Characterizing scientific production and consumption in physics

We analyze the entire publication database of the American Physical Society generating longitudinal (50 years) citation networks geolocalized at the level of single urban areas. We define the knowledge diffusion proxy, and scientific production ranking algorithms to capture the spatio-temporal dynamics of Physics knowledge worldwide. By using the knowledge diffusion proxy we identify the key cities in the production and consumption of knowledge in Physics as a function of time. The results from the scientific production ranking algorithm allow us to characterize the top cities for scholarly research in Physics. Although we focus on a single dataset concerning a specific field, the methodology presented here opens the path to comparative studies of the dynamics of knowledge across disciplines and research areas

Connectedness of healthcare professionals involved in the treatment of patients with Parkinson's disease: a social networks study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Patients with chronic illness typically receive ambulatory treatment from multiple health professionals. Connectedness between these professionals may influence their clinical decisions and the coordination of patient care. We aimed to describe and analyze connectedness in a regional network of health professionals involved in ambulatory treatment of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD).</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Observational study with 104 health professionals who had joined a newly established network (ParkinsonNet) were asked to complete a pre-structured form to report on their professional contacts with others in the network. Using social networks methods, network measures were calculated for the total network and for the networks of individual health professionals. We planned to test differences between subgroups of health professionals regarding 12 network measures, using a random permutation method.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Ninety-six health professionals (92%) provided data on 101 professionals. The reciprocity of reported connections was 0.42 in the network of professional contacts. Measures characterizing the individual networks showed a wide variation; <it>e.g</it>., density varied between 0 and 100% (mean value 28.4%). Health professionals with ≥10 PD patients had higher values on 7 out of 12 network measures compare to those with < 10 PD patients (size, number of connections, two step reach, indegree centrality, outdegree centrality, inreach centrality, betweenness centrality). Primary care professionals had lower values on 11 out of 12 network measures (all but reach efficiency) compared to professionals who were affiliated with a hospital.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>Our measure of professional connectedness proved to be feasible in a regional disease-specific network of health professionals. Network measures describing patterns in the professional contacts showed relevant variation across professionals. A higher caseload and an affiliation with a hospital were associated with stronger connectedness with other health professionals.</p

STAR-GARCH Models for Stock Market Interactions in the Pacific Basin Region, Japan and US

We investigate the financial interactions between countries in the Pacific Basin region (Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Taiwan), Japan and US. The originality of the paper is the use of STAR-GARCH models, instead of standard correlation-cointegration techniques. For each country in the Pacific Basin region, we find statistically adequate STAR-GARCH models for the series of stock market daily returns, using Nikkei225 and S&P500 as alternative threshold variables. We provide evidence for the leading role of Japan in the period 1988-1990 (pre-Japanese crisis years), whereas our results suggest that the Pacific Basin region countries are more closely linked with the US during the period 1995-1999 (post- Japanese crisis years).STAR-GARCH models, stock market integration, Pacific-Basin capital markets, outliers

Globalisation of Innovation The Role of Multinational Enterprises

This paper undertakes a brief evaluation of the trends in the internationalization of innovative activities. We provide a taxonomy of R&D internationalization strategies, and discuss the main relevant theoretical and empirical issues, before discussing the centripetal and centrifugal forces underlying the nature and evolution of cross border innovation. We address the issue of international technology partnering as a key strategy that is complementary to the internationalisation of innovative activities through internal means, before raising important policy dimensions and directions for future research that derive from these debates.R&D internationalization, globalisation, multinationals, alliances, technology policy

Putting Health at the Heart of Local Planning Through an Integrated Municipal Health Strategy

As a cross-sectoral issue, the promotion of health needs to be addressed across all policies. In Portugal, as more competencies are being transferred to local governments, the integration of health considerations into municipal plans remains a challenge and guidance on how to develop an integrated municipal health strategy is absent. The aim of this study is to describe the conceptual and methodological approach that informed the development of an integrated and multisectoral municipal health strategy in the City of Coimbra. Its design followed a population health approach with a geographic lens, looking at how the population's health outcomes and health determinants were geographically distributed across the municipality, as well as the extent to which policies from multiple sectors can address them. The planning cycle followed an iterative workflow of five actions: assessing, prioritizing, planning, implementing, and monitoring. Following a participatory planning approach, several participatory processes were conducted involving local stakeholders and citizens (e.g., population-based surveys, workshops, Delphi, collaborative sessions) to identify problems, establish priorities, and define measures and actions. The strategic framework for action integrates 94 actions across multisectoral domains of municipal intervention: sustainable mobility and public places, safe and adequate housing, accessible healthcare, social cohesion and participation, education and health literacy, and intersectoral and collaborative leadership. Findings shed light on important aspects that can inform other municipal strategies, such as the adoption of a place-based approach, focused on geographic inequalities, health determinants and stakeholder participation, and the application of a health in all policies framework