Do academic laboratories correspond to scientific communities? Evidence from a large European university.

Although acknowledged as central in the economic literature, the issue of intra academic collaboration has been, insofar, relatively overlooked. This paper fills this gap by stressing the importance of communities in academic research. By analysing the publication behavior of researchers from a large European scientific university, we argue that in certain cases, the community level constitutes a relevant level for analysing the collaborative nature of scientific investigation. Indeed, the reality of research collaborations doesn’t always fit the institutional division of academic work provided by laboratories.Economics of Science, Knowledge Intensive Communities, Academic Collaborations, Social Network Analysis.

Why do racial disparities in school discipline exist? The role of policies, processes, people, and places

This brief is part of larger regional study of racial equity in discipline policies and practices conducted by Virginia Commonwealth University’s Metropolitan Educational Research Consortium (MERC). The goal of the broader project is to: (1) analyze racial disproportionality in discipline across the Richmond area, (2) explore various interventions designed to ameliorate disproportionality, and (3) provide recommendations that inform policymaking and practice in the Richmond region. This is the first of two research briefs on racially inequitable school discipline. The subsequent brief will examine the history and theory of action behind different discipline models or interventions, as well as evidence of their impact on racial disproportionality. At the end of this brief, five of the key research studies on this topic are summarized

Aftermath: Every Math Major Should Take a Public-Speaking Course

Rachel Levy argues that all mathematics majors should learn the art of public speaking

Les territoires de la recherche en ville moyenne : entre ancrage sur les territoires et intégration dans des réseaux collaboratifs

International audienceThe objective of this communication is to study the territories in which is realised public research by focusing particularly on the case of research teams localised in medium-sized cities. Based on the case studies of two research teams localised in small cities, we try to test our central hypothesis that these research activities are both embedded on their territories and mobile through the integration of collaborative networks extending beyond the borders of the territories. In a first section, we present our framework of analysis: the geography of science. In a second section we describe our methodology and the two case studies. In a third part, we study the embeddedness of the teams in their territories, and finally we show that researchers are integrated in various collaborative networks.L’objectif de cette communication est d’étudier les territoires dans lesquels s’effectue l’activité de recherche publique en se focalisant particulièrement sur les équipes de recherche situées dans des villes moyennes. À partir de deux études de cas nous illustrerons l’hypothèse selon laquelle ces activités sont à la fois ancrées dans les territoires dans lesquels elles sont situées, mais que les chercheurs sont aussi mobiles et que cette mobilité prend forme via des réseaux de collaborations qui dépassent les frontières du territoire. Dans une première section, nous présenterons le cadre d’analyse de la géographie des sciences dans lequel s’inscrit notre recherche. La deuxième section décrit la méthodologie et les deux cas étudiés. Dans une troisième partie nous étudions l’ancrage des équipes étudiées sur le territoire, puis dans une quatrième partie nous montrons comment les chercheurs s’intègrent dans différents réseaux de collaboration

Quantitative Approaches to Sustainability Seminars

How can mathematicians contribute to education of about sustainability? Mathematicians study climate change, energy-related technologies, models of energy availability, production and consumption, and even the political and social aspects of sustainable legislation and practices. However, at this point, few courses on sustainability can be found in math department offerings. When we consider problems that our current and future students will face, energy sustainability certainly seems important. But how many of these ideas reach our classrooms

Gender Differences in Competitive Balance in Intercollegiate Basketball

This paper adds to the literature on competitive balance in college sports by comparing men's and women's NCAA basketball. Using data from the Division I National Championships, we find evidence consistent with the idea that women’s college basketball is less competitively balanced than men’s college basketball. We argue that this difference may be explained by a theory of player ability borrowed from evolutionary biology first promulgated by paleontologist Stephen Jay Gould and subsequently utilized in Berri (2004). An implication of this idea is that competitive balance in women’s NCCA basketball will naturally improve over time. This is good news for those who are concerned with the long term success of the sport to the extent that competitive balance in women’s college basketball impacts fan demand. Nevertheless, we discuss why there may be reason to believe that women’s college basketball may not reach the same level of balance as men’s college basketball.College sports, competitive balance, women’s sports, basketball

Monotherapy vs. Polypharmacy: SNRIs for the Management of Mood Disorders and Chronic Pain

Chronic pain and mood disorders represent two of the most common disorders managed by primary care providers. Chronic pain management is costly, not only with direct medical costs but through loss of work and productivity. The incidence of mood disorders continues to increase, and disorders such as anxiety and depression coexist with chronic pain in many patients. Meanwhile, polypharmacy presents an increased risk for drug-drug interactions and patient harm. The purpose of this systematic literature review is to explore the potential of reducing polypharmacy in individuals with depression and chronic pain through monotherapy via serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors (SNRIs). A literature review was performed using search databases PubMed, DynaMed, and Clinical Key, and Google. The review of the literature revealed that treatment of chronic conditions with multiple medications could result in drug-drug interactions and overdose risks. It was also found that SNRIs have a good safety profile and minimal drug-drug interactions. SNRIs target specific pain pathways to include neuropathic, osteoarthritic, and fibromyalgia pain. These pathways are a different target than nociceptive pain, and therefore SNRIs have the ability to specifically target and treat chronic pain. It was also noted that coexisting chronic pain and mood disorders both occur as either a result of each other or found to coexist incidentally through patient surveys and functional MRI imaging. SNRIs have already been proven effective in the management of depression, and the results of this literature review provide evidence that supports SNRI therapy for the treatment of chronic pain. Therefore, management of chronic pain with comorbid depression via SNRI monotherapy is a valid first approach in an effort to reduce polypharmacy

A STUDY OF SCIENCE-INDUSTRY COLLABORATIVE PATTERNS IN A LARGE EUROPEAN UNIVERSITY.

This paper analyses the modalities according to which a large European university collaborates with firms by exploring its relational portfolio. We address this issue by exploiting a database listing more than 1000 firms having collaborated with the University Louis Pasteur between 1990 and 2002. First, using multi-correspondence analysis, we derive a four-classes typology of collaborative behaviours, each of them presenting a strong internal coherence. We obtain four distinct collaboration patterms, for which the frequency of interactions and the exclusive vs. open character of the relationships are discriminating features. Second, using a multinomial logit estimation, we show how this diversity is connected to some individual attributes of the firms: size, legal status, industrial sector and geographic distance from the public partner.Science-industry collaborations; Typology; Industrial collaboration patterns.

Portraits as Relic: A Set of Nineteenth-Century Tibetan Lineage Paintings of the Dalai Lamas

This thesis presents a close iconographic and contextual study of a set of seven Tibetan thangka paintings depicting portraits of the First through the Ninth Dalai Lamas, currently in a private collection and dated to the nineteenth-century. Through this case study, I propose to situate the genre of Dalai Lama portraits within the larger context of Tibetan Buddhist practice by considering their role and function in merit-making activities. I propose that as visual reminders of the Dalai Lamas, these portraits can be considered a type of “relic” that is foundational to devotional practices in Buddhism. Specifically, this thesis will investigate portraits of Dalai Lamas within the framework of Buddhist relic traditions. As a secondary focus, the thesis will examine the artistic conventions through which the figures are rendered present, problematizing the notion of “portrait-likeness.

A Woman’s Perspective: An Analysis of Didactic Medieval Japanese Buddhist Stories and Their Influence on Women

This paper explores Buddhist didactic texts from the medieval period of Japan and explains how these texts used portrayals of women as a way to influence and assert control over the choices of women. Its main arguments are that, first, Buddhist principles helped shape the negative representations of women’s sexuality. Secondly, these negative portrayals of women’s sexuality were intended to inspire fear and warn of the dangers of desire in women. Third, positive images of women exist, but portray women as asexual and spiritually pure to serve as  models to emulate. These three things served to provide social control and helped create Japanese patriarchy