Computational challenges of systems biology

Progress in the study of biological systems such as the heart, brain, and liver will require computer scientists to work closely with life scientists and mathematicians. Computer science will play a key role in shaping the new discipline of systems biology and addressing the significant computational challenges it poses

A Scientist’s Guide for Engaging in Policy in the United States

Scientific research and expertise play a critical role in informing legislative decisions and guiding effective policy. However, significant communication gaps persist between scientists and policymakers. While interest in science policy among researchers has substantially increased in recent decades, traditional academic and research careers rarely provide formal training or exposure to the inner workings of government, public policy, or communicating scientific findings to broad audiences. Here, we offer 10 practical steps for scientists who want to engage in science policy efforts, with a focus on state and federal policy in the United States. We first include a primer to government structure and tailoring science communication for a policymaker audience. We then provide action-oriented steps that focus on arranging and successfully navigating meetings with government officials. Finally, we suggest structural steps in academia that would provide resources and support for students, researchers, and faculty who are interested in policy. We offer our perspective, as early-career marine scientists who have participated in policy discussions at state and federal levels and through the American Geophysical Union’s “Voices for Science” program. This guide offers potential pathways for engagement in science policy, and provides researchers with tangible actions to effectively reach stakeholders. Lastly, we hope to activate further conversations on best practices for policy engagement, particularly for researchers interested in careers at the science policy interface

Surveyor batteries Final engineering report

Design and performance of Surveyor spacecraft silver-zinc main batter

Model Orchestration: Addressing the Model Management Challenges of Systems Biology

Biological modelling is an increasingly complex and diverse firld. As well as developing new models for biological phenomena, there is a need to integrate existing models and scale up to investigate higher level behaviour. To achieve this integration, techniques and tools are required to catalogue and understand existing models, and to support the development of new models ready for integration. We describe our approach to this problem and validate the approach with examples

The solution of three-variable duct-flow equations

This paper establishes a numerical method for the solution of three-variable problems and is applied here to rotational flows through ducts of various cross sections. An iterative scheme is developed, the main feature of which is the addition of a duplicate variable to the forward component of velocity. Two forward components of velocity result from integrating two sets of first order ordinary differential equations for the streamline curvatures, in intersecting directions across the duct. Two pseudo-continuity equations are introduced with source/sink terms, whose strengths are dependent on the difference between the forward components of velocity. When convergence is obtained, the two forward components of velocity are identical, the source/sink terms are zero, and the original equations are satisfied. A computer program solves the exact equations and boundary conditions numerically. The method is economical and compares successfully with experiments on bent ducts of circular and rectangular cross section where secondary flows are caused by gradients of total pressure upstream