arXiv subjects

Wen Lou

Publications and source records attributed to Wen Lou.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

How Disciplinary Partnerships Shape Research Landscape in U.S. Library and Information Science Schools

This study provides the first comprehensive empirical mapping of how organizational structures and research portfolios co-occur across U.S. Library and Information Science (LIS) schools. Analyzing 14,705 publications from 1,264 faculty members across 44 institutions (2013--2024), we employ computational methods including word embeddings and topic modeling to identify 16 distinct research themes organized into three foundational dimensions: Library and Knowledge Organization (LKO), Human-Centered Technology (HCT), and Computing Systems (CS). Our mixed-method analysis reveals significant differences in research composition across organizational types: Computer-affiliated schools cluster tightly in computationally-intensive research and differ significantly from all other school types, while independent Information schools demonstrate the greatest research diversity. Temporal analysis of LIS schools reveals complex evolutionary dynamics: 51.4% are moving toward HCT, 37.8% toward CS, and 37.8% toward LKO, with many schools simultaneously shifting along multiple dimensions. Contrary to narratives of computational dominance, HCT emerged as LIS's primary growth vector. These patterns challenge assumptions about field fragmentation, revealing structured diversification shaped by but not determined by organizational positioning. The study provides empirical foundations for institutional strategic planning, accreditation policy, and understanding LIS's evolving disciplinary identity amid computational transformation.

cs.DL↗

arXiv2026

Global Inequalities in Clinical Trials Participation

Clinical trials are fundamental to the production of medical evidence and determine who gains access to experimental therapies. Although prior work has long documented inequalities in global clinical trial participation, a systematic quantification of the relative contributions of country-level factors and disease burden remains absent. This paper analyzes inequality in participation across 78,117 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) spanning 16 major disease categories from 2000 to 2024. Linking 185.6 million RCTs participants to country-level disease burden, the paper shows that inequalities in RCTs participation are predominantly explained by country-level factors rather than disease burden. Country-level factors account for 88.9% of the variation in participation, whereas disease and temporal effects contribute marginally. Removing entire disease categories, including those traditionally underfunded, has little effect on overall inequality. Instead, participation is highly concentrated geographically, with a small group of Global North countries enrolling a disproportionate share of participants across nearly all diseases. These patterns persist despite decades of disease-targeted funding and increasing alignment between research efforts and disease burden. Findings also show that without parallel horizontal investments in research capacity, health infrastructure, and governance, even well-funded disease programs are insufficient to reduce inequality in clinical trial participation.

econ.GN↗