scholarly journals 13 Diversity in Scientific Communities: The Case of European-Japanese Cooperation at Fusion for Energy

2021 ◽  
pp. 322-335
Author(s):  
Giulia Pelillo-Hestermeyer ◽  
Fabio Cismondi
Keyword(s):  
Scientific Communities

Communicative Transformation of Professional Values of Modern Scientific Communities

Communicology ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 15-24
Author(s):  
A.S. Proskurina
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Professional Ethics ◽  
Scientific Work ◽  
Professional Values ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Practical Implementation ◽  
Scientific Communities ◽  
Neoliberal Reforms ◽  
Communication Practices ◽  
The Relationship

Today ethics is embodied not only in day-to-day life, but also in the communication that surrounds it. The study of communication in professional communities makes it possible to determine the relationship between declared and practically embodied values in work. Ethical attitudes are not only postulates embedded in ethical codes, but also principles of interaction embodied in the construction of the information space and decision-making. Features of modern communications influence the way professional ethics is structured, which, in turn, affects its content and practical implementation. The communication through the Internet makes scientific work performative, filling it with symbols and labels. Increasingly, communication practices have to be carried out around indicators, and thus communication becomes a conductor of neoliberal reforms in scientific work. Therefore, the consequence of modern forms of communication is the forced utilitarianism of ethics associated with the need to compete in the “scientific market”. The article suggests possible ways to overcome the contradictions of communicative transformations of professional values.

Exosomes: Structure, Biogenesis, Types and Application in Diagnosis and Gene and Drug Delivery

2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 195-206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shriya Agarwal ◽  
Vinayak Agarwal ◽  
Mugdha Agarwal ◽  
Manisha Singh
Keyword(s):  
Drug Delivery ◽  
Gene Therapy ◽  
Immune Responses ◽  
Biological Membrane ◽  
Gene Isolation ◽  
Delivery Vehicle ◽  
Scientific Communities ◽  
Therapeutic Regime ◽  
Targeted Gene Therapy ◽  
Delivery Mechanism

Abstract: In recent times, several approaches for targeted gene therapy (GT) had been studied. However, the emergence of extracellular vesicles (EVs) as a shuttle carrying genetic information between cells has gained a lot of interest in scientific communities. Owing to their higher capabilities in dealing with short sequences of nucleic acid (mRNA, miRNA), proteins, recombinant proteins, exosomes, the most popular form of EVs are viewed as reliable biological therapeutic conveyers. They have natural access through every biological membrane and can be employed for site-specific and efficient drug delivery without eliciting any immune responses hence, qualifying as an ideal delivery vehicle. Also, there are many research studies conducted in the last few decades on using exosome-mediated gene therapy into developing an effective therapy with the concept of a higher degree of precision in gene isolation, purification and delivery mechanism loading, delivery and targeting protocols. This review discusses several facets that contribute towards developing an efficient therapeutic regime for gene therapy, highlighting limitations and drawbacks associated with current GT and suggested therapeutic regimes.

Values in Science and the Erosion of Trust

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Inmaculada de Melo-Martín ◽  
Kristen Intemann
Keyword(s):  
Knowledge Production ◽  
Social Values ◽  
Stakeholder Involvement ◽  
Negative Influence ◽  
Political Agenda ◽  
Values In Science ◽  
Scientific Communities ◽  
Alternative Strategies ◽  
Political Values ◽  
The Public

This chapter considers another factor that plays a role in eroding the public’s trust in science: concerns about the negative influence of nonepistemic values in science, particularly in controversial areas of inquiry with important effects on public policy. It shows that the credibility of scientists can be undermined when the public perceives that scientists have a political agenda or will be biased by their own personal or political values. However, to assume that the best way to address this problem is try to eliminate such values from science altogether would be a mistake. Ethical and social values are necessary and important to knowledge production. Consequently, the chapter explores alternative strategies to increase transparency and stakeholder involvement so as to address legitimate concerns about bias and sustain warranted trust in scientific communities.

scholarly journals Detecting anomalous citation groups in journal networks

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadamori Kojaku ◽  
Giacomo Livan ◽  
Naoki Masuda
Keyword(s):  
Null Model ◽  
Impact Factors ◽  
Academic Publishing ◽  
Scientific Communities ◽  
Citation Behavior ◽  
Journal Editors ◽  
Journal Citation Reports ◽  
Academic Climate ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Publication Standards

AbstractThe ever-increasing competitiveness in the academic publishing market incentivizes journal editors to pursue higher impact factors. This translates into journals becoming more selective, and, ultimately, into higher publication standards. However, the fixation on higher impact factors leads some journals to artificially boost impact factors through the coordinated effort of a “citation cartel” of journals. “Citation cartel” behavior has become increasingly common in recent years, with several instances being reported. Here, we propose an algorithm—named CIDRE—to detect anomalous groups of journals that exchange citations at excessively high rates when compared against a null model that accounts for scientific communities and journal size. CIDRE detects more than half of the journals suspended from Journal Citation Reports due to anomalous citation behavior in the year of suspension or in advance. Furthermore, CIDRE detects many new anomalous groups, where the impact factors of the member journals are lifted substantially higher by the citations from other member journals. We describe a number of such examples in detail and discuss the implications of our findings with regard to the current academic climate.

scholarly journals Science needs more external evaluation, not less

2021 ◽  
pp. 053901842110191
Author(s):  
Loes Knaapen
Keyword(s):  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Well Being ◽  
External Evaluation ◽  
Public Servants ◽  
Scientific Communities ◽  
Economic Productivity ◽  
The Public ◽  
Quantitative Performance ◽  
The Many ◽  
Lay Public

When science is evaluated by bureaucrats and administrators, it is usually done by quantified performance metrics, for the purpose of economic productivity. Olof Hallonsten criticizes both the means (quantification) and purpose (economization) of such external evaluation. I share the concern that such neoliberal performance metrics are shallow, over-simplified and inaccurate, but differ in how best to oppose this reductionism. Hallonsten proposes to replace quantitative performance metrics with qualitative in-depth evaluation of science, which would keep evaluation internal to scientific communities. I argue that such qualitative internal evaluation will not be enough to challenge current external evaluation since it does little to counteract neoliberal politics, and fails to provide the accountability that science owes the public. To assure that the many worthy purposes of science (i.e. truth, democracy, well-being, justice) are valued and pursued, I argue science needs more and more diverse external evaluation. The diversification of science evaluation can go in many directions: towards both quantified performance metrics and qualitative internal assessments and beyond economic productivity to value science’s broader societal contributions. In addition to administrators and public servants, science evaluators must also include diverse counterpublics of scientists: civil society, journalists, interested lay public and scientists themselves. More diverse external evaluation is perhaps no more accurate than neoliberal quantified metrics, but by valuing the myriad contributions of science and the diversity of its producers and users, it is hopefully less partial and perhaps more just.

scholarly journals Initiating scientific collaborations across career levels and disciplines – a network analysis on behavioral data

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia Eberle ◽  
Karsten Stegmann ◽  
Alain Barrat ◽  
Frank Fischer ◽  
Kristine Lund
Keyword(s):  
Science Research ◽  
Technology Enhanced Learning ◽  
Scientific Communities ◽  
Group Awareness ◽  
Face To Face ◽  
Active Selection ◽  
Disciplinary Background ◽  
Meta Analyses ◽  
Potential Collaboration

AbstractCollaborations are essential in research, especially in answering increasingly complex questions that require integrating knowledge from different disciplines and that engage multiple stakeholders. Fostering such collaboration between newcomers and established researchers helps keep scientific communities alive while opening the way to innovation. But this is a challenge for scientific communities, especially as little is known about the onset of such collaborations. Prior social network research suggests that face-to-face interaction at scientific events as well as both network-driven selection patterns (reciprocity and transitivity) and patterns of active selection of specific others (homophily / heterophily) may be important. Learning science research implies, moreover, that selecting appropriate collaboration partners may require group awareness. In a field study at two scientific events on technology-enhanced learning (Alpine Rendez-Vous 2011 and 2013) including N = 5736 relations between 287 researchers, we investigated how researchers selected future collaboration partners, looking specifically at the role of career level, disciplinary background, and selection patterns. Face-to-face contact was measured using RFID devices. Additionally, a group awareness intervention was experimentally varied. Data was analyzed using RSiena and meta-analyses. The results showed that transitivity, reciprocity and contact duration are relevant for the identification of new potential collaboration partners. PhD students were less often chosen as new potential collaboration partners, and researchers with a background in Information Technology selected fewer new potential collaboration partners. However, group awareness support balanced this disciplinary difference. Theoretical, methodological, and practical implications of these findings are discussed.

174 What Quality and Fertility Should We Expect When Using Semen Cryopreservation and AI with Livestock? a Comparison Across Species

2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 113-113
Author(s):  
Phillip H Purdy
Keyword(s):  
Artificial Insemination ◽  
Germ Plasm ◽  
Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Educational Opportunities ◽  
Success Rates ◽  
Agricultural Producers ◽  
Scientific Communities ◽  
Semen Cryopreservation ◽  
Agricultural Species

Abstract Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) can be used across most agricultural species and will result in some degree of fertility when employed correctly. Still, conversations with agricultural producers and scientists (corporate, academic, governmental) repeatedly reveal that they do not know what success rates they should anticipate when using some ARTs, specifically semen cryopreservation and artificial insemination, with agricultural species (beef and dairy cattle, goats, pigs, poultry, sheep). These perceptions hinder ART application within the agricultural and scientific communities. Understanding these expected results is a critical component that is used to guide the USDA National Animal Germplasm Program laboratory operations for collecting, freezing and using germ plasm (semen, eggs, embryos, DNA, tissues, organs, cells), has consequently resulted in growth of the national collection, and provided tools, technologies, and educational opportunities for agricultural producers with documented success. Therefore, the intent of this presentation is to provide an overview of what results should be expected when using semen cryopreservation and artificial insemination across livestock species, explain the factors that influence successful use of these ARTs, which should encourage a more broad acceptance of their use with all agricultural species, and discuss opportunities for research and optimization that will improve fertility when using these technologies.

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