Citation context analysis and aging patterns of journal articles in molecular genetics

To compare citation history and contextual importance, eleven highly cited articles, 4 slowly aging (Type 1) and 7 quickly aging (Type 2), were ranked using an aggregate citation context measure, the Mean Utility Index. Based on citations in late (PY 6 & 7) source articles, methods papers consistently ranked higher than papers cited for research results and theoretical implications, and Type 1 methods papers ranked above all Type 2 papers. A Type 1 paper representing an important theoretical concept could not be distinguished from Type 2 papers using citation context alone.     

Digital Photoelasticity: Principles, Practice and Potential

The enormously enhanced power of photoelasticity resulting from adoption of digital technologies is highlighted and discussed. An overview of the principal techniques of digital fringe processing is provided within a single theoretical framework. The practical application of the new technologies using both conventional instruments and novel optical devices is discussed. Experiments involving more 1 × 10⁶ quantitative fringe order measurements are possible and practical on a routine basis using the current technology. Products based on this research are beginning to appear on the market so that many new application areas are opening up for photoelasticity, such as dynamic events, real‐time fatigue crack analysis, monitoring polarisation changes at a microscopic level in materials; detailed validation of numerical simulations, particularly of complex geometry and loading; and in‐service monitoring using reflection photoelasticity of damage in both homogeneous and heterogeneous materials, such as composites.     

Putting astronomy on the map: The launch of the first geographical-astronomical journal

In 1798, astronomer Franz Xaver von Zach in Gotha and publisher Friedrich Justin Bertuch in Weimar launched the first astronomical-geographical journal, Allgemeine geographische Ephemeriden (AGE). The journal was intended to provide professionals and interested lay readership with high-quality maps, information about new discoveries, and statistical data. The periodical was shaped by Zach's expertise and Bertuch's economic potential. Their extraordinary collaboration and their different conceptions of a specialised periodical also played a role in how the journal developed. This paper examines the collaboration between the editor and the publisher of the AGE and their different ideas of the journal's purpose. By analysing the content of the AGE during Zach's time as editor, as well as shortly thereafter, and comparing them to Zach's second journal, the Monatliche Correspondenz, this paper shows the differences between a scientific journal aimed at a professional readership and one intended to address an interested lay readership by providing information, maps, and illustrations. The following pages illustrate how Zach's and Bertuch's ideas of a successful journal were reflected in the structure and content of the periodicals.     

The first ten years of the daguerreotype in Nottingham

Abstract

Nottingham in the 1840s was not only a market town serving the needs of the surrounding agricultural communities of the Trent Valley, but it was also becoming an important manufacturing centre due to the expansion of the lace and hosiery trades. The census return of 1841 records that the town had a population of 53 091 and in addition there were another 17 896 persons in the suburbs of Radford and Sneinton. In assessing the progress of photography in Nottingham, it is of relevance to note however, that although its inhabitants lived in an area of increasing industrial development, they were comparatively isolated from the sophisticated and cosmopolitan influences of the capital city, 123 miles distant. The use of contemporary newspaper reports has been found to be of particular value, therefore, in revealing how the daguerreotype was received by the public, through the eye of the local press, in an atmosphere which was not preconditioned by any fashionable trends.     

Editorial:Polymer Fibres 2000 The Manchester Conference Centre, Manchester, UK, 5-7 July 2000

Natural polymers fibres such as hair and wool have been exploited since antiquity. The development of synthetic polymers in the last century was driven partly by the need for man-made fibres. Because of this, polymer fibres have been the focus of intensive research for a many years and, by some people, the field is now perceived as being mature. This, however, is far from the case and in recent years there have been unparalleled developments in the preparation of new polymer-based fibres, new techniques of fibre characterisation and novel applications of polymer fibres. Moreover, polymer fibres are finding increasing use in high-performance composites where their high levels of stiffness and strength combined with low density give rise to materials with outstanding mechanical properties.     

The periodic tableau: Form and colours in the first 100 years

While symbolic colour use has always played a conspicuous role in science research and education, the use of colour in historic diagrams remains a lacuna in the history of science. Investigating the colour use in diagrams often means uncovering a whole cosmology that is not otherwise explicit in the diagram itself. The periodic table is a salient and iconic example of non‐mimetic colour use in science. Andreas von Antropoff's (1924) rectangular table of recurrent rainbow colours is famous, as are Alcindo Flores Cabral's (1949) application of colour in his round snail form, using the RGB scheme, and Mazurs's (1967) pine tree system, consisting of warm and cold colours that he attributed to specific groups of elements—an attribution that we can relate back to humoralism and alchemy. From the first periodic tables in the 19th century, individual researchers have used different colour regimes. While standardization may play an obvious role in chemistry and its diagrams, all the more impressive is the anarchistic use of colour in the various diagrams which continue to be created. This article focuses on periodic tables in chemical journals and text books, and explores and compares the development of colour codes found in the few existing polychrome diagrams from the 1920s to the 1970s.     

The most highly cited Library and Information Science articles: Interdisciplinarity,first authors and citation patterns

Highly cited articles are interesting because of the potential association between high citation counts and high quality research. This study investigates the 82 most highly cited Information Science and Library Science’ (IS&LS) articles (the top 0.1%) in the Web of Science from the perspectives of disciplinarity, annual citation patterns, and first author citation profiles. First, the relative frequency of these 82 articles was much lower for articles solely in IS&LS than for those in IS&LS and at least one other subject, suggesting that that the promotion of interdisciplinary research in IS&LS may be conducive to improving research quality. Second, two thirds of the first authors had an h-index in IS&LS of less than eight, show that much significant research is produced by researchers without a high overall IS&LS research productivity. Third, there is a moderate correlation (0.46) between citation ranking and the number of years between peak year and year of publication. This indicates that high quality ideas and methods in IS&LS often are deployed many years after being published.     

The growth of international collaboration in East European scholarly communities: a bibliometric analysis of journal articles published between 1989 and 2009

In the last two decades international collaboration in the Eastern European academic communities has strongly intensified. Scientists from developed countries within the European Union play a key role in stimulating the international collaboration of academics in this region. In addition, many of the research projects that engage East-European scholars are only possible in the framework of the large European programmes. The present study focuses on the role of EU and other developed nations as a partner of these countries and the analysis of the performance of collaborative research as reflected by the citation impact of internationally co-authored publications.     

Outcomes associated with ophthalmology,optometry and visual science literature in the Science Citation Index from mainland China, 2000–2007

Bibliographic data on ophthalmology, optometry and visual science (OOVS) literature of China drawn from the SCI-Expanded database covering the period 2000–2007 (961 publications) were analyzed to create a comprehensive overview of research output. Of 961 articles, 480 were published in 2006 and 2007. The majority of researchers worked in university hospitals (53%). 21% of the publications included one or more international co-authors. For each article, the average author number was 4.96±2.73, which increased from 3.96 in 2000 to 5.36 in 2007. The most cited references came from Investigative Ophthalmology & Visual Science and Ophthalmology. The greatest number of studies was focused on the retina.     

Casting the first rock: Some observations on the bestowers and recipients of journal article comments in sociology

This study examines the patterns of evaluation surrounding journal article comments which have appeared in theASR from 1970 through 1979. The data analyzed represent a complete enumeration of the demographic and prestige characteristics of 560 senior authors of articles, and 172 authors of comments written on 138 of the 560 articles published during the decade. Upon comparison, authors whose articles have been commented on are shown to be affiliated with significantly less prestigious institutions, than are authors whose articles have not been commented on. Furthermore, a significant inverse relationship is shown to exist between the academic ranks of article authors and comment writers.     

“激光原理”实验教学改革的探索与实践

文章针对“激光原理”课程的特点，对激光原理实验的教学方法、实验设置、以及实验内容等进行了探索，并在实际教学中进行了实践。     

Strategic environmental assessment-related research projects and journal articles: an overview of the past 20 years

This paper provides an overview of strategic environmental assessment (SEA) related research projects as well as publications in international refereed English language journals of the past 20 years. This is based on a survey with international SEA researchers and the results of a content analysis of 263 SEA papers, published in the three most preeminent international refereed English language journals for SEA: Environmental Impact Assessment Review, Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal and Journal of Environmental Assessment Policy and Management. It is concluded that, while more empirical evidence has been produced than is frequently acknowledged, the main challenge is to raise the level of awareness of what is already out there and to make this the baseline for the future SEA research agenda.     

Medical research in South Africa: a scientometric analysis of trends,patterns, productivity and partnership

Being a scientifically active country in Africa, South Africa has made significant strides in the production of scientific publications. Medicine is one branch of science that has achieved a remarkable position in this regard. Extracting and analyzing medical publications for three decades and at regular intervals (1975–2005) from the SCI database, this paper pioneers an attempt to find out whether the reported pace of growth in the production of scientific papers in medicine is an effect of partnerships that scholars have with their counterparts within the organization, within the country, or with those in other countries. This paper also presents the unique patterns of scientific research in medicine, taking into account factors such as the count and fractional count of papers, citations, trends of growth, sectoral participation, partners, and publication outlets, and seeks to provide new insights into the directions medical science is taking in South Africa today.     

The end of the beginning: a reflection on the first five years of the HRI conference

This study presents a historical overview of the International Conference on Human Robot Interaction (HRI). It summarizes its growth, internationalization and collaboration. Rankings for countries, organizations and authors are provided. Furthermore, an analysis of the military funding for HRI papers is performed. Approximately 20% of the papers are funded by the US Military. The proportion of papers from the US is around 65% and the dominant role of the US is only challenged by the strong position of Japan, in particular by the contributions by ATR.     

Journals that increase their impact factor at least fourfold in a few years: The role of journal self-citations

The aim of this study was to ascertain the possible effect of journal self-citations on the increase in the impact factors of journals in which this scientometric indicator rose by a factor of at least four in only a few years. Forty-three journals were selected from the Thomson—Reuters (formerly ISI) Journal Citation Reports as meeting the above criterion. Eight journals in which the absolute number of citations was lower than 20 in at least two years were excluded, so the final sample consisted of 35 journals. We found no proof of widespread manipulation of the impact factor through the massive use of journal self-citations.     

Changes in the scientific output of Russia from 1980 to 2000, as reflected in the Science Citation Index,in relation to national politico-economic changes

Three features of the output of scientific papers from Russia which are covered by SCI are reported for the period 1980 to 2000. Changes are related to the major politico-economic developments in the USSR and Russia, and contrasted with similar data from France, Canada and Italy. The problems of isolating Russian papers in the output of the USSR and of estimating the proportion of Russian papers without stated addresses are treated. The Russian annual output grew from 1980 to 1990, but fell by 20-24% after the dissolution of the USSR in late 1991; from 1994 there has been an inconsistent partial recovery, and by 2000 the annual output had approximately regained its 1980 value. The reduced output in the 1990s derives mainly from low government funding for science. The proportion of Russian papers produced in collaboration with other nations has grown from six percent in the early 1980s to 31% in 2000, while the principal regions of collaboration shifted rapidly after 1990 from other republics in the USSR and East Europe to Western Europe and North America. These changes were initiated by glasnost and the end of the Cold War, and more recently have been driven in part by a need for foreign support. Russia's annual output in the physical sciences in the 1980s was approximately twice, and from 1995 to 2000, approximately four times, that in the life sciences. This continuing dominance, which contrasts with the comparison countries, derives from the high priority given by the central governments to defense spending and related prestige projects. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.