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Citizen science is an increasingly popular activity, from bird counts to amateur water sample collection to air quality monitoring. Researchers and theorists in the field of science and technology studies (STS) have typically applauded these efforts because they make science more participatory, providing an example of the democratization of science, or, at least, more equitable engagement between experts and the lay public. However, a broader review of the literature on citizen science suggests that participation is but one of many virtues that practitioners and observers find in the practices of citizen science. This literature review makes two interventions. First, we discuss the dimensions of citizen science that do not easily fit in a typology or spectrum of participatory practices. We identify seven different virtues claimed of citizen science: increasing scientific data; increasing citizens' scientific literacy and awareness; building community capacity for environmental protection; building more equal relationship between scientists and citizens; filling knowledge gaps and challenging official accounts; driving policy change; and catching polluters. Second, we consider the social and political contexts that often create contradictory situations or dilemmas for citizen scientists. Going forward, a robust framework for the analysis of citizen science would not only address the ways scientific data is collected and put to a particular use, but also situate the project in relation to broader structural forces of scientization, neocolonialism, globalization, and neoliberalization.

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This study showed MMP-8 as a possible marker for progressive bone loss in peri-implantitis.

This paper examines the increasingly popular chisan-chisho movement that has promoted the localization of food consumption in Japan since the late-1990s. Chisan-chisho emerged in the context of a perceived crisis in the Japanese food system, particularly the long-term decline of agriculture and rural community and more recent episodes of food scandals. Although initially started as a grassroots movement, many chisanchisho initiatives are now organized by governments and farmersÕ cooperatives. Acknowledging that the chisan-chisho movement has added some important resources and a conceptual framework, we nonetheless point out that chisan-chisho has been refashioned as a producer movement by government as well as the Japan Agricultural Cooperative, capitalizing on local foodÕs marketing appeal. Chisan-chisho to date has not been able to become a full-fledged citizen-based political mobilization nor address the issue of marginality in the food system.

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The purposes of this study were to determine whether a response shift was observable after partial denture treatment and to identify the predictors that influenced the response shift magnitude and direction. A total of 173 consecutive patients with no more than eight missing teeth who received implant-supported, fixed or removable partial dentures at Okayama University Dental Hospital were asked to complete a full-version Oral Health-Related Quality of Life (OHRQoL) questionnaire before (pre-test) and after treatment (post-test). Additionally, a short form (then-test) consisting of seven questions selected from the full version had its reliability verified and was utilised to retrospectively assess the pre-treatment OHRQoL status. The difference between the summary scores of the then-test and the pre-test determined the response shift magnitude and direction. The then-test mean score (22·9 ± 6·6) was significantly lower (worse OHRQoL) than that of the pre-test (26·4 ± 5·2). The response shift effect size was of moderate magnitude and negative direction (d = -0·78). A multiple regression analysis showed that age (younger patients) (P < 0·01), number of replaced teeth (fewer) (P < 0·01) and pre-test scores (lower) (P < 0·01) were the significant predictors for response shift. In conclusion, a response shift phenomenon with negative and moderate effect size was observed after partial denture treatment. The significant predictor variables were young age, fewer numbers of replaced teeth and lower pre-test scores.