1,720,986 research outputs found
Micronuclei and chromosome aberrations in subjects occupationally exposed to antineoplastic drugs: a multicentric approach
No full textObjectives: Recently published works showed that occupational exposure to antineoplastic drugs (ANPD) is still frequent in hospital settings, despite significant safety policy improvements. The aim of this study was to assess the current level of occupational exposure to ANPD and any potentially associated cytogenetic damages in hospital nurses routinely handling ANPD. Methods: Occupationally ANPD-exposed (n = 71) and ANPD-unexposed (n = 77; control) nurses were recruited on a voluntary basis from five hospitals in Northern and Central Italy. Evaluation of surface contamination and dermal exposure to ANPD was assessed by determining cyclophosphamide (CP) on selected surfaces (wipes) and on exposed nurses’ clothes (pads). The concentration of unmetabolized CP—as a biomarker of internal dose—was measured in end-shift urine samples. Biomonitoring of genotoxic effects (i.e., biological effect monitoring) was conducted by analyzing micronuclei (MN) and chromosome aberrations (CA) in peripheral blood lymphocytes. Genetic polymorphisms for enzymes involved in metabolic detoxification (i.e., glutathione S-transferases) were analyzed as well. Results: We observed a significant increase in MN frequency (5.30 ± 2.99 and 3.29 ± 1.97; mean values ± standard deviation; p < 0.0001) in exposed nurses versus controls, as well as in CA detection (3.30 ± 2.05 and 1.84 ± 1.67; p < 0.0001), exposed subjects versus controls. Our results provide evidence that, despite safety controlled conditions, ANPD handling still represents a considerable genotoxic risk for occupationally exposed personnel. Conclusions: Because both MN and CA have been described as being predictive of group-increased cancer risk, our findings point to a need for improving specific safety procedures in handling and administering ANPD. © 2014, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg
A review of the Atlantic-Mediterranean Bursa scrobilator (Linnaeus, 1758) species complex
No full textThe Atlantic-Mediterranean Bursa scrobilator (Linnaeus, 1758) complex is represented by three morphologically distinct forms, two that are extant corresponding to the nominal taxa Murex scrobilator Linnaeus, 1758 and Ranella coriacea Reeve, 1844, and one fossil corresponding to Murex nodosus Borson, 1825. The complex is here reviewed integrating morphological, molecular (mitochondrial COI marker) and paleontological data. The ‘scrobilator’ and ‘coriacea’ forms are proposed as two subspecies: Bursa scrobilator scrobilator (Linnaeus, 1758) with an Atlantic-Mediterranean distribution, and Bursa scrobilator coriacea (Reeve, 1844) with a West African range. The evolutionary relationships of the two recent subspecies with their most probable ancestor, the Mediterranean Miocene fossil B. nodosa, are also discussed
Phenotypic diversity, taxonomic remarks and updated distribution of the Mediterranean Jujubinus baudoni (Monterosato, 1891) (Gastropoda Trochidae)
No full textJujubinus baudoni (Monterosato, 1891) shows highly diverse chromatic and morphological
patterns. Based on the examination of the type material and series of specimens from private
collections, and of recent findings from Sardinia, we reviewed and updated the distribution
of this species, and figured the three representative shell colour morphs which are constant
in local populations. A comparative SEM analysis did not outline significant differences
among shells with greatly different colour patterns, thus justifying their belonging to a single
specific entity. The survey of the material of J. baudoni did not show a strict correspondence
between Corse and Sardinian shell colour morphs and their geographical distribution, not allowing
to clearly state trends and relationships among island populations. On the contrary
the colour pattern of the continental shells of J. baudoni seems to be constant and different
from the ones of the island shells, indicating a well separated colour morph. This study confirmed
that the distribution of J. baudoni is limited to the north-western Mediterranean Sea,
with its eastern range widened to the La Maddalena Archipelago (Sardinia). The record of
this species from Azores is due to a misidentification with J. pseudogravinae Nordsieck, 1973,
which is also figured for comparison. A lectotype and paralectotypes of Trochus baudoni are
herein designated
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
Appropriate Similarity Measures for Author Cocitation Analysis
Full text linkWe provide a number of new insights into the methodological discussion about author cocitation analysis. We first argue that the use of the Pearson correlation for measuring the similarity between authors’ cocitation profiles is not very satisfactory. We then discuss what kind of similarity measures may be used as an alternative to the Pearson correlation. We consider three similarity measures in particular. One is the well-known cosine. The other two similarity measures have not been used before in the bibliometric literature. Finally, we show by means of an example that our findings have a high practical relevance.information science;Pearson correlation;cosine;similarity measure;author cocitation analysis
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
Full text linkWe conducted a full-scale evaluative citation analysis study of scholars in the XML research field to explore just how different from each other author rankings resulting from different citation counting methods actually are, and to demonstrate the capability of emerging data and tools on the Web in supporting more realistic citation counting methods. Our results contest some common arguments for the continued
use of first-author citation counts in the evaluation of scholars, such as high correlations between author rankings by first-author citation counts and other citation
counting methods, and high costs of using more realistic citation counting methods that are not well-supported by the ISI databases. It is argued that increasingly available digital full text research papers make it possible for citation analysis studies to go beyond what the ISI databases have directly supported and to employ more
sophisticated methods
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