Open Science und Citizen Science als symbiotische Beziehung? Eine Gegenüberstellung von Konzepten

This article analyzes core attributes of the concepts of Open Science and Citizen Science in European science policy and relates them to one another. Both concepts postulate and advocate a future opening of science – with Open Science policy focusing on the research process and the conceptualization of Citizen Science placing more emphasis on the actors and their interactions. Both approaches claim transparency with regard to both the research process itself and its results. There are synergies in terms of the involvement of citizens and the accessibility of research results and processes. And there are risks when Citizen Science is merely instrumentalized without allowing for effective participation by citizens.In diesem Artikel werden Kernzuschreibungen von Open Science und Citizen Science in der europäischen Wissenschaftspolitik analysiert und zueinander in Beziehung gesetzt. Beide Konzepte postulieren und forcieren eine zukünftige Öffnung von Wissenschaft – wobei die Open-Science-Politik vor allem auf den Prozess von Wissenschaft abhebt, während bei der Konzeptualisierung von Citizen Science die Akteure und ihre Interaktionen stärker im Vordergrund stehen. Beiden Ansätzen gemeinsam ist der Anspruch an einen transparenten Forschungsprozess und frei zugängliche Forschungsergebnisse. Es gibt Synergien, was die Einbindung von Bürgerinnen und Bürger sowie die Zugänglichkeit von Forschungsergebnissen und -prozessen angeht. Risiken bestehen, wenn Citizen Science lediglich instrumentalisiert wird, ohne Bürgerinnen und Bürgern eine echte Teilhabe zu ermöglichen

Measurements of neutron-induced reactions in inverse kinematics and applications to nuclear astrophysics

Neutron capture cross sections of unstable isotopes are important for neutron-induced nucleosynthesis as well as for technological applications. A combination of a radioactive beam facility, an ion storage ring and a high flux reactor would allow a direct measurement of neutron induced reactions over a wide energy range on isotopes with half lives down to minutes. The idea is to measure neutron-induced reactions on radioactive ions in inverse kinematics. This means, the radioactive ions will pass through a neutron target. In order to efficiently use the rare nuclides as well as to enhance the luminosity, the exotic nuclides can be stored in an ion storage ring. The neutron target can be the core of a research reactor, where one of the central fuel elements is replaced by the evacuated beam pipe of the storage ring. Using particle detectors and Schottky spectroscopy, most of the important neutron-induced reactions, such as (n,$\gamma$), (n,p), (n,$\alpha$), (n,2n), or (n,f), could be investigated.Comment: 5 pages, 7 figures, Invited Talk given at the Fifteenth International Symposium on Capture Gamma-Ray Spectroscopy and Related Topics (CGS15), Dresden, Germany, 201

Mitgliedschaft in Gewerkschaften: Inklusions- und Exklusionstendenzen in der Organisation von Arbeitnehmerinteressen in Europa

"Die Gewerkschaften stehen heute in vielen europäischen Ländern vor beträchtlichen Mitgliederproblemen. Jedoch variiert der gewerkschaftliche Organisationsgrad zwischen einem eher niedrigen Niveau in Süd- und Osteuropa und einem höheren Niveau in Nordeuropa. Außerdem zeigen sich im internationalen Vergleich erhebliche Unterschiede zwischen sozialen Gruppen. Zu welchem Grad gelingt es den Gewerkschaften noch, ihre Klientel einzubinden und zumindest als Mitglieder zu mobilisieren? Dieser Frage wird mit Hilfe von deskriptiven Analysen des European Social Surveys von 2002/03 für West- und Ost-Deutschland sowie weiteren 18 europäischen Ländern nachgegangen. Es werden zentrale Muster der Inklusion bzw. Exklusion von Arbeitnehmerinteressen aufgezeigt und mögliche Erklärungen der (Nicht-)Mitgliedschaft in Gewerkschaften erörtert. Neben den sozialstrukturellen Ursachen für geringere Organisationsgrade von Frauen, Arbeitslosen und atypisch Beschäftigten, werden zentrale institutionelle Faktoren herausgearbeitet, die selektive Anreize für eine Gewerkschaftsmitgliedschaft schaffen und den betrieblichen Zugang für Gewerkschaften erleichtern. Die theoretische Fruchtbarkeit eines In-/ Exklusionsansatzes zeigt sich besonders in der mangelnden Repräsentation der Interessen von atypisch Beschäftigten und Arbeitslosen sowie solchen in peripheren (unorganisierten) Arbeitsplätzen." (Autorenreferat)"In many European countries trade unions face considerable membership problems. Union density varies between a mostly low level in Southern and Eastern European societies and high levels in Nordic countries. Moreover, there are considerable cross-national differences between social groups. To what degree do trade unions integrate their clientele and are they capable of mobilizing members? We study this question by using descriptive statistics from the European Social Survey of 2002/03 for (Western and Eastern) Germany and for 18 other European countries. We discuss crucial patterns of inclusion and exclusion in the organization of labour interests and possible explanatory factors for (non-)membership. In addition to social structural causes for low union density of women, the unemployed and atypical employed, we review several institutional factors that provide selective incentives for membership and foster union access to workplaces. The inclusion/exclusion perspective proves particularly valuable for the analysis of low representation of the unemployed and atypical employed as well for those working in peripheral (unorganized) workplaces." (author's abstract

Material zu einem bibliometrischen Profil der Wissenschaftsforschung

Göbel C, Winterhager M, Wohlgemuth M. Material zu einem bibliometrischen Profil der Wissenschaftsforschung. Bielefeld: Universität Bielefeld, Institute for Interdisciplinary Studies of Science (I²SoS); 2013.Die Studie analysiert die formellen Kommunikationsstrukturen des Feldes Wissenschaftsforschung, das u.a. auch als Wissenschafts- und Technikforschung, Science and Technology Studies (STS), Science, Technology and Society oder Science (Policy) Studies bezeichnet wird. Ziel der Untersuchung war, über wissenschaftliche Zeitschriften, herausragende Buchpublikationen und zentrale Akteure einander ergänzenden Zugänge zum Feld aufzuzeigen, um die innere Struktur und den Aktionsradius der Wissenschaftsforschung sowie ihre zeitliche Entwicklung zu beschreiben und letztendlich Aufschluss über Wachstums-, Differenzierungs- und Integrationsprozesse des Forschungsgebietes zu gewinnen

How space-number associations may be created in preliterate children : six distinct mechanisms

The directionality of space-number association (SNA) is shaped by cultural experiences. It usually follows the culturally dominant reading direction. Smaller numbers are generally associated with the starting side for reading (left side in Western cultures), while larger numbers are associated with the right endpoint side. However, SNAs consistent with cultural reading directions are present before children can actually read and write. Therefore, these SNAs cannot only be shaped by the direction of children's own reading/writing behavior. We propose six distinct processes - one biological and five cultural/educational - underlying directional SNAs before formal reading acquisition: (i) Brain lateralization, (ii) Monitoring adult reading behavior, (iii) Pretend reading and writing, and rudimentary reading and writing skills, (iv) Dominant attentional directional preferences in a society, not directly related to reading direction, (v) Direct spatial-numerical learning, (vi) Other spatial-directional processes independent of reading direction. In this mini-review, we will differentiate between these processes, elaborate when in development they might emerge, discuss how they may create the SNAs observed in preliterate children and propose how they can be studied in the future

Transdisciplinary Sustainability Research and Citizen Science: Options for Mutual Learning.

Both citizen science and transdisciplinary sustainability research involve non-academic actors in the production of knowledge while seeking to contribute to sustainability transitions, albeit in different ways. From citizen science, transdisciplinary researchers can learn about the multiple ways of engaging knowledge holders, and producing and sharing knowledge

Observation of fractional spin textures in a Heusler material

Recently a zoology of non-collinear chiral spin textures has been discovered, most of which, such as skyrmions and antiskyrmions, have integer topological charges. Here we report the experimental real-space observation of the formation and stability of fractional antiskyrmions and fractional elliptical skyrmions in a Heusler material. These fractional objects appear, over a wide range of temperature and magnetic field, at the edges of a sample, whose interior is occupied by an array of nano-objects with integer topological charges, in agreement with our simulations. We explore the evolution of these objects in the presence of magnetic fields and show their interconversion to objects with integer topological charges. This means the topological charge can be varied continuously. These fractional spin textures are not just another type of skyrmion, but are essentially a new state of matter that emerges and lives only at the boundary of a magnetic system. The coexistence of both integer and fractionally charged spin textures in the same material makes the Heusler family of compounds unique for the manipulation of the real-space topology of spin textures and thus an exciting platform for spintronic and magnonic applications

Development and Phenotype of Heart Failure in Long-Term Survivors of Childhood Cancer:The CVSS Study

BACKGROUND: The CVSS (Cardiac and Vascular Late Sequelae in Long-Term Survivors of Childhood Cancer) study aimed to investigate the prevalence of different stages of heart failure (HF) in childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) compared with the general population. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 1002 CCSs (age range, 23– 48 years) diagnosed with neoplasia before an age of 15 years underwent a comprehensive cardiovascular screening. An age-and sex-matched sample from the population-based GHS (Gutenberg Health Study) served as a comparison group. Although prevalence of HF was significantly higher in CCSs, prevalence of different HF stages varied strongly by specific tumor history. Compared with the population, the prevalence ratio was 2.6 (95% CI, 2.4– 2.8) for HF stage A and 4.6 (95% CI, 4.1– 5.1) for the composite of HF stage B to D in an age-and sex-adjusted Poisson regression model. Multivariable linear regression, adjusting for tumor entities, age, sex, and cardiovascular risk factors, revealed a lower left ventricular ejection fraction in patients with history of bone tumors (β, −4.30 [95% CI, −5.70 to −2.80]), soft tissue sarcoma (β, −1.60 [95% CI, −2.90 to −0.30]), and renal tumors (β, −1.60 [95% CI, −2.80 to −0.29]) compared with the population. The same model for the diastolic marker, ratio of the peak early diastolic filling velocity/lateral mitral annular early diastolic velocity, showed an association only with cardiovascular risk factors but not with tumor entities. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of HF stage A to D was significantly higher among long-term CCSs compared with the population and varied strongly by tumor entity. Systolic dysfunction was primarily associated with tumor entities, whereas diastolic dysfunction was associated with a higher burden of cardiovascular risk factors in CCSs.</p