The London and Edinburgh philosophical magazine and journal of science.

3rd ser. : v.13 (1838 : July-Dec.)

The London and Edinburgh philosophical magazine and journal of science.

3rd ser. : v.6 (1835 : Jan.-June)

The Analyst : monthly journal of science, literature, and the fine arts.

v. 5 (1836-1837)

The Analyst : monthly journal of science, literature, and the fine arts.

v. 3 (1835-1836)

El naturalismo científico en la obra de John Tyndall: Fragments of science

El análisis de los ensayos de John Tyndall, Fragments of Science, permite identificar la teoría atómica, el principio de conservación de la energía y el evolucionismo darwinista como los elementos constitutivos del andamiaje teórico del naturalismo científico. Así, en su ensayo “On the Study of Physics” se resumen sus brillantes facetas como educador y divulgador científico, desarrolladas fundamentalmente en el seno de la Royal Institution. En la lectura “On Force”, Tyndall da por finalizada la controversia Joule- Mayer sobre la primacía del descubrimiento del principio de conservación de la energía, a la vez que plantea algunas de las claves de la lucha por el liderazgo en el seno de la comunidad científica. El discurso presidencial ante la British Association de 1874 en Belfast ejemplifica el coraje de Tyndall en su empeño por demarcar los territorios de la ciencia y la religión, a la luz de los nuevos desafíos científicos. En el trasfondo subyacen los procesos de secularización de la sociedad y de profesionalización de una comunidad científica heterogénea. El compromiso cívico que Tyndall demuestra en “The Belfast Address” es digno corolario de una vida y obra que permite situarlo como paradigma de lo que, en la terminología de Turner, se ha dado en denominar científico público.

Neural Correlates of the Severity of Cocaine, Heroin, Alcohol, MDMA and Cannabis Use in Polysubstance Abusers: A Resting-PET Brain Metabolism Study

INTRODUCTION Functional imaging studies of addiction following protracted abstinence have not been systematically conducted to look at the associations between severity of use of different drugs and brain dysfunction. Findings from such studies may be relevant to implement specific interventions for treatment. The aim of this study was to examine the association between resting-state regional brain metabolism (measured with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography (FDG-PET) and the severity of use of cocaine, heroin, alcohol, MDMA and cannabis in a sample of polysubstance users with prolonged abstinence from all drugs used. METHODS Our sample consisted of 49 polysubstance users enrolled in residential treatment. We conducted correlation analyses between estimates of use of cocaine, heroin, alcohol, MDMA and cannabis and brain metabolism (BM) (using Statistical Parametric Mapping voxel-based (VB) whole-brain analyses). In all correlation analyses conducted for each of the drugs we controlled for the co-abuse of the other drugs used. RESULTS The analysis showed significant negative correlations between severity of heroin, alcohol, MDMA and cannabis use and BM in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and temporal cortex. Alcohol use was further associated with lower metabolism in frontal premotor cortex and putamen, and stimulants use with parietal cortex. CONCLUSIONS Duration of use of different drugs negatively correlated with overlapping regions in the DLPFC, whereas severity of cocaine, heroin and alcohol use selectively impact parietal, temporal, and frontal-premotor/basal ganglia regions respectively. The knowledge of these associations could be useful in the clinical practice since different brain alterations have been associated with different patterns of execution that may affect the rehabilitation of these patients.

Determinants of science-based cooperation: evidence in a sample of small and micro firms

We study the determining factors of cience-based cooperation in the case of small and micro firms. In this research, we propose an analytical framework based on the resource-based view of the firm and we identify a set of organisational characteristics, which we classify as internal, external and structural factors. Each factor can be linked to at least one reason, from the firm¿s point of view, to cooperate with universities and public research centres. Each reason can, in turn, be used as an indicator of a firm¿s organisational needs or organisational capacities. In order to validate the theoretical model, we estimate a logistic regression that models the propensity to participate in science-based cooperation activities within a sample of 285 small and micro firms located in Barcelona. The results show the key role played by the absorptive capacity of new and small companies.

Nuclear DNA content variation in life history phases of the Bonnemaisoniaceae (Rhodophyta)

Nuclear DNA content in gametophytes and sporophytes or the prostrate phases of the following species of Bonnemaisoniaceae (Asparagopsis armata, Asparagopsis taxiformis, Bonnemaisonia asparagoides, Bonnemaisonia clavata and Bonnemaisonia hamifera) were estimated by image analysis and static microspectrophotometry using the DNA-localizing fluorochrome DAPI (4′, 6-diamidino-2-phenylindole, dilactate) and the chicken erythrocytes standard. These estimates expand on the Kew database of DNA nuclear content. DNA content values for 1C nuclei in the gametophytes (spermatia and vegetative cells) range from 0.5 pg to 0.8 pg, and for 2C nuclei in the sporophytes or the prostrate phases range from 1.15-1.7 pg. Although only the 2C and 4C values were observed in the sporophyte or the prostrate phase, in the vegetative cells of the gametophyte the values oscillated from 1C to 4C, showing the possible start of endopolyploidy. The results confirm the alternation of nuclear phases in these Bonnemaisoniaceae species, in those that have tetrasporogenesis, as well as those that have somatic meiosis. The availability of a consensus phylogenetic tree for Bonnemaisoniaceae has opened the way to determine evolutionary trends in DNA contents. Both the estimated genome sizes and the published chromosome numbers for Bonnemaisoniaceae suggest a narrow range of values consistent with the conservation of an ancestral genome.

Natural effusions: Mrs J. Howorth’s English translation of Albrecht von Haller’s Die Alpen

Albrecht von Haller's Die Alpen [The Alps] was an immensely popular piece of early eighteenth-century poetry, yet it took more than half a century to be translated into English. In this article I examine Mrs J. Howorth's prose rendering of it in her translated collection The Poems of Baron Haller (1794) and analyse how the translation itself reflects late-eighteenth-century scientific, political and aesthetic concerns, notably through the influence of Linnaeus and Jean-Jacques Rousseau. Secondly, I explore how Howorth constructed a public image of herself as a female consumer and producer of botanical literature, and argue that her translation constitutes an early example of British women's increasing engagement in science through the activity of translation.

Children's preconceptions of science: how these can be used in teaching

This paper focuses on young children’s initial ideas about science prior to any teaching and discusses teachers’ identification of these ‘preconceptions’ when teaching science in the early years. The research focuses on early years teaching in public and private kindergartens with children from three to five. The area of the children’s preconceptions has been extensively investigated by other researchers in the past. However, research focusing on children’s preconceptions and how teachers work with these in the early years is still limited in comparison, especially within Cypriot context. A case study was employed which facilitated in-depth investigation employing different methods of data collection including interviews and observations. The results indicate that teachers tend to avoid identification of the children’s preconceptions when planning and teaching science. This suggests a lack of appreciation of the children’s preconceptions and the consequences when they are not acknowledged. To help teachers respond to the children’s preconceptions, this paper provides a number of suggestion on how to identify children’s preconceptions.

Coordinated, network-based research as a strategic component of science in Brazil

Scientific research plays a fundamental role in the health and development of any society, since all technological advances depend ultimately on scientific discovery and the generation of wealth is intricately dependent on technological advance. Due to their importance, science and technology generally occupy important places in the hierarchical structure of developed societies, and they receive considerable public and private investment. Publicly funded science is almost entirely devoted to discovery, and it is administered and structured in a very similar way throughout the world. Particularly in the biological sciences, this structure, which is very much centered on the individual scientist and his own hypothesis-based investigations, may not be the best suited for either discovery in the context of complex biological systems, or for the efficient advancement of fundamental knowledge into practical utility. The adoption of other organizational paradigms, which permit a more coordinated and interactive research structure, may provide important opportunities to accelerate the scientific process and further enhance its relevance and contribution to society. The key alternative is a structure that incorporates larger organizational units to tackle larger and more complex problems. One example of such a unit is the research network. Brazil has utilized such networks to great effect in genome sequencing projects, demonstrating their relevance to the Brazilian research community and opening the possibility of their wider utility in the future.

Manual for the compilation of science and technology indicators in the Caribbean

Includes bibliography

Windows into Elementary Mathematics:Alternate public images of mathematics and mathematicians

Research on students’ (and teachers’) images of mathematics and mathematicians reveals a number of stereotypical images, most of which are negative. In this paper we present an overview of some these images and stereotypes and consider the questions: (1) how might the image of mathematics and mathematicians be a problem in mathematics education, and (2) what can be done to remedy the situation? Also, we consider an outreach project called Windows into Elementary Mathematics. In this project mathematicians are interviewed about their perspectives on elementary mathematics topics and their interviews are videotaped and are posted online, along with supporting images and interactive content. In this context we consider the questions: (3) what is the Windows project about, and (4) how might it offer an alternate (and perhaps better) image of mathematics and mathematicians? Lastly, we share an example where activities from the project were used in a math-for-teachers course.

[The image of dentistry. Part 2: The ideal dentist]

Our second part of the publication entitled "The image of Dentistry" discusses the properties that correspond to the ideal image of dentistry or even the ideal scientist such as the management of the dental practice, the dentist-patient relationship and the appropriate handling of the patient's emotions such as anxiety or pain. The quality of treatment and the friendly, honest and compassionate attitude of the dentist can immediately affect the image of dentistry. Therefore, the dental professional must try to keep the balance between practice profit, staffing and patient well-being in order to fulfill both social and public health responsibilities.

[The image of the dentist. Part 1: Results of a literature search]

The dentist enjoys a high degree of professional independence. He is seen as reliable and productive at work while carrying a big responsibility. His foremost social responsibility is to treat patients suffering from toothache and to promote oral health prevention for all people, regardless of their social status. At the same time, the dentist is prestigious, respected and honest. Comparable to other professions, however, dentistry is under public pressure. Media often associate the dental profession with negative properties such as sadism, immorality, or madness. Does the image of the dental profession suffer in this context? Our first article discusses the environmental factors which are identifiable to influence both each dentist and ultimately the whole image of dentistry.