata management within NASA's Earth Observing System Data and Information System (EOSDIS) is the Earth Observing System (EOS) ClearingHOuse (ECHO). ECHO is the core metadata repository for the EOSDIS data centers providing a centralized mechanism for metadata and data discovery and retrieval. ECHO has undertaken an internal restructuring to meet the changing needs of scientists, the consistent advancement in technology, and the advent of new standards such as ISO 19115. These improvements were based on the following tenets for data discovery and retrieval: + There exists a set of 'core' metadata fields recommended for data discovery. + There exists a set of users who will require the entire metadata record for advanced analysis. + There exists a set of users who will require a 'core' set metadata fields for discovery only. + There will never be a cessation of new formats or a total retirement of all old formats. + Users should be presented metadata in a consistent format of their choosing. In order to address the previously listed items, ECHO's new metadata processing paradigm utilizes the following approach: + Identify a cross-format set of 'core' metadata fields necessary for discovery. + Implement format-specific indexers to extract the 'core' metadata fields into an optimized query capability. + Archive the original metadata in its entirety for presentation to users requiring the full record. + Provide on-demand translation of 'core' metadata to any supported result format. Lessons learned by the ECHO team while implementing its new metadata approach to support usage of the ISO 19115 standard will be presented. These lessons learned highlight some discovered strengths and weaknesses in the ISO 19115 standard as it is introduced to an existing metadata processing system.

Automated discovery systems and the inductivist controversy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Giza, Piotr

2017-09-01

The paper explores possible influences that some developments in the field of branches of AI, called automated discovery and machine learning systems, might have upon some aspects of the old debate between Francis Bacon's inductivism and Karl Popper's falsificationism. Donald Gillies facetiously calls this controversy 'the duel of two English knights', and claims, after some analysis of historical cases of discovery, that Baconian induction had been used in science very rarely, or not at all, although he argues that the situation has changed with the advent of machine learning systems. (Some clarification of terms machine learning and automated discovery is required here. The key idea of machine learning is that, given data with associated outcomes, software can be trained to make those associations in future cases which typically amounts to inducing some rules from individual cases classified by the experts. Automated discovery (also called machine discovery) deals with uncovering new knowledge that is valuable for human beings, and its key idea is that discovery is like other intellectual tasks and that the general idea of heuristic search in problem spaces applies also to discovery tasks. However, since machine learning systems discover (very low-level) regularities in data, throughout this paper I use the generic term automated discovery for both kinds of systems. I will elaborate on this later on). Gillies's line of argument can be generalised: thanks to automated discovery systems, philosophers of science have at their disposal a new tool for empirically testing their philosophical hypotheses. Accordingly, in the paper, I will address the question, which of the two philosophical conceptions of scientific method is better vindicated in view of the successes and failures of systems developed within three major research programmes in the field: machine learning systems in the Turing tradition, normative theory of scientific discovery formulated by Herbert Simon's group and the programme called HHNT, proposed by J. Holland, K. Holyoak, R. Nisbett and P. Thagard.

AM: An Artificial Intelligence Approach to Discovery in Mathematics as Heuristic Search

DTIC Science & Technology

1976-07-01

Artificial Intelligence Approach to Discovery in Mathematics as Heuristic Search by Douglas B. Len-t APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE; DISTRIBUTION IS UNLIMITED (A...570 AM: An Artificial Intelligence Approach to Discovery in Mathematics as Heuristic Search by Douglas B. Lenat ABSTRACT A program, called "AM", is...While AM’s " approach " to empirical research may be used in other scientific domains, the main limitation (reliance on hindsight) will probably recur

Brown Bodies, White Coats: Postcolonialism, Maori Women and Science

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McKinley, Elizabeth

2005-01-01

In Aotearoa New Zealand journeys of discovery and colonization were also scientific journeys that brought "Maori woman" under the intellectual control of the emerging "scientific" academy. This paper argues that the historical construction of "Maori woman" through the discourses of Enlightenment science continues to…

36 CFR 9.47 - Cultural resource protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... value of historical, archeological, or other cultural scientific importance in violation of the... operator shall immediately bring to the attention of the Superintendent any cultural or scientific resource encountered that might be altered or destroyed by his operation and shall leave such discovery intact until...

43 CFR 37.11 - Nomination, evaluation, and designation of significant caves.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... the public, including those who utilize caves for scientific, educational, and recreational purposes... where the cave is located as new cave discoveries are made or as new information becomes available...) Paleontologic resources with potential to contribute useful educational and scientific information. (4...

36 CFR 9.47 - Cultural resource protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... value of historical, archeological, or other cultural scientific importance in violation of the... operator shall immediately bring to the attention of the Superintendent any cultural or scientific resource encountered that might be altered or destroyed by his operation and shall leave such discovery intact until...

36 CFR 9.47 - Cultural resource protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... value of historical, archeological, or other cultural scientific importance in violation of the... operator shall immediately bring to the attention of the Superintendent any cultural or scientific resource encountered that might be altered or destroyed by his operation and shall leave such discovery intact until...

36 CFR 9.47 - Cultural resource protection.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... value of historical, archeological, or other cultural scientific importance in violation of the... operator shall immediately bring to the attention of the Superintendent any cultural or scientific resource encountered that might be altered or destroyed by his operation and shall leave such discovery intact until...

43 CFR 37.11 - Nomination, evaluation, and designation of significant caves.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... the public, including those who utilize caves for scientific, educational, and recreational purposes... where the cave is located as new cave discoveries are made or as new information becomes available...) Paleontologic resources with potential to contribute useful educational and scientific information. (4...

43 CFR 37.11 - Nomination, evaluation, and designation of significant caves.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... the public, including those who utilize caves for scientific, educational, and recreational purposes... where the cave is located as new cave discoveries are made or as new information becomes available...) Paleontologic resources with potential to contribute useful educational and scientific information. (4...

43 CFR 37.11 - Nomination, evaluation, and designation of significant caves.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... the public, including those who utilize caves for scientific, educational, and recreational purposes... where the cave is located as new cave discoveries are made or as new information becomes available...) Paleontologic resources with potential to contribute useful educational and scientific information. (4...

Family Science Day

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

McCubbins, Sara; Thomas, Bethany; Vetere, Michael

2014-01-01

This article describes a family-friendly science day event that encourages scientific discovery through hands-on activities, while also providing an opportunity to learn about scientific careers from actual research scientists and science educators, thereby raising awareness of the importance of STEM in our society. The one-day event bought…

75 FR 2146 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2010-01-14

... 20892, (301) 435- 2037, [email protected] . Name of Committee: Musculoskeletal, Oral and Skin Sciences... Integrated Review Group, Drug Discovery and Mechanisms of Antimicrobial Resistance Study Section. Date... Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel, Oral, Dental and Craniofacial Sciences. Date: February 17, 2010...

Enhancing the Impact of Science Data: Toward Data Discovery and Reuse

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

Chappell, Alan R.; Weaver, Jesse R.; Purohit, Sumit

The amount of data produced in support of scientific research continues to grow rapidly. Despite the accumulation and demand for scientific data, relatively little data are actually made available for the broader scientific community. We surmise that one root of this problem is the perceived difficulty of electronically publishing scientific data and associated metadata in a way that makes it discoverable. We propose exploiting Semantic Web technologies and best practices to make metadata both discoverable and easy to publish. We share experiences in curating metadata to illustrate the cumbersome nature of data reuse in the current research environment. We alsomore » make recommendations with a real-world example of how data publishers can provide their metadata by adding limited additional markup to HTML pages on the Web. With little additional effort from data publishers, the difficulty of data discovery, access, and sharing can be greatly reduced and the impact of research data greatly enhanced.« less

Advancing the Evidence Base of Rehabilitation Treatments: A Developmental Approach

PubMed Central

Whyte, John; Barrett, A.M.

2013-01-01

Translational research refers to the development of new scientific discoveries into evidence-based treatments for human diseases and conditions. This developmental process requires that a number of scientific, as well as social and psychological obstacles, be overcome during a sequence of research stages that address different goals. Rehabilitation, like other biomedical disciplines, requires this kind of developmental process. For a variety of reasons, however, development of rehabilitation treatments is less linear than the familiar phases of pharmaceutical research. In addition, research on treatments intended to address impairments (body structure/function, in terms of the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health), faces the challenge of determining the likely impact of an impairment-level treatment on the multifaceted activities and aspects of participation that are the typical goals of rehabilitation treatments. This article describes the application of treatment theory and enablement theory to the development of new impairment-based treatments, and examines similarities and differences between the developmental sequence needed for rehabilitation treatment research versus pharmaceutical research in other areas of medicine. PMID:22683206

From scientific understanding to operational utility: New concepts and tools for monitoring space weather effects on satellites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, J. C.; Rodriguez, J. V.; Denig, W. F.; Redmon, R. J.; Blake, J. B.; Mazur, J. E.; Fennell, J. F.; O'Brien, T. P.; Guild, T. B.; Claudepierre, S. G.; Singer, H. J.; Onsager, T. G.; Wilkinson, D. C.

2013-12-01

NOAA space weather sensors have monitored the near Earth space radiation environment for more than three decades providing one of the only long-term records of these energetic particles that can disable satellites and pose a threat to astronauts. These data have demonstrated their value for operations for decades, but they are also invaluable for scientific discovery. Here we describe the development of new NOAA tools for assessing radiation impacts to satellites and astronauts working in space. In particular, we discuss the new system implemented for processing and delivering near real time particle radiation data from the POES/MetOp satellites. We also describe the development of new radiation belt indices from the POES/MetOp data that capture significant global changes in the environment needed for operational decision making. Lastly, we investigate the physical processes responsible for dramatic changes of the inner proton belt region and the potential consequences these new belts may have for satellite operations.

What Neural Substrates Trigger the Adept Scientific Pattern Discovery by Biologists?

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Lee, Jun-Ki; Kwon, Yong-Ju

2011-01-01

This study investigated the neural correlates of experts and novices during biological object pattern detection using an fMRI approach in order to reveal the neural correlates of a biologist's superior pattern discovery ability. Sixteen healthy male participants (8 biologists and 8 non-biologists) volunteered for the study. Participants were shown…

An Antique Microscope Slide Brings the Thrill of Discovery into a Contemporary Biology Classroom

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Reiser, Frank

2012-01-01

The discovery of a Victorian-era microscope slide titled "Grouped Flower Seeds" began an investigation into the scientific and historical background of the antique slide to develop its usefulness as a multidisciplinary tool for PowerPoint presentations usable in contemporary biology classrooms, particularly large-enrollment sections. The resultant…

10 CFR 784.12 - Terms and conditions of waivers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-01-01

... covering an invention or discovery which is not a Subject Invention and which is owned or controlled by the... asserted by the Contractor or its employees with respect to any invention or discovery made or conceived in... information regarding scientific or technical developments conceived or first actually reduced to practice in...

10 CFR 784.12 - Terms and conditions of waivers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-01-01

... covering an invention or discovery which is not a Subject Invention and which is owned or controlled by the... asserted by the Contractor or its employees with respect to any invention or discovery made or conceived in... information regarding scientific or technical developments conceived or first actually reduced to practice in...

10 CFR 784.12 - Terms and conditions of waivers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-01-01

... covering an invention or discovery which is not a Subject Invention and which is owned or controlled by the... asserted by the Contractor or its employees with respect to any invention or discovery made or conceived in... information regarding scientific or technical developments conceived or first actually reduced to practice in...

10 CFR 784.12 - Terms and conditions of waivers.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-01-01

... covering an invention or discovery which is not a Subject Invention and which is owned or controlled by the... asserted by the Contractor or its employees with respect to any invention or discovery made or conceived in... information regarding scientific or technical developments conceived or first actually reduced to practice in...

Idealisation and Galileo's Pendulum Discoveries: Historical, Philosophical and Pedagogical Considerations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Matthews, Michael R.

2004-01-01

Galileo's discovery of the properties of pendulum motion depended on his adoption of the novel methodology of idealisation. Galileo's laws of pendulum motion could not be accepted until the empiricist methodological constraints placed on science by Aristotle, and by common sense, were overturned. As long as scientific claims were judged by how the…

On the Growth of Scientific Knowledge: Yeast Biology as a Case Study

PubMed Central

He, Xionglei; Zhang, Jianzhi

2009-01-01

The tempo and mode of human knowledge expansion is an enduring yet poorly understood topic. Through a temporal network analysis of three decades of discoveries of protein interactions and genetic interactions in baker's yeast, we show that the growth of scientific knowledge is exponential over time and that important subjects tend to be studied earlier. However, expansions of different domains of knowledge are highly heterogeneous and episodic such that the temporal turnover of knowledge hubs is much greater than expected by chance. Familiar subjects are preferentially studied over new subjects, leading to a reduced pace of innovation. While research is increasingly done in teams, the number of discoveries per researcher is greater in smaller teams. These findings reveal collective human behaviors in scientific research and help design better strategies in future knowledge exploration. PMID:19300476

On the growth of scientific knowledge: yeast biology as a case study.

PubMed

He, Xionglei; Zhang, Jianzhi

2009-03-01

The tempo and mode of human knowledge expansion is an enduring yet poorly understood topic. Through a temporal network analysis of three decades of discoveries of protein interactions and genetic interactions in baker's yeast, we show that the growth of scientific knowledge is exponential over time and that important subjects tend to be studied earlier. However, expansions of different domains of knowledge are highly heterogeneous and episodic such that the temporal turnover of knowledge hubs is much greater than expected by chance. Familiar subjects are preferentially studied over new subjects, leading to a reduced pace of innovation. While research is increasingly done in teams, the number of discoveries per researcher is greater in smaller teams. These findings reveal collective human behaviors in scientific research and help design better strategies in future knowledge exploration.

Towards writing the encyclopaedia of life: an introduction to DNA barcoding

PubMed Central

Savolainen, Vincent; Cowan, Robyn S; Vogler, Alfried P; Roderick, George K; Lane, Richard

2005-01-01

An international consortium of major natural history museums, herbaria and other organizations has launched an ambitious project, the ‘Barcode of Life Initiative’, to promote a process enabling the rapid and inexpensive identification of the estimated 10 million species on Earth. DNA barcoding is a diagnostic technique in which short DNA sequence(s) can be used for species identification. The first international scientific conference on Barcoding of Life was held at the Natural History Museum in London in February 2005, and here we review the scientific challenges discussed during this conference and in previous publications. Although still controversial, the scientific benefits of DNA barcoding include: (i) enabling species identification, including any life stage or fragment, (ii) facilitating species discoveries based on cluster analyses of gene sequences (e.g. cox1=CO1, in animals), (iii) promoting development of handheld DNA sequencing technology that can be applied in the field for biodiversity inventories and (iv) providing insight into the diversity of life. PMID:16214739

Collective credit allocation in science

PubMed Central

Shen, Hua-Wei; Barabási, Albert-László

2014-01-01

Collaboration among researchers is an essential component of the modern scientific enterprise, playing a particularly important role in multidisciplinary research. However, we continue to wrestle with allocating credit to the coauthors of publications with multiple authors, because the relative contribution of each author is difficult to determine. At the same time, the scientific community runs an informal field-dependent credit allocation process that assigns credit in a collective fashion to each work. Here we develop a credit allocation algorithm that captures the coauthors’ contribution to a publication as perceived by the scientific community, reproducing the informal collective credit allocation of science. We validate the method by identifying the authors of Nobel-winning papers that are credited for the discovery, independent of their positions in the author list. The method can also compare the relative impact of researchers working in the same field, even if they did not publish together. The ability to accurately measure the relative credit of researchers could affect many aspects of credit allocation in science, potentially impacting hiring, funding, and promotion decisions. PMID:25114238

Science as a Web of Trails: Redesigning Science Education with the Tools of the Present to Meet the Needs of the Future

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karno, Donna; Glassman, Michael

2013-12-01

Science education has experienced significant changes since the mid-20th century, most recently with the creation of STEM curricula (DeBoer 1991; Yager 2000). The emergence of the World Wide Web as a tool in research and discovery offers Pre-K-12 science education an opportunity to share information and perspectives which engage students with the scientific community (Zoller 2011). Students are able to access open, transparent sites creating common resources pools and autonomous working groups which can be used for shared problem solving. Science teachers should carefully build web 2.0 technology into their practice based on a changing pedagogy. Instead of focusing on teaching rule-based concepts and processes in which the teacher's role is that of expert, education should be focusing on possibilities of the web both in scientific research and understanding. In addition, web-focused education can also help remake scientific product as a public good in the lives of both science researchers and science consumers.

A Case for Thinking Without Consciousness.

PubMed

Dijksterhuis, Ap; Strick, Madelijn

2016-01-01

People can engage in prolonged thought processes, such as when they are facing an important decision or when they are working on a scientific discovery. Such thought processes can take months or even years. We argue that while people engage in such thinking, they make progress not only when they consciously think but also sometimes when they are consciously thinking about something else-that is, while they think unconsciously. We review the literature on unconscious thought (UT) processes and conclude that there is indeed quite some evidence for UT. Conceptualized as a form of unconscious goal pursuit, UT is likely to be especially fruitful for thought processes that are complex, important, or interesting to the thinker. In addition, we discuss other characteristics of the UT process. We end with proposing Type 3 processes, in addition to Type 1 and Type 2 (or Systems 1 and 2) processes, to accommodate prolonged thought processes in models on thought. © The Author(s) 2015.

The EuroGEOSS Advanced Operating Capacity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nativi, S.; Vaccari, L.; Stock, K.; Diaz, L.; Santoro, M.

2012-04-01

The concept of multidisciplinary interoperability for managing societal issues is a major challenge presently faced by the Earth and Space Science Informatics community. With this in mind, EuroGEOSS project was launched on May 1st 2009 for a three year period aiming to demonstrate the added value to the scientific community and society of providing existing earth observing systems and applications in an interoperable manner and used within the GEOSS and INSPIRE frameworks. In the first period, the project built an Initial Operating Capability (IOC) in the three strategic areas of Drought, Forestry and Biodiversity; this was then enhanced into an Advanced Operating Capacity (AOC) for multidisciplinary interoperability. Finally, the project extended the infrastructure to other scientific domains (geology, hydrology, etc.). The EuroGEOSS multidisciplinary AOC is based on the Brokering Approach. This approach aims to achieve multidisciplinary interoperability by developing an extended SOA (Service Oriented Architecture) where a new type of "expert" components is introduced: the Broker. These implement all mediation and distribution functionalities needed to interconnect the distributed and heterogeneous resources characterizing a System of Systems (SoS) environment. The EuroGEOSS AOC is comprised of the following components: • EuroGEOSS Discovery Broker: providing harmonized discovery functionalities by mediating and distributing user queries against tens of heterogeneous services; • EuroGEOSS Access Broker: enabling users to seamlessly access and use heterogeneous remote resources via a unique and standard service; • EuroGEOSS Web 2.0 Broker: enhancing the capabilities of the Discovery Broker with queries towards the new Web 2.0 services; • EuroGEOSS Semantic Discovery Broker: enhancing the capabilities of the Discovery Broker with semantic query-expansion; • EuroGEOSS Natural Language Search Component: providing users with the possibilities to search for resources using natural language queries; • Service Composition Broker: allowing users to compose and execute complex Business Processes, based on the technology developed by the FP7 UncertWeb project. Recently, the EuroGEOSS Brokering framework was presented at the GEO-VIII Plenary and Exhibition in Istanbul and introduced into the GEOSS Common Infrastructure.

[Scientific fraud. A disease we find among ourselves].

PubMed

Guimarães, S

1998-01-01

Scientific fraud is not a problem exclusive to countries with high scientific development. Fraud does not necessarily mean invention of results, usurpation of ideas, manifest plagiarism or any other kind of serious scientific misconduct. Although more rare in countries where scientific production is more modest, pungent cases of scientific fraud also exist. However, less notorious cases of scientific misconduct are frequent and must be avoided. Examples of these less notorious sins are presented. The seriousness of scientific fraud is not only due to the fact that it may involve public funds, which could have been put to more useful purposes but, above all, because it violates scientific ethics and frustrates the final aim of science, the discovery of truth.

Dissociative states in dreams and brain chaos: implications for creative awareness

PubMed Central

Bob, Petr; Louchakova, Olga

2015-01-01

This article reviews recent findings indicating some common brain processes during dissociative states and dreaming with the aim to outline a perspective that neural chaotic states during dreaming can be closely related to dissociative states that may manifest in dreams scenery. These data are in agreement with various clinical findings that dissociated states can be projected into the “dream scenery” in REM sleep periods and dreams may represent their specific interactions that may uncover unusual psychological potential of creativity in psychotherapy, art, and scientific discoveries. PMID:26441729

International Polar Year (IPY), 2007-2008

USGS Publications Warehouse

,

2007-01-01

The International Polar Year is an intense scientific campaign to explore new frontiers in polar science, improve our understanding of the critical role of the polar regions in global processes, engage the public in polar discovery, and help attract the next generation of earth scientists. Participation in the IPY allows the USGS to celebrate this enduring tradition with the rest of the global polar research community and to renew our commitment to polar science at a time when the world is focused on the extraordinary changes happening in these regions.

The Processes of Scientific Discovery: The Strategy of Experimentation

DTIC Science & Technology

1987-09-29

RPT C3 : C U.SERS 22a NAME OF RESPONSIBLE INDIVIDUAL 22b TELEPHONE (include Area Code) 22C. OFFICR SYMBOL jr. Alan L. Mevrowitz (202) 696-430?2NOQ001...34omithine may donate an amino group to urea", (4) its description is given at the atomic level (Example: " C in urea comes from carbon-dioxide"). These...reactant, and there is a hypothesis that A produces C with B as an intermediate product, then carry out experiments on A and 8, and compare rates of

The Heroes of CRISPR.

PubMed

Lander, Eric S

2016-01-14

Three years ago, scientists reported that CRISPR technology can enable precise and efficient genome editing in living eukaryotic cells. Since then, the method has taken the scientific community by storm, with thousands of labs using it for applications from biomedicine to agriculture. Yet, the preceding 20-year journey--the discovery of a strange microbial repeat sequence; its recognition as an adaptive immune system; its biological characterization; and its repurposing for genome engineering--remains little known. This Perspective aims to fill in this backstory--the history of ideas and the stories of pioneers--and draw lessons about the remarkable ecosystem underlying scientific discovery. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Big Data for cardiology: novel discovery?

PubMed

Mayer-Schönberger, Viktor

2016-03-21

Big Data promises to change cardiology through a massive increase in the data gathered and analysed; but its impact goes beyond improving incrementally existing methods. The potential of comprehensive data sets for scientific discovery is examined, and its impact on the scientific method generally and cardiology in particular is posited, together with likely consequences for research and practice. Big Data in cardiology changes how new insights are being discovered. For it to flourish, significant modifications in the methods, structures, and institutions of the profession are necessary. Published on behalf of the European Society of Cardiology. All rights reserved. © The Author 2015. For permissions please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Mildred (Millie) Dresselhaus and Her Impacts on Science and Women in

Science.gov Websites

yield numerous scientific discoveries.'1 'Professor Dresselhaus began her MIT career at the Lincoln , Emeritus Institute Professor. 'Throughout her career, ... [Dr. Dresselhaus] has combined significant scientific environment, Dr. Dresselhaus's esteemed career provides a decisive and resounding answer. Her

36 CFR 9.10 - Plan of operations approval.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-07-01

... any site, structure, object, or other value of historical, archeological, or other cultural scientific... Superintendent any cultural and/or scientific resource that might be altered or destroyed by his operation and shall leave such discovery intact until told to proceed by the Superintendent. The Superintendent will...

36 CFR 9.10 - Plan of operations approval.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-07-01

... any site, structure, object, or other value of historical, archeological, or other cultural scientific... Superintendent any cultural and/or scientific resource that might be altered or destroyed by his operation and shall leave such discovery intact until told to proceed by the Superintendent. The Superintendent will...

36 CFR 9.10 - Plan of operations approval.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... any site, structure, object, or other value of historical, archeological, or other cultural scientific... Superintendent any cultural and/or scientific resource that might be altered or destroyed by his operation and shall leave such discovery intact until told to proceed by the Superintendent. The Superintendent will...

36 CFR 9.10 - Plan of operations approval.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... any site, structure, object, or other value of historical, archeological, or other cultural scientific... Superintendent any cultural and/or scientific resource that might be altered or destroyed by his operation and shall leave such discovery intact until told to proceed by the Superintendent. The Superintendent will...

Tracking the Short Term Planning (STP) Development Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Price, Melanie; Moore, Alexander

2010-01-01

Part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration?s mission is to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research is enhanced by discovering new scientific tools to improve life on earth. Sequentially, to successfully explore the unknown, there has to be a planning process that organizes certain events in the right priority. Therefore, the planning support team has to continually improve their processes so the ISS Mission Operations can operate smoothly and effectively. The planning support team consists of people in the Long Range Planning area that develop timelines that includes International Partner?s Preliminary STP inputs all the way through to publishing of the Final STP. Planning is a crucial part of the NASA community when it comes to planning the astronaut?s daily schedule in great detail. The STP Process is in need of improvement, because of the various tasks that are required to be broken down in order to get the overall objective of developing a Final STP done correctly. Then a new project came along in order to store various data in a more efficient database. "The SharePoint site is a Web site that provides a central storage and collaboration space for documents, information, and ideas."

Scientific Workflows and the Sensor Web for Virtual Environmental Observatories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Simonis, I.; Vahed, A.

2008-12-01

Virtual observatories mature from their original domain and become common practice for earth observation research and policy building. The term Virtual Observatory originally came from the astronomical research community. Here, virtual observatories provide universal access to the available astronomical data archives of space and ground-based observatories. Further on, as those virtual observatories aim at integrating heterogeneous ressources provided by a number of participating organizations, the virtual observatory acts as a coordinating entity that strives for common data analysis techniques and tools based on common standards. The Sensor Web is on its way to become one of the major virtual observatories outside of the astronomical research community. Like the original observatory that consists of a number of telescopes, each observing a specific part of the wave spectrum and with a collection of astronomical instruments, the Sensor Web provides a multi-eyes perspective on the current, past, as well as future situation of our planet and its surrounding spheres. The current view of the Sensor Web is that of a single worldwide collaborative, coherent, consistent and consolidated sensor data collection, fusion and distribution system. The Sensor Web can perform as an extensive monitoring and sensing system that provides timely, comprehensive, continuous and multi-mode observations. This technology is key to monitoring and understanding our natural environment, including key areas such as climate change, biodiversity, or natural disasters on local, regional, and global scales. The Sensor Web concept has been well established with ongoing global research and deployment of Sensor Web middleware and standards and represents the foundation layer of systems like the Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). The Sensor Web consists of a huge variety of physical and virtual sensors as well as observational data, made available on the Internet at standardized interfaces. All data sets and sensor communication follow well-defined abstract models and corresponding encodings, mostly developed by the OGC Sensor Web Enablement initiative. Scientific progress is currently accelerated by an emerging new concept called scientific workflows, which organize and manage complex distributed computations. A scientific workflow represents and records the highly complex processes that a domain scientist typically would follow in exploration, discovery and ultimately, transformation of raw data to publishable results. The challenge is now to integrate the benefits of scientific workflows with those provided by the Sensor Web in order to leverage all resources for scientific exploration, problem solving, and knowledge generation. Scientific workflows for the Sensor Web represent the next evolutionary step towards efficient, powerful, and flexible earth observation frameworks and platforms. Those platforms support the entire process from capturing data, sharing and integrating, to requesting additional observations. Multiple sites and organizations will participate on single platforms and scientists from different countries and organizations interact and contribute to large-scale research projects. Simultaneously, the data- and information overload becomes manageable, as multiple layers of abstraction will free scientists to deal with underlying data-, processing or storage peculiarities. The vision are automated investigation and discovery mechanisms that allow scientists to pose queries to the system, which in turn would identify potentially related resources, schedules processing tasks and assembles all parts in workflows that may satisfy the query.

Reproducibility of results in preclinical studies: a perspective from the bone field.

PubMed

Manolagas, Stavros C; Kronenberg, Henry M

2014-10-01

The biomedical research enterprise-and the public support for it-is predicated on the belief that discoveries and the conclusions drawn from them can be trusted to build a body of knowledge which will be used to improve human health. As in all other areas of scientific inquiry, knowledge and understanding grow by layering new discoveries upon earlier ones. The process self-corrects and distills knowledge by discarding false ideas and unsubstantiated claims. Although self-correction is inexorable in the long-term, in recent years biomedical scientists and the public alike have become alarmed and deeply troubled by the fact that many published results cannot be reproduced. The chorus of concern reached a high pitch with a recent commentary from the NIH Director, Francis S. Collins, and Principal Deputy Director, Lawrence A. Tabak, and their announcement of specific plans to enhance reproducibility of preclinical research that relies on animal models. In this invited perspective, we highlight the magnitude of the problem across biomedical fields and address the relevance of these concerns to the field of bone and mineral metabolism. We also suggest how our specialty journals, our scientific organizations, and our community of bone and mineral researchers can help to overcome this troubling trend. © 2014 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

STS-82 Crew members pose in from of Discovery after Landing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1997-01-01

The STS-82 crew stands in front of the Space Shuttle Discovery after landing at KSC's Shuttle Landing Facility on Runway 15 to conclude a 10-day mission to service the orbiting Hubble Space Telescope (HST). Crew members are (from left to right) Mission Specialist Steven A. Hawley, Mission Commander Kenneth D. Bowersox, Mission Specialist Joseph R. 'Joe' Tanner, Pilot Scott J. 'Doc' Horowitz, Mission Specialist Gregory J. Harbaugh, Payload Commander Mark C. Lee and Mission Specialist Steven L. Smith. STS-82 is the ninth Shuttle nighttime landing, and the fourth nighttime landing at KSC. The seven-member crew performed a record-tying five back-to-back extravehicular activities (EVAs) or spacewalks to service the telescope, which has been in orbit for nearly seven years. Two new scientific instruments were installed, replacing two outdated instruments. Five spacewalks also were performed on the first servicing mission, STS-61, in December 1993. Only four spacewalks were scheduled for STS-82, but a fifth one was added during the flight to install several thermal blankets over some aging insulation covering three HST compartments containing key data processing, electronics and scientific instrument telemetry packages. STS-82 was the 82nd Space Shuttle flight and the second mission of 1997.

Drug promotion practices: A review.

PubMed

Jacob, Nilan T

2018-01-18

Over the years, the pharmaceutical industry has been at the forefront of research and innovation in drug discovery and development. The process of drug discovery extending from preclinical studies to multicentric clinical trials and postmarketing phase is a costly affair running into billions of dollars. On the flip side, not all investigational molecules clear the trial phases and get approved, which puts pressure on the manufacturers to maximize the profit from approved drugs. It is in this key area that the practice of drug promotion plays its role. The World Health Organization defines drug promotion as "all informational and persuasive activities by manufacturers and distributors, the effect of which is to influence the prescription, supply, purchase or use of medicinal drugs". With its humble intent of creating awareness among healthcare professionals and updating their knowledge on recent advances in treatment options, drug promotion has been an important tool, but gradually it has evolved to embrace aggressive marketing strategies and sometimes unethical business and scientific practices where the need for profit-making eclipses commitment to patient care and scientific exploration. In this review, we discuss the evolution of drug promotion practices, the various types, its merits and demerits, the influence of drug promotion on physician prescribing behaviour, the role of regulatory bodies, unethical promotional practices and finally summarize with future directions. © 2018 The British Pharmacological Society.

Johannes Kepler - And the New Astronomy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voelkel, James R.

1999-11-01

Johannes Kepler (1571-1630) is remembered as one of the greatest medieval astronomers in the tradition of Copernicus and Galileo, a man who made major contributions to physics, astronomy, and mathematics. Born in Germany and trained as a theologian, Kepler did not hesitate to challenge church doctrine by supporting the iconoclastic theory of a Sun-centered solar system. As Imperial Mathematician to the Holy Roman Emperor, he conducted careful observations of the night sky, which led to his discovery of the three Laws of Planetary Motion and the orbit of Mars. He also devised the Rudolphine Tables on planetary movements, and made key improvements to the telescope. Voelkel vividly describes the scientific achievements, providing enough background in physics and trigonometry so even beginners can enjoy this book. The author also gives us a captivating account of Kepler's tumultuous life, plagued by misery, disease, and fervent religious prosecution by the Catholic Church.Oxford Portraits in Science is an ongoing series of scientific biographies for young adults. Written by top scholars and writers, each biography examines the personality of its subject as well as the thought process leading to his or her discoveries. These illustrated biographies combine accessible technical information with compelling personal stories to portray the scientists whose work has shaped our understanding of the natural world.

Distributed data mining on grids: services, tools, and applications.

PubMed

Cannataro, Mario; Congiusta, Antonio; Pugliese, Andrea; Talia, Domenico; Trunfio, Paolo

2004-12-01

Data mining algorithms are widely used today for the analysis of large corporate and scientific datasets stored in databases and data archives. Industry, science, and commerce fields often need to analyze very large datasets maintained over geographically distributed sites by using the computational power of distributed and parallel systems. The grid can play a significant role in providing an effective computational support for distributed knowledge discovery applications. For the development of data mining applications on grids we designed a system called Knowledge Grid. This paper describes the Knowledge Grid framework and presents the toolset provided by the Knowledge Grid for implementing distributed knowledge discovery. The paper discusses how to design and implement data mining applications by using the Knowledge Grid tools starting from searching grid resources, composing software and data components, and executing the resulting data mining process on a grid. Some performance results are also discussed.

Toward a new focus in antibiotic and drug discovery from the Streptomyces arsenal

PubMed Central

Antoraz, Sergio; Santamaría, Ramón I.; Díaz, Margarita; Sanz, David; Rodríguez, Héctor

2015-01-01

Emergence of antibiotic resistant pathogens is changing the way scientists look for new antibiotic compounds. This race against the increased prevalence of multi-resistant strains makes it necessary to expedite the search for new compounds with antibiotic activity and to increase the production of the known. Here, we review a variety of new scientific approaches aiming to enhance antibiotic production in Streptomyces. These include: (i) elucidation of the signals that trigger the antibiotic biosynthetic pathways to improve culture media, (ii) bacterial hormone studies aiming to reproduce intra and interspecific communications resulting in antibiotic burst, (iii) co-cultures to mimic competition-collaboration scenarios in nature, and (iv) the very recent in situ search for antibiotics that might be applied in Streptomyces natural habitats. These new research strategies combined with new analytical and molecular techniques should accelerate the discovery process when the urgency for new compounds is higher than ever. PMID:26029195

Non-clinical studies required for new drug development - Part I: early in silico and in vitro studies, new target discovery and validation, proof of principles and robustness of animal studies.

PubMed

Andrade, E L; Bento, A F; Cavalli, J; Oliveira, S K; Freitas, C S; Marcon, R; Schwanke, R C; Siqueira, J M; Calixto, J B

2016-10-24

This review presents a historical overview of drug discovery and the non-clinical stages of the drug development process, from initial target identification and validation, through in silico assays and high throughput screening (HTS), identification of leader molecules and their optimization, the selection of a candidate substance for clinical development, and the use of animal models during the early studies of proof-of-concept (or principle). This report also discusses the relevance of validated and predictive animal models selection, as well as the correct use of animal tests concerning the experimental design, execution and interpretation, which affect the reproducibility, quality and reliability of non-clinical studies necessary to translate to and support clinical studies. Collectively, improving these aspects will certainly contribute to the robustness of both scientific publications and the translation of new substances to clinical development.

Synthetic biology approaches: Towards sustainable exploitation of marine bioactive molecules.

PubMed

Seghal Kiran, G; Ramasamy, Pasiyappazham; Sekar, Sivasankari; Ramu, Meenatchi; Hassan, Saqib; Ninawe, A S; Selvin, Joseph

2018-06-01

The discovery of genes responsible for the production of bioactive metabolites via metabolic pathways combined with the advances in synthetic biology tools, has allowed the establishment of numerous microbial cell factories, for instance the yeast cell factories, for the manufacture of highly useful metabolites from renewable biomass. Genome mining and metagenomics are two platforms provide base-line data for reconstruction of genomes and metabolomes which is based in the development of synthetic/semi-synthetic genomes for marine natural products discovery. Engineered biofilms are being innovated on synthetic biology platform using genetic circuits and cell signalling systems as represillators controlling biofilm formation. Recombineering is a process of homologous recombination mediated genetic engineering, includes insertion, deletion or modification of any sequence specifically. Although this discipline considered new to the scientific domain, this field has now developed as promising endeavor on the accomplishment of sustainable exploitation of marine natural products. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Impact of New Camera Technologies on Discoveries in Cell Biology.

PubMed

Stuurman, Nico; Vale, Ronald D

2016-08-01

New technologies can make previously invisible phenomena visible. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the field of light microscopy. Beginning with the observation of "animalcules" by Antonie van Leeuwenhoek, when he figured out how to achieve high magnification by shaping lenses, microscopy has advanced to this day by a continued march of discoveries driven by technical innovations. Recent advances in single-molecule-based technologies have achieved unprecedented resolution, and were the basis of the Nobel prize in Chemistry in 2014. In this article, we focus on developments in camera technologies and associated image processing that have been a major driver of technical innovations in light microscopy. We describe five types of developments in camera technology: video-based analog contrast enhancement, charge-coupled devices (CCDs), intensified sensors, electron multiplying gain, and scientific complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor cameras, which, together, have had major impacts in light microscopy. © 2016 Marine Biological Laboratory.

The Dynamic Radio Sky: Future Directions at cm/m-Wavelengths

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bower, Geoffrey C.; Cordes, J.; Croft, S.; Lazio, J.; Lorimer, D.; McLaughlin, M.

2009-01-01

The time domain of the radio wavelength sky has been only sparsely explored. Nevertheless, recent discoveries from limited surveys and serendipitous discoveries indicate that there is much to be found on timescales from nanoseconds to years and at wavelengths from meters to millimeters. These observations have revealed unexpected phenonmena such as rotating radio transients and coherent pulses from brown dwarfs. Additionally, archival studies have revealed an unknown class of radio transients without radio, optical, or high-energy hosts. The current generation of new meter- and centimeter-wave radio telescopes such as the MWA, LWA, PAPER, and ATA will exploit wide fields of view and flexible digital signal processing to systematically explore radio transient parameter space, as well as lay the scientific and technical foundation for the SKA. Known unknowns that will be the target of future transient surveys include orphan gamma-ray burst afterglows, radio supernovae, tidally-disrupted stars, flare stars, and magnetars.

Status and applications of diamond and diamond-like materials: An emerging technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1990-01-01

Recent discoveries that make possible the growth of crystalline diamond by chemical vapor deposition offer the potential for a wide variety of new applications. This report takes a broad look at the state of the technology following from these discoveries in relation to other allied materials, such as high-pressure diamond and cubic boron nitride. Most of the potential defense, space, and commercial applications are related to diamond's hardness, but some utilize other aspects such as optical or electronic properties. The growth processes are reviewed, and techniques for characterizing the resulting materials' properties are discussed. Crystalline diamond is emphasized, but other diamond-like materials (silicon carbide, amorphous carbon containing hydrogen) are also examined. Scientific, technical, and economic problem areas that could impede the rapid exploitation of these materials are identified. Recommendations are presented covering broad areas of research and development.

Lessons from the Salk Polio Vaccine: Methods for and Risks of Rapid Translation

PubMed Central

Juskewitch, B.A., Justin E.; Tapia, B.A., Carmen J.; Windebank, Anthony J.

2010-01-01

Abstract The Salk inactivated poliovirus vaccine is one of the most rapid examples of bench‐to‐bedside translation in medicine. In the span of 6 years, the key basic lab discoveries facilitating the development of the vaccine were made, optimization and safety testing was completed in both animals and human volunteers, the largest clinical trial in history of 1.8 million children was conducted, and the results were released to an eagerly awaiting public. Such examples of rapid translation cannot only offer clues to what factors can successfully drive and accelerate the translational process but also what mistakes can occur (and thus should be avoided) during such a swift process. In this commentary, we explore the translational path of the Salk polio vaccine from the key basic science discoveries to the 1954 Field Trials and delve into the scientific and sociopolitical factors that aided in its rapid development. Moreover, we look at the Cutter and Wyeth incidents after the vaccine’s approval and the errors that led to them. Clin Trans Sci 2010; Volume 3: 182–185 PMID:20718820

Strategies for discovery and improvement of enzyme function: state of the art and opportunities

PubMed Central

Kaul, Praveen; Asano, Yasuhisa

2012-01-01

Summary Developments in biocatalysis have been largely fuelled by consumer demands for new products, industrial attempts to improving existing process and minimizing waste, coupled with governmental measures to regulate consumer safety along with scientific advancements. One of the major hurdles to application of biocatalysis to chemical synthesis is unavailability of the desired enzyme to catalyse the reaction to allow for a viable process development. Even when the desired enzyme is available it often forces the process engineers to alter process parameters due to inadequacies of the enzyme, such as instability, inhibition, low yield or selectivity, etc. Developments in the field of enzyme or reaction engineering have allowed access to means to achieve the ends, such as directed evolution, de novo protein design, use of non‐conventional media, using new substrates for old enzymes, active‐site imprinting, altering temperature, etc. Utilization of enzyme discovery and improvement tools therefore provides a feasible means to overcome this problem. Judicious employment of these tools has resulted in significant advancements that have leveraged the research from laboratory to market thus impacting economic growth; however, there are further opportunities that have not yet been explored. The present review attempts to highlight some of these achievements and potential opportunities. PMID:21883976

Strategies for discovery and improvement of enzyme function: state of the art and opportunities.

PubMed

Kaul, Praveen; Asano, Yasuhisa

2012-01-01

Developments in biocatalysis have been largely fuelled by consumer demands for new products, industrial attempts to improving existing process and minimizing waste, coupled with governmental measures to regulate consumer safety along with scientific advancements. One of the major hurdles to application of biocatalysis to chemical synthesis is unavailability of the desired enzyme to catalyse the reaction to allow for a viable process development. Even when the desired enzyme is available it often forces the process engineers to alter process parameters due to inadequacies of the enzyme, such as instability, inhibition, low yield or selectivity, etc. Developments in the field of enzyme or reaction engineering have allowed access to means to achieve the ends, such as directed evolution, de novo protein design, use of non-conventional media, using new substrates for old enzymes, active-site imprinting, altering temperature, etc. Utilization of enzyme discovery and improvement tools therefore provides a feasible means to overcome this problem. Judicious employment of these tools has resulted in significant advancements that have leveraged the research from laboratory to market thus impacting economic growth; however, there are further opportunities that have not yet been explored. The present review attempts to highlight some of these achievements and potential opportunities. © 2011 The Authors. Microbial Biotechnology © 2011 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

The need for scientific software engineering in the pharmaceutical industry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luty, Brock; Rose, Peter W.

2017-03-01

Scientific software engineering is a distinct discipline from both computational chemistry project support and research informatics. A scientific software engineer not only has a deep understanding of the science of drug discovery but also the desire, skills and time to apply good software engineering practices. A good team of scientific software engineers can create a software foundation that is maintainable, validated and robust. If done correctly, this foundation enable the organization to investigate new and novel computational ideas with a very high level of efficiency.

The need for scientific software engineering in the pharmaceutical industry.

PubMed

Luty, Brock; Rose, Peter W

2017-03-01

Scientific software engineering is a distinct discipline from both computational chemistry project support and research informatics. A scientific software engineer not only has a deep understanding of the science of drug discovery but also the desire, skills and time to apply good software engineering practices. A good team of scientific software engineers can create a software foundation that is maintainable, validated and robust. If done correctly, this foundation enable the organization to investigate new and novel computational ideas with a very high level of efficiency.

Psychology Needs Realism, Not Instrumentalism

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Haig, Brian D.

2005-01-01

In this article, the author presents his comments on "Realism, Instrumentalism, and Scientific Symbiosis: Psychological Theory as a Search for Truth and the Discovery of Solutions" by John T. Cacioppo, Gun R. Semin and Gary G. Berntson. In the original article, the authors recommended the combined use of the philosophies of scientific realism and…

Jupiter Quest: A Path to Scientific Discovery.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Bollman, Kelly A.; Rodgers, Mark H.; Mauller, Robert L.

2001-01-01

To experience the world of professional science, students must have access to the scientific community and be allowed to become real scientists. A partnership involving the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the Lewis Center for Educational Research has produced Jupiter Quest, an engaging curriculum…

Using Relational Reasoning to Learn about Scientific Phenomena at Unfamiliar Scales

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Resnick, Ilyse; Davatzes, Alexandra; Newcombe, Nora S.; Shipley, Thomas F.

2016-01-01

Many scientific theories and discoveries involve reasoning about extreme scales, removed from human experience, such as time in geology, size in nanoscience. Thus, understanding scale is central to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Unfortunately, novices have trouble understanding and comparing sizes of unfamiliar large and small…

An Evaluation of Text Mining Tools as Applied to Selected Scientific and Engineering Literature.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Trybula, Walter J.; Wyllys, Ronald E.

2000-01-01

Addresses an approach to the discovery of scientific knowledge through an examination of data mining and text mining techniques. Presents the results of experiments that investigated knowledge acquisition from a selected set of technical documents by domain experts. (Contains 15 references.) (Author/LRW)

Using JournalMap to improve discovery and visualization of rangeland scientific knowledge

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Most of the ecological research conducted around the world is tied to specific places; however, that location information is locked up in the text and figures of scientific articles in myriad forms that are not easily searchable. While access to ecological literature has improved dramatically in the...

42 CFR 426.505 - Authority of the Board.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-10-01

... disposition of the proceeding. (6) Consult with scientific and clinical experts on its own motion, concerning clinical or scientific evidence. (7) Set schedules for submission of exhibits and written reports of... the scope and timing of documentary discovery as permitted by this part. (15) Regulate the course of a...

42 CFR 426.505 - Authority of the Board.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... disposition of the proceeding. (6) Consult with scientific and clinical experts on its own motion, concerning clinical or scientific evidence. (7) Set schedules for submission of exhibits and written reports of... the scope and timing of documentary discovery as permitted by this part. (15) Regulate the course of a...

42 CFR 426.505 - Authority of the Board.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... disposition of the proceeding. (6) Consult with scientific and clinical experts on its own motion, concerning clinical or scientific evidence. (7) Set schedules for submission of exhibits and written reports of... the scope and timing of documentary discovery as permitted by this part. (15) Regulate the course of a...

42 CFR 426.405 - Authority of the ALJ.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... disposition of the proceeding. (6) Consult with scientific and clinical experts on his or her own motion concerning clinical or scientific evidence. (7) Set schedules for submission of exhibits and written reports....340. (14) Regulate the scope and timing of documentary discovery as permitted by this part. (15...

42 CFR 426.405 - Authority of the ALJ.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-10-01

... disposition of the proceeding. (6) Consult with scientific and clinical experts on his or her own motion concerning clinical or scientific evidence. (7) Set schedules for submission of exhibits and written reports....340. (14) Regulate the scope and timing of documentary discovery as permitted by this part. (15...

42 CFR 426.405 - Authority of the ALJ.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-10-01

... disposition of the proceeding. (6) Consult with scientific and clinical experts on his or her own motion concerning clinical or scientific evidence. (7) Set schedules for submission of exhibits and written reports....340. (14) Regulate the scope and timing of documentary discovery as permitted by this part. (15...

42 CFR 426.505 - Authority of the Board.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2011 CFR

2011-10-01

... disposition of the proceeding. (6) Consult with scientific and clinical experts on its own motion, concerning clinical or scientific evidence. (7) Set schedules for submission of exhibits and written reports of... the scope and timing of documentary discovery as permitted by this part. (15) Regulate the course of a...

42 CFR 426.505 - Authority of the Board.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2012 CFR

2012-10-01

... disposition of the proceeding. (6) Consult with scientific and clinical experts on its own motion, concerning clinical or scientific evidence. (7) Set schedules for submission of exhibits and written reports of... the scope and timing of documentary discovery as permitted by this part. (15) Regulate the course of a...

University Bioscientists' Risk Epistemologies and Research Problem Choices

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Appuhamilage Dilshani Eranga Sarathchandra, Walakada.

2013-01-01

Scientific discoveries take place within scientific communities that are established in legitimating organizations such as universities and research institutes. Often times, scientists undergo tensions and paradoxes as they evaluate the risks they are willing to accept in their work. The types of risk/benefit decisions scientists make to determine…

Ontology-Driven Discovery of Scientific Computational Entities

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Brazier, Pearl W.

2010-01-01

Many geoscientists use modern computational resources, such as software applications, Web services, scientific workflows and datasets that are readily available on the Internet, to support their research and many common tasks. These resources are often shared via human contact and sometimes stored in data portals; however, they are not necessarily…

77 FR 51544 - Center for Scientific Review; Notice of Closed Meetings

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2012-08-24

... Community Influences on Health Behavior. Date: September 20-21, 2012. Time: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Agenda: To... Clinical Integrated Review Group Drug Discovery and Molecular Pharmacology Study Section. Date: September... for Scientific Review Special Emphasis Panel Member Conflict: Adult and Child Psychopathology and...

Scientific Investigations Associated with the Human Exploration of Mars in the Next 35 Years

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niles, P. B.; Beaty, D.; Hays, L.; Bass, D.; Bell, M. S.; Bleacher, J.; Cabrol, N. A.; Conrad, P.; Eppler, D.; Hamilton, V.; Head, J.; Kahre, M.; Levy, J.; Lyons, T.; Rafkin, S.; Rice, J.; Rice, M.

2017-02-01

We present a summary of the findings of the Human Science Objectives Science Analysis Group (HSO-SAG) chartered by MEPAG in 2015 to address science objectives and landing site criteria for future human missions to Mars which could provide incredible scientific discovery.

Using Relational Reasoning to Learn about Scientific Phenomena at Unfamiliar Scales

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Resnick, Ilyse; Davatzes, Alexandra; Newcombe, Nora S.; Shipley, Thomas F.

2017-01-01

Many scientific theories and discoveries involve reasoning about extreme scales, removed from human experience, such as time in geology and size in nanoscience. Thus, understanding scale is central to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Unfortunately, novices have trouble understanding and comparing sizes of unfamiliar large and…

A User-Driven Annotation Framework for Scientific Data

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Li, Qinglan

2013-01-01

Annotations play an increasingly crucial role in scientific exploration and discovery, as the amount of data and the level of collaboration among scientists increases. There are many systems today focusing on annotation management, querying, and propagation. Although all such systems are implemented to take user input (i.e., the annotations…

Hess Deep Interactive Lab: Exploring the Structure and Formation of the Oceanic Crust through Hands-On Models and Online Tools

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kurtz, N.; Marks, N.; Cooper, S. K.

2014-12-01

Scientific ocean drilling through the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) has contributed extensively to our knowledge of Earth systems science. However, many of its methods and discoveries can seem abstract and complicated for students. Collaborations between scientists and educators/artists to create accurate yet engaging demonstrations and activities have been crucial to increasing understanding and stimulating interest in fascinating geological topics. One such collaboration, which came out of Expedition 345 to the Hess Deep Rift, resulted in an interactive lab to explore sampling rocks from the usually inacessible lower oceanic crust, offering an insight into the geological processes that form the structure of the Earth's crust. This Hess Deep Interactive Lab aims to explain several significant discoveries made by oceanic drilling utilizing images of actual thin sections and core samples recovered from IODP expeditions. . Participants can interact with a physical model to learn about the coring and drilling processes, and gain an understanding of seafloor structures. The collaboration of this lab developed as a need to explain fundamental notions of the ocean crust formed at fast-spreading ridges. A complementary interactive online lab can be accessed at www.joidesresolution.org for students to engage further with these concepts. This project explores the relationship between physical and on-line models to further understanding, including what we can learn from the pros and cons of each.

To be or not to be alive: How recent discoveries challenge the traditional definitions of viruses and life.

PubMed

Forterre, Patrick

2016-10-01

Three major discoveries have recently profoundly modified our perception of the viral world: molecular ecologists have shown that viral particles are more abundant than cells in natural environments; structural biologists have shown that some viruses from the three domains of life, Bacteria, Eukarya and Archaea, are evolutionarily related, and microbiologists have discovered giant viruses that rival with cells in terms of size and gene content. I discuss here the scientific and philosophical impact of these discoveries on the debates over the definition, nature (living or not), and origin of viruses. I suggest that viruses have often been considered non-living, because they are traditionally assimilated to their virions. However, the term virus describes a biological process and should integrate all aspects of the viral reproduction cycle. It is especially important to focus on the intracellular part of this cycle, the virocell, when viral information is actively expressed and reproduced, allowing the emergence of new viral genes. The virocell concept theoretically removes roadblocks that prevent defining viruses as living organisms. However, defining a "living organism" remains challenging, as indicated by the case of organelles that evolved from intracellular bacteria. To bypass this problem, I suggest considering that all biological entities that actively participate in the process of life are living. Copyright © 2016. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Tracing Chromospheric Evaporation in Radio and Soft X-rays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aschwanden, Markus J.

1997-01-01

There are three publications in refereed journals and several presentations at scientific conferences resulted from this work, over a period of 6 months during 1995/1996. In the first paper, the discovery of the chromospheric evaporation process at radio wavelengths is described. In the second paper, the radio detection is used to quantify electron densities in the upflowing heated plasma in flare loops, which is then compared with independent other density measurements from soft X-rays, or the plasma frequency of electron beams originating in the acceleration region. In the third paper, the diagnostic results of the chromospheric evaporation process are embedded into a broader picture of a standard flare scenario. Abstracts of these three papers are attached.

Stable isotopes in seafloor hydrothermal systems: Vent fluids, hydrothermal deposits, hydrothermal alteration, and microbial processes

USGS Publications Warehouse

Shanks, Wayne C.

2001-01-01

The recognition of abundant and widespread hydrothermal activity and associated unique life-forms on the ocean floor is one of the great scientific discoveries of the latter half of the twentieth century. Studies of seafloor hydrothermal processes have led to revolutions in understanding fluid convection and the cooling of the ocean crust, the chemical and isotopic mass balance of the oceans, the origin of stratiform and statabound massive-sulfide ore-deposits, the origin of greenstones and serpentinites, and the potential importance of the subseafloor biosphere. Stable isotope geochemistry has been a critical and definitive tool from the very beginning of the modern era of seafloor exploration.

Revealing Significant Relations between Chemical/Biological Features and Activity: Associative Classification Mining for Drug Discovery

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Yu, Pulan

2012-01-01

Classification, clustering and association mining are major tasks of data mining and have been widely used for knowledge discovery. Associative classification mining, the combination of both association rule mining and classification, has emerged as an indispensable way to support decision making and scientific research. In particular, it offers a…

Science Fun with Electricity...Discoveries and Innovations.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Horton, Robert L.

This project manual is written for 4-H member children who are in the fifth grade or older. This project is designed to familiarize members with the scientific history concerning the discovery and application of electric energy through the 1800's. Readers can conduct experiments similar to the ones performed by the scientists and inventors of that…

National Synchrotron Light Source II

ScienceCinema

Hill, John; Dooryhee, Eric; Wilkins, Stuart; Miller, Lisa; Chu, Yong

2018-01-16

NSLS-II is a synchrotron light source helping researchers explore solutions to the grand energy challenges faced by the nation, and open up new regimes of scientific discovery that will pave the way to discoveries in physics, chemistry, and biology — advances that will ultimately enhance national security and help drive the development of abundant, safe, and clean energy technologies.

How iSamples (Internet of Samples in the Earth Sciences) Improves Sample and Data Stewardship in the Next Generation of Geoscientists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hallett, B. W.; Dere, A. L. D.; Lehnert, K.; Carter, M.

2016-12-01

Vast numbers of physical samples are routinely collected by geoscientists to probe key scientific questions related to global climate change, biogeochemical cycles, magmatic processes, mantle dynamics, etc. Despite their value as irreplaceable records of nature the majority of these samples remain undiscoverable by the broader scientific community because they lack a digital presence or are not well-documented enough to facilitate their discovery and reuse for future scientific and educational use. The NSF EarthCube iSamples Research Coordination Network seeks to develop a unified approach across all Earth Science disciplines for the registration, description, identification, and citation of physical specimens in order to take advantage of the new opportunities that cyberinfrastructure offers. Even as consensus around best practices begins to emerge, such as the use of the International Geo Sample Number (IGSN), more work is needed to communicate these practices to investigators to encourage widespread adoption. Recognizing the importance of students and early career scientists in particular to transforming data and sample management practices, the iSamples Education and Training Working Group is developing training modules for sample collection, documentation, and management workflows. These training materials are made available to educators/research supervisors online at http://earthcube.org/group/isamples and can be modularized for supervisors to create a customized research workflow. This study details the design and development of several sample management tutorials, created by early career scientists and documented in collaboration with undergraduate research students in field and lab settings. Modules under development focus on rock outcrops, rock cores, soil cores, and coral samples, with an emphasis on sample management throughout the collection, analysis and archiving process. We invite others to share their sample management/registration workflows and to develop training modules. This educational approach, with evolving digital materials, can help prepare future scientists to perform research in a way that will contribute to EarthCube data integration and discovery.

Using Comparative Planetology in Exhibit Development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dusenbery, P. B.; Harold, J. B.; Morrow, C. A.

2004-12-01

It is critically important for the public to better understand the scientific process. Museum exhibitions are an important part of informal science education that can effectively reach public audiences as well as school groups. They provide an important gateway for the public to learn about compelling scientific endeavors. The Space Science Institute (SSI) is a national leader in producing traveling science exhibitions and their associated educational programming (i.e. interactive websites, educator workshops, public talks, instructional materials). The focus of this presentation will be on three of its exhibit projects: MarsQuest (currently on tour), Alien Earths (in fabrication), and Giant Planets (in development). MarsQuest is enabling millions of Americans to share in the excitement of the scientific exploration of Mars and to learn more about their own planet in the process. Alien Earths will bring origins-related research and discoveries to students and the American public. It has four interrelated exhibit areas: Our Place in Space, Star Birth, PlanetQuest, and Search for Life. Exhibit visitors will explore the awesome events surrounding the birth of stars and planets; they will join scientists in the hunt for planets outside our solar system including those that may be in "habitable zones" around other stars; and finally they will be able to learn about how scientists are looking for signs of life beyond Earth. Giant Planets: Exploring the Outer Solar System will take advantage of the excitement generated by the Cassini mission and bring planetary and origins research and discoveries to students and the public. It will be organized around four thematic areas: Our Solar System; Colossal Worlds; Moons, Rings, and Fields; and Make Space for Kids. Giant Planets will open in 2007. This talk will focus on the importance of making Earth comparisons in the conceptual design of each exhibit and will show several examples of how these comparisons were manifested in the MarsQuest & Alien Earths exhibitions.

Adverse Drug Event Discovery Using Biomedical Literature: A Big Data Neural Network Adventure

PubMed Central

Badger, Jonathan; LaRose, Eric; Shirzadi, Ehsan; Mahnke, Andrea; Mayer, John; Ye, Zhan; Page, David; Peissig, Peggy

2017-01-01

Background The study of adverse drug events (ADEs) is a tenured topic in medical literature. In recent years, increasing numbers of scientific articles and health-related social media posts have been generated and shared daily, albeit with very limited use for ADE study and with little known about the content with respect to ADEs. Objective The aim of this study was to develop a big data analytics strategy that mines the content of scientific articles and health-related Web-based social media to detect and identify ADEs. Methods We analyzed the following two data sources: (1) biomedical articles and (2) health-related social media blog posts. We developed an intelligent and scalable text mining solution on big data infrastructures composed of Apache Spark, natural language processing, and machine learning. This was combined with an Elasticsearch No-SQL distributed database to explore and visualize ADEs. Results The accuracy, precision, recall, and area under receiver operating characteristic of the system were 92.7%, 93.6%, 93.0%, and 0.905, respectively, and showed better results in comparison with traditional approaches in the literature. This work not only detected and classified ADE sentences from big data biomedical literature but also scientifically visualized ADE interactions. Conclusions To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first to investigate a big data machine learning strategy for ADE discovery on massive datasets downloaded from PubMed Central and social media. This contribution illustrates possible capacities in big data biomedical text analysis using advanced computational methods with real-time update from new data published on a daily basis. PMID:29222076

Traditional knowledge and formulations of medicinal plants used by the traditional medical practitioners of bangladesh to treat schizophrenia like psychosis.

PubMed

Ahmed, Md Nasir; Kabidul Azam, Md Nur

2014-01-01

Schizophrenia is a subtle disorder of brain development and plasticity; it affects the most basic human processes of perception, emotion, and judgment. In Bangladesh the traditional medical practitioners of rural and remote areas characterized the schizophrenia as an insanity or a mental problem due to possession by ghosts or evil spirits and they have used various plant species' to treat such symptoms. The aim of the present study was to conduct an ethnomedicinal plant survey and documentation of the formulations of different plant parts used by the traditional medical practitioners of Rangamati district of Bangladesh for the treatment of schizophrenia like psychosis. It was observed that the traditional medical practitioners used a total of 15 plant species to make 14 formulations. The plants were divided into 13 families, used for treatment of schizophrenia and accompanying symptoms like hallucination, depression, oversleeping or insomnia, deterioration of personal hygiene, forgetfulness, and fear due to evil spirits like genies or ghost. A search of the relevant scientific literatures showed that a number of plants used by the medicinal practitioners have been scientifically validated in their uses and traditional medicinal knowledge has been a means towards the discovery of many modern medicines. Moreover, the antipsychotic drug reserpine, isolated from the dried root of Rauvolfia serpentina species, revolutionized the treatment of schizophrenia. So it is very much possible that formulations of the practitioner, when examined scientifically in their entireties, can form discovery of lead compounds which can be used as safe and effective antipsychotic drug to treat schizophrenia.

What Next?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, John W.

2000-01-01

In the kickoff article in the millennial issue of Scientific American, Sir John Maddox, longtime editor-in-chief of Nature, speculates that "The most important discoveries of the next 50 years are likely to be ones of which we cannot now even conceive." Citing relativity, quantum theory, and the molecular basis of genetics, Maddox makes a convincing argument that this was true at the turn of the 20th century and therefore is likely to be true now (Scientific American, December 1999, 281(6), 62-67). New discoveries, almost by definition, take unexpected, unpredictable directions. This implies that no teacher can identify everything that will be important for students to learn, and that it is crucial for students to learn to deal with and keep their minds open to new information, new paradigms, and new applications of science and scientific research. The stodginess of chemistry curricula and our unwillingness or inability to act on facts that any scientist ought to be able to discern are a major concern in an era of accelerating scientific discovery. By far the majority of students taking chemistry courses in the first two years of undergraduate studies do not intend to become chemists. Most plan careers in biomedical sciences or engineering, though often they have not chosen a specific field. Chemistry is central among the sciences, a fact of which we are justifiably proud. Almost any scientific career requires background knowledge of chemistry, and so students taking introductory college courses have a broad range of interests. Why, then, do we not provide them with far more examples of how chemistry concepts are applied in these other fields that they are interested in? One school of thought argues that if we confine a curriculum to the fundamentals, students will discover on their own how to apply what they have learned and will be able to use it effectively in a variety of unforeseen circumstances. This approach has the advantage of minimizing the content of a curriculum, but it risks disciplinary insularity and carries the major disadvantage of not providing practice in process skills. Examples of such skills are applying concepts to new situations and communicating with others who have different knowledgejust what students will need to deal with new kinds of scientific discoveries. Disciplinary insularity can be avoided and process skills can be developed at the same time. By bringing cutting-edge research into the classroom, we can ask students to apply what they are learning to areas they are interested in, and we can encourage them to discuss and collaborate on their solutions to problems that might be intractable for individuals. Where is the cutting edge, and where is it going next? The interests of new faculty joining my own and many other chemistry departments are in multidisciplinary projects. They are applying chemistry to problems in molecular biology, medicine, materials science, environmental science and engineering, green industrial chemistry, and other areas that do not fall readily into our traditional classification of chemistry as organic, inorganic, physical, or analytical. They are collaborating with faculty members from several different departments, applying their various kinds of expertise and knowledge to problems that defy assignment to any single discipline. They are excited about what they are doing, and they are discovering things "of which we cannot now even conceive". Such excitement can become part of our courses and curricula if we resolve to embrace the diversity of applications of chemistry and continually incorporate them into our teaching. This is not a trivial undertaking, especially given the time constraints on most of us, but the new millennium is also bringing us better tools by which it can be accomplished. Agencies that fund research are more cognizant of the importance of communicating results to teachers and students as well as to other researchers. Educational activities are a required part of many National Science Foundation grants, and the National Institutes of Health has initiated a Curriculum Supplements Series for high school biology that many chemistry teachers will find valuable ( http://science-education.nih.gov/nihHTML/colsupp/index.htm). Another important tool is information technology. The Web provides information to the nth degreeso much that it is often difficult to find and evaluate what is there. However, a number of government and industrial sites provide excellent reports on scientific discoveries and multidisciplinary projects, and it is easy to direct students to them from a course Web site. JCE Internet's List of Reviewed WWW Sites can help you to find much useful information on the Web. Information technology will also afford us much better means of communication and collaboration, which we educators will certainly need to keep up with the rapid pace of scientific discovery. This includes communication among small groups of individuals with like interests, as well as large-scale collaborations. JCE, for example, exemplifies collaboration among authors, reviewers, editors, and readers, and our recent move to full online access for all subscribers will enhance communication among all our constituents. Finally, we are fortunate that many young scientists are interested in careers that are devoted mainly to teaching and communicating chemistry. These people seek positions where they can apply scientific principles to problems that involve instruction. They are fascinated by the complicated processes by which learning chemistry takes place and want to collaborate with others whose interests are similar. Many also have backgrounds in the new multidisciplinary areas to which chemistry is being applied. More power to them as they discover things "of which we cannot now even conceive" about chemical education.

Neuroscience of water molecules: a salute to professor Linus Carl Pauling.

PubMed

Nakada, Tsutomu

2009-04-01

More than 35 years ago double Nobel laureate Linus Carl Pauling published a powerful model of the molecular mechanism of general anesthesia, generally referred to as the hydrate-microcrystal (aqueous-phase) theory. This hypothesis, based on the molecular behavior of water molecules, did not receive serious attention during Pauling's life time, when scientific tools for examining complex systems such as the brain were still in their infancy. The situation has since drastically changed, and, now, in the twenty first century, many scientific tools are available for examining different types of complex systems. The discovery of aquaporin-4, a subtype of water channel abundantly expressed in glial systems, further highlighted the concept that the dynamics of water molecules in the cerebral cortex play an important role in important physiological brain functions including consciousness and information processing.

Aloe vera: a valuable ingredient for the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries--a review.

PubMed

Eshun, Kojo; He, Qian

2004-01-01

Scientific investigations on Aloe vera have gained more attention over the last several decades due to its reputable medicinal properties. Some publications have appeared in reputable Scientific Journals that have made appreciable contributions to the discovery of the functions and utilizations of Aloe--"nature's gift." Chemical analysis reveals that Aloe vera contains various carbohydrate polymers, notably glucomannans, along with a range of other organic and inorganic components. Although many physiological properties of Aloe vera have been described, it still remains uncertain as to which of the component(s) is responsible for these physiological properties. Further research needs to be done to unravel the myth surrounding the biological activities and the functional properties of A. vera. Appropriate processing techniques should be employed during the stabilization of the gel in order to affect and extend its field of utilization.

Wings In Orbit: Scientific and Engineering Legacies of the Space Shuttle

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hale, N. Wayne (Editor); Lulla, Kamlesh (Editor); Lane, Helen W. (Editor); Chapline, Gail (Editor)

2010-01-01

This Space Shuttle book project reviews Wings In Orbit-scientific and engineering legacies of the Space Shuttle. The contents include: 1) Magnificent Flying Machine-A Cathedral to Technology; 2) The Historical Legacy; 3) The Shuttle and its Operations; 4) Engineering Innovations; 5) Major Scientific Discoveries; 6) Social, Cultural, and Educational Legacies; 7) Commercial Aerospace Industries and Spin-offs; and 8) The Shuttle continuum, Role of Human Spaceflight.

[Patents and scientific research: an ethical-legal approach].

PubMed

Darío Bergel, Salvador

2014-01-01

This article aims to review the relationship between patents and scientific research from an ethical point of view. The recent developments in the law of industrial property led in many cases to patent discoveries, contributions of basic science, and laws of nature. This trend, which denies the central principles of the discipline, creates disturbances in scientific activity, which requires the free movement of knowledge in order to develop their potentialities.

Biology and data-intensive scientific discovery in the beginning of the 21st century.

PubMed

Smith, Arnold; Balazinska, Magdalena; Baru, Chaitan; Gomelsky, Mark; McLennan, Michael; Rose, Lynn; Smith, Burton; Stewart, Elizabeth; Kolker, Eugene

2011-04-01

The life sciences are poised at the beginning of a paradigm-changing evolution in the way scientific questions are answered. Data-Intensive Science (DIS) promise to provide new ways of approaching scientific challenges and answering questions. This article is a summary of the life sciences issues and challenges as discussed in the DIS workshop in Seattle, September 19-20, 2010. © Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.

Planetary geosciences, 1989-1990

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zuber, Maria T. (Editor); James, Odette B. (Editor); Lunine, Jonathan I. (Editor); Macpherson, Glenn J. (Editor); Phillips, Roger J. (Editor)

1992-01-01

NASA's Planetary Geosciences Programs (the Planetary Geology and Geophysics and the Planetary Material and Geochemistry Programs) provide support and an organizational framework for scientific research on solid bodies of the solar system. These research and analysis programs support scientific research aimed at increasing our understanding of the physical, chemical, and dynamic nature of the solid bodies of the solar system: the Moon, the terrestrial planets, the satellites of the outer planets, the rings, the asteroids, and the comets. This research is conducted using a variety of methods: laboratory experiments, theoretical approaches, data analysis, and Earth analog techniques. Through research supported by these programs, we are expanding our understanding of the origin and evolution of the solar system. This document is intended to provide an overview of the more significant scientific findings and discoveries made this year by scientists supported by the Planetary Geosciences Program. To a large degree, these results and discoveries are the measure of success of the programs.

A solar magnetic and velocity field measurement system for Spacelab 2: The Solar Optical Universal Polarimeter (SOUP)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tarbell, Theodore D.; Title, Alan M.

1992-01-01

The Solar Optical Universal Polarimeter (SOUP) flew on the shuttle mission Spacelab 2 (STS-51F) in August, 1985, and collected historic solar observations. SOUP is the only solar telescope on either a spacecraft or balloon which has delivered long sequences of diffraction-limited images. These movies led to several discoveries about the solar atmosphere which were published in the scientific journals. After Spacelab 2, reflights were planned on the shuttle Sunlab mission, which was cancelled after the Challenger disaster, and on a balloon flights, which were also cancelled for funding reasons. In the meantime, the instrument was used in a productive program of ground-based observing, which collected excellent scientific data and served as instrument tests. Given here is an overview of the history of the SOUP program, the scientific discoveries, and the instrument design and performance.

A solar magnetic and velocity field measurement system for Spacelab 2: The solar optical universal polarimeter (SOUP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarbell, Theodore D.; Title, Alan M.

1992-08-01

The Solar Optical Universal Polarimeter flew on the Shuttle Mission Spacelab 2 (STS-51F) in August, 1985, and collected historic solar observations. SOUP is the only solar telescope on either a spacecraft or balloon which has delivered long sequences of diffraction-limited images. These movies led to several discoveries about the solar atmosphere which were published in the scientific journals. After Spacelab 2, reflights were planned on the Space Shuttle Sunlab Mission, which was cancelled after the Challenger disaster, and on balloon flights, which were also cancelled for funding reasons. In the meantime, the instrument was used in a productive program of ground-based observing, which collected excellent scientific data and served as instrument tests. This report gives an overview of the history of the SOUP program, the scientific discoveries, and the instrument design and performance.

A solar magnetic and velocity field measurement system for Spacelab 2: The Solar Optical Universal Polarimeter (SOUP)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tarbell, Theodore D.; Title, Alan M.

1992-08-01

The Solar Optical Universal Polarimeter (SOUP) flew on the shuttle mission Spacelab 2 (STS-51F) in August, 1985, and collected historic solar observations. SOUP is the only solar telescope on either a spacecraft or balloon which has delivered long sequences of diffraction-limited images. These movies led to several discoveries about the solar atmosphere which were published in the scientific journals. After Spacelab 2, reflights were planned on the shuttle Sunlab mission, which was cancelled after the Challenger disaster, and on a balloon flights, which were also cancelled for funding reasons. In the meantime, the instrument was used in a productive program of ground-based observing, which collected excellent scientific data and served as instrument tests. Given here is an overview of the history of the SOUP program, the scientific discoveries, and the instrument design and performance.

The EGS Data Collaboration Platform: Enabling Scientific Discovery

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

Weers, Jonathan D; Johnston, Henry; Huggins, Jay V

Collaboration in the digital age has been stifled in recent years. Reasonable responses to legitimate security concerns have created a virtual landscape of silos and fortified castles incapable of sharing information efficiently. This trend is unfortunately opposed to the geothermal scientific community's migration toward larger, more collaborative projects. To facilitate efficient sharing of information between team members from multiple national labs, universities, and private organizations, the 'EGS Collab' team has developed a universally accessible, secure data collaboration platform and has fully integrated it with the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) Geothermal Data Repository (GDR) and the National Geothermal Data Systemmore » (NGDS). This paper will explore some of the challenges of collaboration in the modern digital age, highlight strategies for active data management, and discuss the integration of the EGS Collab data management platform with the GDR to enable scientific discovery through the timely dissemination of information.« less

Innovating Chinese Herbal Medicine: From Traditional Health Practice to Scientific Drug Discovery

PubMed Central

Gu, Shuo; Pei, Jianfeng

2017-01-01

As one of the major contemporary alternative medicines, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) continues its influence in Chinese communities and has begun to attract the academic attention in the world of western medicine. This paper aims to examine Chinese herbal medicine (CHM), the essential branch of TCM, from both narrative and scientific perspectives. CHM is a traditional health practice originated from Chinese philosophy and religion, holding the belief of holism and balance in the body. With the development of orthodox medicine and science during the last centuries, CHM also seized the opportunity to change from traditional health practice to scientific drug discovery illustrated in the famous story of the herb-derived drug artemisinin. However, hindered by its culture and founding principles, CHM faces the questions of the research paradigm posed by the convention of science. To address these questions, we discussed two essential questions concerning the relationship of CHM and science, and then upheld the paradigm of methodological reductionism in scientific research. Finally, the contemporary narrative of CHM in the 21st century was discussed in the hope to preserve this medical tradition in tandem with scientific research. PMID:28670279

KSC-01pp1337

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-07-19

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- Expedition Three Commander Frank Culbertson (left) and STS-105 Commander Scott Horowitz (right), in the White Room at Launch Pad 39A, have placed the mission sign at the entrance into Space Shuttle Discovery. Both crews are at KSC to take part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which include emergency egress training, a simulated launch countdown and familiarization with the payload. Mission STS-105 will be transporting the Expedition Three crew, several payloads and scientific experiments to the International Space Station aboard Discovery. The current Expedition Two crew members on the Station will return to Earth on Discovery. Launch of Discovery is scheduled no earlier than Aug. 9, 2001

KSC-01pp1328

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-07-19

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, Fla. -- The Expedition Three crew poses in front of Space Shuttle Discovery on Launch Pad 39A. From left are cosmonauts Mikhail Tyurin and Vladimir Nikolaevich Dezhurov and Commander Frank Culbertson. Along with the STS-105 crew, they are taking part in Terminal Countdown Demonstration Test activities, which include emergency egress from the pad, a simulated launch countdown and familiarization with the payload. Mission STS-105 will be transporting the Expedition Three crew, several payloads and scientific experiments to the International Space Station aboard Discovery. The current Expedition Two crew members on the Station will return to Earth on Discovery. Launch of Discovery is scheduled no earlier than Aug. 9, 2001

Generation of life in a test tube: Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, Bruno Straub, and the discovery of actin.

PubMed

Rall, Jack A

2018-06-01

This is a story about a great scientist, luck, great discovery that changed the future direction of muscle research, war, a clandestine war mission, postwar politics, and an attempt to rewrite scientific history. Albert Szent-Gyorgyi, at 44 yr of age, won the Nobel Prize in 1937 for his work on vitamin C and the establishment of the groundwork of the citric acid cycle. He now wanted to investigate one of the fundamental aspects of life and settled on the study of muscle contraction. The Szent-Gyorgyi laboratory in Hungary during World War II demonstrated that contraction could be reproduced in vitro by threads consisting of just two proteins, myosin and the newly discovered protein by Bruno Straub that they called actin. Szent-Gyorgyi called seeing the contraction of these threads, which occurred in the presence of ATP and ions, "the most thrilling moment" of his scientific life. This major discovery of the generation of "life" in a test tube was totally unknown for years by the rest of the world because of the war. When the discovery was finally communicated to the world, it was not immediately accepted by all as being relevant to the physiology of muscle contraction. Nonetheless, this discovery opened up the modern phase of muscle research. Serendipity played an important role in the great discovery, and much later politics would lead to a shocking controversy around the true discoverer of actin.

Scientific reasoning in early and middle childhood: the development of domain-general evidence evaluation, experimentation, and hypothesis generation skills.

PubMed

Piekny, Jeanette; Maehler, Claudia

2013-06-01

According to Klahr's (2000, 2005; Klahr & Dunbar, 1988) Scientific Discovery as Dual Search model, inquiry processes require three cognitive components: hypothesis generation, experimentation, and evidence evaluation. The aim of the present study was to investigate (a) when the ability to evaluate perfect covariation, imperfect covariation, and non-covariation evidence emerges, (b) when experimentation emerges, (c) when hypothesis generation skills emerge, and (d), whether these abilities develop synchronously during childhood. We administered three scientific reasoning tasks referring to the three components to 223 children of five age groups (from age 4.0 to 13.5 years). Our results show that the three cognitive components of domain-general scientific reasoning emerge asynchronously. The development of domain-general scientific reasoning begins with the ability to handle unambiguous data, progresses to the interpretation of ambiguous data, and leads to a flexible adaptation of hypotheses according to the sufficiency of evidence. When children understand the relation between the level of ambiguity of evidence and the level of confidence in hypotheses, the ability to differentiate conclusive from inconclusive experiments accompanies this development. Implications of these results for designing science education concepts for young children are briefly discussed. © 2012 The British Psychological Society.

Tunnel vision information: a paradox of ethics, economics, politics and science.

PubMed

Bilton, D; Stephens, D; Gorman, F

1998-09-01

Improvement in vision with spinal manipulation was first observed in the early 1970s. Reports of the phenomenon appeared in the 1980s in the popular press and at scientific meetings, but it was not until the mid-1990s that general discussion of the potential value of this knowledge occurred. Considering the far-reaching implications of the possible ability to improve brain function by spinal manipulation, the delay in consideration and implementation of this concept is a paradox in general terms and a total mystery in the case of the chiropractic profession. To provide explanations for the delay in scientific assessment of the discovery that vision improves, in appropriate patients, when the spine is manipulated and to discuss the implications of this finding. This discovery is now called the "tunnel vision information." A schema of pathological hierarchy is depicted in which the level of intervention of spinal manipulation outranks other forms of treatment. The significance of this precedence is portrayed. Possible reasons for the failure to address this hierarchy in light of the tunnel vision information are discussed with reference to established protocols, medical politics, the presentation of the data, the failure of scientific editorship and the illogical aspects of the illness itself. In the future, the delay from the initial observation of the tunnel vision discovery to its free discussion in scientific literature may seem incongruous, particularly if the health benefits which it augurs are realized.

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.

Advances in Understanding the Fate and Effects of Oil from Accidental Spills in the United States Beginning with the Exxon Valdez.

PubMed

Short, Jeffrey W

2017-07-01

Scientific studies of the environmental effects of oil spills in the United States have produced a steady stream of unexpected discoveries countering prior and often simplistic assumptions. In this brief review, I present how major discoveries from scientific studies of oil spill effects on marine ecosystems and environments, beginning with the 1989 Exxon Valdez, have led to a more informed appreciation for the complexity and the severity of the damage that major spills can do to marine ecosystems and to an increasing recognition that our ability to evaluate those damages is very limited, resulting in a structural bias toward underestimation of adverse environmental effects.

78 FR 67371 - Center for Scientific Review; Amended Notice of Meeting

Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014

2013-11-12

... DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES National Institutes of Health Center for Scientific Review; Amended Notice of Meeting Notice is hereby given of a change in the meeting of the Drug Discovery and Mechanisms of Antimicrobial Resistance Study Section, October 17, 2013, 08:00 a.m. to October 18, 2013, 06:00...

Allies and Competitors as Enscripted Audiences in Scientific Writing.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Perry, Susan

A set of much examined scientific papers which specifically portray a controversial topic and also manifest ally-peer and competitor-peer enscripted audiences are those written by James Watson and Francis Crick concerning their discovery of the structure of deoxyribose nucleic acid (DNA). The theoretical perspective of an ally-peer and…

Cognitive Affordances of the Cyberinfrastructure for Science and Math Learning

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Martinez, Michael E.; Peters Burton, Erin E.

2011-01-01

The "cyberinfrastucture" is a broad informational network that entails connections to real-time data sensors as well as tools that permit visualization and other forms of analysis, and that facilitates access to vast scientific databases. This multifaceted network, already a major boon to scientific discovery, now shows exceptional promise in…

Where's the Beef? A Comment on Ferguson and Donnellan (2014)

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Zimmerman, Frederick J.

2014-01-01

To make a scientific contribution, a reanalysis must be firmly rooted in the identification of a clearly superior methodological innovation over the original research. By contrast, a reanalysis rooted in dissatisfaction with previous results will necessarily be biased and can only obscure scientific discoveries. The reanalysis published by…

Millennium bug

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Showstack, Randy

After global fears of computer snafus prompted billions of dollars of remedial action, the Y2K bug appears to have vanished with barely a trace. But on January l, taxonomists with the entomology division of Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) reported the discovery of an insect whose scientific and common names will be the "millennium bug."

Helping Students Write about Science without Plagiarizing

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Wheeler-Toppen, Jodi

2006-01-01

Writing is an integral part of science. The growth of scientific knowledge depends on scientists' ability to record their thoughts and discoveries for future scientists to build on. Everyday literacy is the basis of scientific literacy. In addition, writing about science helps students learn science. In order to transfer science concepts from what…

The Discovery of Water Channels (Aquaporins).

PubMed

Brown, Dennis

2017-01-01

The movement of water into and out of cells is a fundamental biological process that is essential for life. Such water movement not only regulates the activity of individual cells but also is responsible for the functioning of many organ systems and for maintaining whole body water balance. It had long been suspected that water movement across biological cell membranes was in some way enhanced or facilitated by pores or channels, but the search to identify these channels was long and tedious. As is often the case in science, the secret of the water channel was eventually discovered by chance in 1992 by Peter Agre and his colleagues at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, who were working on red blood cell membrane proteins. This "first" water channel was originally named CHIP28 and is now known as aquaporin 1. Agre received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 2003 for this discovery. There are currently 13 known aquaporins in mammals, distributed in most tissues, but many more have been identified in lower organisms and in the plant kingdom. The involvement of aquaporins in processes such as urinary concentration and body fluid homeostasis, brain function, glandular secretion, skin hydration, male fertility, hearing, vision, and most important body functions that can be imagined are now all under intense scientific scrutiny. Moreover, defects in aquaporin function have been related to various disease conditions and pathological states. This brief review will discuss their background, discovery, and function in selected bodily processes, especially focusing on hydration. © 2017 The Author(s) Published by S. Karger AG, Basel.

Use of Heuristics to Facilitate Scientific Discovery Learning in a Simulation Learning Environment in a Physics Domain

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Veermans, Koen; van Joolingen, Wouter; de Jong, Ton

2006-01-01

This article describes a study into the role of heuristic support in facilitating discovery learning through simulation-based learning. The study compares the use of two such learning environments in the physics domain of collisions. In one learning environment (implicit heuristics) heuristics are only used to provide the learner with guidance…

The Lear Jet Observatory: Fifteen Years of Discovery and Rebirth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Russell, R. W.

1984-01-01

Some of the highlights of far-infrared spectroscopy are outlined. The scientific discussion is supplemented with a few asides into technology developments. A personal look at the discovery of a particular spectral line in Orion from the Lear jet observatory is given. The rebirth of the Lear facility in time for the 1985 to 1986 apparition of Halley's comet is summarized.

The discovery of circulation and the origin of modern medicine during the italian renaissance.

PubMed

Thiene, G

1997-03-01

This historical article discusses the dawn of anatomy during the Italian Renaissance, the role of the University of Padua in the origin of modern medicine, milestones in the development of modern medicine, the discovery of circulation, Padua leadership and Galileo's persecution for his scientific theories. Copyright © 1997 Elsevier Science Inc. All rights reserved.

Year of the Solar System: New Worlds, New Discoveries and Why People Should Care (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Green, J. L.; Adams, J.; McCuistion, D.; Erickson, K. J.

2010-12-01

The next two years represents a historic time in planetary science. In order to better communicate this period to our target audiences, NASA’s Planetary Science Division created the Year of the Solar System (YSS) initiative. YSS is being designed to raise awareness, build excitement and make connections with educators, students and the American public about planetary science events and discoveries. Over the next Martian year, with our international partners we will encounter two comets; orbit spacecraft around Venus, Mercury and Vesta; continue to explore Mars with rovers; and launch robotic explorers to Jupiter, Earth’s moon, and Mars. For the first time ever NASA will launch three planetary missions within four months of each other! With the successful accomplishment of these mission events will come a series of fabulous scientific discoveries. We must take advantage of this unique opportunity to get the word out about the scientific revolution occurring in planetary science. This presentation will also discuss the importance of providing relatable material through Earth analogs, comparative visuals, interactive web-based tools and other ideas to communicate, why people should care about these exciting discoveries to come.

Truth, proof and evidence: homeopathy and the medical paradigm.

PubMed

Swayne, Jeremy

2008-04-01

The study and practice of medicine, in its most personal and intimate functions, its most sophisticated scientific and technological manifestations, and its philosophical and ethical ramifications, are central to our understanding of the human condition. Homeopathic medicine: its insights, the questions that it begs, and the scientific and philosophical challenges it presents, has a significant contribution to make to this process. To be actively and seriously engaged with homeopathy is an adventurous undertaking. It is to be engaged in exploring both human nature and the nature of the world we inhabit. And in that process we are also engaged in the pursuit of truth and the exploration of reality. This paper deals first with the layout of the playing field on which homeopathy has to compete to be taken seriously. It then discusses three concepts: reality, truth and knowledge, which are objectives for which we strive and principles that guide us in that striving. In the third part it introduces the concept of 'personal knowledge' as an essential ingredient of scientific discovery and the pursuit of truth. And finally it proposes that the homeopathic community in general, and the Faculty of Homeopathy in particular, must expand its vision with a definition of a new paradigm, the new model of healthcare and medical science to which the vision aspires.

Planetary Radar

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neish, Catherine D.; Carter, Lynn M.

2015-01-01

This chapter describes the principles of planetary radar, and the primary scientific discoveries that have been made using this technique. The chapter starts by describing the different types of radar systems and how they are used to acquire images and accurate topography of planetary surfaces and probe their subsurface structure. It then explains how these products can be used to understand the properties of the target being investigated. Several examples of discoveries made with planetary radar are then summarized, covering solar system objects from Mercury to Saturn. Finally, opportunities for future discoveries in planetary radar are outlined and discussed.