Specific Research Groups Research Articles

Exploring high scientific productivity in international co-authorship of a small developing country based on collaboration patterns

The number of published scientific paper grows rapidly each year, totaling more than 2.9 million annually. New methodologies and systems have been developed to analyze scientific production and performance indicators from large quantities of data available from the scientific databases, such as Web of Science or Scopus. In this paper, we analyzed the international scientific production and co-authorship patterns for the most productive authors from Serbia based on the obtained Web of Science dataset in the period 2006–2013. We performed bibliometric and scientometric analyses together with statistical and collaboration network analysis, to reveal the causes of extraordinary publishing performance of some authors. For such authors, we found significant inequality in distribution of papers over journals and countries of co-authors, using Gini coefficient and Lorenz curves. Most of the papers belong to multidisciplinary, interdisciplinary, and the field of applied sciences. We have discovered three specific collaboration patterns that lead to high productivity in international collaboration. First pattern corresponds to mega-authorship papers with hundreds of co-authors gathered in specific research groups. The other two collaboration patterns were found in mathematics and multidisciplinary science, mainly application of graph theory and computational methods in physical chemistry. The former pattern results in a star-shaped collaboration network with mostly individual collaborators. The latter pattern includes multiple actors with high betweenness centrality measure and identified brokerage roles. The results are compared with the later period 2014–2023, where high scientific production has been observed in some other fields, such as biology and food science and technology.

A Geographic Analysis of the Interdisciplinary Collaborations in the Brazilian Scientific Community

Interdisciplinary collaborations have recently attracted the attention of scholars, since they help bridging academic relationships and contribute to make scientific collaboration networks even stronger. However, previous works on this subject have mainly focused on characterizing such interdisciplinary collaborations in specific research groups or scientific communities. In this article, we start from a previous work in which we characterized the interdisciplinary collaborations within the entire Brazilian scientific community, as defined according to the upper level of the knowledge area classification scheme proposed by CNPq, the Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development, considering the following eight major areas: Agrarian Sciences, Applied and Social Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, Exact and Earth Sciences, Health Sciences, Humanities, and Linguistics, Letters and Arts. Based on this interdisciplinary collaboration network, we conducted a geographic analysis that characterizes how these collaborations have been spread across the Brazilian geographic regions. Overall, our results show strong collaborative ties involving the triad formed by the three main Brazilian geographic regions (Southeast, South and Northeast) for all major areas. Besides, three of the eight major areas (Agrarian Sciences, Biological Sciences, and Health Sciences) show a massive participation in interdisciplinary collaborations across all regions. Despite that, geographic proximity is an important factor, since the proportion of interdisciplinary collaborations involving researchers from the same region is high. Finally, we analyze the patterns of interdisciplinary collaboration by regions and by major areas, thus showing that the Brazilian interdisciplinary network is highly connected.

Designing Positive/Positive and Negative/Negative Symmetric Cells with Electrodes Operating in the Same Potential Ranges as Electrodes in a Full Li-Ion Cell

This work shows how to design and build positive/positive (+/+) and negative/negative (−/−) symmetric cells with electrodes operating in the same potential ranges (vs Li/Li+) as those in a full Li-ion cell. When this is achieved, better understanding of full cell degradation can be obtained. This method uses only coin cells that are ubiquitous in lithium-ion cell research instead of novel electrochemical devices that are more or less unique to specific research groups and are difficult to access. Using this method, the capacity retention and impedance growth of single crystal LiNi0.5Mn0.3Co0.2O2 (SC532)/artificial graphite full coin cells were shown to lie between those of the +/+ and −/− symmetric cells, regardless of electrolyte additive and surface coating. Among all the cells, the +/+ cells have the worst capacity retention and highest impedance growth. Simultaneously cycled full coin cells and symmetric cells demonstrate the beneficial effect of “cross-talk” between the SC532 and the graphite electrodes to lower full cell impedance growth. Additionally, symmetric cell results show that 2% of vinylene carbonate (VC) increases the negative impedance more than 1% of lithium diflurophosphate (LFO), and that 1%LFO is also a better additive than VC to inhibit positive electrode impedance growth with coating.

Recent Progress in Space Physiology and Aging.

Astronauts coming back from long-term space missions present with different health problems potentially affecting mission performance, involving all functional systems and organs and closely resembling those found in the elderly. This review points out the most recent advances in the literature in areas of expertise in which specific research groups were particularly creative, and as they relate to aging and to possible benefits on Earth for disabled people. The update of new findings and approaches in space research refers especially to neuro-immuno-endocrine-metabolic interactions, optic nerve edema, motion sickness and muscle-tendon-bone interplay and aims at providing the curious - and even possibly naïve young researchers – with a source of inspiration and of creative ideas for translational research.

CARACTERIZAÇÃO DOS GRUPOS DE PESQUISA DA ÁREA DA EDUCAÇÃO FÍSICA DO BRASIL QUE ESTUDAM A DEFICIÊNCIA

Objetivo: O objetivo deste estudo foi descrever a distribuição e as características dos grupos de pesquisa relacionados às pessoas com deficiência, na área de Educação Física no Brasil e a produção científica vinculada aos grupos. Material e Métodos: Foi realizado um estudo descritivo, de natureza documental, por meio da análise dos grupos de pesquisa cadastrados no Diretório de Grupos de Pesquisa do Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq). A busca foi realizada em junho e julho de 2014 e os grupos identificados foram caracterizados e estratificados em específicos e não específicos para a deficiência, com base nas linhas de pesquisa. Nos grupos de pesquisa específicos, a produção dos líderes foi analisada quanto aos tipos de deficiência. Resultados: Foram encontrados 70 grupos de pesquisa, dos quais 38 foram incluídos, sendo 22 considerados específicos para as pessoas com deficiência. O artigo original foi a principal forma de veiculação das informações dos grupos de pesquisa específicos. A deficiência motora foi o tema predominante entre as investigações dos grupos de pesquisa específicos, perfazendo 75 publicações de artigos originais, seguido do assunto deficiência visual. Os grupos concentraram-se na região sudeste (42%). Conclusão: Conclui-se que as investigações foram direcionadas para a deficiência motora e que o artigo original foi a principal modalidade de divulgação do conhecimento dos grupos específicos da deficiência. A quantidade de grupos específicos mostrou-se desigual entre as regiões brasileiras.
 
 DESCRITORES: 
 Grupos de Pesquisa. Pessoas com Deficiência. Indicadores de Produção Científica. Educação Física.

Brazilian pediatric research groups, lines of research, and main areas of activity

ObjectivesThe Brazilian scientific production in the pediatrics field has been increasing significantly. It is important to identify the distribution and activity of these groups in the country and the main study areas, contributing with data for better resource allocation by institutions. MethodsAn active research was conducted in the National Council of Technological and Scientific Development (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico [CNPq]) website, using as filters the macro area of the research group (Health Sciences), the area (Medicine), and descriptors related to pediatrics. Research lines and main area of pediatric research groups were classified according to the subject predominantly studied by each group. The scientific production of the leader of the pediatric research group between 2011 and 2014 was also analyzed. ResultsMost pediatric research groups in Brazil have more than five years of activity and are concentrated in the Southeast and South regions of the country; São Paulo, Rio Grande do Sul, and Minas Gerais are the states with most groups. Of the 132 specific pediatric research groups analyzed, 14.4% have lines of research in multiple areas and 11.4% in child and adolescent health. Among the 585 lines of research of these groups, the most prevalent areas were: oncology, infectious diseases, epidemiology, and gastroenterology. ConclusionsThe pediatric research groups in Brazil have relevant scientific production, including works published in international publications, and are concentrated in regions with higher socioeconomic index. Most groups registered in CNPq started their activity in the last five years (46%), reflecting the recent growth of scientific production in this area.

The cost of standing strong for replacement.

The testimonies of these individuals largely speak for themselves. The responses point to the importance of specific institutions or research groups that focus on the development and use of alternatives, and these should, of course, be better supported. Those who find themselves outside such institutions or teams, are more likely to feel stranded and isolated. Then again, Liz did have the support of a research group dedicated to replacement, but she has still had a significant struggle to find funding. The interviews with some of these particular young researchers indeed pointed toward a tangible ‘cost’ in terms of having to steer their career on the often difficult path toward the use of non-animal based methods.

Brazilian pediatric research groups, lines of research, and main areas of activity

ObjectivesThe Brazilian scientific production in the pediatrics field has been increasing significantly. It is important to identify the distribution and activity of these groups in the country and the main study areas, contributing with data for better resource allocation by institutions. MethodsAn active research was conducted in the National Council of Technological and Scientific Development (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico [CNPq]) website, using as filters the macro area of the research group (Health Sciences), the area (Medicine), and descriptors related to pediatrics. Research lines and main area of pediatric research groups were classified according to the subject predominantly studied by each group. The scientific production of the leader of the pediatric research group between 2011 and 2014 was also analyzed. ResultsMost pediatric research groups in Brazil have more than five years of activity and are concentrated in the Southeast and South regions of the country; São Paulo, Rio Grande do Sul, and Minas Gerais are the states with most groups. Of the 132 specific pediatric research groups analyzed, 14.4% have lines of research in multiple areas and 11.4% in child and adolescent health. Among the 585 lines of research of these groups, the most prevalent areas were: oncology, infectious diseases, epidemiology, and gastroenterology. ConclusionsThe pediatric research groups in Brazil have relevant scientific production, including works published in international publications, and are concentrated in regions with higher socioeconomic index. Most groups registered in CNPq started their activity in the last five years (46%), reflecting the recent growth of scientific production in this area.

한국연안해역 와편모조류 시스트 연구에 관한 고찰

To investigate the research state and characteristics of dinoflagellate cyst along the Korean coastal waters, this work analyzed 45 studies conducted in the Korean coasts and basin, the south of Jeju, East China Sea including some part of the Yellow Sea. It was found that the research on dinoflagellate cyst began in the later half of the 1980s in Korea, and that the research areas focused on eutrophied regions where a red tide occurred or on the seas where coastal development occurred. In other words, no research on the East Sea was found. In terms of research contents, there were various studies on analysis of cyst assemblage, tracking of the changes in marine environment like process of eutrophication, roles as a seed population in occurrence of a red tide, creation of cyst by use of sediment trip and tracking of its changes, morphological changes by the change of pH concentration in the hypoxia zone of eutrophied region, germination of a specific species, and other international-level studies. Species composition and cell density also varied in the Korean coastal waters. However, much research on dinoflagellate cyst in Korea is not systematic, and is fragmentary and individual and hencesuffers from great limitations. The research results so far have focused only on specific regions, and sporadic research had been conducted by specific research groups. Dinoflagellate cyst of surface sediments represents the accumulation index of pelagic environment in the sea and is a useful index to understand the marine environment efficiently. In conclusion, Korea requires organized human resources and collaborative research on dinoflagellate cyst which in turn should be considered as a component of marine ecosystem and as an essential aspect of marine biology.

Technological barriers and research trends in fuel cell technologies: A citation network analysis

Fuel cell technologies have long been recognized as one of the most promising future energy solutions. Nevertheless, major technological barriers hinder the potential realization of this clean energy source. Citation network analysis methodology is used here to identify major research trends, critical technological issues, and proposed resolutions to raise the effectiveness of investment of R&D resources in fuel cell technology development. The main path analyses identify two research streams for the Proton-Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) and Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC) technologies. Analyses of cited publications show that most of the technological barriers for PEMFC have been addressed and that performance has reached an acceptable level. On the other hand, DMFC still suffers from methanol and water crossover problems. Multiple main path analysis identifies specific research groups working on technological problems in DMFC. The Direct Formic Acid Fuel Cell (DFAFC) and Direct Ethanol Fuel Cell (DEFC) have recently emerged to address the toxicity of methanol, while DMFC performance is being enhanced through research on porous carbon plates, water transportation, and methanol concentrations, and the research group at Micro DMFC is applying fuel cells in electronics devices. Despite considerable research on Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC), its research stream does not appear in the main paths, most likely because of a broad divergence in research subjects. Growth curve analysis forecasts that fuel cell research is in the growth stage and will enter maturity in 2018. Although emerging technologies show advantages in performance and cost, the findings presented here can raise the effectiveness of critical research project selection, thus increasing the likelihood of success.

The Transaction Costs in Biotechnology

This paper aims to relate the principles of Ronald Coase Theorem with negative impacts of biotechnology, taking cases of specific research groups and medium-sized companies in biotechnology. We consider an application of economic theory on transaction costs (TTC) provides a good foundation for understanding the underlying problems of this sector, even more, when analyzing the political economy of biotechnology since the transaction costs can best viewed their limitations and the limited scope of government policy. In biotechnology it is possible to get a policy that combines both equity and efficiency, that is, a wider range of policy applications to improve the living standards of people in Colombia.

The Transaction Costs in Biotechnology (Los Costos De Transacción En Biotecnología) (Spanish)

This paper aims to relate the principles of Ronald Coase Theorem with negative impacts of biotechnology, taking cases of specific research groups and medium-sized companies in biotechnology. We consider an application of economic theory on transaction costs (TC) provides a good foundation for understanding the underlying problems of this sector, even more, when analyzing the political economy of biotechnology since the transaction costs can best viewed their limitations and the limited scope of government policy. In biotechnology it is possible to get a policy that combines both equity and efficiency, that is, a wider range of policy applications to improve the living standards of people in Colombia.

A quality assurance procedure for pharmacy undergraduate project assessment

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a system for the allocation of students to final year projects and to assess the equality of marking between projects undertaken within different research disciplines. Comparison of mean project marks were assessed by analysis of variance, using analysis of covariance to take into account student academic ability based on their overall third year mark. Results showed that each research discipline was being allocated students with a similar cross-section of ability, with no statistically significant variance in either cohort. Comparing mean project marks between specific research groups, corrected by year-three performance, revealed that there were statistically significant differences between research groups in both year cohorts. Using this quality assurance procedure, the research project co-coordinator was able to identify areas of good practice and of concern, present the evidence to the respective research group leaders, ascertain the reasons for exceptional performances and to suggest remedial action where necessary.

Vorschläge zur Steuerreform in Deutschland: Was bedeuten sie? Was “kosten” sie?

Abstract Tax reform in Germany is proposed by political parties as well as by specific research groups. The gross wage income distributions for different groups of taxpayers are used to find out the consequences of introducing alternative rules of taxation for the wage income tax revenues. The results are supplemented to gain an impression of the overall consequences of a tax reform for the public sector′s budget. It turns out that fundamental tax reform is possible without reducing overall tax revenues if all the tax expenditures are abolished.

Adolescents' Perceptions of the Relevance of Domains of Identity Formation: A South African Cross-Cultural Study

This study investigated South African Afrikaans-, English-, and Xhosa-speaking secondary school adolescents' (N = 1217) perceptions of the relative importance of identity-related domains. For this purpose a structured questionnaire consisting of 14 domain-specific items was used. Most of the domains were regarded as very important or fairly important by a significant majority of participants. Four domains were regarded as very important by more than 70% of the total research group, namely, future career, moral values, family relationships, and religious matters. Political and sexual matters were regarded as of least importance. Intercultural differences were evident in most domains. Significant gender differences were also found. Relatively more females than males reported a high priority to domains such as future career, moral values, friendships with same sex peers, gender role, and community matters. The male participants regarded relationships with the opposite sex and sexual matters as more important than the females did. The findings of this study emphasize the importance of carefully considering the domains included in future research on identity formation, depending on variables such as socioeconomic and sociocultural characteristics of the specific research groups to be included in the investigation.

BµG@Sbase—a microarray database and analysis tool

The manufacture and use of a whole-genome microarray is a complex process and it is essential that all data surrounding the process is stored, is accessible and can be easily associated with the data generated following hybridization and scanning. As part of a program funded by the Wellcome Trust, the Bacterial Microarray Group at St. George's Hospital Medical School (BμG@S) will generate whole-genome microarrays for 12 bacterial pathogens for use in collaboration with specialist research groups. BμG@S will collaborate with these groups at all levels, including the experimental design, methodology and analysis. In addition, we will provide informatic support in the form of a database system (BμG@Sbase). BμG@Sbase will provide access through a web interface to the microarray design data and will allow individual users to store their data in a searchable, secure manner. Tools developed by BμG@S in collaboration with specific research groups investigating analysis methodology will also be made available to those groups using the arrays and submitting data to BμG@Sbase.

Progress in probe microscopy

The development of scanning probe microscopies over the last 15 years has been a major success story. It has given a new lease of life to research areas that had been limited by the inability to observe features at the atomic scale, and it has even created new lines of investigation. While the technology of scanning probe microscopy (SPM) has advanced extremely rapidly, a remarkable feature of the commercial sector is that it has matched this progress by continually developing new products for SPM. This is partly due to the close alliance between manufacturers and specific research groups, but also reflects the demands of SPM users for the latest development.

Book Reviews : Creating the Computer: Government, Industry, and High Technology Kenneth Flamm Publisher: The Brookings Institution, Mass Ave., N.W. 236, Washington, DC 11775 Year of Publication: 1988 Length: 271 pages Price: $28.95 (Hardbound); $10.95 (Paperbound

This book identifies the origins of technologies important to the creation of computers and traces the roots of individual technologies to the specific research programs and groups responsible for major advances. The book contains a good review on the role of government support to this emerging technology, and it shows the critical technological and economic relationship between national and international markets.

Creating the computer: government, industry, and high technology

The development of the first electronic digital computers in the 1940s signaled the beginning of a new and distinctive type of industryan industry marked by competition through innovation, and by the large percentage of revenues spent on research and development.Written as a companion volume to Targeting the Computer: Government Support and International Competition, this comprehensive volume provides a new understanding to the complex forces that have shaped the computer industry during the past four decades. Kenneth Flamm identifies the origins of technologies important to the creation of computers and traces the roots of individual technologies to the specific research groups and programs responsible for major advances. He evaluates the impact of these innovations on industrial competition and argues that the emergence of specialization and product differentiation in the 1950s and the compatibility and standards in the mid-1960s were key factors defining this competition. Flamm also identifies the various market strategies adopted in later decades to challenge an industry leader, strategies linked to the entry and exit of individual firms.In addition to the effects of technology and internal industry developments, international competition and national policies on technology, trade, and investment shaped the evolution of this new Flamm documents the role of government support for technology in the United States, Western Europe, and Japan and describes the critical technological and economic links between national and international markets. Finally, he links these strategies, technological trends, and national policies to one another and shows how they continue to influence current developments in the computer industry.

Continuous-system simulation languages: A state-of-the-art survey

Simulation is the art and science of describing the behavior of a dynamic system by means of a model and using this validated model in a series of experiments designed to provide insight into the future behavior of the system under specific conditions. Therefore, the process of simulation can be visualized as consisting of four phases: (1) problem definition, (2) model specification, (3) model validation, and (4) insight acceleration^1 through experimentation. In order to facilitate the process of simulation, one develops various tools. The digital computer is one such tool. Man's interface to the computer is through the language with which he describes his problem to the computer. The ease with which he solves his problem depends upon the richness of the language as well as the ability of the language to be unambiguously specific. In turn, the structure of the language depends on the form of the model to be implemented. However, having to work with a given language may bias or control the form of the model. Therefore, one must be careful in selecting and using computer languages for system simulation. All physical systems exist in the time-space continuum. The type of model one selects depends on the degree of aggregation of individual phenomena. One may choose either a continuous or a discrete approach to model development. Continuous models are useful when the behavior of the system depends more on the aggregate flow of events than upon the occurrence of individual events Choice of the continuous-or discrete- event modeling approach depends on the nature of the system, the objectives of the simulation, and the tools available to implement the simulation. Because of the mathematical nature of the models in continuous system simulation, special languages have been evolued which are specifically adapted to expressing this class of problems. Over forty continuous-system simulation languages have been developed as of 1973. This paper will survey currently available languages (available commercially or from specific research groups) for simulating dynamic systems described by differential equations. The languages surveyed in this paper are partitioned into two groups. The first group consists of general Continuous-System Simulation Languages designed to represent dynamic models defined by sets of differential equations having primarily one independent variable. Included in the first group are MIMIC, DYNAMO, CSMP/CSMP III, CSSL-III, SL-1, and PROSE. The second group consists of languages specifically designed to represent models defined by partial differential equations. Included in the second group are SALEM, PDEL, LEANS, DSS, PDELAN and FORSIM. The objective of this survey is to describe the functional characteristics of currently available continuous-system simulation languages from a user's point of view. Emphasis will be placed on the unique features of the language, the services provided, the degree of supplier support, the degree of generality, flexibility in terms of user ability to extend the language, the ease of learning, and finally the economics of use.