10 research outputs found
How are topics born? Understanding the research dynamics preceding the emergence of new areas
The ability to promptly recognise new research trends is strategic for many stake- holders, including universities, institutional funding bodies, academic publishers and companies. While the literature describes several approaches which aim to identify the emergence of new research topics early in their lifecycle, these rely on the assumption that the topic in question is already associated with a number of publications and consistently referred to by a community of researchers. Hence, detecting the emergence of a new research area at an embryonic stage, i.e., before the topic has been consistently labelled by a community of researchers and associated with a number of publications, is still an open challenge. In this paper, we begin to address this challenge by performing a study of the dynamics preceding the creation of new topics. This study indicates that the emergence of a new topic is anticipated by a significant increase in the pace of collaboration between relevant research areas, which can be seen as the ‘parents’ of the new topic. These initial findings (i) confirm our hypothesis that it is possible in principle to detect the emergence of a new topic at the embryonic stage, (ii) provide new empirical evidence supporting relevant theories in Philosophy of Science, and also (iii) suggest that new topics tend to emerge in an environment in which weakly interconnected research areas begin to cross-fertilise
AUGUR: Forecasting the Emergence of New Research Topics
Being able to rapidly recognise new research trends is strategic for many stakeholders, including universities, institutional funding bodies, academic publishers and companies. The literature presents several approaches to identifying the emergence of new research topics, which rely on the assumption that the topic is already exhibiting a certain degree of popularity and consistently referred to by a community of researchers. However, detecting the emergence of a new research area at an embryonic stage, i.e., before the topic has been consistently labelled by a community of researchers and associated with a number of publications, is still an open challenge. We address this issue by introducing Augur, a novel approach to the early detection of research topics. Augur analyses the diachronic relationships between research areas and is able to detect clusters of topics that exhibit dynamics correlated with the emergence of new research topics. Here we also present the Advanced Clique Percolation Method (ACPM), a new community detection algorithm developed specifically for supporting this task. Augur was evaluated on a gold standard of 1,408 debutant topics in the 2000-2011 interval and outperformed four alternative approaches in terms of both precision and recall
ResearchFlow: Understanding the Knowledge Flow between Academia and Industry
Understanding, monitoring, and predicting the flow of knowledge between academia and industry is of critical importance for a variety of stakeholders, including governments, funding bodies, researchers, investors, and companies. To this purpose, we introduce ResearchFlow, an approach that integrates semantic technologies and machine learning to quantifying the diachronic behaviour of research topics across academia and industry. ResearchFlow exploits the novel Academia/Industry DynAmics (AIDA) Knowledge Graph in order to characterize each topic according to the frequency in time of the related i) publications from academia, ii) publications from industry, iii) patents from academia, and iv) patents from industry. This representation is then used to produce several analytics regarding the academia/industry knowledge flow and to forecast the impact of research topics on industry. We applied ResearchFlow to a dataset of 3.5M papers and 2M patents in Computer Science and highlighted several interesting patterns. We found that 89.8% of the topics first emerge in academic publications, which typically precede industrial publications by about 5.6 years and industrial patents by about 6.6 years. However this does not mean that academia always dictates the research agenda. In fact, our analysis also shows that industrial trends tend to influence academia more than academic trends affect industry. We evaluated ResearchFlow on the task of forecasting the impact of research topics on the industrial sector and found that its granular characterization of topics improves significantly the performance with respect to alternative solutions
Análise de redes da paisagem submarina de canhão : implicações para o planeamento e gestão da biodiversidade
Submarine canyons are complex and heterogeneous geomorphologic
structures highly relevant for the biodiversity and productivity of continental
margins. These marine ecosystems play a key role providing invaluable goods
and services for human well-being but are also increasingly subjected to the
effects of anthropogenic pressure and climate change. The natural isolation of
canyons may act synergistically with these changes with implications for
population connectivity and the maintenance of biodiversity. The understanding
of the causes and ecological consequences of such changes requires holistic
and interdisciplinary approaches.
I mapped the landscape of submarine canyon research based on a
comprehensive bibliographic data set and using data mining techniques and
network analysis. The existing knowledge clusters, historical trends, emergent
topics and knowledge gaps in canyon research were identified and
characterized. Topics such as “Geology & Geophysics”, “Oceanographic
Processes” and “Biology & Ecology” were among the most studied while, for
instance, “Biogeochemistry” and ecological modelling were among the less
explored. Topics regarding anthropogenic impacts and climate-driven
processes were only detected on publication of the last decade. The
knowledge network reflects a latent interdisciplinarity in canyon research that
developed mostly in the new millennium, supported by a well implemented and
international collaboration network. The research efforts have been mainly
directed towards only a few canyon systems and a thematic bias was identified,
with specific topics addressed preferentially in particular canyons. This spatial
and thematic bias, together with the paucity of truly inter-disciplinary studies,
may be the most important limitation to the integrated knowledge and
development of canyon research and hinders a global, more comprehensive
understanding of canyon patterns and processes. The scientific landscape
mapping and the complementary results are made available online as an open
and interactive platform.
In order to assess the importance of submarine canyons for the conservation
and management on the deep sea, a study area and a modelling species were
selected: the Mediterranean Sea and Lophelia pertusa, a cold-water coral
species. The Mediterranean Sea encompasses several submarine canyon
systems and L. pertusa is an ecosystem engineering species that occurs
frequently in these geomorphological features and provides refuge, nursery
grounds and physical support for a remarkable diversity of other life forms.
Considering that the distribution of L. pertusa in the Mediterranean Sea is
probably underestimated and that this information is crucial to assess the
relevance of canyons in the Mediterranean seascape, I estimated the habitat
suitability and draw uncertainty maps for this region based on environmental
predictors and an ensemble approach of three machine-learning algorithms.
The results suggest that in the Mediterranean Sea, L. pertusa encounters
environmental settings close to its physiological limits but, despite the highly
variable quality of the seascape, submarine canyons were identified as high
suitability areas, especially across the Western and Central Mediterranean
margins. In addition to the environmental suitability, the ecosystem connectivity
determines the species distribution, the metapopulation dynamics and
population resilience. I simulated the transport of L. pertusa larvae in the
Mediterranean Sea using a biophysical model to estimate their potential
dispersal as well as a network analysis to evaluate the habitat availability
based on parameters such as suitability, spatial configuration of the seascape
and the oceanographic conditions variability. The results suggest that
connectivity among Mediterranean ecoregions is weak and that the
intensification of climate-driven events (e.g., dense shelf water cascading) may
worsen this scenario. However, the potential exchange of larvae between
colonies within the same ecoregion was significant, favoring population
resilience to local disturbances. Habitat areas with high quality and larval flux
were identified as a priority for the conservation of L. pertusa, and
subsequently also for their associated fauna. Once again, I showed that habitat
areas on submarine canyons may play an important role in the connectivity of
L. pertusa Mediterranean populations. However, these habitat areas are
subjected to intense anthropogenic pressures, which allied to the effects of
climate change, may impose greater challenges to their conservation. Apart
from three French marine protected areas in the Gulf of Lion, the development
of conservation efforts considering submarine canyon in the Mediterranean
Sea is negligible.
The knowledge produced in this thesis provides scientific evidence to support
decision-making in conservation and planning of marine protected areas
networks in the Mediterranean Sea and illustrates the relevance of submarine
canyon for the management and conservation of deep-sea biodiversity.Os canhões submarinos são estruturas geomorfológicas complexas
localizadas nas margens continentais. São reconhecidos como zonas
importantes de biodiversidade no mar profundo onde os níveis de
produtividade biológica são de modo geral superiores às áreas adjacentes.
Estes ecossistemas marinhos desempenham um papel fundamental na
prestação de bens e serviços essenciais ao bem-estar humano. Não obstante,
estes ecossistemas estão cada vez mais sujeitos a efeitos nefastos que advêm
de ações diretas das atividades humanas, mas também, resultantes de
alterações climáticas. O isolamento natural dos canhões submarinos em
conjunto com estas mudanças, pode ter implicações para a conectividade das
populações biológicas que os habitam, bem como para a manutenção da
biodiversidade associada. Avaliar as causas e efeitos ecológicos de tais
mudanças só será possível através de uma abordagem holística e
interdisciplinar.
Partindo de uma base de dados bibliográfica abrangente de publicações
dedicadas ao estudo de canhões submarinos, usei técnicas de data mining e
de análise de redes para mapear o conhecimento reunido até agora. Foram
identificados clusters de conhecimento, a evolução histórica da investigação
em canhões submarinos, bem como, os tópicos emergentes e lacunas no
conhecimento sobre estas estruturas. Os tópicos mais desenvolvidos dizem
respeito a áreas associadas à “Geologia e Geofísica”, “Processos
Oceanográficos” e “Biologia e Ecologia”. Por outro lado, temas como
“Biogeoquímica” e modelação ecológica estão entre os menos explorados.
Estudos referentes a impactos antropogénicos nestes ecossistemas e
alterações induzidas por processos climáticos foram detetados apenas em
publicação datadas da última década. A rede de tópicos gerada reflete uma
interdisciplinaridade latente na investigação associada a canhões que se
desenvolveu principalmente durante o século XXI, apoiada por colaborações
internacionais da comunidade científica. No entanto, a investigação científica
em canhões submarinos apresenta uma tendência clara direccionada para
determinados temas e áreas geográficas. Tópicos específicos são abordados
preferencialmente em determinados canhões, enquanto que um número muito
pequeno destas estruturas concentra a maior parte dos trabalhos
desenvolvidos. Este resultado juntamente com o número reduzido de estudos
interdisciplinares, foi a mais importante limitação detetada que poderá dificultar
a integração do conhecimento já reunido sobre estas estruturas, impedido uma
compreensão mais abrangente dos padrões e processos associados aos
canhões submarinos. Os resultados alcançados foram disponibilizados numa
plataforma online aberta para exploração interativa e direcionada dos
conteúdos.
No sentido de avaliar a importância dos canhões para a conservação e gestão
da biodiversidade no mar profundo, foi definida como área de estudo o Mar
Mediterrâneo e selecionada como espécie modelo, um coral de água fria:
Lophelia pertusa. O Mar Mediterrâneo engloba vários sistemas de canhões
submarinos enquanto que L. pertusa é uma espécie engenheira de
ecossistemas que cria refúgio, áreas de berçário e habitat para uma panóplia
de outras espécies, ocorrendo frequentemente em canhões. Uma vez que a
distribuição de L. pertusa no Mar Mediterrâneo está provavelmente
subestimada e que esta informação é fundamental para avaliar a relevância
dos canhões na área de estudo, desenvolvi um modelo de nicho ecológico
baseado em variáveis ambientais e uma abordagem conjunta de três
algoritmos. Os resultados obtidos foram mapas de adequação ambiental, bem
como, de avaliação da capacidade de previsão do modelo. Os resultados
sugerem que no mar Mediterrâneo, esta espécie de coral encontra condições
ambientais próximas dos seus limites fisiológicos. Apesar disso, áreas com
condições favoráveis à ocorrência de L. pertusa foram detetadas em canhões
submarinos, principalmente no Mediterrâneo Ocidental e Central. A par da
qualidade dos habitats, a distribuição dos organismos, a dinâmica metapopulacional
e a resiliência das populações a perturbações estão fortemente
relacionadas com a conectividade dos ecossistemas. Neste contexto, simulei o
transporte de larvas de L. pertusa no Mar Mediterrâneo usando um modelo
biofísico para estimar o seu potencial de dispersão. Com os resultados do
modelo e usando análises de rede, avaliei a disponibilidade de habitat com
base em parâmetros como a qualidade, configuração espacial da paisagem
marinha e variabilidade oceanográfica. Os resultados sugerem que a
conectividade entre as eco-regiões do Mar Mediterrâneo é baixa e que a
intensificação de eventos impulsionados por condições climáticas (por
exemplo, dense shelf water cascading) pode agravar este cenário. No entanto,
a potencial troca de larvas entre colónias dentro da mesma eco-região foi
significativa, podendo favorecer a resiliência das populações a perturbações
locais. Áreas de habitat com boa qualidade e com fluxo de larvas foram
identificadas como prioritárias para a conservação de L. pertusa, com
benefícios eventuais também para a fauna associada a este coral. Mais uma
vez, áreas de habitat incluídas em canhões submarinos foram identificadas
como as mais relevantes no Mar Mediterrâneo, devendo desempenhar um
papel importante na conectividade de populações desta espécie. Contudo,
estas áreas estão igualmente sujeitas de forma intensa a atividades humanas
com efeitos prejudiciais nos ecossistemas, e que, aliadas aos efeitos das
alterações climáticas, podem dificultar a implementação de medidas de
conservação eficazes. Com a exceção de três áreas marinhas protegidas
francesas no Golfo do Leão, o desenvolvimento de esforços de conservação
no Mar Mediterrâneo que incluam áreas com canhões submarinos é ainda
negligenciável.
Os resultados apresentados nesta tese fornecem evidências científicas que
poderão apoiar medidas de conservação e gestão com vista à criação de
redes de áreas marinhas protegidas no Mar Mediterrâneo. Neste sentido,
proponho os canhões submarinos como áreas prioritárias para a conservação
da biodiversidade de mar profundo na área de estudo.PEst-C/MAR/LA0017/2013 e
UID/AMB/50017/2013Programa Doutoral em Biologia e Ecologia das Alterações Globai
Developing Cloud Computing Infrastructures in Developing Countries in Asia
Developing Cloud Computing Infrastructures in Developing Countries in Asia
by
Daryoush Charmsaz Moghaddam
MS, Sharif University, 2005
BS, Civil Aviation Higher Education Complex, 1985
Doctoral Study Submitted in Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree of
Doctor of Information Technology
Walden University
March 202
Study on open science: The general state of the play in Open Science principles and practices at European life sciences institutes
Nowadays, open science is a hot topic on all levels and also is one of the priorities of the European Research Area. Components that are commonly associated with open science are open access, open data, open methodology, open source, open peer review, open science policies and citizen science. Open science may a great potential to connect and influence the practices of researchers, funding institutions and the public. In this paper, we evaluate the level of openness based on public surveys at four European life sciences institute