1,720,956 research outputs found
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Get PDFThe 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
Get PDF“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
Get PDFWe 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
A systematic review on thalassaemia screening and birth reduction initiatives cost to success
No full textIntroduction: Thalassaemia has been prevalent with high morbidity and mortality rates since 1925. Although there is a lack of systematic review on the costs of prevention that has yielded reductions in thalassaemia prevalence, this review will show a widespread presence of complex but effective strategies in reducing national thalassaemia prevalence. Materials and Methods: A systematic search was conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020). Designated keywords were combined with search functions and Boolean operators in databases like Scopus, Web of Science and several other search databases.
Results: The search identifed 5425 potential articles. Most countries reported a decline in thalassaemia prevalence after implementing intervention programmes for several decades. The screening methods, however, varies, and the speed of reductions depends on the type of screening approach that involves blood screening of adolescence and antenatal mothers and, in some countries, includes termination of pregnancy. In addition, the cost of these initiatives varies as it was challenging to find a common denominator. However, the endpoint concedes that the cost of screening, although substantial, would be offset by the cost of reduction of cases. In some countries, cost-effectiveness analyses have been reported to support the initiatives of thalassaemia screening and prevention in the long run. Conclusion: The results showed significant variations in success rates with a significant reduction in the prevalence of Thalassaemia. Most successful are countries with comprehensive and aggressive prevention and control programmes that engaged with lab screening, counselling, and termination of pregnancy as a package
A simulation-based cost-effectiveness analysis of reflex DNA versus multi-sample adolescent screening for thalassaemia in east Malaysian schools
Get PDFSummary
This study compares the cost-effectiveness of two school-based thalassemia screening protocols—multi-sample (P1) and single-sample Reflex DNA (P2)—in Sabah and Sarawak using 2018 National Thalassemia Screening Programme (NTSP) data. Although P2 was 9–11% costlier upfront, it eliminated dropouts and improved carrier detection. Sabah, a high-prevalence state, demonstrated superior cost-effectiveness with P2 (RM379.95 per carrier detected) compared to Sarawak (RM821.85). Lifetime treatment cost savings for avoided births with thalassemia major were substantial. The findings support the phased implementation of P2, starting with high-prevalence states, to reduce the economic burden on Malaysia’s healthcare system.
Introduction
Thalassemia remains a significant public health concern in Malaysia, with an estimated lifetime treatment cost of RM2.66 million per transfusion-dependent patient. Since 2016, the Ministry of Health Malaysia has implemented the National Thalassemia Screening Programme (NTSP), targeting Form Four students through a school-based multi-sample approach (P1). However, the multi-stage workflow contributes to significant dropout rates. In 2018 alone, 2,950 students in Sabah and 2,836 in Sarawak discontinued the screening, resulting in missed carrier detection and a preventable disease burden.
To address this, an alternative strategy—single-sample Reflex DNA approach (P2)—was retrospectively modelled using 2018 data. This study aims to compare the cost-effectiveness of P1 and P2 in Sabah and Sarawak and evaluate the potential national impact of adopting P2.
Materials and Methods
A retrospective, simulation-based cost-effectiveness analysis was conducted using 2018 NTSP data involving 36,860 students from Sabah and 35,161 from Sarawak. Two protocols were compared, as shown in Table 1.
As P2 was not implemented in 2018, a hypothetical simulation was applied assuming full compliance, zero dropout, and equivalent diagnostic sensitivity. Direct medical costs from a provider perspective were included, with no discounting due to the single cohort studied.
The Incremental Cost-Effectiveness Ratio (ICER) was used to measure effectiveness, comparing the cost difference and dropout reduction between P2 and P1. ICER was calculated using the formula:
ICER = (Cost of P2 – Cost of P1) / (Dropouts averted by P2 – Dropouts averted by P1)
Cost per carrier detected and lifetime savings from prevented births were estimated using inter-carrier marriage rates of 2%, 4%, and 6% with a 25% inheritance risk. A sensitivity analysis benchmarked P2’s ICER against the WHO cost-effectiveness threshold (RM25,000–75,000). Crucially, nationwide scale-up would require real-world pilot studies to assess operational feasibility.
Results and Discussion
While P2 incurred higher upfront costs (Sabah: RM793,326; Sarawak: RM485,716) compared to P1, it proved cost-effective. The ICER per averted dropout was RM25.14 (Sabah) and RM22.19 (Sarawak), which is well below the WHO threshold, indicating excellent economic value.
The cost per carrier detected was also lower in Sabah (RM379.95) than in Sarawak (RM821.85), reflecting greater efficiency in high-prevalence settings. P2 eliminated all dropouts, compared to 2,950 in Sabah and 2,836 in Sarawak under P1, and increased diagnostic yield. Further analysis estimated 286 and 57 additional carriers detected, respectively—translating to a 12% increase in detection in Sabah and 5% in Sarawak. Fisher’s Exact Test confirmed the statistical significance of dropout elimination (p < 0.001).
Projected long-term savings were substantial. If the missed carriers under P1 entered inter-carrier marriages (2%–6%), the lifetime treatment cost potentially avoided ranged from RM3.8 million to RM11.4 million in Sabah, and RM758,000 to RM2.3 million in Sarawak. These estimates were based on Mendelian inheritance risk and inter-carrier marriage probabilities.
With each thalassemia major case costing RM2.66 million in lifetime treatment, the case for P2 is reinforced by both short-term diagnostic gains and long-term healthcare savings. Table 2 summarises the comparative performance of P1 and P2.
Conclusion
The P2 approach demonstrates superior cost-effectiveness and operational efficiency compared to the P1 strategy, particularly in high-prevalence states such as Sabah. While based on modelled projections using retrospective data, these findings justify phased implementation, preceded by pilot studies, to reduce thalassemia births and generate long-term savings across Malaysia’s healthcare system.
Acknowledgements
The authors thank the Ministry of Health Malaysia and International Medical University for access to data and research support
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
Get PDFWe 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
Exploring the landscape of thalassemia prevention: from screening strategies to economic impact
No full textThalassemia, a long-standing challenge for a century, continues to inflict substantial morbidity and mortality rates. Despite the absence of a comprehensive review on the economic aspects of prevention efforts, this examination illuminates a landscape rich with diverse, yet efficacious strategies aimed at curtailing national thalassemia burdens. Employing the meticulous methodologies outlined in the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA 2020), an extensive search across various databases including Scopus, Web of Science, and others yielded a corpus of 5,425 potential articles. Encouragingly, numerous nations have witnessed remarkable declines in thalassemia prevalence subsequent to the implementation of intervention initiatives spanning several decades. Divergence emerges in screening methodologies, with the pace of reduction contingent upon the screening modality adopted, encompassing blood screenings of adolescents and antenatal mothers, and, in certain jurisdictions, termination of pregnancies. Financial considerations, though multifaceted and challenging to standardize, underscore the overarching conclusion that the costs associated with screening, while substantial, are outweighed by the economic benefits derived from diminished caseloads. Notably, selected countries have conducted cost�effectiveness analyses bolstering the rationale for sustained investment in thalassemia screening and prevention endeavors. The findings underscore marked disparities in success rates, with jurisdictions embracing comprehensive and proactive prevention and control schemes inclusive of laboratory screening, counseling services, and termination of pregnancies emerging as exemplars of efficacy
koamabayili/VECTRON-author-checklist: VECTRON author checklist
No full textWe have done our best to complete the author checklist relating to the use of animals in the hut study. Note that the objective for the hut study was to evaluate the IRS treatment applications for residual efficacy against Anopheles mosquitoes, including the local An. coluzzii mosquito population. Cows were only used to attract mosquitoes into the huts and no tests were carried out directly on the cows. The author checklist is intended for use with studies where experiments are carried out on animals, which is why we have had such difficulty in completing this for the hut study, as many of the questions do not relate to how the cows were used
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