Communities and patterns of scientific collaboration

This is the author's accepted version of this article deposited at arXiv (arXiv:1006.1788v2 [physics.soc-ph]) and subsequently published in Scientometrics October 2011, Volume 89, Issue 1, pp 381-396. The final publication is available at link.springer.com http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11192-011-0439-1Author's note: 17 pages. To appear in special edition of Scientometrics. Abstract on arXiv meta-data a shorter version of abstract on actual paper (both in journal and arXiv full paper17 pages. To appear in special edition of Scientometrics. Abstract on arXiv meta-data a shorter version of abstract on actual paper (both in journal and arXiv full paper version)17 pages. To appear in special edition of Scientometrics. Abstract on arXiv meta-data a shorter version of abstract on actual paper (both in journal and arXiv full paper version)17 pages. To appear in special edition of Scientometrics. Abstract on arXiv meta-data a shorter version of abstract on actual paper (both in journal and arXiv full paper version)17 pages. To appear in special edition of Scientometrics. Abstract on arXiv meta-data a shorter version of abstract on actual paper (both in journal and arXiv full paper version)This paper investigates the role of homophily and focus constraint in shaping collaborative scientific research. First, homophily structures collaboration when scientists adhere to a norm of exclusivity in selecting similar partners at a higher rate than dissimilar ones. Two dimensions on which similarity between scientists can be assessed are their research specialties and status positions. Second, focus constraint shapes collaboration when connections among scientists depend on opportunities for social contact. Constraint comes in two forms, depending on whether it originates in institutional or geographic space. Institutional constraint refers to the tendency of scientists to select collaborators within rather than across institutional boundaries. Geographic constraint is the principle that, when collaborations span different institutions, they are more likely to involve scientists that are geographically co-located than dispersed. To study homophily and focus constraint, the paper will argue in favour of an idea of collaboration that moves beyond formal co-authorship to include also other forms of informal intellectual exchange that do not translate into the publication of joint work. A community-detection algorithm is applied to the co-authorship network of the scientists that submitted in Business and Management in the 2001 UK RAE. While results only partially support research-based homophily, they indicate that scientists use status positions for discriminating between potential partners by selecting collaborators from institutions with a rating similar to their own. Strong support is provided in favour of institutional and geographic constraints. Scientists tend to forge intra-institutional collaborations; yet, when they seek collaborators outside their own institutions, they tend to select those who are in geographic proximity

Periodic orbit theory for Rydberg atoms in external fields

Although hydrogen in external fields is a paradigm for the application of periodic orbits and the Gutzwiller trace formula to a real system, the trace formula has never been applied successfully to other Rydberg atoms. We show that spectral fluctuations of general Rydberg atoms are given with remarkable precision by the addition of diffractive terms. Previously unknown features in atomic spectra are exposed: there are new modulations that are neither periodic orbits nor combinations of periodic orbits; “core shadowing” generally decreases primitive periodic orbit amplitudes but can also lead to increases

Anomalous scaling of a passive scalar advected by the Navier--Stokes velocity field: Two-loop approximation

The field theoretic renormalization group and operator product expansion are applied to the model of a passive scalar quantity advected by a non-Gaussian velocity field with finite correlation time. The velocity is governed by the Navier--Stokes equation, subject to an external random stirring force with the correlation function $\propto \delta(t-t') k^{4-d-2\epsilon}$. It is shown that the scalar field is intermittent already for small $\epsilon$, its structure functions display anomalous scaling behavior, and the corresponding exponents can be systematically calculated as series in $\epsilon$. The practical calculation is accomplished to order $\epsilon^{2}$ (two-loop approximation), including anisotropic sectors. Like for the well-known Kraichnan's rapid-change model, the anomalous scaling results from the existence in the model of composite fields (operators) with negative scaling dimensions, identified with the anomalous exponents. Thus the mechanism of the origin of anomalous scaling appears similar for the Gaussian model with zero correlation time and non-Gaussian model with finite correlation time. It should be emphasized that, in contrast to Gaussian velocity ensembles with finite correlation time, the model and the perturbation theory discussed here are manifestly Galilean covariant. The relevance of these results for the real passive advection, comparison with the Gaussian models and experiments are briefly discussed.Comment: 25 pages, 1 figur

The Stability of Polar Oxide Surfaces

The structures of the polar surfaces of ZnO are studied using ab initio calculations and surface x-ray diffraction. The experimental and theoretical relaxations are in good agreement. The polar surfaces are shown to be very stable; the cleavage energy for the (0001)-Zn and (0001̅ )-O surfaces is 4.0J/m2 comparable to 2.32J/m2 for the most stable nonpolar (1010) surface. The surfaces are stabilized by an electronic mechanism involving the transfer of 0.17 electrons between them. This leads to 2D metallic surface states, which has implications for the use of the material in gas sensing and catalytic applications

Equatorial symmetry/antisymmetry of stationary axisymmetric electrovac spacetimes

Two theorems are proved concerning how stationary axisymmetric electrovac spacetimes that are equatorially symmetric or equatorially antisymmetric can be characterized correctly in terms of the Ernst potentials \E and $\Phi$ or in terms of axis-data.Comment: 8 page

Pressure and intermittency in passive vector turbulence

We investigate the scaling properties a model of passive vector turbulence with pressure and in the presence of a large-scale anisotropy. The leading scaling exponents of the structure functions are proven to be anomalous. The anisotropic exponents are organized in hierarchical families growing without bound with the degree of anisotropy. Nonlocality produces poles in the inertial-range dynamics corresponding to the dimensional scaling solution. The increase with the P\'{e}clet number of hyperskewness and higher odd-dimensional ratios signals the persistence of anisotropy effects also in the inertial range.Comment: 4 pages, 1 figur

Laws relating runs, long runs, and steps in gambler's ruin, with persistence in two strata

Define a certain gambler's ruin process \mathbf{X}_{j}, \mbox{ \ }j\ge 0, such that the increments $\varepsilon_{j}:=\mathbf{X}_{j}-\mathbf{X}_{j-1}$ take values $\pm1$ and satisfy $P(\varepsilon_{j+1}=1|\varepsilon_{j}=1, |\mathbf{X}_{j}|=k)=P(\varepsilon_{j+1}=-1|\varepsilon_{j}=-1,|\mathbf{X}_{j}|=k)=a_k$, all $j\ge 1$, where $a_k=a$ if $0\le k\le f-1$, and $a_k=b$ if $f\le k<N$. Here $0<a, b <1$ denote persistence parameters and $f ,N\in \mathbb{N}$ with $f<N$. The process starts at $\mathbf{X}_0=m\in (-N,N)$ and terminates when $|\mathbf{X}_j|=N$. Denote by ${\cal R}'_N$, ${\cal U}'_N$, and ${\cal L}'_N$, respectively, the numbers of runs, long runs, and steps in the meander portion of the gambler's ruin process. Define $X_N:=\left ({\cal L}'_N-\frac{1-a-b}{(1-a)(1-b)}{\cal R}'_N-\frac{1}{(1-a)(1-b)}{\cal U}'_N\right )/N$ and let $f\sim\eta N$ for some $0<\eta <1$. We show $\lim_{N\to\infty} E\{e^{itX_N}\}=\hat{\varphi}(t)$ exists in an explicit form. We obtain a companion theorem for the last visit portion of the gambler's ruin.Comment: Presented at 8th International Conference on Lattice Path Combinatorics, Cal Poly Pomona, Aug., 2015. The 2nd version has been streamlined, with references added, including reference to a companion document with details of calculations via Mathematica. The 3rd version has 2 new figures and improved presentatio

Global analysis of the sugarcane microtranscriptome reveals a unique composition of small RNAs associated with axillary bud outgrowth

Axillary bud outgrowth determines shoot architecture and is under the control of endogenous hormones and a fine-tuned gene-expression network, which probably includes small RNAs (sRNAs). Although it is well known that sRNAs act broadly in plant development, our understanding about their roles in vegetative bud outgrowth remains limited. Moreover, the expression profiles of microRNAs (miRNAs) and their targets within axillary buds are largely unknown. Here, we employed sRNA next-generation sequencing as well as computational and gene-expression analysis to identify and quantify sRNAs and their targets in vegetative axillary buds of the biofuel crop sugarcane (Saccharum spp.). Computational analysis allowed the identification of 26 conserved miRNA families and two putative novel miRNAs, as well as a number of trans-acting small interfering RNAs. sRNAs associated with transposable elements and protein-encoding genes were similarly represented in both inactive and developing bud libraries. Conversely, sequencing and quantitative reverse transcription-PCR results revealed that specific miRNAs were differentially expressed in developing buds, and some correlated negatively with the expression of their targets at specific stages of axillary bud development. For instance, the expression patterns of miR159 and its target GAMYB suggested that they may play roles in regulating abscisic acid-signalling pathways during sugarcane bud outgrowth. Our work reveals, for the first time, differences in the composition and expression profiles of diverse sRNAs and targets between inactive and developing vegetative buds that, together with the endogenous balance of specific hormones, may be important in regulating axillary bud outgrowth

Renormalization group in the infinite-dimensional turbulence: third-order results

The field theoretic renormalization group is applied to the stochastic Navier-Stokes equation with the stirring force correlator of the form k^(4-d-2\epsilon) in the d-dimensional space, in connection with the problem of construction of the 1/d expansion for the fully developed fluid turbulence beyond the scope of the standard epsilon expansion. It is shown that in the large-d limit the number of the Feynman diagrams for the Green function (linear response function) decreases drastically, and the technique of their analytical calculation is developed. The main ingredients of the renormalization group approach -- the renormalization constant, beta function and the ultraviolet correction exponent omega, are calculated to order epsilon^3 (three-loop approximation). The two-point velocity-velocity correlation function, the Kolmogorov constant C_K in the spectrum of turbulent energy and the inertial-range skewness factor S are calculated in the large-d limit to third order of the epsilon expansion. Surprisingly enough, our results for C_K are in a reasonable agreement with the existing experimental estimates.Comment: 30 pages with EPS figure