1,721,063 research outputs found
Making evidential claims in epidemiology: Three strategies for the study of the exposome
Full text linkHow is scientific data used to represent phenomena and as evidence for claims about phenomena? In this paper, I propose that a specific type of claims – evidential claims – is involved in data practices to define and restrict the representational and evidential content of a dataset. I present an account of data practices in the epidemiology of the exposome based on the notion of evidential claims, which helps unpack the approaches, assumptions and warrants that connect different stages of research. I identify three different strategies to generate different types of evidential claims in this case. The macro strategy, which individuates the dataset that serves as the initial evidential space for research. The micro strategy, which is used to generate evidential claims about the microscopic and individual component of target phenomena. The association strategy, that uses evidence from the other strategies to identify a dataset as representation of the different levels and relations of exposure and disease. Differentiating between these strategies sheds light on the multi-faceted landscape of biomedical research on environment and health; and the roles of data and evidence in the process of inquiry
Evaluating evidential pluralism in epidemiology: mechanistic evidence in exposome research
Full text linkIn current philosophical discussions on evidence in the medical sciences, epidemiology has been used to exemplify a specific version of evidential pluralism. According to this view, known as the Russo–Williamson Thesis, evidence of both difference-making and mechanisms is produced to make causal claims in the health sciences. In this paper, I present an analysis of data and evidence in epidemiological practice, with a special focus on research on the exposome, and I cast doubt on the extent to which evidential pluralism holds in this case. I start by focusing on the claim that molecular data allows for the production of mechanistic evidence. On the basis of a close look at the ways in which molecular data is used in exposome research, I caution against interpretations in terms of mechanistic evidence. Secondly, I expand my critical remarks on the thesis by addressing the conditions under which data is categorised as evidence in exposome research. I argue that these show that the classification of a dataset as a type of evidence is dependent on the ways in which the data is used. This is in contrast with the approach of evidential pluralism, where evidence is classified in different types on the basis of its intrinsic properties. Finally, I come back to what I consider the core of the thesis and suggest that the epidemiological research analysed in the paper indicates different interpretations of evidential pluralism and its applicability in the health sciences
Lessons from anti-thalassemia campaigns in Italy, before prenatal diagnosis
No full textThe essay reconstructs the antithalassemia campaign carried out by means of population screening and pre-marriage counseling for about twenty years in Italy, immediately after the relationship between microcythemia and Cooley's anemia had been established, as well as its genetic bases. We examine the Italian contributions to the understanding of the genetics and of the clinical treatment of thalassemic disorders, and analyze the approaches to prevention as well as the results obtained by the first campaign against a genetic disease, conceived and largely implemented in Italy by Ezio Silvestroni and Ida Bianco. We discuss the resistances met by the antithalassemia campaign due to the cultural and organizational backwardness of the Italian medical community and of the public health system. Moreover we analyze the explanations and interpretations of the problematic results of these experiences in terms of morbidity reduction. It will be pointed out that the objective of genetic counselling practised in that context assumed the concept of disease prevention at the population level, and it was far from the idea, emerged in the 1970s, of non directive genetic counselling
What is new about the exposome? Exploring scientific change in contemporary epidemiology
Full text linkIn this commentary, I discuss the scientific changes brought by the exposome, asking what is new about this approach and line of research. I place the exposome in a historical perspective, by analyzing the conditions under which the exposome has been conceived, developed and established in the context of contemporary epidemiological research. I argue that the exposome has been developed by transferring approaches, methods and conceptualizations from other lines of research in the life and health sciences. I thus discuss the conceptual and methodological innovations of the exposome as a result of the merging and adaptation of these elements for new uses and purposes. On this basis, I argue that the novelty of the exposome should be seen in incremental rather than revolutionary terms and, in this sense, the exposome shares significant elements with other projects and repertoires in postgenomics. I conclude by discussing the consequences of this analysis for the potential limitations and future development of exposome research
Towards a Contextual Approach to Data Quality
Full text linkIn this commentary, I propose a framework for thinking about data quality in the context of scientific research. I start by analyzing conceptualizations of quality as a property of information, evidence and data and reviewing research in the philosophy of information, the philosophy of science and the philosophy of biomedicine. I identify a push for purpose dependency as one of the main results of this review. On this basis, I present a contextual approach to data quality in scientific research, whereby the quality of a dataset is dependent on the context of use of the dataset as much as the dataset itself. I exemplify the approach by discussing current critiques and debates of scientific quality, thus showcasing how data quality can be approached contextually
Fertilità fisico-chimica e biologica dei terreni agrari
No full textUna conoscenza, spazialmente definita, dei terreni rappresenta un’informazione basilare affinché l’agricoltore possa adattare le proprie scelte alle effettive condizioni di fertilità agronomica e/o di vulnerabilità ambientale che caratterizzano l’azienda. La gestione di tutti i principali segmenti della tecnica colturale (fertilizzazioni, irrigazioni, lavorazioni del terreno, scelta delle colture, ecc.) può risultare infatti profondamente influenzata dalla natura dei suoli.
Non è semplice però derivare indicazioni utili a livello agronomico da campagne di caratterizzazione pedologica riguardanti aree vaste come province o regioni, mentre d’altra parte difficilmente l’agricoltore risulta disposto a sopportare i costi derivanti da un’indagine dei terreni svolta ad hoc per la propria azienda.
Nel caso della tenuta di San Rossore si deve rilevare la fortunata circostanza che i terreni agricoli di pertinenza dell’azienda sono stati oggetto di una accurata campagna di monitoraggio realizzata nell’anno 2000 nell’ambito di un progetto quinquennale di assistenza tecnica agli agricoltori che, fra le diverse azioni, prevedeva appunto la caratterizzazione dei suoli compresi all’interno dell’intera area protetta.
La totalità dei risultati riportati e discussi nel presente contributo sono frutto dell’indagine svolta in tale occasione che ha condotto anche alla produzione di una cartografia a scala 1:10000 in cui sono stati rappresentati i tematismi relativi al contenuto in sostanza organica, alla granulometria ed ai valori di pH assunti dal terreno nelle diverse aree dell’intera tenuta storica e che può costituire un utile supporto per riferire al territorio, almeno una parte delle considerazioni prodotte nel presente documento
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
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