British Science Research Articles

Identification of diagnostic biomarkers used in the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus: A systematic review of quantitative studies.

To perform a systematic review of studies that sought to identify diagnostic biomarkers for the diagnosis of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and diabetes mellitus (DM), which could be used in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where there is a lack of diagnostic equipment, treatments and training. Papers were sourced from six databases: the British Nursing Index, Google Scholar, PubMed, Sage, Science Direct and Scopus. Articles published between January 2002 and January 2023 were systematically reviewed by three reviewers and appropriate search terms and inclusion/exclusion criteria were applied. A total of 18 studies were yielded, as well as 234 diagnostic biomarkers (74 for CVD and 160 for DM). Primary biomarkers for the diagnosis of CVDs included growth differentiation factor 15 and neurogenic locus notch homologue protein 1 (Notch1). For the diagnosis of DM, alpha-2-macroglobulin, C-peptides, isoleucine, glucose, tyrosine, linoleic acid and valine were frequently reported across the included studies. Advanced analytical techniques, such as liquid chromatography mass spectrometry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays and vibrational spectroscopy, were also repeatedly reported in the included studies and were utilized in combination with traditional and alternative matrices such as fingernails, hair and saliva. While advanced analytical techniques are expensive, laboratories in LMICs should carry out a cost-benefit analysis of their use. Alternatively, laboratories may want to explore emerging techniques such as infrared, Fourier transform-infrared and near-infrared spectroscopy, which allow sensitive noninvasive analysis.

Psychical Inertia: Origins and Transformations

In this article I map a set of points that could begin to tell the story of inertia’s trajectory from physics and physiology to figurations of psychic life in Freudian psychoanalytic theory. Both preceding and contemporaneous with Freud’s use of the concept of inertia to describe an element of psychic life, work was taking place in other intellectual and geographical contexts to translate this law of physics and physiology to a property of mental life. As a particular illustration of this, I examine a lecture given by British scientist Michael Faraday in 1818, wherein he makes the leap from the inertia of matter to ‘mental inertia’ and is arguably the first recorded thinker to do so in the English language. I then explore the use of the phrase ‘psychic inertia’ in 1900 by Scottish physiologist D.F. Harris and argue that Harris’s work is not only emerging at the same time as Freud’s discoveries, but that he prefigures Freud’s ideas about the relationship between inertia and the death drive in interesting ways. The final part of the paper returns to sketch out Freud’s engagement with the concept in several of his papers.

STUDIES OF ENGLISH TOWNS DURING THE REIGN OF HENRY VI IN BRITISH HISTORIOGRAPHY

The relevance of the research is determined by the increased interest, as well as revision of approaches to the study of medieval towns. The purpose of the study is to identify the main features in the study of English towns during the reign of Henry VI in British historiography. Materials and methods. The research uses such historical methods as historical-genetic, historical-comparative, retrospective, historical-biographical ones, as well as the principle of historicism. Thanks to the use of these methods, the works of English-speaking historians related to the problem of the development of English towns in the specified time period were processed. For the first time, the author specifically refers to the research by British scientists of English towns during the reign of Henry VI – a time characterized by great social tension, many conflicts and fewer sources than the previous and subsequent periods. Study results. Henry VI was less popular than other kings of England in the XV century. He was considered to be a weak ruler, a “madman on the throne” and one of the most unhappy kings. At this, towns that play an important role in the socio-political and economic development of the state were developing in England during his reign. The article examines the research of British historians concerning the towns of the era of Henry VI. The author examines how approaches to assessing the reign of the king and the history of English towns of this time have changed using the example of the works of British scientists. In particular, the classical works of F. Maitland, J.M. Trevelyan, as well as the works of modern researchers, for example, R.A. Griffiths. Special attention is paid to the relationship between an English late medieval town and the royal power, and the evolution of British scientists views – from “antiquaries” to modern researchers – on the history of towns in general and on the peculiarities of urban development in the era of Henry VI in particular is considered. Conclusions. Towns played an important role in all areas of the English society. The royal government showed great interest in towns as participants in the internal political, economic and social processes in England in the middle of the XV century. According to the results of the study, it was found that, despite an increasing interest in the study of a medieval town in the English-language historiography, at the moment it can be stated that there is still insufficient knowledge on the development of a town during the reign of King Henry VI.

The Brahmanisation of Indian Sociology or the Birth of the Racial Theories of Untouchability

This article shows how untouchability was framed as an ethnographic problem largely through a racial and Brahmanical perspective by looking at some of the main interventions made by British and Indian social scientists on this topic, such as H.H. Risley, G.S. Ghurye and Radhakamal Mukerjee. Dalit traditions, knowledge and theories about their origin were discarded and suffered an epistemicide. Reassessing the history of untouchability as an ethnographic concept is critical as the influence of these theories can still be perceived not only in common understandings about the origin of Dalits but also in the way sociology and anthropology are practised in India.

Citation Elites in Polytheistic and Umbrella Disciplines: Patterns of Stratification and Concentration in Danish and British Science

AbstractThe notion of science as a stratified system is clearly manifested in the markedly uneven distribution of productivity, rewards, resources, and recognition. Although previous studies have shown that institutional environments for conducting research differ significantly between national science systems, disciplines, and subfields, it remains to be shown whether any systematic variations and patterns in inequalities exist among researchers in different national and domain specific settings. This study investigates the positioning of citation elites as opposed to ‘ordinary’ researchers by way of examining three dimensions of concentration (accumulation of publications and citations, specialisation, and institutional concentration) in biology, economics and physics in Denmark and the UK. Across all three dimensions, we put Richard Whitley’s bipartite theory to the test, suggesting a nexus between the intellectual structure of a discipline and the configuration of its elite. The study draws on a dataset of researchers who published most of their publications in either physics, biology, or economics over the 1980–2018 period and with at least one publication in 2017–2018 while affiliated to either a British or a Danish university. We find higher degrees of concentration in the UK compared to Denmark, and that physics and biology respectively display the greatest and lowest degree of concentration. Similar patterns in disciplinary differences are observed in both countries, suggesting that concentration patterns are largely rooted in disciplinary cultures and merely amplified by the national context.

Nineteenth-century Japanese and British science in context: an introduction to transnational-comparative studies

This special issue focuses on the complex cultural connections between Japanese and British science in the nineteenth century. This was a period when intellectuals around the globe began to interact more intensively due to increased opportunities to travel and the growth in translations of important scientific works into many languages. This was also an era when, in the latter part of the century, Japanese intellectuals were searching for ways to modernize their culture, while in Britain there was a renewed interest in Japanese culture and religion as traditional forms of thought were being questioned. Although there has been some excellent scholarly work on the impact of British evolutionary theory on Japanese intellectuals, the fuller picture of cultural exchange across all the sciences has yet to be undertaken. This special issue will begin to close this historiographical gap by examining the intersection of nineteenth-century Japanese and British science across a range of disciplines from engineering, chemistry and physics to biology, sociology and anthropology.

History and Legacy of Alan Turing for Computer Science

Throughout history we encounter some personalities who think ahead of their time and, in many cases, are misunderstood or even wronged. However, they all have one thing in common: they are geniuses who find impressive solutions to complex problems. This article aims to carry out, through bibliographical research using qualitative data analysis methodology, a historical review of one of the important personalities who wrote his name in history and has great relevance in the development of modern computing: Alan Mathison Turing or how it is known: Alan Turing. Considered the father of theoretical computer science and artificial intelligence, he made his great contribution to humanity by developing, in 1936, through an academic article, an automatic machine ("a-machine", which was later called the Turing), who could read and write different numbers and symbols. This article covers since his birth, covering his academic trajectory, understanding a little of his mentality and vision around machines and technological equipment, his partnerships and some interesting facts about his life. Thus, it can be understood that, even at that time, it was already possible to visualize the signs of the first computational logics and realize that machines have dynamics beyond human understanding, as they can also learn from humans and other machines and, best of all, Above all, transmit this knowledge with quality. Thus realizing the legacy and historical milestone that this British mathematician, computer scientist, philosopher and biologist left for the modern and contemporary world in which we live today.

The impact of British chemistry and physics upon Japanese science in the late nineteenth century: the Williamson–Sakurai connection at University College London

The Meiji period between 1868 and 1912, when the introduction of Western science into Japan started in earnest, was also the time when specialization became an increasingly pressing and complex issue in natural science, especially in Victorian Britain where specialization went hand in hand with ‘interconnectedness’ between various fields of study. This article examines the impact of this complicated situation surrounding ‘specialization’ in nineteenth-century British science on Meiji Japan, taking chemistry and physics (natural philosophy) teaching at University College London (UCL) in the 1870s as an example. It reveals how chemistry and physics became interconnected with each other in UCL's science education by the presence of its chemistry professor, Alexander William Williamson (1824–1904), and the impact of this connection on Japanese science with a focus on Williamson's Japanese student, Sakurai Jōji. This paper argues that the interconnectedness of UCL's chemistry and physics significantly affected the disciplinary identity of the Department of Chemistry at the Imperial University of Tokyo through Sakurai.

"Are We to Treat Human Nature as the Early Victorian Lady Treated Telegrams?" British and German Sexual Science, Investigations of Nature and the Fight Against Censorship, c. 1890-1940.

"Are We to Treat Human Nature as the Early Victorian Lady Treated Telegrams?" British and German Sexual Science, Investigations of Nature and the Fight Against Censorship, c. 1890-1940.

EVOLUCIÓN TECNOLÓGICA DE LOS ELECTROLIZADORES PARA LA PRODUCCIÓN DE HIDRÓGENO

Electrolysis is a chemical process that uses electric current to carry out chemical reactions. It was first discovered by the British scientist Michael Faraday in 1833, who conducted a series of experiments in which he passed an electric current through solutions of salts in water. He found that positively charged ions, known as cations, moved towards the negative electrode (anode), while negatively charged ions, known as anions, moved towards the positive electrode (cathode). Faraday also showed that the amount of substance deposited on the electrodes during electrolysis is proportional to the intensity of the electric current and the time of application.

Teori Evolusi Charles Darwin Perspektif Al-Qur’an

<p>This paper will analyze the theory of human evolution that developed in the West and the theory of human evolution explained in the Qur'an with an interpretive approach. The method used in this writing is to use qualitative methods sourced from sharing books related to the above problems. The approach to the method of interpretation of the Qur'an uses thematic methods, because this method can examine contemporary problems. The theory of evolution began to be studied and debated in the 6th century BC, Diwali by the Greek philosophers Anaximander, Empedocles, Lucretius, the same opinion was also expressed by the Arab biologist Al Jahiz, the Persian philosopher Ibn Miskawaih, the Ikhwan As-Shafa, and the Chinese philosopher Zhuangzi. Furthermore, the theory of evolution was published by an English scientist named Charles Darwin, the results of his research on evolution, especially human evolution, explained that the theory of evolution was not created by God but stood alone. This opinion caused debate among scientists and religionists, especially Islam, rejected because it contradicted the Qur'an.</p>

Prolific polymath Thomas Young at 250

To mark the 250th anniversary of Thomas Young’s birth, Martin Rees, the UK’s Astronomer Royal, highlights the wide-ranging expertise and discoveries of the maverick British scientist.

A fetus in the world: Physiology, epidemiology, and the making of fetal origins of adult disease

Since the late 1980s, the fetal origins of adult disease, from 2003 developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD), has stimulated significant interest in and an efflorescence of research on the long-term effects of the intrauterine environment. From the start, this field has been interdisciplinary, using experimental animal, clinical and epidemiological tools. As the influence of DOHaD on public health and policy expanded, it has drawn criticism for reducing the complex social and physical world of early life to women’s reproductive bodies as drivers of intergenerational ills. This paper explains this narrowing of focus in terms of a formative and consequential exchange between David Barker, the British epidemiologist whose work is credited with establishing the field, and the discipline of fetal physiology. We suggest that fetal physiologists were a crucial constituency of support for Barker’s hypothesis about early life origins of disease. Their collaborations with Barker helped secure and sustain the theory amid considerable controversy. The trajectory of DOHaD and its focus on the maternal body can be understood, we argue, as a consequence of this alliance, which brought together two distinct conceptualizations of the intrauterine environment, one from epidemiology and the other from fetal physiology. Along the way, we trace the histories of these conceptualizations, both of which were products of mid-to-late twentieth century British science, and show how Barker’s early emphasis on social and economic conditions was superseded by a narrower focus on physiological mechanisms acting upon the autonomous fetus.

[Research Progress on Toxicity of Microplastics in Soil to Terrestrial Plants and Their Degradation Mechanism].

Microplastics(MPs), as a new type of environmental pollutants, have gradually attracted widespread attention since they were introduced by British scientists in 2004. Soil is an important accumulation site for microplastics, which can expand the scope of contamination and accumulate with agricultural practices such as irrigation and tillage. Microplastics in soil cause a variety of toxicities to terrestrial plants. The small particle size, difficult degradation, and strong adsorption capacity bring a challenge to the microplastic pollution treatment of soil. In this study, the toxicity of microplastics to terrestrial plants was reviewed in terms of their direct or indirect toxicity and combined effects with other pollutants, mainly in terms of mechanical injury, induction of oxidative stress, and cytotoxicity and genotoxicity to plants, resulting in plant growth and plant tissue metabolism obstruction. In general, the toxicity of microplastics depended on the polymer type, size, and dose; plant tolerance; and exposure conditions. In addition, the production of secondary microplastics and endogenous contaminants during their degradation in soil enhanced the biotoxicity of microplastics. Further, the physical, chemical, and microbial degradation mechanisms of microplastics were introduced in this study based on the current research. At first, the physical and chemical degradation of microplastics mainly occurred by changing the particle size and surface properties of microplastics and producing intermediates. Then, smaller-sized microplastics and their intermediates could eventually be converted to water and carbon dioxide through physical, chemical, and biological functions. Finally, further prospects regarding soil microplastics were introduced, and we provided information for future improvement and pollution control of microplastics.

FINNEGAN, Diarmid A. The voice of science: British scientists of the lecture circuit in Gilded Age America

FINNEGAN, Diarmid A. <i>The voice of science</i>: <i>British scientists of the lecture circuit in Gilded Age America</i>

Development of a data sonification toolkit and case study sonifying astrophysical phenomena for visually imparied individuals

Data is predominantly conveyed and analysed in a visual manner. Data sonification provides an alternative approach to data analysis, has a broader application (e.g., peripheral monitoring) and offers accessibility to an alternative cohort (e.g., the visually impaired). While there are countless data visualization tools available, producing data sonifications typically requires in-depth knowledge of audio software and/or computer programming. Research was undertaken into existing data sonification tools, and subsequently a Data Sonification Toolkit was developed using Abelton Live and Max for Live. The Toolkit was developed in particular as an alternative means of data analysis for use by multiple disciplines across a built environment firm. The key aims for the toolkit were that (1) it should be user-friendly and accessible to people without an in-depth knowledge of either Ableton or Max, (2) the sonifications produced be accurate and true representations of input data sets, and (3) the Toolkit should have the capability and flexibility to be expanded and customized by those with the expertise to do so. The Toolkit was used, in collaboration with astrophysicist Chris Harrison, to develop sonifications of astronomical phenomena for the visually impaired. These sonifications were presented at the British Science Festival in 2019.

Figuring the ‘cynical scientist’ in British animal science: the politics of invisibility

AbstractThis paper investigates the ‘cynical scientist’ as a figure in British animal science discourse that developed in relation to the nineteenth-century emergence of the ‘sceptical scientist’. Here, efforts by scientists to demarcate their profession’s territory led to religious backlash against an alleged ‘divorce’ of British science from Christian morality. Animal experimentation became embroiled in this controversy through antivivisectionists’ conviction that animal research was symptomatic of scientific scepticism and Continental atheism’s malign influence. Accusations of cynicism ultimately forced British scientists to accept legal regulation following the 1875 Royal Commission on Vivisection. British scientists were, however, able to utilise their political leverage and credibility as experts to favourably influence licensing and inspection. We suggest that efforts to silence public claims of scientific cynicism may have enabled ‘cynical scientists’ to remain invisible and that this was marked by privilege and power, not marginality. Nevertheless, we argue that regulation and reforms have also worked to internalise within British animal science the notion that scientific cynicism must be combatted through proper governance and internal discipline.

The impact of local identities on voting behaviour: a Scouse case study

AbstractThe political salience of local identities has received limited academic attention in the British political science literature. This paper is a step towards addressing this, through a case study of the Scouse identity. The Scouse identity is primarily found in the English city of Liverpool, Merseyside and its environs. Using original survey data of electors from across Merseyside, alongside the British Election Study, this paper explores the political salience and consequences of the Scouse identity and places it in the comparative context of sub-state national identities across Great Britain, namely Englishness, Scottishness, and Welshness. I find that holding a Scouse identity leads to higher levels of Labour support and lower levels of Conservative and Green support, that the political consequences of the Scouse identity vary across Merseyside, and that local identities can and do exist alongside sub-state national identities, challenging the myth of ‘Scouse not English’. Put simply, local identities can and do matter when it comes to shaping voting behaviour.

The epistemological limitations of scientific inquiry: Crucial experiments revisited

Scientific knowledge is the outcome of research and experimentation. How this goal is to be achieved is and has been a topic of much debate over the centuries. In the 17th century, the English philosopher and scientist Francis Bacon (1561-1626) regarded science as the systematic collecting and gathering of facts. Upon this view, nature tells us what the facts are on the assumption that we learn how to listen properly to nature. We design experiments and run them, and the verdict is to nature. Thus, “crucial” experimentation is the hallmark of science. A crucial experiment is an experiment that unambiguously favours one or the other of two competing hypotheses under test, no matter the outcome.&#x0D;  &#x0D; At some stage in the development of science, it was believed that such crucial experiments can be designed. However, some philosophers deny that they are possible in some domains of scientific inquiry, while others deny that they are possible in any domain of scientific inquiry. In this context, the French physicist, historian and philosopher of science Pierre Duhem (1861-1916) argued that in physics, crucial experiments are not possible. While the American philosopher W. V. Quine (1908-2000) adopted the radical view that crucial experiments are forthcoming in no domain of scientific inquiry. In the philosophy of science, these two views are joined in what came to be known the Quine-Duhem Thesis.&#x0D;  &#x0D; This study examines the controversial Quine-Duhem Thesis and discusses whether, or not, it is considered a threat to the rationality of science. The fundamental features of rationality in science are to be addressed. It is concluded that the Quine-Duhem thesis does not make an epistemological point and Quinean holism does not destroy the objectivity of science.&#x0D;  

The Past, Present and Future of UK Human Spaceflight

This paper provides a broad review of the UK’s interest in human spaceflight (HSF), covering its past, present and possible future. It looks at the origins of the national interest, starting with the British science fiction “visionaries” HG Wells and AC Clarke from the early 1900s. Considering what might have been if governments had more fully invested in UK HSF activity during the 1960-80s, it notes that despite a positive cultural enthusiasm the UK appears to have been held back by institutional scepticism and a lack of government financial commitment - this attitude strongly contrasted with that of other developed nations, particularly Germany, France and Italy. Following a sudden reversal of government policy for human space activity post-2008, a deeper HSF involvement by the UK now seems achievable, depending on sufficient funding - ESA’s 2022 selection of three new British astronaut candidates is a very positive step-forward. The paper broadly considers the opportunities via the combination of human and robotic exploration (HRE) with direct microgravity research on the ISS and the forthcoming private space labs in LEO, plus participation in NASA-led “Artemis” lunar exploration. The latter could involve applied UK space industry initiatives, possibly including lunar navigation and communications satellite construction, Gateway space-station services, plus potential nuclear power sources for a future Moonbase. Space-based solar power with HSF support, expanding space tourism activity, then the future exploration of the Moon and Mars may then be followed by ISRU exploitation and commercial space mining. The paper concludes with a revue of the importance and need for HSF for space research and exploration, it’s “value for money”, potential long-term futures and the contribution HSF makes to the “Big History” of humanity as a space-faring species. Keywords: Astronauts, Human spaceflight (HSF), Arthur C Clarke, European Space Agency (ESA), UK Space Agency, Tim Peake, Artemis, SUSIE, ISS, Orion, Argonaut, Moonbase, World History