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.

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.

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.

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.

NIH 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.

Network Analysis of Research Project Members in Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research in Japan

The researcher network that appeared in research projects funded by the Japanese government was analyzed. Several static and dynamic network analysis methods were applied to the data for 20 years to explore the fine structure of the researcher’s network for grants. Our analysis shows that the long-term trend of researchers’ group sizes has become smaller, particularly rapidly decreasing in recent years. Some findings on researcher behavior in joining a project have also been reported.

Erratum:Author’s research-fund support notation correction.Mass forming chronic pancreatitis mimicking pancreatic cystic neoplasm:A case report World J Gastroenterology 2018;Jan 14;24(2):(297-302)

Correction to"Mass forming chronic pancreatitis mimicking pancreatic cystic neoplasm:A case report"World J Gastroenterology 2018;24(2):297-302.This article had accidentally omitted the fact of research-fund support notation.It should be added as supported by Dankook University Research Fund(R201600314).

Does Monetary Support Increase the Number of Scientific Papers？ An Interrupted Time Series Analysis

Purpose： One of the main indicators of scientific production is the number of papers published in scholarly journals. Turkey ranks 18th place in the world based on the number of scholarly publications. The objective of this paper is to find out if the monetary support program initiated in 1993 by the Turkish Scientific and Technological Research Council （TUBITAK） to incentivize researchers and increase the number, impact, and quality of international publications has been effective in doing so.Design/methodology/approach： We analyzed some 390,000 publications with Turkish affiliations listed in the Web of Science （WoS） database between 1976 and 2015 along with about 157,000 supported ones between 1997 and 2015. We used the interrupted time series （ITS） analysis technique （also known as ＂quasi-experimental time series analysis＂ or ＂intervention analysis＂） to test if TOBITAK＇s support program helped increase the number of publications. We defined ARIMA （1,1,0） model for ITS data and observed the impact of TOBiTAK＇s support program in 1994, 1997, and 2003 （after one, four and 10 years of its start, respectively）. The majority of publications （93%） were full papers （articles）, which were used as the experimental group while other types of contributions functioned as the control group. We also carried out a multiple regression analysis.Findings： TUBITAK＇s support program has had negligible effect on the increase of the number of papers with Turkish affiliations. Yet, the number of other types of contributions continued to increase even though they were not well supported, suggesting that TUBITAK＇s support program is probably not the main factor causing the increase in the number of papers with Turkish affiliations. Research limitations： Interrupted time series analysis shows if the ＂intervention＂ has had any significant effect on the dependent variable but it does not explain what caused the increase in the number of papers if it was not the intervention. Moreover, except the＂intervention＂, other ＂event（s）＂ that might affect the time series data （e.g., increase in the number of research personnel over the years） should not occur during the period of analysis, a prerequisite that is beyond the control of the researcher. Practical implications： TUBITAK＇s ＂cash-for-publication＂ program did not seem to have direct impact on the increase of the number of papers published by Turkish authors, suggesting that small amounts of payments are not much of an incentive for authors to publish more. It might perhaps be a better strategy to concentrate limited resources on a few high impact projects rather than to disperse them to thousands of authors as ＂micropayments.＂ Originality/value： Based on 25 years＇ worth of payments data, this is perhaps one of the first large-scale studies showing that ＂cash-for-publication＂ policies or ＂piece rates＂ paid to researchers tend to have little or no effect on the increase of researchers＇ productivity. The main finding of this paper has some implications for countries wherein publication subsidies are used as an incentive to increase the number and quality of papers published in international journals. They should be prepared to consider reviewing their existing support programs （based usually on bibliometric measures such as journal impact factors） and revising their reward policies.

National Lists of Scholarly Publication Channels: An Overview and Recommendations for Their Construction and Maintenance

Purpose: This paper presents an overview of different kinds of lists of scholarly publication channels and of experiences related to the construction and maintenance of national lists supporting performance-based research funding systems. It also contributes with a set of recommendations for the construction and maintenance of national lists of journals and book publishers.Design/methodology/approach: The study is based on analysis of previously published studies, policy papers, and reported experiences related to the construction and use of lists of scholarly publication channels. Findings: Several countries have systems for research funding and/or evaluation, that involve the use of national lists of scholarly publication channels(mainly journals and publishers). Typically, such lists are selective(do not include all scholarly or non-scholarly channels) and differentiated(distinguish between channels of different levels and quality). At the same time, most lists are embedded in a system that encompasses multiple or all disciplines. This raises the question how such lists can be organized and maintained to ensure that all relevant disciplines and all types of research are adequately represented. Research limitation: The conclusions and recommendations of the study are based on the authors' interpretation of a complex and sometimes controversial process with many different stakeholders involved.Practical implications: The recommendations and the related background information provided in this paper enable mutual learning that may feed into improvements in the construction and maintenance of national and other lists of scholarly publication channels in any geographical context. This may foster a development of responsible evaluation practices.Originality/value: This paper presents the first general overview and typology of different kinds of publication channel lists, provides insights on expert-based versus metrics-based evaluation, and formulates a set of recommendations for the responsible construction and maintenance of publication channel lists.

Circadian fluctuations in three types of sensory modules in healthy subjects

This study was designed to observe and compare the circadian fluctuations in tactile sense, joint reposition sense and two-point discrimination in healthy subjects. Twenty-one healthy adult subjects received perceptual ability tests through these three different sensory modules at approximately 9：00, 13：00 and 18：00 in a day. The distribution of ranking for perceptual ability was significantly different among the three different time points in each individual, with highest perceptual ability in the evening compared with noon and morning, in terms of tactile sense and two-point discrimination. These findings suggest that the perceptual ability of healthy subjects fluctuates according to the time points in a day.

An update on spinal cord injury research

Spinal cord injury （SCI） can have a range of debilitating effects and permanently alter the capabilities and quality of life of survivors. The first specialized centers of care for SCI were established in 1944 and since then an increasing amount of research has been carried out in this area. Despite this, the present treatment and care levels for SCI are not comparable to those in other areas of medicine. In the clinic, the aim of SCI treatment is primarily to limit secondary damage by reducing compression in trauma spots and stabilizing the spinal column. Currently, no effective strategy for functional recovery is offered. In this review, we focus on research progress on the molecular mechanisms underlying SCI, and assess the treatment outcomes of SCI in animal models, i.e., neurotrophins and stem cells are discussed as pre-clinical therapies in animal models. We also assess the resources available and national research projects carried out on SCI in China in recent years, as well as making recommendations for the future allocation of funds in this area.

Research trends in rare earths: A preliminary analysis

The research trend in rare earths has been studied using the Chemical Abstracts (CA) data. The number of papers published from China has been increasing very rapidly since 2001 and today China is the top country in terms of paper contribution on rare earths. This article presents a comparative study of R&D trends among China, Japan and USA.

Using Bayesian Model to Analyze the Efficient Allocation of Research Funds

Using Bayesianmodel, we explore the efficient allocation of research funds. With the theory of standard and all-pay auctions, we obtain the applicant＇s equilibrium payout and the committee＇s expected return in a symmetric independent private value and asymmetric independent private value model. Moreover, we compare two different evaluated manners. We obtain that applicants will be more aggressive when the committee valuates by the research plans than by the research results, but both situations give the same effect to the committee in a symmetric independent private value model. However, when applicants are asymmetrical, the committee will prefer allocating research plans to research results. Finally, we analyze applicant＇s equilibrium payout when the award the winner gets is related to the applicant＇s value of research plans or results.

On the development of postdoctoral education in China

Having experienced three stages of“preliminary establishment”,“rapid and comprehensive development”and“steady development”for twenty years,China’s postdoctoral system is moving towards a new one,the stage of“quality improvement and innovation development.”Remarkable achievements in the system include cultivating talented personnel,promoting the construction and development of disciplines,integrating production,learning and research,as well as scientific research achievements.However,some problems still exist in its managerial system,the science funds subsidized as well as the relationship between the mobile station and the workstation.1 Based on the above analysis,the author suggests that the postdoctoral system in the new era should be innovative in its systems of management,cultivation,funds collection,subvention and evaluation.