The Legal Regulation of Floats and Gliders—In Quest of a New Regime?

This article analyzes the legal status of unmanned instruments (particularly, floats and gliders) for observation purposes in the ocean environment. These new kinds of instruments are being deployed by the thousands into the oceans, not the least as part of the Argo Project of the International Oceanographic Commission. Their uncontrolled drifting has raised legal questions, especially when such instruments enter waters subject to the jurisdiction of foreign states. The authors argue that the current international legal framework is insufficient to address the pertinent issues, and that a new legal regime is needed.     

Ernst Mayr: Biologist-historian

Ernst Mayr's historical writings began in 1935 with his essay Bernard Altum and the territory theory and have continued up through his monumentalGrowth of Biological Thought (1982) and hisOne Long Argument: Charles Darwin and the Genesis of Modern Evolutionary Thought (1991). Sweeping in their scope, forceful in their interpretation, enlisted on behalf of the clarification of modern concepts and of a broad view of biology, these writings provide both insights and challenges for the historian of biology. Mayr's general intellectual formation was guided by the GermanBildung ideal, with its emphasis on synthetic and comprehensive knowledge. His understanding of how to write history was inspired further by the example of the historian of ideas Arthur Lovejoy. Some strengths and limitations of this approach are explored here through attention to Mayr's treatment of the French biologist J.-B. Lamarck. It is contended that Mayr's contributions to the history of biology are not restricted to his own very substantial historical writings but also include his encouragement of other scholars, his development of an invaluable archive of scientific correspondence, and his insistence that historians who write about evolution and related subjects acquire an adequate understanding of the principles of Darwinian biology.This paper was originally delivered at the biennial meeting of the International Society for the History, Philosophy, and Social Studies of Biology, held in Brandeis in July 1993, in the special session organized by John Greene on Ernst Mayr's contributions to systematics, evolutionary theory, and the history and philosophy of biology. The paper is presented here with only slight modifications of the original, oral presentation. As indicated in the text, a full assessment of Mayr's historical work, including situating that work in the context of Mayr's other work and contemporary developments in the history of science, would require a much more extensive study than I have been able to undertake here.     

An unethical trial and the politicization of the COVID-19 pandemic in Brazil: The case of Prevent Senior

The Brazilian Federal Senate created a Parliamentary Inquiry Commission (CPI) to investigate the Bolsonaro government's irregularities in the management of the COVID-19 pandemic. One of the cases that drew attention was the research conducted by Prevent Senior, a private health insurance company, on the early treatment of COVID-19. The article analyzes the scientific validity of the research and the ethical problems related to its implementation. It is based on analysis of Prevent Senior's report of the clinical study, the Brazilian and USA clinical trial registries, the Senate's CPI report, and on the information reported by the media. This case of scientific fraud and political-ideological bias exemplifies how Prevent Senior, using a questionable protocol to enhance its reputation and gain government support, was instrumental in building the “early treatment” narrative for COVID-19, and shows how it served as a basis for a government public policy that promoted the use of ineffective drugs.     

Focus: Zoonotic Disease: The Practice of Science as the Pursuit of Knowledge

Choosing what scientific project to pursue is the most important decision that scientists at all levels continually face. Time devoted to a project can further desirable knowledge and advance a career or cost years in lost opportunity. Knowing what to consider before embarking on a specific scientific journey, as well as when to drop a project and change course, offers a way of practicing science that keeps us mindful of what is relevant at a given time and place while preserving our freedom to explore the most exciting findings. This article explores both the pressures that restrict this delicate decision-making process and the processes that scientists can apply to overcome those pressures. Above all else, as it turns out, we must still love the pursuit of knowledge for its own sake – and this love directly impacts our results.     

Whiteness studies and laypeople's engagements with race and genetics

This paper proposes a research strategy for examining laypeople's thoughts and reflections on innovations in the science of race and genetics. While some sociologists have shown a reluctance to engage in such discussions, this paper argues that social scientists need to take such views seriously. To do this, the paper brings together an anthropological approach to the study of scientific literacy and recent scholarship in the field of Whiteness studies. The combining of these literatures raises a set of interesting and sometimes uncomfortable questions about the ways in which social scientists and research participants contribute to the reproduction of White power and dominance in Western societies.     

DPSN：扩增子测序引物标准化命名数据库

扩增子测序是目前用来衡量微生物多样性时使用最广泛的测序手段。因为其扩增的需要,所以选择合适的特定引物是必需的,且其对结果影响甚大。probeBase是目前最常用的记录了人工校正后的rRNA探针和引物的数据库。然而,我们发现probeBase中63.58%的引物存在不同程度的注释错误,包括命名重复、命名无规律以及匹配位置错误等。更严重的是,目前主流的短命名方式不具有唯一性,导致对应关系模糊不清。因此,我们定义了更简单可行的短命名标准并开发了新的引物科学命名数据库（DPSN）,并对probeBase里的所有173个引物进行了校正,并新加入了4个新的改良引物以及38个针对大亚基的新引物。新的短命名规则包含3个基本要素：在正链5''端的位置、版本号和方向。此外在前面加入了识别大/小亚基以及主要针对的菌界的标志。使用DPSN,可以快速查找感兴趣区域对应的引物并比较不同版本的差异选择合适的引物。同时还能建立命名与序列的明确一一对应关系,避免歧义。     

Modeling mate-finding behavior of the swarming polychaete,Nereis succinea,with TangoInSilico,a scientific orkflow-based simulation system for sexual searching

Summary

Pheromones can be used as attractants for the opposite sex in many environments; however, little is known about the search strategies employed in responding to pheromones in the marine environment. The spawning behavior of males of the polychaete Nereis succinea is known to be triggered at close range by a high concentration (>～10^?7 M) of pheromone, cysteine glutathione disulfide (CSSG), released by females. Since CSSG also causes acceleration of swimming and increased turning, in addition to eliciting ejaculation, we proposed the hypothesis that these behaviors elicited by low concentrations of pheromone can be used by males to find females. The current study develops a computer simulation model of male and female N. succinea behavior for testing whether male responses to low concentrations of CSSG can facilitate finding females. Video recording of female swimming behavior in the field showed spontaneous loops, spirals, and circles that have been incorporated into the model. The scientific workflow paradigm within which the computer model has been developed also incorporates a data provenance system to enable systematic replay and testing of responses to individual parameters. Output of the model shows complex turning behavior leading to successful mating encounters at concentrations as low as 3×10^?9 M CSSG. Behavior resembling the output of the model was recorded in field observations. Application of the model in the future will be used to determine what pheromone concentrations produce significant increases in the probability of mating encounters.     

Using an Activity to Simulate the Dangers of Multitasking with Technology while Walking

People are increasingly trying to multitask while walking. Text messaging while walking is a significant area for concern. The number of text messages sent is expected to be more than 8 trillion in 2012. Texting is becoming so commonplace that people use this technology while engaged in other activities. The dangers of multitasking have hit the streets as people are becoming involved in more accidents while walking as they text on mobile phones. This simulation activity measures a student's ability to multitask by texting and walking. The activity simulates walking in the real world and is best suited for middle school students. Additional activities, after completing the simulation, will challenge middle school students to learn more about multitasking globally through scientific inquiry researched on the Internet. The students will use language arts skills to generate a report or presentation to share with classmates. Their findings will give the entire class a cultural perspective on accident statistical comparisons between different countries.     

序言Ⅱ 冬虫夏草:从科学到产业

作为名贵传统药材,冬虫夏草的研究方兴未艾。无性型的确定、学名的变更和"一种真菌一个名称"确定了冬虫夏草菌为Ophiocordyceps sinensis;独特的分布、悠久的历史、公众的认可及地方经济的重要作用等被推荐为"国菌";"虫草产业发展金湖宣言"从产、学、研倡议"尊重科学、利好产业"的发展思路。随着科学研究深入和产业技术发展,冬虫夏草培植获得成功。本专刊对冬虫夏草培植相关基础研究和关键技术进行了总结,对寄主昆虫选育及规模化饲养关键技术到冬虫夏草菌菌种筛选、侵染途径和培植以及培植产品与野生冬虫夏草化学成分和蛋白质谱比较等进行了论述。冬虫夏草培植的成功,不论从科学还是产业的角度,都具有里程碑式的意义。