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PubMed2005

New methodology in biomedical science: methodological errors in classical science.

The following methodological errors are observed in biomedical sciences: paradigmatic ones; those of exaggerated search for certainty; science dehumanisation; deterministic and linearity; those of making conclusions; errors of reductionism or quality decomposition as well as exaggerated enlargement; errors connected with discarding odd; unexpected or awkward facts; those of exaggerated mathematization; isolation of science; the error of "common sense"; Ceteris Paribus law's ("other things being equal" laws) error; "youth" and common sense; inflexibility of criteria of the truth; errors of restricting the sources of truth and ways of searching for truth; the error connected with wisdom gained post factum; the errors of wrong interpretation of research mission; "laziness" to repeat the experiment as well as the errors of coordination of errors. One of the basic aims for the present-day scholars of biomedicine is, therefore, mastering the new non-linear, holistic, complex way of thinking that will, undoubtedly, enable one to make less errors doing research. The aim of "scientific travelling" will be achieved with greater probability if the "travelling" itself is performed with great probability.

Biological Science Disciplines↗
PubMed2006

[Research on recent science: the example of molecular biology].

The essay thematizes historiographical problems of research on recent history of science on the example of the history of molecular biology. First, a short survey of the history of molecular biology and its possible periodization is given. Second, the parallel development of the work of historians on the emergence of molecular biology is analyzed. Finally, a suggestion for further historical research is made that takes into account three different time perspectives: short range, middle range, and long-term.

Biological Science Disciplines↗
PubMed2005

Modelling biological complexity: a physical scientist's perspective.

We discuss the modern approaches of complexity and self-organization to understanding dynamical systems and how these concepts can inform current interest in systems biology. From the perspective of a physical scientist, it is especially interesting to examine how the differing weights given to philosophies of science in the physical and biological sciences impact the application of the study of complexity. We briefly describe how the dynamics of the heart and circadian rhythms, canonical examples of systems biology, are modelled by sets of nonlinear coupled differential equations, which have to be solved numerically. A major difficulty with this approach is that all the parameters within these equations are not usually known. Coupled models that include biomolecular detail could help solve this problem. Coupling models across large ranges of length- and time-scales is central to describing complex systems and therefore to biology. Such coupling may be performed in at least two different ways, which we refer to as hierarchical and hybrid multiscale modelling. While limited progress has been made in the former case, the latter is only beginning to be addressed systematically. These modelling methods are expected to bring numerous benefits to biology, for example, the properties of a system could be studied over a wider range of length- and time-scales, a key aim of systems biology. Multiscale models couple behaviour at the molecular biological level to that at the cellular level, thereby providing a route for calculating many unknown parameters as well as investigating the effects at, for example, the cellular level, of small changes at the biomolecular level, such as a genetic mutation or the presence of a drug. The modelling and simulation of biomolecular systems is itself very computationally intensive; we describe a recently developed hybrid continuum-molecular model, HybridMD, and its associated molecular insertion algorithm, which point the way towards the integration of molecular and more coarse-grained representations of matter. The scope of such integrative approaches to complex systems research is circumscribed by the computational resources available. Computational grids should provide a step jump in the scale of these resources; we describe the tools that RealityGrid, a major UK e-Science project, has developed together with our experience of deploying complex models on nascent grids. We also discuss the prospects for mathematical approaches to reducing the dimensionality of complex networks in the search for universal systems-level properties, illustrating our approach with a description of the origin of life according to the RNA world view.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Functional dynamics of living systems and genetic engineering.

The discussion on Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO's) has been centred mainly on the nature and effects on economy, human health, environment, of the few transgenic plant lines present in the market in the last eight years. On the contrary, the present paper starts with a discussion of some of the relevant changes in our basic knowledge of the structure and dynamics of living systems in the last twenty years. Contemporary Biology is then compared with what may be called the "modern paradigm" of life sciences on which present day GMO's are conceptually based. Technical, environmental, social and economic problems deriving from the unexpected, persistent prevalence of the old fashioned modern vision of life in the "spirit of time" will be thoroughly discussed with a particular attention to the virtualisation process of GMO's and the effects of the prevalence over economic, social, environmental reality of their symbolic values.

Animals↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Prospective life-science payloads.

A viable spacelab programme is based on the thesis that biomedical specialists require a quantifiable, and possibly mechanistic, understanding of the significant changes observed in crew, in and after manned space flights. Only then can prophylaxis or atraumatic reversal be achieved (with potentially an added use to ameliorate qualitatively similar disease aspects on Earth). This approach could justify national funding to promote lead-up ground-based research as well as research and development for special equipment, of which the "spin-off" into clinical practice could well precede its first use in Spacelab. The requirement for "applied expediency" arises from the watershed met early in the evolution of a life-sciences programme. Initially, the facility of space flight provoked numerous valid experiments designed to test for, or quantitate, gravity-dependent mechanisms and their interaction with other agents, radiation, vibration, or absence of triggers for rhythmic patterns. In parallel, measurable parameters of man's function in space were being monitored, primarily to promote survival by remedial action when available. Monitoring data were then developed to find a critical mechanism feasible to testing. Often the rationale for such tests and experiments was that "man was there" and could, moreover, attend to several biological experiments in space! The watershed appeared when man in a Spacelab was shown as a hazard to the instrumentation, cleanliness, accuracy, thermal control, weight limits, etc. essential to the other disciplines. Other than the life sciences only the technological requirements of materials processing required a manned spacelab! So, life scientists have needed to rethink their payloads, and their constrictions, to plan for compatible load sharing. A composite of proposed biomedical projects related to apparently unanswered etiology of observed changes in returning astronauts will be used to illustrate the evolution of and possible answers to sample problems. The principles outlined, their moderation by expediency (with the untouched upon need for the enthusiastic involvement of biomedical potential in space projects) should remain our guidelines. This is in spite of the expected obsolescence of these specific projects within the next decade.

Aerospace Medicine↗
PubMed2000

How can plants tell which way is up?

Many people think of plants as essentially sessile organisms that do not actively respond to their environment. What could be further from the truth! In fact, plants are capable of a variety of movements, including the dramatic nastic responses (such as Venus fly trap closure) and the less sensational tropisms. These latter movements are directed growth responses to some type of external stimulus such as gravity (gravitropism, formerly known as geotropism) or light (phototropism). This paper describes some interesting exercises that are derived from recent work, including research that has led to experiments performed on two Space Shuttle missions in 1997 (Kiss et al. 1998). The study of tropisms can be a useful way to introduce students to plant biology in high school and introductory college courses. In our experience, students are fascinated by plant movements when they are presented in lectures and find laboratory experiences on this topic quite engaging. Laboratory work on plant tropisms can also be used to introduce important concepts in science such as hypothesis testing, quantitative analysis, and the use of statistics. The laboratory exercises described in this paper involve the higher plant Arabidopsis thaliana, which has become an important organism in molecular biology research and is the focus of an international plant genome project. Based on the material presented here, a number of plant gravitropism laboratory exercises with Arabidopsis that are simple in terms of equipment/materials and procedures can be developed. These exercises are robust in that they work well even in the hands of introductory students, and they can be expanded according to the individual instructor's needs. This paper describes two exercises that have been performed by beginning college students, and these exercises can easily be performed in biology classes in most high school settings.

Arabidopsis↗
PubMed1991

An open system network for the biological sciences.

A description of an open system, distributed computing environment for the Biological Sciences is presented. This system utilizes a transparent interface in a computer network using NCS to implement an application system for molecular biologists to perform various processing activities from their local workstation. This system accepts requests for the services of a remote database server, located across the network, to perform all of the database searches needed to support the activities of the user. This database access is totally transparent to the user of the system and it appears, to the user, that all activities are being carried out on the local workstation. This system is a prototype for a much more extensive system being built to support the research efforts in the Biological Sciences at UMC.

Biological Science Disciplines↗
PubMed1997

What should biomedical sciences education in dental schools achieve?

Education for the first professional degree in dentistry is intended to produce graduates capable of offering a wide range of high quality dental services to the general public. More than that, it is expected that graduates will be firmly grounded in the scientific basis for their professional practices and be equipped to evaluate critically and integrate selectively new scientific findings that emerge during their professional lifetimes. In addition, they are expected to be able to work effectively with diverse patient populations and to conduct their practices with a high level of sensitivity to the ethical and psychosocial dimensions of patient care. Indiana University School of Dentistry has undergone a process of curriculum reform that has yielded a new first professional degree program. Its hallmarks are large, multidisciplinary courses (seven courses in the first two years) that are taught using a variety of strategies including problem-based learning in small groups as well as lectures. The biomedical sciences curriculum is concept-based. Students will demonstrate their understanding of science concepts and methods by applying them to the solution of research and health care problems. Biomedical sciences will be taught at a level that will provide a comprehensive understanding of the functioning of the human body in health and disease, allow students to assimilate the coming revolution in molecular medicine, and selectively use new diagnostics, preventives, and therapeutics that evolve as molecular biological technologies yield solutions to current medical and dental problems. Using the biomedical sciences curriculum as a vehicle, we will also achieve the goal of training dentists as critical thinkers, problem solvers, lifelong learners, and ethical practitioners, skillful in peer and self-evaluation, and cognizant of the psychosocial as well as biomedical perspective of health and disease.

Biological Science Disciplines↗
PubMed2001

[What should be shared and inherited among colleague for space life science].

Responsibility of our society is discussed with a special emphasis on the basis of modern science and the history of its development. Space life science stands on firm core research subjects, such as the origin of life or the universal law of living system. Even having this advantage, our scientific discipline has failed to bloom at the level correspondent to its significance. In order to keep the right track, the action of academic organization might be required repetitively to define the strategy of research.

Biological Science Disciplines↗
PubMed1997

[Scientific publications from 10 Central European countries in the leading foreign periodicals].

The life science publication output of ten mid-size European countries was investigated in the outstanding foreign journals of 37 disciplines. The activities corrected with the populations show differences of order magnitude. The publication activities of the late communist countries in the leading foreign scientific journals are far below the average, especially in the field of clinical medicine.

Biological Science Disciplines↗
PubMed2003

Attrition and translation.

The recently published NIH Roadmap proposes that public-sector science should place increased emphasis on the development of new therapeutics and diagnostics based on the fruits of fundamental research. Such "translational research" activities, traditionally the province of the private sector, have long been compromised by high rates of attrition (failure during the course of preclinical or clinical development of therapeutics). Attrition has led to growing financial costs, as well as opportunity costs. The new focus offers a way to reverse these trends, especially if the scientific community can improve on its ability to reconcile molecular genetic research with integrative organ- and organism-based research.

Access to Information↗
PubMed1992

Challenges of space medical operations and life sciences management.

The Kennedy Space Center (KSC) has been the premier launch and landing site for America's space program since the early 1960s. Visitors are cognizant of space vehicles, processing facilities and launch pads which are treasured national resources. However, most are unaware of the unique organization which supports launch and landing activities and manages the center's occupational medicine, environmental health, ecological and environmental monitoring functions, as well as human and plant research programs. Management of this multifaceted organization can be complex because funding its different functions comes from a number of sources. Additionally the diverse disciplines of personnel present a special challenge in maintaining professional competencies while assuring efficiency in cyclical operations. This article explains the organization's structure and reviews some of its accomplishments.

Adaptation, Physiological↗
PubMed2001

Nutrition: a reservoir for integrative science.

In the last twenty years, powerful new molecular techniques were introduced that made it possible to advance knowledge in human biology using a reductionist approach. Now, the need for scientists to deal with complexity should drive a movement toward an integrationist approach to science. We propose that nutritional science is one of the best reservoirs for this approach. The American Society for Nutritional Sciences can play an important role by developing and delivering a cogent message that convinces the scientific establishment that nutrition fills this valuable niche. The society must develop a comprehensive strategy to develop our image as the reservoir for life sciences integration. Our efforts can start with our national meeting and publications, with the research initiatives for which we advocate, with our graduate training programs and with the public relations image we project for ourselves. Defining the image and future directions of nutrition as the discipline that can integrate scientific knowledge from the cell and molecule to the whole body and beyond to populations can be the most important task that our society undertakes. If we do not effectively meet this challenge, a golden opportunity will pass to others and nutritional scientists will be left to follow them.

Biological Science Disciplines↗
PubMed1993

Graduate teaching in principles of scientific integrity.

Training in the responsible conduct of research in the biomedical sciences is on its way to being a standard component in the graduate biomedical curriculum. Emphasis in this area has been catalyzed by certain requirements for such training imposed by the National Institutes of Health and by an increased awareness of relevant issues created by the publicity and discussion of incidents of scientific misconduct. The authors describe the development and formalization of a course about the responsible conduct of science for students in the biomedical disciplines at Virginia Commonwealth University. In addition, they discuss general considerations of course content important in teaching scientific integrity; examine the use of published resource materials and documents from professional societies, institutions, states, and the federal government as teaching tools; and describe the importance of case studies as vehicles for teaching scientific integrity.

Biological Science Disciplines↗