Unequal Distribution of Innovation Efforts for Neglected Tropical Diseases: The Role of Funding Evaluation Criteria

Background: International research and innovation efforts for neglected tropical diseases have increased in recent decades due to disparities in overall health research funding in relation to global burden of disease. However, within the field of neglected tropical diseases some seem far more neglected than others. In this research the aim is to investigate the distribution of resources and efforts, as well as the mechanisms that underpin funding allocation for neglected tropical diseases. Methodology: A systematic literature review was conducted to establish a comprehensive overview of known indicators for innovation efforts related to a wide range of neglected tropical diseases. Articles were selected based on a subjective evaluation of their relevance, the presence of original data, and the breadth of their scope. This was followed by thirteen in-depth open-ended interviews with representatives of private, public and philanthropic funding organizations, concerning evaluation criteria for funding research proposals. Results: The findings reveal a large difference in the extent to which the individual diseases are neglected with notable differences between absolute and relative efforts. Criteria used in the evaluation of research proposals relate to potential impact, the probability of success and strategic fit. Private organizations prioritize strategic fit and economic impact;philanthropic organizations prioritize short-term societal impact;and public generally prioritize the probability of success by accounting for follow-up funding and involvement of industry. Funding decisions of different types of organizations are highly interrelated. Conclusions: This study shows that the evaluation of funding proposals introduces and retains unequal funding distribution, reinforcing the relative neglect of diseases. Societal impact is the primary rationale for funding but application of it as a funding criterion is associated with significant challenges. Furthermore, current application of evaluation criteria leads to a primary focus on short-term impact. Through current practice, the relatively most neglected diseases will remain so, and a long-term strategy is needed to resolve this.

General laws of funding for scientific citations:how citations change in funded and unfunded research between basic and applied sciences

Purpose:The goal of this study is to analyze the relationship between funded and unfunded papers and their citations in both basic and applied sciences.Design/methodology/approach:A power law model analyzes the relationship between research funding and citations of papers using 831,337 documents recorded in the Web of Science database.Findings:The original results reveal general characteristics of the diffusion of science in research fields:a)Funded articles receive higher citations compared to unfunded papers in journals;b)Funded articles exhibit a super-linear growth in citations,surpassing the increase seen in unfunded articles.This finding reveals a higher diffusion of scientific knowledge in funded articles.Moreover,c)funded articles in both basic and applied sciences demonstrate a similar expected change in citations,equivalent to about 1.23%,when the number of funded papers increases by 1%in journals.This result suggests,for the first time,that funding effect of scientific research is an invariant driver,irrespective of the nature of the basic or applied sciences.Originality/value:This evidence suggests empirical laws of funding for scientific citations that explain the importance of robust funding mechanisms for achieving impactful research outcomes in science and society.These findings here also highlight that funding for scientific research is a critical driving force in supporting citations and the dissemination of scientific knowledge in recorded documents in both basic and applied sciences.Practical implications:This comprehensive result provides a holistic view of the relationship between funding and citation performance in science to guide policymakers and R&D managers with science policies by directing funding to research in promoting the scientific development and higher diffusion of results for the progress of human society.

Research funding and citations in papers of Nobel Laureates in Physics, Chemistry and Medicine, 2019-2020

Purpose:The goal of this study is a comparative analysis of the relation between funding(a main driver for scientific research)and citations in papers of Nobel Laureates in physics,chemistry and medicine over 2019-2020 and the same relation in these research fields as a whole.Design/methodology/approach:This study utilizes a power law model to explore the relationship between research funding and citations of related papers.The study here analyzes 3,539 recorded documents by Nobel Laureates in physics,chemistry and medicine and a broader dataset of 183,016 documents related to the fields of physics,medicine,and chemistry recorded in the Web of Science database.Findings:Results reveal that in chemistry and medicine,funded researches published in papers of Nobel Laureates have higher citations than unfunded studies published in articles;vice versa high citations of Nobel Laureates in physics are for unfunded studies published in papers.Instead,when overall data of publications and citations in physics,chemistry and medicine are analyzed,all papers based on funded researches show higher citations than unfunded ones.Originality/value:Results clarify the driving role of research funding for science diffusion that are systematized in general properties:a)articles concerning funded researches receive more citations than(un)funded studies published in papers of physics,chemistry and medicine sciences,generating a high Matthew effect(a higher growth of citations with the increase in the number of papers);b)research funding increases the citations of articles in fields oriented to applied research(e.g.,chemistry and medicine)more than fields oriented towards basic research(e.g.,physics).Practical implications:The results here explain some characteristics of scientific development and diffusion,highlighting the critical role of research funding in fostering citations and the expansion of scientific knowledge.This finding can support decision-making of policymakers and R&D managers to improve the effectiveness in allocating financial resources in science policies to generate a higher positive scientific and societal impact.

The relation between funding by the National Institutes of Health and the burden of disease

Background:The Institute of Medicine has proposed that the amount of disease-specific research funding provided by the National Institutes of Health(NIH)be systematically and consistently compared with the burden of disease for society.Methods:We performed a cross-sectional study comparing estimates of disease-specific funding in 1996 with data on six measures of the burden of disease.

The relation between funding by the National Institutes of Health and the burden of disease

Background:The Institute of Medicine has proposed that the amount of disease-specific research funding provided by the National Institutes of Health(NIH)be systematically and consistently compared with the burden of disease for society.Methods:We performed a cross-sectional study comparing estimates of disease-specific funding in 1996 with data on six measures of the burden of disease.The measures were total mortality,years of life lost,and number of hospital days in 1994 and incidence,prevalence,and disability-adjusted life-years(one disability-adjusted life-year is defined as the loss of one year of healthy life to disease)in 1990.With the use of these measures as explanatory variables in a regression analysis,predicted funding was calculated and compared with actual funding.

Strategies for China’s Response to and Improvement of Third-Party Funding in International Investment Arbitration

China should prioritize the establishment and enhancement of a third-party funding system.It should actively refine the existing arbitration rules,addressing any loopholes in the current regulatory framework.Comprehensive measures should be implemented to regulate third-party funding,aligning with international trends.This is crucial not only to safeguard the foreign investment of the Chinese government and enterprises but also to position China as a globally influential arbitration center.

An overview of Fintech applications to solve the puzzle of health care funding:state-of-the-art in medical crowdfunding

Crowdfunding is emerging as an alternative form of funding for medical purposes,with capital being raised directly from a broader and more diverse audience of investors.In this paper,we have systematically researched and reviewed the literature on medical crowdfunding to determine how crowdfunding connects with the health care industry.The health care industry has been struggling to develop sustainable research and business models for economic systems and investors alike,especially in pharmaceuticals.The research results have revealed a wealth of evidence concerning the way crowdfunding is applied in real life.Patients and caregivers utilize web platform–based campaigns all over the world to fund their medical expenses,generally on a spot basis,using donation-based or even reward-based schemes,regardless of the health care system archetype(public,private insurance-based or hybrid).Academics have also focused on funding campaigns and the predictors of success(which range from social behaviour and environment to the basic demographics of the campaigners and their diseases)and on social and regulatory concerns,including heightened social inequality and stigma.While equity crowdfunding is disrupting the way many ventures/businesses seek capital in the market,our research indicates that there are no relevant or consistent data on the practice of medical equity crowdfunding in health care,apart from a few anecdotal cases.

The Observation of Trends and Impacts of States Funding on Higher Education in America

The adequacy of state funding for higher education in America is vital to cultivate the qualified workforce and help in developing the state’s economy.With the economy downturn situation,whether the current state funding is adequate to the need of institutions and students is a valuable question to be investigated.This research reviewed the whole trends of state and federal support of the higher education,having analyzed the data of higher education funding for the whole state,for the institution development,and for the students and their families.With the enrollment increasing and the inflation growing,the state fund was dropping.Although states supply a greater part of funding to public universities,most of the state funding goes to community colleges and non-research public institutions.The public research institutions and undergraduate education are important components in higher education,generating changing the development for the entire society.The state should make some adjustments in distributing funding in order to keep up with the most urgent needs of the higher education and ease pressure on the institutions,and ease the financial burden on students and their families.

Future Prospects for Funding Strategies in Palestinian National Economy

On the international levels, funding has a wide importance in the sense that it is vehemently regarded as something that attracts both the developed countries and the developing countries. This is considered as the focal point of economy and economic activities. This is because of the fact that any economy can not continue without funding. This leads to a great care by institutions and governments as well as any social, political, and economic activity. The funding policy is regarded as one of the most important and active methods in having and preparing strategies that aim at having total control on private and public f＇mancial resources throughout financial activities to refresh the Palestinian economy. Due to the sensitivity of the current conditions, funding has a very important position and role. The deprivation stages the Palestirtian people have witnessed led to lack of Palestinian rights to build national institutions and bodies that are able to adopt social and economic policies that aim at having development as well as enabling the Palestinian entire society members to face both internal and external challenges and vice versa. There is vacuum of having an independent Palestinian state after 1967. There is a strict political s~,stem of lawful individuals and political domination, imposing by an Israeli military occupation to control and rule, controlling all Palestinian life to destroy the Palestinian economy and to distort the system without any lawful and constitutional independence. During the occupation period, the Palestinians lived under a lawful and managerial military power that destroys productivity paving the way to expel Palestinians out of their home which did not enable Palestinians to have their own social policies. The Palestinian national authority, ever since its rule, started to have a rehabilitation of its economic policies within a strategic plan that ensures economic development, stability, and geographical continuation amongst Palestinian resources control in a way that supports the Palestinian economy. That builds Palestinian policies to have economic development and improvement of general performance to develop, complete, and unify law and constitution. This also aims at Palestinian society development in terms of economy giving future hopes for Palestinians to have international development projects in the sense that any Palestinian strategy quickly faces lack of fund and therefore consequently everything is put to an end. The possibility of this study is to strengthen and stimulat the direct foreign investment as an alternative of the internal funding. Moreover, this study will investigate how to achieve an increase efficiency of investment and the national funding resources that generate income. The study＇s methodology is, descriptive analytical approach which has been applied because it matches the nature of this study. To answer study questions ＂What is the funding strategy followed by the Palestinian authority to develop the national economy？＂, confirmation is made that there are no funding strategies applied by the Palestinian authority to create funding mechanisms for development of national economy. This is not helpful for the national economy.

The Flemish Performance-based Research Funding System: A Unique Variant of the Norwegian Model

The BOF-key is the performance-based research funding system that is used in Flanders, Belgium. In this paper we describe the historical background of the system, its current design and organization, as well as its effects on the Flemish higher education landscape. The BOFkey in its current form relies on three bibliometric parameters: publications in Web of Science, citations in Web of Science, and publications in a comprehensive regional database for SSH publications. Taken together, the BOF-key forms a unique variant of the Norwegian model: while the system to a large extent relies on a commercial database, it avoids the problem of inadequate coverage of the SSH. Because the bibliometric parameters of the BOF-key are reused in other funding allocation schemes, their overall importance to the Flemish universities is substantial.

Redesigning the Model of Book Evaluation in the Polish Performance-based Research Funding System

Purpose: This study aims to present the key systemic changes in the Polish book evaluation model to focus on the publisher list, as inspired by the Norwegian Model. Design/methodology/approach: In this study we reconstruct the framework of the 2010 and 2018 models of book evaluation in Poland within the performance-based research funding system. Findings: For almost 20 years the book evaluation system in Poland has been based on the verification of various technical criteria(e.g. length of the book). The new 2018 model is based on the principle of prestige inheritance(a book is worth as much as its publisher is) and is inspired by the publisher list used in the Norwegian Model. In this paper, we argue that this solution may be a more balanced policy instrument than the previous 2010 model in which neither the quality of the publisher nor the quality of the book played any role in the evaluation.Research limitations: We work from the framework of the 2018 model of book evaluation specified in the law on higher education and science from 20 July 2018, as implementation acts are not available yet. Practical implications: This study may provide a valuable point of reference on how structural reforms in the research evaluation model were implemented on a country level. The results of this study may be interesting to policy makers, stakeholders and researchers focused on science policy. Originality/value: This is the very first study that presents the new framework of the Polish research evaluation model and policy instruments for scholarly book evaluation. We describe what motivated policy makers to change the book evaluation model, and what arguments were explicitly raised to argue for the new solution.

Performance-based Research Funding in Denmark: The Adoption and Translation of the Norwegian Model

Purpose: The main goal of this study is to outline and analyze the Danish adoption and translation of the Norwegian Publication Indicator. Design/methodology/approach: The study takes the form of a policy analysis mainly drawing on document analysis of policy papers, previously published studies and grey literature. Findings: The study highlights a number of crucial factors that relate both to the Danish process and to the final Danish result underscoring that the Danish BFI model is indeed a quite different system than its Norwegian counterpart. One consequence of these process-and design differences is the fact that the broader legitimacy of the Danish BFI today appears to be quite poor. Reasons for this include: unclear and shifting objectives throughout the process; limited willingness to take ownership of the model among stakeholders; lack of communication throughout the implementation process and an apparent underestimation of the challenges associated with the use of bibliometric indicators. Research limitation: The conclusions of the study are based on the authors’ interpretation of a long drawn and complex process with many different stakeholders involved. The format of this article does not allow for a detailed documentation of all elements, but further details can be provided upon request. Practical implications: The analysis may feed into current policy discussions on the future of the Danish BFI. Originality/value: Some elements of the present analysis have previously been published in Danish outlets, but this article represents the first publication on this issue targeting a broader international audience.

Applying Feature-Weighted Gradient Decent K-Nearest Neighbor to Select Promising Projects for Scientific Funding

Due to its outstanding ability in processing large quantity and high-dimensional data,machine learning models have been used in many cases,such as pattern recognition,classification,spam filtering,data mining and forecasting.As an outstanding machine learning algorithm,K-Nearest Neighbor(KNN)has been widely used in different situations,yet in selecting qualified applicants for winning a funding is almost new.The major problem lies in how to accurately determine the importance of attributes.In this paper,we propose a Feature-weighted Gradient Decent K-Nearest Neighbor(FGDKNN)method to classify funding applicants in to two types:approved ones or not approved ones.The FGDKNN is based on a gradient decent learning algorithm to update weight.It updates the weight of labels by minimizing error ratio iteratively,so that the importance of attributes can be described better.We investigate the performance of FGDKNN with Beijing Innofund.The results show that FGDKNN performs about 23%,20%,18%,15%better than KNN,SVM,DT and ANN,respectively.Moreover,the FGDKNN has fast convergence time under different training scales,and has good performance under different settings.

NIH funding for disease categories related to neurodegenerative diseases

Introduction The National Institutes of Health （NIH）, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is the nation＇s medical research agency-making important discoveries that improve health and save lives.Thanks in large part to NIH-funded medical research, Americans today are living longer and healthier. The NIH invests over $31.2＊ billion annually in medical research for the American people. More than 80% of the NIH＇s funding is awarded through almost 50 000 competitive grants to more than 325 000 researchers at over 3 000 universities, medical schools, and other research institutions in every state and around the world.

National Institutes of Health Funding for disease categories related to Neural Regeneration Research

The National Institutes of Health （NIH）, a part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, is the nation＇s medical research agency-making important discoveries that improve health and save lives.Thanks in large part to NIH-funded medical research, Americans today are living longer and healthier. Life expectancy in the United States has jumped from 47 years in 1900 to 78 years as reported in 2009, and disability in people over age 65 has dropped dramatically in the past 3 decades. In recent years, nationwide rates of new diagnoses and deaths from all cancers combined have fallen significantly.

The Effect of Funding Cuts on the Utilization of an Oral Pathology Diagnostic Service

Aim To examine what impact the loss of funding had on the utilization of the oral pathology service. Methodology Biopsy records were retrieved and examined in the two year period before and after the elimination of the subsidies in 2003.Results After the loss of fimding, there was a 31% decrease in the number of specimens submitted from practitioners in private practice, with the greatest drop noted in submissions from endodontists. Conclusion Despite the immediate decrease in the number of biopsies submitted after the introduction of fee-for-service, the number of specimens being submitted appears to be on the rise again, as practitioners appear to recognize the value of a specialized oral pathology diagnostic service.

Transition of HIV prevention in three Southeast Asian countries:challenges and responses to the withdrawal of the Global Fund funding

The Global Fund has long been the largest international assistance in human immunodeficiency virus(HIV)responses for three Southeast Asian countries,including Myanmar,Laos,and Vietnam.However,it recently decided to reduce or withdraw its funding from countries not yet going through donor phase out,aiming to make these countries respond with their own resources.In examining whether these three countries are well-prepared to donor transition,we uncover potential challenges that will appear in their healthcare systems and especially in the prevention and control for vulnerable populations.By reviewing China's succesful experience in donor transition,we propose recommendations for these pre transition countries,in terms of program operation,budget allocation,and social stigmatization.

An Alternative Funding Model for Agribusiness Research in Canada

Canadian governments have moved towards a matching funding model for agricultural research. Agricultural organizations can take advantage of this if Canadian Controlled Private Corporations are established to fund research through matching grants, tax credits and investments. A low risk options strategy is presented which uses index options and is a diagonal put spread where an in-the-money put is bought which expires in 1 to 2 years and out-of-the-money puts are sold which expire monthly. In summary, “A small Canadian Controlled Private Corporation can, for a $100,000 up front initial investment, generate at least $100,000 annually in research funding, in perpetuity”.

Malaysia and the Factors that Influence Its Seed Industry: Natural Resources, Policies, Market and Fundings

Malaysia, situated in Southeast Asia, is a relatively small country of 33 million hectares of land, and with a total cultivable area estimated in 14.2 million ha. However, in 2013, only 53% of it was cultivated. Remarkably enough, in 2012, 67% of the whole land used under agriculture was destined for oil palm plantations. Likewise, Malaysia has been recognized as one of the twelve mega-diversity countries of the world, thanks to its rich variety of species and diverse number of ecosystems. Furthermore, as Malaysia lies in the equatorial zone, the average temperature throughout the entire year is 26 °C; which is controlled by the northeast and southwest monsoons, and consequently, receiving around 2,000 mm to 2,500 mm of rainfall annually. In addition, Malaysia has an annual average of 990 billion m3 of water resources inside the entire territory. Moreover, as Malaysia realized the importance of shifting into a knowledge-based economy, it's now really focused on the development of human and intellectual capital in order to produce adequate supply. In that way, under the Malaysia Education Blueprint from 2013 to 2015, a sum of RM 41.3 billion is expected to be allocated in 2016, to improve the quality of education. Conjointly, the agriculture in Malaysia is a fundamental piece in the country's economy, contributing to the National Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as in 2013 this sector employed more than 1.6 million people. On the other hand, in Malaysia two distinct Agricultural Policies have been established to give strategic direction to the agricultural sector: The Policy before Independence (1948-1957) and The Policy after the independence (1957-2020) (which is as well, formed by several policies). In conjunction, as Malaysia aspires to become a developed country, it nourishes its research culture; being the public sector an important contributor for the agricultural research funding. Notwithstanding, a substantial factor that has contributed in the development of the seed industry in Malaysia, is the fact of having the “Legislation” in place; with the establishment of the Protection of New Plant Varieties (PNPV) Act, which came into force in October of 2008. To finalize, Malaysia is now certainly facing limitations towards the development of the seed industry, which are: lack of new local varieties, lack of mandatory seed quality control system, unorganized information of the seed industry, inadequate number of trained personnel in the seed industry, lack of private sector involvement.

How selected primary schools in rural New Zealand manage their financial resources of limited government funding in order to effectively meet their schools objectives

This study evaluates the extent to which primary schools in a region of New Zealand are challenged by limited funds to enable the effective management and performance of their school. The study involved interviews with school principals and analysis of their schools＇ financial statements. The aim of this project is to gain a current understanding of the issues and challenges facing primary schools in a defined region （Waikato） to see whether the trends identified in national research studies, confirms the problem that schools are underfunded. The results of the current study identified the issues experienced by the Waikato schools and in most cases supported previous research findings. The findings of the current study also suggest that schools share the dilemmas associated with limited government funding and rely significantly on local funding sources to achieve their basic objectives. Although schools may be effective in the management of their school objectives, there is more government funding required to relieve the pressures and challenges.