scholarly journals Role concepts of technology assessment between postulates of neutrality and the demand for creating impact

2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 327-342
Author(s):  
Armin Grunwald
Keyword(s):  
Technology Assessment ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Scientific Policy ◽  
Science And Policy ◽  
Honest Broker ◽  
Concepts Of Technology ◽  
Role Concept ◽  
Scientific Policy Advice

Technology assessment (TA) has been evolving as a research-based and anticipatory field of scientific policy-advice for more than fifty years. Its position at the interface between science and policy-making has caused several debates on its adequate roles. Proposals reach from the position of a neutral and distant observer of ongoing developments up to taking an active role in transformation processes fueled by the technological advance, e.g. in favor of sustainable development. In this paper, several role concepts of TA will be discussed against the background of a new framework concept on technology assessment. It will be shown, that TA usually has to take the role of an Honest Broker in assessing new technologies as an umbrella role concept. The specific manifestations of this umbrella role, however, can vary from context to context. The role concept of the Honest Broker serves as an orientation to determine the more specific roles in the tension between assumed neutrality and the obligation to create impact.

Ethics, Law and Information Technology

2000 ◽  
pp. 109-120
Author(s):  
Brian M. O’Connell
Keyword(s):  
Information Technology ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Science And Policy ◽  
Regulatory Decisions ◽  
Ethics Law

Following a brief consideration of the role of rhetoric in law, science and policy, this chapter explores how rhetorical accounts of new technologies influence the course of legislative, judicial and regulatory decisions. It proposes that such themes have the powerful capacity to determine outcomes and to shape modern concepts of individual as well as societal freedoms and rights.

scholarly journals From libertarian paternalism to liberalism: behavioural science and policy in an age of new technology

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-27
Author(s):  
Dario Krpan ◽  
Milan Urbaník
Keyword(s):  
New Technologies ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Libertarian Paternalism ◽  
Behavioural Science ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Behavioural Interventions ◽  
Science And Policy ◽  
Ethical Debate ◽  
Virtual And Augmented Reality

Abstract Behavioural science has been effectively used by policy makers in various domains, from health to savings. However, interventions that behavioural scientists typically employ to change behaviour have been at the centre of an ethical debate, given that they include elements of paternalism that have implications for people's freedom of choice. In the present article, we argue that this ethical debate could be resolved in the future through implementation and advancement of new technologies. We propose that several technologies which are currently available and are rapidly evolving (i.e., virtual and augmented reality, social robotics, gamification, self-quantification, and behavioural informatics) have a potential to be integrated with various behavioural interventions in a non-paternalistic way. More specifically, people would decide themselves which behaviours they want to change and select the technologies they want to use for this purpose, and the role of policy makers would be to develop transparent behavioural interventions for these technologies. In that sense, behavioural science would move from libertarian paternalism to liberalism, given that people would freely choose how they want to change, and policy makers would create technological interventions that make this change possible.

scholarly journals From Libertarian Paternalism to Liberalism: Behavioural Science and Policy in an Age of New Technology

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dario Krpan ◽  
Milan Urbanik
Keyword(s):  
New Technologies ◽  
New Technology ◽  
Libertarian Paternalism ◽  
Behavioural Science ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Behavioural Interventions ◽  
Science And Policy ◽  
Ethical Debate ◽  
Virtual And Augmented Reality

Behavioural science has been effectively used by policy makers in various domains, from health to savings. However, interventions that behavioural scientists typically employ to change behaviour have been at the centre of an ethical debate, given that they include elements of paternalism that have implications for people’s freedom of choice. In the present article, we argue that this ethical debate could be resolved in the future through implementation and advancement of new technologies. We propose that several technologies which are currently available and are rapidly evolving (i.e., virtual and augmented reality, social robotics, gamification, self-quantification, and behavioural informatics) have a potential to be integrated with various behavioural interventions in a non-paternalistic way. More specifically, people would decide themselves which behaviours they want to change and select the technologies they want to use for this purpose, and the role of policy makers would be to develop transparent behavioural interventions for these technologies. In that sense, behavioural science would move from libertarian paternalism to liberalism, given that people would freely choose how they want to change, and policy makers would create technological interventions that make this change possible.

scholarly journals How do think tanks qualify their expertise? Exploring the field of scientific policy advice in France

2019 ◽  
Vol 18 (03) ◽  
pp. A07
Author(s):  
Thomas Laux
Keyword(s):  
Policy Advice ◽  
Think Tanks ◽  
Scientific Policy ◽  
Energy Policies ◽  
Orders Of Worth ◽  
Scientific Policy Advice ◽  
The Relationship

This study explores the field of scientific policy advice in environmental and energy policies in France to gain insights into the role of think tanks. The field evolved along with the growth of think tanks. The think tanks refer to several orders of worth and combine them in their communication in order to qualify their expertise. The results of the study reveal that the think tanks have become more independent actors and that the field of scientific policy advice has gained autonomy. Both aspects indicate that the relationship between politics and expertise has gradually changed in France.

scholarly journals Nonpartisan advice for the U.S. Congress matters

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 70-73
Author(s):  
Constanze Scherz ◽  
Timothy M. Persons
Keyword(s):  
New Technologies ◽  
Scientific Policy ◽  
Mutual Trust ◽  
Government Accountability ◽  
Government Accountability Office ◽  
Minority Party ◽  
Good Advice ◽  
Research Questions ◽  
Scientific Policy Advice ◽  
The U.S

As in all democratically constituted sta- tes, scientific policy advice to the legis- lature in the U. S. is faced with the challenges of this time: What can good advice look like given the rapidly developing new technologies and their far-reaching implications for society? Despite decades of collaboration between consultants and advisors, mutual trust must be won over and over again. Against this background, it is particularly interesting to take a closer look at current developments in the U. S.: Timothy M. Persons, GAO’s Chief Scientist, gives insights into the work of the U. S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), which advises the U. S. Congress. It becomes clear that balanced results of technology assessment and other GAO products arise when not only the majority but also the minority party is heard when prioritizing congressional inquiries. The research questions must be impartial and meet congressional requirements. The interview was conducted by Constanze Scherz (ITASKIT).

Role of spectrin in membrane fusion and in shape change of human erythrocyte ghost

1978 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 328-329
Author(s):  
Hideo Hayashi ◽  
Yoshikazu Hirai ◽  
John T. Penniston
Keyword(s):  
Conformational Changes ◽  
Human Erythrocyte ◽  
Shape Change ◽  
Membrane Surface ◽  
Slight Modification ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Main Role ◽  
Bank Blood ◽  
Human Erythrocyte Ghost

Spectrin is a membrane associated protein most of which properties have been tentatively elucidated. A main role of the protein has been assumed to give a supporting structure to inside of the membrane. As reported previously, however, the isolated spectrin molecule underwent self assemble to form such as fibrous, meshwork, dispersed or aggregated arrangements depending upon the buffer suspended and was suggested to play an active role in the membrane conformational changes. In this study, the role of spectrin and actin was examined in terms of the molecular arrangements on the erythrocyte membrane surface with correlation to the functional states of the ghosts.Human erythrocyte ghosts were prepared from either freshly drawn or stocked bank blood by the method of Dodge et al with a slight modification as described before. Anti-spectrin antibody was raised against rabbit by injection of purified spectrin and partially purified.

Elucidation of block boundaries as the dissolution channels in hydrated cement

1978 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 484-485
Author(s):  
N.V. Belov ◽  
U.I. Papiashwili ◽  
B.E. Yudovich
Keyword(s):  
Liquid Phase ◽  
Grain Boundaries ◽  
Benzoyl Peroxide ◽  
Phase Contrast ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Point Of View ◽  
Hardened Cement ◽  
Hydrated Cement ◽  
Hardened Cement Paste

It has been almost universally adopted that dissolution of solids proceeds with development of uniform, continuous frontiers of reaction.However this point of view is doubtful / 1 /. E.g. we have proved the active role of the block (grain) boundaries in the main phases of cement, these boundaries being the areas of hydrate phases' nucleation / 2 /. It has brought to the supposition that the dissolution frontier of cement particles in water is discrete. It seems also probable that the dissolution proceeds through the channels, which serve both for the liquid phase movement and for the drainage of the incongruant solution products. These channels can be appeared along the block boundaries.In order to demonsrate it, we have offered the method of phase-contrast impregnation of the hardened cement paste with the solution of methyl metacrylahe and benzoyl peroxide. The viscosity of this solution is equal to that of water.

Meiotic CENP-C is a shepherd: bridging the space between the centromere and the kinetochore in time and space

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 251-261
Author(s):  
Jessica E. Fellmeth ◽  
Kim S. McKim
Keyword(s):  
Chromosome Segregation ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Early Prophase ◽  
Unique Role ◽  
Kinetochore Assembly ◽  
M Phase ◽  
In Vivo Analysis ◽  
Meiosis I

Abstract While many of the proteins involved in the mitotic centromere and kinetochore are conserved in meiosis, they often gain a novel function due to the unique needs of homolog segregation during meiosis I (MI). CENP-C is a critical component of the centromere for kinetochore assembly in mitosis. Recent work, however, has highlighted the unique features of meiotic CENP-C. Centromere establishment and stability require CENP-C loading at the centromere for CENP-A function. Pre-meiotic loading of proteins necessary for homolog recombination as well as cohesion also rely on CENP-C, as do the main scaffolding components of the kinetochore. Much of this work relies on new technologies that enable in vivo analysis of meiosis like never before. Here, we strive to highlight the unique role of this highly conserved centromere protein that loads on to centromeres prior to M-phase onset, but continues to perform critical functions through chromosome segregation. CENP-C is not merely a structural link between the centromere and the kinetochore, but also a functional one joining the processes of early prophase homolog synapsis to late metaphase kinetochore assembly and signaling.

Potential Uses of Vinegar as a Medicine and Related in vivo Mechanisms

2016 ◽  
Vol 86 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 127-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zeshan Ali ◽  
Zhenbin Wang ◽  
Rai Muhammad Amir ◽  
Shoaib Younas ◽  
Asif Wali ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Chemical Structure ◽  
Review Paper ◽  
Heart Diseases ◽  
Folk Medicine ◽  
Active Role ◽  
Current Review ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Positive Effect

While the use of vinegar to fi ght against infections and other crucial conditions dates back to Hippocrates, recent research has found that vinegar consumption has a positive effect on biomarkers for diabetes, cancer, and heart diseases. Different types of vinegar have been used in the world during different time periods. Vinegar is produced by a fermentation process. Foods with a high content of carbohydrates are a good source of vinegar. Review of the results of different studies performed on vinegar components reveals that the daily use of these components has a healthy impact on the physiological and chemical structure of the human body. During the era of Hippocrates, people used vinegar as a medicine to treat wounds, which means that vinegar is one of the ancient foods used as folk medicine. The purpose of the current review paper is to provide a detailed summary of the outcome of previous studies emphasizing the role of vinegar in treatment of different diseases both in acute and chronic conditions, its in vivo mechanism and the active role of different bacteria.

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