This document summarizes research mapping life science papers using MeSH terms and GIS techniques. Key points include: - Life science research topics have been mapped at the micro, meso, and macro levels, allowing non-specialists to interpret research topics and fields. Additional information can be overlaid on the maps. - Analysis of paper publication trends from 2000-2011 found increases in most fields worldwide but declines in Japanese shares. Basic research areas like physiology are highly cited in patents. - Mapping of pluripotent stem cell research specifically found global increases in publications from 2000-2010 with Japan maintaining a high share. Japanese basic research in this area is cited at rates similar to global averages.

1. Visualization of life science research by
using MeSH and GIS techniques
Masashi Shirabe

2. This work is done as a part of the project
“Scientometrics conducive to management
of funding programs”, which supported by
JST/RISTEX.e of funding programs

3. Summary
• By using MeSH, academic papers in life science field
have been mapped.
– Research topics are mapped in reasonable positions.
– Research topics and fields on the maps can be interpreted even
by non-specialists
– Micro, meso, and macro maps are available.
• By using GIS techniques, some information can be overlaid on such maps.
As its result, quality and quantity indicators as well as categories are
visualized.
• Please give your comments on…
– How could you use these maps in your operations?
– How can we improve the maps?
– What type of indicators should be overlaid on the maps?

4. On data
• academic papers
– intersection of the following two datasets
• articles, reviews, notes, letters, and article & proceedings papers in
WoS（SCI Ex）
– DBYs are 1992-2011
• records on PubMed database
– Publication years are 1991-2012
– Top m% cited papers are identified by our original program
• patent data
– utility patents registered to USPTO between 1992-2012.
– paper citations (i.e., science linkages) are identified by our
original program
(http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11192-014-1293-8).

5. A result of mapping life science research (macro map)

6. A result of mapping life science research (macro map)
nursing,
health care
psychiatric medicine,
behavioral science
neuroscience
diagnosis,
treatment
metabolism,
biochemistry
molecular
biologyenzyme,
protein
disease
germ, virus,
infectionimmunology
stem cell
pharmacology
pathology
plant
science
drug,
physiology
related
science
environment,
ecology
materials
public
health
sequence
homogeneity
unclear regions
analytical
chemistry

7. Change of number of papers published in the world (2000-11)
量 Increase rapidly in all the fields世

8. Intertemporal Comparison
２０００ (moving average) ２０１０ (MA)
量 psychiatric medicine, behavioral science,
physiology / diagnosis technology, system
biology, analytical chemistry … UP
世

9. Change of number of papers published in Japan (2000-11)
量 stagnation (unchanged)日

10. Intertemporal Comparison
２０００ (MA) 2010 (MA)
量 sequence homogeneity
… DOWN
physiology / diagnosis technology,
system biology, stem cell
research … UP
日

11. Change of shares of Japanese papers (2000-10)
比
率
general declines日

12. Intertemporal Comparison
２０００ (MA) ２０１０ (MA)
比
率
日

13. Change of relative numbers of papers cited by US patents
Registered between 2001 and 11
量
Basic research papers are
highly cited世

14. Intertemporal Comparison
2001 2011
量
diagnosis technology,
theoretical model … UP
sequence homogeneity
… DOWN
世

15. Change of share(Japanese papers cited by patents / all paper cited by
patents)
Registered between 2001 and 11
質
Shares are increasing (legacy of the past)
日

16. Intertemporal Comparison
2001 (MA) ２０11 (MA)
質 日

17. Change of share (patent citations of Japanese papers / that of the
world)
Registered between 2001 and 11
比
率
日

18. Intertemporal Comparison
2001 (MA) 2011 (MA
比
率
日

19. Implications
• In life science
– Number of papers in the world has steadily increased.
– Although Japanese shares in most field were over
10% around 2000, they has declined just over 6 %.
– In terms of citations by patents, physiology, diagnosis
technology, system biology gained attentions recently.
– Both citations and number of cited papers in Japan
increased recently. (legacy of the past)

20. What we have done: Developed research platform
• Database combined SCI Ex and PubMed
Pubmed
SCI Ex
（WoS）
linked
MeSH
• structured
• relatively easy to
interpret
Funding info.
citation
-> evaluation
acknowledge
ment
affiliation->
international, sector,
institutional analysis
USPTO
IPC,PCT->
tech field…
cite
From 12 million PubMed records, 8.5 million records are linked
to SCI Ex records.

21. Scope of our project
biblio info
(SCI, US
patents,
PubMed)
Macro/micro
map
NIH funding
evaluation by
citation info and
visualization of
citation
evaluation of
contribution to
innovation
(science linkage
analysis)
evaluation of
funding
programs by
acknowledge
Networking
triggered by NIH
funding
programs
Overall
visualization

22. Scope of our project
biblio info
(SCI, US
patents,
PubMed)
Macro/micro
map
NIH funding
evaluation by
citation info and
visualization of
citation
evaluation of
contribution to
innovation
(science linkage
analysis)
evaluation of
funding
programs by
acknowledge
Networking
triggered by NIH
funding
prgorams
Overall
visualization
Presented in
this file
macro: life science
micro: pluripotent stem
cell research

23. ライフサイエンス
other visualizations of life science research

24. Mapping by the second level descriptors
Easy to interpret, luck of detail information

25. mapping by second level descriptor X qualifier
perfectly understandable, but retandatnt

26. It remains unanswered which mapping methods are better in
application.

27. Distribution of life science paper in the world
量 世

28. Distribution of Japanese life science papers
量
Weak in left hand side (clinical medicine and related fields)
日

29. Japanese share
比
率
日

30. number of Japanese Top 1% cited papers
量 Basic research!日

31. Japanese share in Top 1% cited papers
世界平均
質 日

32. Japanese share in Top 10% cited papers
世界平均
質 日

33. Average citations by US patents (per paper)
質 basic research papers are cited世

34. Japanese share in papers cited by US patent
世界平均
質 日

35. Japanese share of citations by US patents
世界平均
質 日

36. Implications
• Basic research papers are more published in the world.
• In comparison to the world, Japan has been focused on
basic research.
– This phenomena are partially explained by the fact that clinical
papers, especially case report papers by Japanese physicians
are likely to be published in Japanese journal.
• Basic research papers are more cited by US patents.
• Japanese papers in health care and drug, biochemistry
are relatively cited.
• Ration of top 1% / 10% cited Japanese papers to all
Japanese papers are lower than its world average.

37. Japanese papers with public funding (2010)
量 Protein!日

38. Breakdown (2010)
Grants-in-aid MHLW Grants
量 日

39. Breakdown (2010)
JST NEDO (of METI)
量 日

40. Share of publically funded papers (2010)
比
率
日

41. Share of papers funded by Grants-in-aid
比
率
日

42. Share of papers funded by MHLW Grants
比
率
日

43. Shares of papers funded by JST
比
率
日

44. Share of papers funded by NEDO
比
率
日

45. Share of Grants-in-aid – Share of MHLW Grants
比
較
日

46. Implications
• In terms of quantity, public research funds are
contributing to paper productions in basic research.
– In terms of research quality…
• Each funding agency has its specific funding pattern,
which fits its role.
• However, judging from output indicators, public supports
to clinical research and disease research seem
insufficient.
– Who pays currently？ Private companies?

47. Pluripotent stem cell research

48. Mapping of Pluripotent stem cell research

49. Mapping of Pluripotent stem cell research
ES cells
iPS cell
tissue eng.
mesenchymal SC
culture
regenerative
mdeicineembryo research
nerve
embryonic
carcinoma cell
osteoplastic
cell
gene
transfection
Experimental
Animals
RT-PCRbase sequence
unclear areas
pluripotent SC

50. Number of Pluripotent stem cell research papers in the world
量 世

51. Change of number of Pluripotent stem cell research papers
in the world (2000-10)
量 世
2000-2010（3年移動平均）

52. Change of number of Pluripotent stem cell research papers cited by US
patent
absolute number relative number
量 世
2001-2011年登録特許（3年移動平均）

53. Japanese share of Pluripotent stem cell research papers
比
率
高い世界シェア日

54. Change of Japanese share of Pluripotent stem cell
research papers
比
率
2005年以前は論文数が少なく
ノイズが多い。
日
2000-2010（3年移動平均）

55. Intertemporal Comparison
2005 2010
比
率
日

56. Japanese share of top 1 % cited papers
世界平均
質
In ES and iPS research, the shares are similar to world
averages.日

57. Japanese share of top 10 % cited papers
世界平均
質 日

58. Japanese Share of papers cited by US patents
Attention to legend ->
質 日

59. Change of papers cited by patents by registered years
質 日
2001-2011 (MA)

60. Pluripotent stem cell research papers funded publically in Japan
量 日

61. Share of pluripotent stem cell research papers funded publically in
Japan to all Japanse pluripotent stem cell research papers
貢
献
日

62. Funded by Grants-in-aid
number share
比
率
量 日 日

63. JST
number share
比
率
量 日 日

64. MHLW Grants
number share
比
率
量 日 日

65. NEDO (of METI)
number share funded projects are
identified
比
率
量 日
日

66. Future research
• Technical problems
– mapping parameter
– improve two dimensional expression
• Overlaid information
– funding information
• money..
– funded institution
– science linkages may show different patters by IPCs…
– Comparisons to NIH funding
• meso level mapping
– mapping by the 4th or 5th level descriptors
• more detailed micro maps (for supporting researchers’ activity)
• Cope with (real and potential) users’ request

67. RISTEXSCIENTOMETRICSPJ[AT]GOOGLEGROUPS.COM
Thank you!
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