scholarly journals Memory, modelling and Marr: a commentary on Marr (1971) ‘Simple memory: a theory of archicortex’

2015 ◽  
Vol 370 (1666) ◽  
pp. 20140383 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. Willshaw ◽  
P. Dayan ◽  
R. G. M. Morris
Keyword(s):  
Brain Structure ◽  
Royal Society ◽  
Partial Information ◽  
Hippocampal Formation ◽  
Theoretical Work ◽  
Theoretical Neuroscience ◽  
Memory Modelling ◽  
Contemporary Context ◽  
350Th Anniversary

David Marr's theory of the archicortex, a brain structure now more commonly known as the hippocampus and hippocampal formation, is an epochal contribution to theoretical neuroscience. Addressing the problem of how information about 10 000 events could be stored in the archicortex during the day so that they can be retrieved using partial information and then transferred to the neocortex overnight, the paper presages a whole wealth of later empirical and theoretical work, proving impressively prescient. Despite this impending success, Marr later apparently grew dissatisfied with this style of modelling, but he went on to make seminal suggestions that continue to resonate loudly throughout the field of theoretical neuroscience. We describe Marr's theory of the archicortex and his theory of theories, setting them into their original and a contemporary context, and assessing their impact. This commentary was written to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society .

scholarly journals Foreseeing fates: a commentary on Manton (1928) ‘On the embryology of a mysid crustacean, Hemimysis lamornae ’

2015 ◽  
Vol 370 (1666) ◽  
pp. 20140381
Author(s):  
Michael Akam
Keyword(s):  
Twentieth Century ◽  
Embryonic Development ◽  
Graduate Student ◽  
Royal Society ◽  
Subsequent Work ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Early Training ◽  
350Th Anniversary

Sidnie Manton became best known for her work on arthropod locomotion, and for proposing radical views on the evolution of arthropods that were accepted for a generation. However, her early training was as an embryologist, and the work that she carried out at the beginning of her career still stands as one of the major twentieth century contributions to the study of crustacean embryology. Here, I review her first major paper, largely completed while she was a graduate student, describing embryonic development in Hemimysis lamornae , a small shrimp-like animal found in the seas around the UK. The clarity of her writing and the quality of her figures set a standard that laid the basis for subsequent work, and although not all of her conclusions have stood the test of time, they remain a standard reference for work today. This commentary was written to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society .

scholarly journals From plant extract to molecular panacea: a commentary on Stone (1763) ‘An account of the success of the bark of the willow in the cure of the agues’

2015 ◽  
Vol 370 (1666) ◽  
pp. 20140317 ◽  
Author(s):  
John N. Wood
Keyword(s):  
Eighteenth Century ◽  
Royal Society ◽  
Modern Medicine ◽  
Bark Extract ◽  
Late Eighteenth Century ◽  
Late Eighteenth ◽  
Willow Bark ◽  
Inflammatory Drugs ◽  
Anti Inflammatory ◽  
350Th Anniversary

The application of aspirin-like drugs in modern medicine is very broad, encompassing the treatment of inflammation, pain and a variety of cardiovascular conditions. Although anecdotal accounts of willow bark extract as an anti-inflammatory drug have occurred since written records began (for example by Hippocrates), the first convincing demonstration of a potent anti-pyretic effect of willow bark containing salicylates was made by the English cleric Edward Stone in the late eighteenth century. Here, we discuss the route to optimizing and understanding the mechanism of action of anti-inflammatory drugs that have their origins in Stone's seminal study, ‘An account of the success of the bark of the willow in the cure of agues’. This commentary was written to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society .

scholarly journals Deep questions about the nature of early-life signals: a commentary on Lister (1673) ‘A description of certain stones figured like plants’

2015 ◽  
Vol 373 (2039) ◽  
pp. 20140254 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martin Brasier
Keyword(s):  
Metabolic Pathways ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Royal Society ◽  
Early Earth ◽  
John Ray ◽  
Living Fossils ◽  
Plant Remains ◽  
Carboniferous Limestone ◽  
Pentagonal Symmetry ◽  
350Th Anniversary

In 1673, Martin Lister explored the preservation of ‘St Cuthbert's beads’ plus other fossil crinoid remains from approximately 350 Ma Carboniferous limestone in northern England. He used taphonomic evidence (transport, disarticulation, burial and cementation) to infer an origin as petrified plant remains, in contrast with his views expressed elsewhere that fossil mollusc shells could have formed abiogenically, by ‘plastic forces’ within rock. Lister also observed pentagonal symmetry, now seen as characteristic of living echinoderm skeletons. A postscript from John Ray supports Lister's ‘taphonomic’ observations and accepts the biogenicity of these fossil ‘vegetables’. Ray then concluded with a prophecy, predicting the discovery of comparable living fossils in remote ocean waters. These early discussions compare with current debates about the character of candidate microfossils from the early Earth and Mars. Interesting biomorphs are now tested against the abiogenic null hypotheses, making use of features such as those pioneered by Lister, including evidence for geological context, rules for growth and taphonomy. Advanced techniques now allow us to extend this list of criteria to include the nanoscale mapping of biology-like behaviour patterns plus metabolic pathways. Whereas the science of palaeobiology once began with tests for biogenicity, the same is now true for geobiology and astrobiology. This commentary was written to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society .

scholarly journals Learned modesty and the first lady's comet: a commentary on Caroline Herschel (1787) ‘An account of a new comet’

2015 ◽  
Vol 373 (2039) ◽  
pp. 20140210 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily Winterburn
Keyword(s):  
Solar System ◽  
Royal Society ◽  
Domestic Life ◽  
Early Step ◽  
350Th Anniversary

Long before women were allowed to become Fellows of the Royal Society, or obtain university degrees, one woman managed to get her voice heard, her discovery verified and her achievement celebrated. That woman was Caroline Herschel, who, as this paper will discuss, managed to find ways to fit comet discoveries into her domestic life, and present them in ways that were socially acceptable. Caroline lived in a time when strict rules dictated how women (and men) should behave and present themselves and their work. Caroline understood these rules, and used them carefully as she announced each discovery, starting with this comet which she found in 1786. Caroline discovered her comets at a time when astronomers were mainly concerned with position, identifying where things were and how they were moving. Since her discoveries, research has moved on, as astronomers, using techniques from other fields, and most recently sending experiments into space, have learned more about what comets are and what they can tell us about our solar system. Caroline's paper marks one small, early step in this much bigger journey to understand comets. This commentary was written to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society .

scholarly journals Extraordinary fossils reveal the nature of Cambrian life: a commentary on Whittington (1975) ‘The enigmatic animal Opabinia regalis , Middle Cambrian, Burgess Shale, British Columbia’

2015 ◽  
Vol 370 (1666) ◽  
pp. 20140313 ◽  
Author(s):  
Derek E. G. Briggs
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Royal Society ◽  
Early Evolution ◽  
Cambrian Explosion ◽  
Burgess Shale ◽  
Critical Interval ◽  
Middle Cambrian ◽  
Early Ordovician ◽  
History Of ◽  
350Th Anniversary

Harry Whittington's 1975 monograph on Opabinia was the first to highlight how some of the Burgess Shale animals differ markedly from those that populate today's oceans. Categorized by Stephen J. Gould as a ‘weird wonder’ ( Wonderful life , 1989) Opabinia , together with other unusual Burgess Shale fossils, stimulated ongoing debates about the early evolution of the major animal groups and the nature of the Cambrian explosion. The subsequent discovery of a number of other exceptionally preserved fossil faunas of Cambrian and early Ordovician age has significantly augmented the information available on this critical interval in the history of life. Although Opabinia initially defied assignment to any group of modern animals, it is now interpreted as lying below anomalocaridids on the stem leading to the living arthropods. This commentary was written to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society .

scholarly journals How does your crystal grow? A commentary on Burton, Cabrera and Frank (1951) ‘The growth of crystals and the equilibrium structure of their surfaces’

2015 ◽  
Vol 373 (2039) ◽  
pp. 20140230 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. P. Woodruff
Keyword(s):  
Experimental Data ◽  
Surface Science ◽  
Royal Society ◽  
Computer Modelling ◽  
Equilibrium Structure ◽  
Analytic Approach ◽  
Original Publication ◽  
Modern Methods ◽  
Classic Paper ◽  
350Th Anniversary

The key ideas presented in the classic paper ‘The growth of crystals and the equilibrium structure of their surfaces’ by W. K. Burton, N. Cabrera and F. C. Frank, published in Philosophical Transactions A in 1951, are summarized and put in the context of both the state of knowledge at the time of publication and the considerable amount of work since that time that has built on and developed these ideas. Many of these developments exploit the huge increase in the capabilities of computer modelling that complement the original analytic approach of the paper. The dearth of relevant experimental data at the time of the original publication has been transformed by the application of increasingly sophisticated modern methods of surface science. This commentary was written to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society .

scholarly journals The prevention and eradication of smallpox: a commentary on Sloane (1755) ‘An account of inoculation’

2015 ◽  
Vol 370 (1666) ◽  
pp. 20140378 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robin A. Weiss ◽  
José Esparza
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Royal Society ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Effective Procedure ◽  
Eventual Control ◽  
350Th Anniversary

Sir Hans Sloane's account of inoculation as a means to protect against smallpox followed several earlier articles published in Philosophical Transactions on this procedure. Inoculation (also called ‘variolation’) involved the introduction of small amounts of infectious material from smallpox vesicles into the skin of healthy subjects, with the goal of inducing mild symptoms that would result in protection against the more severe naturally acquired disease. It began to be practised in England in 1721 thanks to the efforts of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu who influenced Sloane to promote its use, including the inoculation of the royal family's children. When Edward Jenner's inoculation with the cow pox (‘vaccination’) followed 75 years later as a safer yet equally effective procedure, the scene was set for the eventual control of smallpox epidemics culminating in the worldwide eradication of smallpox in 1977, officially proclaimed by WHO in 1980. Here, we discuss the significance of variolation and vaccination with respect to scientific, public health and ethical controversies concerning these ‘weapons of mass protection’. This commentary was written to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society .

Crookes's radiometers: a train of thought manifest

2010 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 457-470 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jane Wess
Keyword(s):  
Royal Society ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Train Of Thought ◽  
Insight Into ◽  
350Th Anniversary ◽  
Individual Objects

The Royal Society is to exhibit its collection of original radiometers by William Crookes in the 350th anniversary re-display, thus providing an opportune moment to study the instruments in some detail. This paper attempts to trace Crookes's line of enquiry as described in a series of papers in Philosophical Transactions , linking the individual objects with the particular experiments in which they participated. From these accounts of painstaking technical endeavours, involving the construction of these exquisite objects, we gain an insight into the challenges, both physical and intellectual, posed by the exploration of new extremes of sensitivity and pressure. The radiometer's charm has been lasting, and Crookes's legacy is to allow us to follow a train of thought through a series of beautiful artefacts.

scholarly journals How mathematical epidemiology became a field of biology: a commentary on Anderson and May (1981) ‘The population dynamics of microparasites and their invertebrate hosts’

2015 ◽  
Vol 370 (1666) ◽  
pp. 20140307 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. P. Heesterbeek ◽  
M. G. Roberts
Keyword(s):  
Infectious Disease ◽  
Population Dynamics ◽  
Royal Society ◽  
Systematic Approach ◽  
Applied Mathematics ◽  
Disease Dynamics ◽  
Insect Pathogens ◽  
Effective Use ◽  
Infectious Disease Dynamics ◽  
350Th Anniversary

We discuss the context, content and importance of the paper ‘The population dynamics of microparasites and their invertebrate hosts’, by R. M. Anderson and R. M. May, published in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society as a stand-alone issue in 1981. We do this from the broader perspective of the study of infectious disease dynamics, rather than the specific perspective of the dynamics of insect pathogens. We argue that their 1981 paper fits seamlessly in the systematic study of infectious disease dynamics that was initiated by the authors in 1978, combining effective use of simple mathematical models, firmly rooted in biology, with observable or empirically measurable ingredients and quantities, and promoting extensive capacity building. This systematic approach, taking ecology and biology rather than applied mathematics as the motivation for advance, proved essential for the maturation of the field, and culminated in their landmark textbook of 1991. This commentary was written to celebrate the 350th anniversary of the journal Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society .

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