scholarly journals Research Synergy and Drug Development: Bright Stars in Neighboring Constellations

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samet Keserci ◽  
Eric B. Livingston ◽  
Lingtian Wan ◽  
Alexander R. Pico ◽  
George Chacko

AbstractDrug discovery and subsequent availability of a new breakthrough therapeutic or ‘cure’ is a compelling example of societal benefit from research advances. These advances are invariably collaborative, involving the contributions of many scientists to a discovery network in which theory and experiment are built upon. To understand such scientific advances, data mining of public and commercial data sources coupled with network analysis can be used as a digital methodology to assemble and analyze component events in the history of a therapeutic. This methodology is extensible beyond the history of therapeutics and its use more generally supports (i) efficiency in exploring the scientific history of a research advance (ii) documenting and understanding collaboration (iii) portfolio analysis, planning and optimization (iv) communication of the societal value of research. As a proof of principle, we have conducted a case study of five anti-cancer therapeutics. We have linked the work of roughly 237,000 authors in 106,000 scientific publications that capture the research crucial for the development of these five therapeutics. We have enriched the content of networks of these therapeutics by annotating them with information on research awards as well as peer review that preceded these awards. Applying retrospective citation discovery, we have identified a core set of publications cited in the networks of all five therapeutics and additional intersections in combinations of networks as well as awards from the National Institutes of Health that supported this research. Lastly, we have mapped these awards to their cognate peer review panels, identifying another layer of collaborative scientific activity that influenced the research represented in these networks.

1986 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 301-322
Author(s):  
David Sturdy

Consider this statement: the practice of science influences and is influenced by the civilization within which it occurs. Or again: scientists do not pursue their activities in a political or social void; like other people, they aspire to make their way in the world by responding to the values and social mechanisms of their day. Set in such simple terms, each statement probably would receive the assent of most scholars interested in the history of science. But there is need for debate on the nature and extent of the interaction between scientific activity and the civilization which incorporates it, as there is on the relations of scientists to the society within which they live. This essay seeks to make a contribution mainly to the second of these topics by taking a French scientist and academician of the eighteenth century and studying him and his family in the light of certain questions. At the end there will be a discussion relating those questions or themes to the wider debate. There is an associated purpose to the exercise: to present an account of the social origins and formation of Pierre-Jean-Baptiste Chomel (botanist, physician and member of the Academic des Sciences) which will augment our knowledge of this particular savant.


2007 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dale J. Benos ◽  
Edlira Bashari ◽  
Jose M. Chaves ◽  
Amit Gaggar ◽  
Niren Kapoor ◽  
...  

This article traces the history of peer review of scientific publications, plotting the development of the process from its inception to its present-day application. We discuss the merits of peer review and its weaknesses, both perceived and real, as well as the practicalities of several major proposed changes to the system. It is our hope that readers will gain a better appreciation of the complexities of the process and, when serving as reviewers themselves, will do so in a manner that will enhance the utility of the exercise. We also propose the development of an international on-line training program for accreditation of potential referees.


Author(s):  
Valery M. Anikin ◽  
◽  
Nataliya M. Panteeva ◽  

The Great Physical Auditorium of Saratov University is one of the best university lecture halls in Russia, it has a wonderful interior, large capacity and good acoustics. It also has a wonderful history. One outstanding event that took place in the Great Physical Auditorium 100 years ago is described in the article. On June 4, 1920, Nikolai I. Vavilov, professor of the agronomic faculty of Saratov University, made a presentation on «The law of homologous series in variation” to the participants of the III All-Russian Breeding Congress. The law determines the fundamental features of the evolution of plants and living organisms from a genetic standpoint. It influenced the subsequent development of biology, genetics, plant growing, breeding, biophysics and agrophysics on a global scale. The article describes the versatile activities of Nikolai I. Vavilov in 1918–1921 on the post of professor at Saratov University as a teacher, organizer of student practices and expeditions, as a deep scientist and analyst. His report was met with great enthusiasm by the participants of the Breeding congress. The law of homologous series in variation may be compared with the periodic law by Dmitry I. Mendeleev. The article was written by using the materials of the Breeding Congress, the Vavilov’s collection of the Saratov Regional Museum of Local Lore, the memoirs by the participants of the Congress, scientific publications reflecting the modern significance of the law by Nikolai I. Vavilov. More than 50 congress participants, captured in the historical photograph of June 4, 1920, are named. The article notes interesting parallels between the III All-Union Congress of Breeding in 1920 and the VI Congress of the Russian Association of Physicists in 1928, which was also held within the walls of the Great Physical Auditorium. Sergei I. Vavilov was secretary of the Physical congress. The outstanding role of the brothers Nikolai I. and Sergei I. Vavilovs by organization of scientific activity in Russia is emphasized. The topic of modern scientific conferences held at the Great Physical Auditorium is named. It is concluded that the Great Physical Auditorium of Saratov University has acquired the significance of one of the important communication scientific centers of Russia and the world.


Author(s):  
Zhanna Denysіyuk

The purpose of the article is to investigate the publishing activities of the Volyn Society, founded by representatives of the Ukrainian diaspora and later created on this basis by the Volyn Research Institute in Winnipeg, Canada. The result of their activities was the publication of a number of scientific works that are valuable sources for the history of Ukrainian culture and art and historical local lore and cultural region. The methodology consists of the application of the historical-chronological approach to the study of issues, as well as analytical, culturological methods in the study of the publication of scientific works of historical and cultural nature by the Institute of Experiments of Volyn. The scientific novelty of the work lies in the expansion and generalization of information about scientific publications of the Institute of Experiments of Volyn as a source base for studying the history and art of Ukrainian culture of the twentieth century. Conclusions. As a result of the research, it was established that the activity of the Violin Research Institute has a unique significance as a center of historical and cultural research of the region of Ukraine outside its mainland, accumulating the intellectual potential of Ukrainian diasporas. At the same time, the existence of such an institution and its scientific activity is a cultural phenomenon, which represents the possibility of multi-vector research on the example of one region, which, at the same time, raises a number of issues in the history of national culture and art. Numerous publications, which contain many archival and factual materials of both local and national importance, serve as a valuable source for research in the field of culture and art.


Author(s):  
Vyacheslav P. Zemlyanoy ◽  
Badri V. Sigua ◽  
Vyacheslav A. Melnikov ◽  
Nikolay G. Lyubimov

The papaer presents a review of some publications on the history of the development, formation, functions and capabilities of scientometrics, as well as the state of Russian science and its role on the international arena. The thoughts regarding the role of scientometrics in modern scientific research are stated. To date, scientometrics provides a number of possibilities. First of all, it is a system for monitoring publication activity of scientists around the world. Obviously, the main goal is structuring scientific publications with the following improvement of scientific activity. Howewer, are modern scientometric indicators objective in relation not only to the number, but also to the quality of scientific publications? Is the notorious Hirsch index an ideal parameter for evaluating the performance of researchers? Are there any prospects for scientometrics in the modern scientific world, or is a worthy alternative to currently used methods for assessing scientific activity required? These and many other questions are raised by the authors in this article.


Author(s):  
Odile Moreau

This chapter explores movement and circulation across the Mediterranean and seeks to contribute to a history of proto-nationalism in the Maghrib and the Middle East at a particular moment prior to World War I. The discussion is particularly concerned with the interface of two Mediterranean spaces: the Middle East (Egypt, Ottoman Empire) and North Africa (Morocco), where the latter is viewed as a case study where resistance movements sought external allies as a way of compensating for their internal weakness. Applying methods developed by Subaltern Studies, and linking macro-historical approaches, namely of a translocal movement in the Muslim Mediterranean, it explores how the Egypt-based society, al-Ittihad al-Maghribi, through its agent, Aref Taher, used the press as an instrument for political propaganda, promoting its Pan-Islamic programme and its goal of uniting North Africa.


2010 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 75-93
Author(s):  
Jessica Moberg

Immediately after the Second World War Sweden was struck by a wave of sightings of strange flying objects. In some cases these mass sightings resulted in panic, particularly after authorities failed to identify them. Decades later, these phenomena were interpreted by two members of the Swedish UFO movement, Erland Sandqvist and Gösta Rehn, as alien spaceships, or UFOs. Rehn argued that ‘[t]here is nothing so dramatic in the Swedish history of UFOs as this invasion of alien fly-things’ (Rehn 1969: 50). In this article the interpretation of such sightings proposed by these authors, namely that we are visited by extraterrestrials from outer space, is approached from the perspective of myth theory. According to this mythical theme, not only are we are not alone in the universe, but also the history of humankind has been shaped by encounters with more highly-evolved alien beings. In their modern day form, these kinds of ideas about aliens and UFOs originated in the United States. The reasoning of Sandqvist and Rehn exemplifies the localization process that took place as members of the Swedish UFO movement began to produce their own narratives about aliens and UFOs. The question I will address is: in what ways do these stories change in new contexts? Texts produced by the Swedish UFO movement are analyzed as a case study of this process.


2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (6) ◽  
pp. 613-618
Author(s):  
A. V. Altukhov ◽  
S. A. Tishchenko

The presented study reviews practically relevant research papers in the field of network structures, modern network business models and platforms.Aim. The study aims to elaborate and explain the concept of network structure and platform and to show the reasons for the progressiveness and potential of network organizational structure at the current stage of socio-economic and scientific development.Tasks. The authors highlight the main scientific ideas about network structures in business, including significant studies in this area; provide and explain the main terms and definitions and examine the key characteristics of network business structures; characterize “platforms” as an important concept for modern business and show the relationship between platforms and network structures.Methods. This study uses analysis of information and subsequent synthesis of new knowledge in the form of the authors’ conclusions and a wide range of relevant scientific publications of Russian and foreign authors, including original publications in English and French.Results. The history of network structures is briefly provided. Definitions and characteristics of such concepts as “network structure” and “platform” in relation to business are provided and explained by the authors.


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