Can epidemic models describe the diffusion of topics across disciplines?

This paper introduces a new approach to describe the spread of research topics across disciplines using epidemic models. The approach is based on applying individual-based models from mathematical epidemiology to the diffusion of a research topic over a contact network that represents knowledge flows over the map of science—as obtained from citations between ISI Subject Categories. Using research publications on the protein class kinesin as a case study, we report a better fit between model and empirical data when using the citation-based contact network. Incubation periods on the order of 4–15.5 years support the view that, whilst research topics may grow very quickly, they face difficulties to overcome disciplinary boundaries

Contexts of diffusion: Adoption of research synthesis in Social Work and Women's Studies

Texts reveal the subjects of interest in research fields, and the values, beliefs, and practices of researchers. In this study, texts are examined through bibliometric mapping and topic modeling to provide a birds eye view of the social dynamics associated with the diffusion of research synthesis methods in the contexts of Social Work and Women's Studies. Research synthesis texts are especially revealing because the methods, which include meta-analysis and systematic review, are reliant on the availability of past research and data, sometimes idealized as objective, egalitarian approaches to research evaluation, fundamentally tied to past research practices, and performed with the goal informing future research and practice. This study highlights the co-influence of past and subsequent research within research fields; illustrates dynamics of the diffusion process; and provides insight into the cultural contexts of research in Social Work and Women's Studies. This study suggests the potential to further develop bibliometric mapping and topic modeling techniques to inform research problem selection and resource allocation.Comment: To appear in proceedings of the 2014 International Conference on Social Computing, Behavioral-Cultural Modeling, and Prediction (SBP2014

Can epidemic models describe the diffusion of research topics across disciplines?

This paper introduces a new approach to describe the spread of research topics across disciplines using epidemic models. The approach is based on applying individual-based models from mathematical epidemiology to the diffusion of a research topic over a contact network that represents knowledge flows over the map of science –as obtained from citations between ISI Subject Categories. Using research publications on the protein class kinesin as a case study, we report a better fit between model and empirical data when using the citation-based contact network. Incubation periods on the order of 4 to 15.5 years support the view that, whilst research topics may grow very quickly, they face difficulties to overcome disciplinary boundaries

Rendimiento y componentes de rendimiento de papaya fertilizada con gallinaza en un suelo Coto (Typic Eutrustox)

A field experiment was established on Coto clay (Typic Eutrustox) to evaluate the use of chicken manure as fertilizer for papaya. Four manure rates (0, 5,10 and 15 t/ha) were evaluated in all possible combinations with four rates of inorganic fertilizer (0, 56, 112 and 224 g/plant/month of 15-15-15). Fresh and dry weight of papaya leaves (petioles and blades) increased significantly with manure applications, but no effect of inorganic fertilizer treatments was observed. Phosphorus and potassium concentration in papaya blades was higher in plots receiving 15 t/ha of chicken manure. Fertilizer applications increased K content in blades and decreased magnesium content. Both manure and fertilizer treatments increased fruit yield. The application of 10 and 15 t/ha of manure resulted in fruit yields of 42.19 and 54.76 t/ha. These yields were significantly higher than the yields obtained with the 0 and 5 t/ha treatments. The 0, 56,112 and 224 g/plant/month fertilizer treatments resulted in fruit yields of 28.11, 42.60, 37.22 and 38.25 t/ha, respectively. The yield of the 0 fertilizer treatment was significantly lower, but no significant difference was observed among the other fertilizer treatments. Chicken manure applications increased soil available phosphorus (Bray 1-P) from 16.57 to 28.64 mg/kg, and soil exchangeable potassium from 0.12 to 0.19 cmolc/kg. Fertilizer applications had no significant effect on these two parameters. A significant correlation was observed between papaya yield and Bray 1-P. A Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.65 was obtained when both manure and inorganic fertilizer plots were considered. The correlation coefficient increased to 0.82 when only manure-treated plots were considered, but decreased to 0.25 when only fertilizer-treated plots were considered. Manure applications were more effective in increasing soil available phosphorus than fertilizer applications. Manure applications apparently prevent phosphorus fixation on Coto clay, increasing soil available phosphorus and thus favoring higher fruit yields. Se estableció un experimento en un suelo Coto (Typic Eutrustox) para evaluar el uso de gallinaza como fertilizante para papaya. Cuatro niveles de gallinaza (0, 5,10 y 15 t/ha) y cuatro niveles de fertilizante inorgánico 15-15-15 (0,56,112 y 224 g/planta/mes) se evaluaron en todas las posibles combinaciones. Las aplicaciones de gallinaza aumentaron significativamente el peso fresco y seco de las hojas (peciolos y láminas), pero no se observó efecto alguno del fertilizante inorgánico. Las concentraciones de fósforo y potasio aumentaron significativamente en las láminas con la aplicación de 15 t/ha de gallinaza. Las aplicaciones de fertilizante aumentaron el contenido de potasio de las láminas y disminuyeron el contenido de magnesio. La producción de papaya aumentó significativamente con las aplicaciones de gallinaza y fertilizante. La aplicación de 10 y 15 t/ha de gallinaza resultó en una producción de frutas de 42.19 y 54.75 t/ha, respectivamente. Estas producciones fueron significativamente superiores a las obtenidas con las aplicaciones de 0 y 5 t/ha. Los tratamientos de 0, 56,112 y 224 g/planta/mes de fertilizante resultaron en una producción de frutas de 28.11, 42.60, 37.22 y 38.25 t/ha, respectivamente. La producción obtenida con el tratamiento de 0 fertilizante fue significativamente inferior a las de los otros tratamientos, las cuales fueron similares entre sí. Las aplicaciones de gallinaza aumentaron el fósforo disponible (Bray 1-P) de 16.57 a 28.64 mg/kg y el potasio intercambiable de 0.12 a 0.19 cmolc/kg. Las aplicaciones de fertilizante no afectaron estos dos parámetros. Se observó una correlación significativa entre la producción de frutas y el Bray 1-P. El coeficiente de correlación de Pearson fue 0.65 cuando se consideraron todas las parcelas experimentales. Este coeficiente aumentó a 0.82 al considerarse solamente las parcelas tratadas con gallinaza, y disminuyó a 0.25 al considerarse solamente las parcelas tratadas con fertilizante. La gallinaza fue más efectiva que el fertilizante en aumentar el fósforo disponible del suelo. La gallinaza aparentemente previene la fijación de fósforo en el suelo Coto, aumentando su disponibilidad y propiciando una mayor producción de frutas

Mapping the de facto governance in the case of emerging science and technologies

Trabajo presentado a la 35th DRUID Celebration Conference on Innovation, Strategy and Entrepreneurship celebrada en Barcelona (España) del 17 al 19 de Junio de 2013.In this study, we discuss the use of novel scientometric mapping techniques as informative and interpretative tools about the rapid dynamics and uncertainties featuring in Emerging Science and Technologies (ESTs). We show how these techniques can provide perspectives on and crosscuts of the geographical, social, and cognitive spaces of the complex emergence process. Shedding light on these spaces the set of, both intentional and un-intentional, institutional arrangements that are established in the emergence of novel science and technologies - that is, as de facto governance - can be revealed. The informative and interpretative power of these tools resides in their transversal flexibility within and across databases, which themselves are characterized by longitudinal and institutional rigidities. Changing informed perspectives can play a crucial role in supporting the design of governance that is ‘tentative’, i.e. forms of governance aiming to address the complexity, interdependencies, and contingencies featuring in ESTs. We discuss the contribution of these mapping techniques to the understanding of the phenomenon of tentative governance of ESTs across three case studies, namely RNA interference (RNAi), Human Papilloma Virus (HPV) and Thiopurine Methyltransferase (TPMT) testing technologies.Peer Reviewe

The emergence of molecular biology in the diagnosis of cervical cancer: A network perspective

Trabajo presentado a la Atlanta Conference on Science and Innovation Policy, celebrada en Atlanta (US) del 17 al 19 de septiembre de 2015.Cytology-base technologies have been extensively used for decades to diagnose cervical cancer in women despite the large number of false negative cases those may report. The rise of molecular biology, since mid-1980s, has spurred the emergence of novel diagnostic technologies, which have significantly changed both the research landscape and clinical practices around cervical cancer. Within this context, the present paper examines how different institutional groups of actors (research and higher education, governmental, hospital and care, industrial, and non-governmental organisations) have contributed to the emergence of molecular biology from an inter-organisational network lens (co-authorship data of publications). To do so, we analyse the patterns of network interactions among different institutional groups involved in the emerge process. We specifically examine the formation of ties (dyads) within and between groups as well as the extent to which organisational actors operate in di↵erent brokerage positions (triads) over the emergence process. The analysis is based on a sample of scientific articles published over more than 30 years in the diagnosis domain of cervical cancer research. Findings provide evidence that the process of tie formation as well as the brokerage activity follow different patterns according to the considered institutional group. The process of tie formation and brokerage activity also evolve over emergence.N

Knowledge Integration and Diffusion: Measures and Mapping of Diversity and Coherence

I present a framework based on the concepts of diversity and coherence for the analysis of knowledge integration and diffusion. Visualisations that help understand insights gained are also introduced. The key novelty offered by this framework compared to previous approaches is the inclusion of cognitive distance (or proximity) between the categories that characterise the body of knowledge under study. I briefly discuss the different methods to map the cognitive dimension

Evaluation of log Po/w values of drugs from some molecular structure calculation software

Predictive software packages to estimate the lipophilicity of molecules have become key tools in the new drug design. Six different well-known computational programs including the classical BioByte-clogP and the GALAS algorithm offered by ACDlabs were evaluated through a set of 103 drugs with different structures and functionalities. To evaluate the predictions accuracy, reliable experimental log Po/w values for the whole testing set were carefully selected. The best estimations are performed by GALAS/logP based on the fragmental method, corrected according to the similarity with compounds included in the software training set

DARE to be different? A novel approach for analysing diversity in collaborative research projects

Growth in collaborative research raises difficulties for those tasked with research evaluation, particularly in situations where outcomes are slow to emerge. This article presents the ‘Diversity Approach to Research Evaluation’ (DARE) as a novel way to assess how researchers engaged in knowledge creation and application work together as teams. DARE provides two important insights: first, it reveals the differences in background and experience between individual team members that can make research collaboration both valuable and challenging; second, DARE provides early insights into how team members are working together. DARE achieves these insights by analysing team diversity and cohesiveness in five dimensions, building on Boschma’s multi-dimensional concept of proximity. The method we propose combines narratives, maps, and indicators to facilitate the study of research collaboration. The article introduces the DARE method and pilots an initial operationalization through the study of two grant-funded biomedical research projects led by researchers in the UK. Suggestions for further development of the approach are discussed

DARE to be different? Applying diversity heuristics to the analysis of collaborative research

Growth in collaborative research raises challenges for those tasked with research evaluation, particularly in situations where outcomes are slow to emerge. This article presents the ‘Diversity Approach to Research Evaluation’ (DARE) as a novel way to assess how researchers, engaged in knowledge creation and application, work together as teams. DARE provides two important insights: Firstly it reveals the differences in background and experience between individual team members that can make research collaboration both valuable and challenging; secondly, DARE provides early insights into how these teams are working together. DARE achieves these insights by analysing team diversity and cohesiveness in five dimensions, building on Boschma’s multidimensional concept of proximity. The method we propose combines narratives, maps, and indicators and is broadly applicable to the study of research collaboration. The article introduces the DARE method and pilots a proof-of-concept operationalisation through the study of two grant-funded biomedical research projects led by researchers in the UK. Suggestions for further development of the approach are discussed