Policy Researchers and Policymakers: Never the Twain Shall Meet?

The 1980s have seen the heavy emphasis on economic policymaking. As such, equal emphasis has also been bestowed to the substantial improvement on the principles of analysis and evaluation developed by economists and other social scientists. This article examines the differences between policymakers and researchers and recommends policies to bridge the gap between the two. It then critiques the recommendations and discusses alternative concepts of the impact of social sciences. It concludes by examining the implications for agencies financing research in developing countries.research and development sector, research

Policy Researchers and Policymakers: Never the Twain Shall Meet?

The 1980s have seen the heavy emphasis on economic policymaking. As such, equal emphasis has also been bestowed to the substantial improvement on the principles of analysis and evaluation developed by economists and other social scientists. This article examines the differences between policymakers and researchers and recommends policies to bridge the gap between the two. It then critiques the recommendations and discusses alternative concepts of the impact of social sciences. It concludes by examining the implications for agencies financing research in developing countries.research and development sector, research

Hydrogeochemistry of the Caribou-Poker Creeks Research Watershed

Bedrock of the Caribou-Poker Creeks Research Watershed dissolves incongruently with a first-order rate constant of about 5 x 10-6 day-1 at 5° C. The resulting solution is potassium-calcium-magnesium rich. The soil-plant environment acts on this solution through sorption of potassium and by evapotranspiration to yield a solution that is relatively depleted in potassium and enriched in calcium and magnesium, but with the same molar ratio of Ca:Mg as the fluid from the rock dissolution. This fluid from the soil-plant reservoir is the dominant contributor of ions to stream waters. Using the discriminant functions obtained by multiple discriminant analysis DPKR = 0.572Si02 + 0.240Ca + 2.89Mg - 0.384Na + 0.452N03 - 9.18 DCRB = 0.913Si02 + 0.042Ca + 1.28Mg + 1.17Na + 4.63N03 - 7.27, the waters of Caribou Creek and Poker Creek can be distinguished on the basis of chemical composition. In general, Poker Creek waters are slightly more concentrated than Caribou Creek waters. On the average, 1.4 x 10^13g H20/year leaves the watershed as surface water. At an average calcium concentration of 14 ppm for the water, 0.1% for the bedrock, and a watershed area of 46 mi^2, this flow corresponds to a maximum loss of about 17 metric tons of rock per hectare per year

A J-Spectral Factorization Approach to ℋ∞ Control

Necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of suboptimal solutions to the standard model matching problem associated with ℋ∞ control, are derived using J-spectral factorization theory. The existence of solutions to the model matching problem is shown to be equivalent to the existence of solutions to two coupled J-spectral factorization problems, with the second factor providing a parametrization of all solutions to the model matching problem. The existence of the J-spectral factors is then shown to be equivalent to the existence of nonnegative definite, stabilizing solutions to two indefinite algebraic Riccati equations, allowing a state-space formula for a linear fractional representation of all controllers to be given. A virtue of the approach is that a very general class of problems may be tackled within a conceptually simple framework, and no additional auxiliary Riccati equations are required

Open Biology in a new decade

The end of the decade marks the end of my tenure as Editor-in-Chief of Open Biology. How far have we come since the launch of the journal in September 2011? This has certainly been a difficult time to start a new journal in molecular and cell biology, where the competition is fierce. We have made impact, however, with our dreaded Impact Factor oscillating between 3.5 and 5.8 during this time. I anticipate the metrics will soon rise higher because, most importantly, we are now recognized within the community as a journal that truly represents the interests of scientists. There has been a lot of debate about scientific publishing in the past decade and we have seen many new models emerge. We have watched this happen and taken up many suggestions from our readers and editorial board. While considering many different options, however, we have continued to follow a fairly traditional pattern of peer review. I believe this works well for us exactly because the journal is run by scientists for scientists and we know of the problems facing scientific publishing, particularly in molecular and cell biology, and wish to avoid them. It is vital that the academic academies and societies provide their members with publishing opportunities and indeed, the Royal Society serves us all well in this respect. Whereas competition from the publishing houses keeps us on our toes, our motivation is simply one of scientific communication to aid scientific progress

... still cycling

It gave the greatest of pleasure to learn that two of our Editorial Board members, Paul Nurse and Tim Hunt, are to share this year’s Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine together with Lee Hartwell. On behalf of the Journal of Cell Science and the Company of Biologists, for which Tim is also a Director representing the interests of the journal, I would like to congratulate each of them on this well-deserved award

New Year's revolution

It is hard to believe that it is already time again to greet another New Year but once again, it is a good opportunity to take stock of how far Open Biology has come, where we are going, and whether we are on the right track. As scientific publishing goes through perhaps its most profound revolution because it was established over 350 years ago, these are questions that we need to keep very much in mind

... still cycling

It gave the greatest of pleasure to learn that two of our Editorial Board members, Paul Nurse and Tim Hunt, are to share this year’s Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine together with Lee Hartwell. On behalf of the Journal of Cell Science and the Company of Biologists, for which Tim is also a Director representing the interests of the journal, I would like to congratulate each of them on this well-deserved award

Systems of johnsongrass control in soybeans

The objective of this study was to determine an effective combination of herbicides for controlling johnsongrass while growing soybeans. Experiments were conducted at four locations in Tennessee in 1972. Observations were made on the control of seedling and rhizomatous john songrass, soybean injury, and the broadleaf weed control. Soybean seed yield from each plot was measured. A split-block experimental design was used. Main blocks consisted of two preplant foliar treatments for the control of rhizome johnson grass, viz., dalapon (2,2-dichloropropionic acid) and glyphosate tN-Cphosphonomethyl)glycine]. Subblocks consisted of four herbicides to control seedling johnsongrass, i.e., alachlor [2-chloro-2\u27,6\u27-diethyl- N-(methoxymethyl)acetanilide], nitralin [4-Cniethylsulfonyl)-2,6-dinitro- N,N-dipropylanilide], trifluralin Ca,a,a-trifluoro-2,6-dinitro-N,Ndipropyl- p-toluidine), and vernolate (S-propyL dipropylthiocarbamate), plus a weed-free check and a weedy check included in each main treatment of each replication. Johnsongrass rhizome control was good to excellent at all locations with both dalapon and glyphosate treatments. Significant differences between these two herbicides existed only at the Middle Tennessee Experi ment Station. No significant differences among herbicides used for seedling johnsongrass control were found at any location. All treatments gave good to excellent control of most broadleaf species present. All herbicide treatments caused some soybean injury with vernolate causing the most severe injury. No significant differences existed between soybean seed yields at Ames Plantation. At Mascot and Pulaski, yields from glyphosate treated plots were significantly higher than were those from dalapon treated plots. Dalapon treated plots yielded significantly more soybeans at the Middle Tennessee Experiment Station, probably due to the fact that the glyphosate treated plots were turned after only four days