Looking for the impact of peer review: Does count of funding acknowledgements really predict research impact?

A small number of studies have sought to establish that research papers with more funding acknowledgements achieve higher impact and have claimed that such a link exists because research supported by more funding bodies undergoes more peer review. In this paper, a test of this link is made using recently available data from the Web of Science, a source of bibliographic data that now includes funding acknowledgements. The analysis uses 3,596 papers from a single year, 2009, and a single journal, the Journal of Biological Chemistry. Analysis of this data using OLS regression and two ranks tests reveals the link between count of funding acknowledgements and high impact papers to be statistically significant, but weak. It is concluded that count of funding acknowledgements should not be considered a reliable indicator of research impact at this level. Relatedly, indicators based on assumptions that may hold true at one level of analysis may not be appropriate at other levels

The more revisions a paper undergoes, the greater its subsequent recognition in terms of citations

Is the peer review process simply a means by which errors are identified and corrected? Or is it a process in which a more constructive dialogue can take place and reviewers and editors may actively contribute to the text? John Rigby, Deborah Cox and Keith Julian have studied the published articles of a social sciences journal and found that the more revisions a paper undergoes, the greater its subsequent recognition in terms of citations

Recapitulation of an Ion Channel IV Curve Using Frequency Components

INTRODUCTION: Presently, there are no established methods to measure multiple ion channel types simultaneously and decompose the measured current into portions attributable to each channel type. This study demonstrates how impedance spectroscopy may be used to identify specific frequencies that highly correlate with the steady state current amplitude measured during voltage clamp experiments. The method involves inserting a noise function containing specific frequencies into the voltage step protocol. In the work presented, a model cell is used to demonstrate that no high correlations are introduced by the voltage clamp circuitry, and also that the noise function itself does not introduce any high correlations when no ion channels are present. This validation is necessary before the technique can be applied to preparations containing ion channels. The purpose of the protocol presented is to demonstrate how to characterize the frequency response of a single ion channel type to a noise function. Once specific frequencies have been identified in an individual channel type, they can be used to reproduce the steady state current voltage (IV) curve. Frequencies that highly correlate with one channel type and minimally correlate with other channel types may then be used to estimate the current contribution of multiple channel types measured simultaneously

Get the picture without a sermon : Enhancing a congreation's work and worship through (re)visioning the church - art relationship

The church, throughout its history and motivated by the teachings of the Bible, has sought to assist people in finding meaning and direction in life. To this end it has used visual art to help people understand its message and increase people’s openness to the Bible’s redemptive story. After the Reformation, the emergent Protestant church had a more tenuous relationship with visual art, giving priority to oral forms of communication. Many small protestant congregations in current multi-faith Australia have little relationship with visual art and struggle to convey their message to the Australian society. A renewal of the church’s relationship with visual art is needed. This thesis including the exhibition employs a theology of creativity, hermeneutical skills and artistic reflection to illustrate how a (re)visioning of the church-art relationship can help the church in its work and worship.Master of Arts (Visual Arts) by Researc