New Methods in Human Subjects Research: Do We Need a New Ethics?

Online surveys and interviews, the observations of chat rooms or online games, data mining, knowledge discovery in databases (KDD), collecting biomarkers, employing biometrics, using RFID technology - even as implants in the human body - and other related processes all seem to be more promising, cheaper, faster, and comprehensive than conventional methods of human subjects research. But at the same time these new means of gathering information may pose powerful threats to privacy, autonomy, and informed consent. Online research, particularly involving children and minors but also other vulnerable groups such as ethnic or religious minorities, is in urgent need of an adequate research ethics that can provide reasonable and morally justified constraints for human subjects research. The paper at hand seeks to provide some clarification of these new means of information gathering and the challenges they present to moral concepts like -privacy, autonomy, informed consent, beneficence, and justice. Some existing codes of conduct and ethical guidelines are examined to determine whether they provide answers to those challenges and/or whether they can be helpful in the development of principles and regulations governing human subjects research. Finally, some conclusions and recommendations are presented that can help in the ask of formulating an adequate research ethics for human subjects research.Human Subjects Research, Online Research, Biomarkers, Biometrics, Autonomy, Privacy, Informed Consent, Research Ethics

Nectria galligena as the cause of a collar rot disease in organically grown Topaz apple trees

Symptoms resembling collar rot were detected in organically managed Topaz trees aged 3-10 years, occur-ring one to several years after planting of the orchard. Trees were killed within the same growing season in which symptoms were first observed. The disease commonly progressed as a complete covered canker at the base of the tree trunk. Isolation attempts were negative for Phytophthora and other Oomycetes, but con-sistently yielded Nectria galligena. The possibility of latent (endophytic) infections of N. galligena as the cause of delayed collar rot symptoms is briefly discussed

New methods in human subjects research: do we need a new ethics?

"Online surveys and interviews, the observations of chat rooms or online games, data mining, knowledge discovery in databases (KDD), collecting biomarkers, employing biometrics, using RFID technology -even as implants in the human body- and other related processes all seem to be more promising, cheaper, faster, and comprehensive than conventional methods of human subjects research. But at the same time these new means of gathering information may pose powerful threats to privacy, autonomy, and informed consent. Online research, particularly involving children and minors but also other vulnerable groups such as ethnic or religious minorities, is in urgent need of an adequate research ethics that can provide reasonable and morally justified constraints for human subjects research. The paper at hand seeks to provide some clarification of these new means of information gathering and the challenges they present to moral concepts like privacy, autonomy, informed consent, beneficence, and justice. Some existing codes of conduct and ethical guidelines are examined to determine whether they provide answers to those challenges and/or whether they can be helpful in the development of principles and regulations governing human subjects research. Finally, some conclusions and recommendations are presented that can help in the task of formulating an adequate research ethics for human subjects research." [author's abstract

MSM building and projection for the analysis of time‐resolved spectra

Understanding the kinetics between the components of time-resolved spectra is a crucial step in the study of photo-activated processes. However, modeling the kinetics requires usually some a priori knowledge about the system. In our approach, we build a Markov State Model (MSM) from the spectral data, and obtain a Koopman transition matrix K(τ). With genPCCA, an invariant subspace projection, we project the process into its metastable components. The result of the application of gen-PCCA is a transition matrix Kc(τ), from which we can read the transition probability between the metastable components of the reaction. We discuss the application of this analysis method to the transient absorption spectrum of brominated Al-corrole

Entwicklung und digitale Spaltung – Zusammenhänge und Prioritäten

After a brief introduction of definitions and causes of the digital divide, particularly with regard to developing countries, the so-called “Simputer” and “One Laptop per Child” projects, which were designed to close the digital divide in developing countries, will be presented. It shall be argued that both projects are flawed by technological determinism and false assumptions about the impact of technology on social problems. As a conclusion it shall be predicted that the “One Laptop per Child” project is very likely to fail as the “Simputer” project already has failed

Erklärung historischer Abläufe mit Computersimulationen

'Computersimulationen werden in den verschiedensten wissenschaftlichen Disziplinen angewendet - zunehmend auch in den Geisteswissenschaften. Da es in den Geschichtswissenschaften eine Strömung gibt, die auf die Analyse quantitativer Daten aufbaut und sich sozialwissenschaftlicher bzw. ökonomischer Methoden bedient, liegt es nahe, auch hier Computersimulationen zu benutzen. Im vorliegenden Text werden Motivationen, Ziele, (Rand-)Bedingungen und methodische Fragen des Einsatzes von Computersimulationen in den Geschichtswissenschaften anhand verschiedener Beispiele der Simulation historischer Prozesse diskutiert. Es wird argumentiert, dass trotz der existierenden starken methodologischen Einschränkungen der Einsatz von Computersimulationen in den Geschichtswissenschaften wichtige Vorteile mit sich bringt, solange der Einsatz sorgfältig vorgenommen wird und jene Einschränkungen beachtet werden.' (Autorenreferat)'Computer simulations are used in various scientific disciplines - with a raising tendency in the humanities, too. Since one will find a branch of historical research which utilizes the analysis of quantitative data and methods of social sciences or economics, respectively, it is quite obvious to use computer simulations in history. Therefore, in the following text, motivations, aims, constraints, and methodological questions of the application of computer simulations in historical research are discussed on the basis of several examples of simulation of historical processes. It will be concluded that, although there are severe methodological limitations to the application of computer simulations, if the application is carried out carefully and if those limitations are recognized, some important benefits for historical research can be identified.' (author's abstract

Combination of Chemical Reaction and Analysis - Catalyst Screening by On-Column Reaction Chromatography

The combination of catalysis and analysis in a single chromatographic reactor is an efficient method for the comprehensive kinetic characterization of catalysts and materials. This concept, called on-column reaction chromatography, incorporates catalytic activity and separation selectivity in the polymeric stationary phase of a chromatographic separation capillary. This thesis aims to study mechanistic details of (enantioselective) catalytic processes by applying this strategy. After an introduction about general aspects of on-column reaction chromatography in chapter 1, the combination of enantioselective hydrogenations of alpha-keto esters over quinine-modified Pt and Pd nanoparticles and the consecutive separation of the obtained enantiomers in microcapillaries is reported in chapter 3. This combination makes it possible to simultaneously determine enantiomeric excesses and reaction kinetics for entire substrate libraries by injecting a broad variety of different substrates at the same time. Chirally modified Pt and Pd nanoparticles, embedded in a stabilizing polysiloxane matrix, serve as catalysts and selective chromatographic stationary phases for these multiphase (gas-liquid-solid) reactions. These polymer embedded catalysts are coated as a thin film onto the inner surface of fused-silica capillaries. A systematic kinetic study for the Pt-catalyzed enantioselective hydrogenation of ethyl pyruvate (1) is presented. Furthermore, the high-throughput screening of a substrate library consisting of different alpha-keto esters over chirally modified Pt- and Pd-catalysts was investigated. A study about the activity of different ruthenium olefin metathesis catalysts in ring-closing metathesis (RCM) reactions is described in chapter 4. The Grubbs-type catalysts 1st (22) and 2nd generation (23) as well as Hoveyda-Grubbs-type catalysts 1st generation (24) were dissolved in polysiloxanes and coated onto the inner surface of microcapillaries. Temperature- and flow-dependent conversion measurements with Grubbs-type catalysts for RCM allowed the determination of reaction rate constants k and activation parameters. The obtained comprehensive experimental kinetic data are a prerequisite for a better understanding of catalytic mechanisms. In chapter 5, the concept of on-column reaction gas chromatography was used to combine separation selectivity of ionic liquids (ILs) and catalysis by Grubbs-type catalyst 1st generation (22) in RCM reactions. This combination allows the investigation of catalyst stability and recyclability, which are important aspects for future catalyst applications. With this combination, it is possible to investigate the catalyst stability and recyclability. Reaction rate constants k that are hardly accessible by other techniques can be efficiently determined for various substrates with this approach. Chapter 6 describes the synthesis and application of polysiloxane-immobilized chiral camphor-based transition metal catalysts. The enantioselective separation efficiency and catalytic activity of these novel stationary phases are investigated. The synthetic applicability of polysiloxane-supported chiral Co-salen-complexes is described in chapter 7. A modular, covalent immobilization method for monofunctionalized enantiopure unsymmetrical salen ligands by an ether linkage has been elaborated