The measurement of Italian universities’ research productivity by a non parametric-bibliometric methodology

This paper presents a methodology for measuring the technical efficiency of research activities. It is based on the application of data envelopment analysis to bibliometric data on the Italian university system. For that purpose, different input values (research personnel by level and extra funding) and output values (quantity, quality and level of contribution to actual scientific publications) are considered. Our study aims at overcoming some of the limitations connected to the methodologies that have so far been proposed in the literature, in particular by surveying the scientific production of universities by authors’ name.     

What is the appropriate length of the publication period over which to assess research performance?

National research assessment exercises are conducted in different nations over varying periods. The choice of the publication period to be observed has to address often contrasting needs: it has to ensure the reliability of the results issuing from the evaluation, but also reach the achievement of frequent assessments. In this work we attempt to identify which is the most appropriate or optimal publication period to be observed. For this, we analyze the variation of individual researchers’ productivity rankings with the length of the publication period within the period 2003–2008, by the over 30,000 Italian university scientists in the hard sciences. First we analyze the variation in rankings referring to pairs of contiguous and overlapping publication periods, and show that the variations reduce markedly with periods above 3 years. Then we will show the strong randomness of performance rankings over publication periods under 3 years. We conclude that the choice of a 3 year publication period would seem reliable, particularly for physics, chemistry, biology and medicine.     

A gender analysis of top scientists’ collaboration behavior: evidence from Italy

Scientometrics - This work analyzes the differences in collaboration behavior between males and females among a particular type of scholars: top scientists, and as compared to non top scientists....     

The effect of multidisciplinary collaborations on research diversification

This work verifies whether research diversification by a scientist is in some measure related to their collaboration with multidisciplinary teams. The analysis considers the publications achieved by 5300 Italian academics in the sciences over the period 2004–2008. The findings show that a scientist’s outputs resulting from research diversification are more often than not the result of collaborations with multidisciplinary teams. The effect becomes more pronounced with larger and particularly with more diversified teams. This phenomenon is observed both at the overall level and for the disciplinary macro-areas.     

Variability of research performance across disciplines within universities in non-competitive higher education systems

Many nations are adopting higher education strategies that emphasize the development of elite universities able to compete at the international level in the attraction of skills and resources. Elite universities pursue excellence in all their disciplines and fields of action. The impression is that this does not occur in “non-competitive” education systems, and that instead, within single universities excellent disciplines will coexist with mediocre ones. To test this, the authors measure research productivity in the hard sciences for all Italian universities over the period 2004–2008 at the levels of the institution, their individual disciplines and fields within them. The results show that the distribution of excellent disciplines is not concentrated in a few universities: top universities show disciplines and fields that are often mediocre, while generally mediocre universities will often include top disciplines.     

Neurotrophins and their receptors in the pigeon caecal tonsil. An immunohistochemical study

Neurotrophins are growth factors which bind to signal-transducing receptors called Trk proteins. The neurotrophins and their receptor proteins are present in the mammalian and avian lymphoid organs, thus suggesting that these factors could act upon cells of the immune system. Nevertheless, little is known about the cellular distribution of neurotrophins and their receptor proteins in avian lymphoid tissues. In this study we use immunohistochemistry to detect the cellular localisation of neurotrophins and their receptor proteins in the pigeon caecal tonsil, used as a model for avian secondary lymphoid organs. Rabbit polyclonal antibodies against neurotrophins (nerve growth factor -NGF-, brain-derived neurotrophic factor -BDNF- and neurotrophin -3 NT-3-) and against specific epitopes of TrkA, TrkB and TrkC proteins were used. Cytokeratins, vimentin, S-100 protein and chromogranin A were studied in parallel to identify cells which seemed to express neurotrophins and Trk proteins. TrkA-like protein was seen in the intestinal epithelium, whereas TrkB-like and TrkC-like proteins was found in cells which we identified as dendritic cells and macrophages. BDNF-like and NT-3-like reactivity was localised in intestinal epithelial cells, especially endocrine cells. Present results add further evidence to the presumptive immune role of neurotrophins and their receptors and the possible functions of these peptides in the caecal tonsil are discussed.     

Relatives in the same university faculty: nepotism or merit?

In many countries culture, practice or regulations inhibit the co-presence of relatives within the university faculty. We test the legitimacy of such attitudes and provisions, investigating the phenomenon of nepotism in Italy, a nation with high rates of favoritism. We compare the individual research performance of “children” who have “parents” in the same university against that of the “non-children” with the same academic rank and seniority, in the same field. The results show non-significant differences in performance. Analyses of career advancement show that children’s research performance is on average superior to that of their colleagues who did not advance. The study’s findings do not rule out the existence of nepotism, which has been actually recorded in a low percentage of cases, but do not prove either the most serious presumed consequences of nepotism, namely that relatives who are poor performers are getting ahead of non-relatives who are better performers. In light of these results, many attitudes and norms concerning parental ties in academia should be reconsidered.