1,721,116 research outputs found
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
Some organic compounds in potable water: the PFASs, EDCs and PPCPs issue
No full textThe issue of pollution is one of the focal points for industrial and social development because it is, perhaps, the most severe problem that man will have to face in the coming decades. A 2016 estimate predicts that in the year 2050 we will count one premature death every 5 s if air pollution is not controlled. This is a particularly serious threat in underdeveloped countries, but, as indicated by the World Health Organization, it remains the greatest risk factor for health in Europe as well.
This also means that the treatment of different environmental matrices must become one of the turning points of present and future research and technological development.
In this context, we suggest paying great attention, among others, to membrane technology because it covers all the possible engineering approaches for the transport of fluids (liquid, gas, vapors) between two faces (or fractions, named retentate and permeate, respectively) with the help of semipermeable materials known as membranes.
Moreover, it is also important to underline that some membrane separation processes operate without heating, and therefore the systems use less energy than conventional thermal separation processes, such as distillation, sublimation, or crystallization. In some cases, the separation process in membranes is purely physical and both fractions can be used. For example, cold separation using membrane technology is widely used in the food technology, biotechnology, and pharmaceutical industries.
So, it is the right time to examine the challenges and the future of the membrane technology when applied to reduce the pollution.
The challenges are both technical and sociopolitical and provide the drivers for new developments of membrane systems.
In this book, the performance of membrane technology in helping to reduce the pollution is deeply and critically discussed in various but specific chapters.
In particular, the book provides thorough coverage of all the aspects of pollution, the state-of-the-art of the application of membrane technology in both urban and industrial environments.
In other words, the book aims to shed light, giving a broad and very detailed view, on the aforementioned issues through a point of view typical of an industrial engineer.
Some chapters were written by the editors, whereas others are by well-known expert scientists.
Going a bit into the details of the book’s content, Chapter 1 (Allegrini, Ianniello, and Valentini) deals with the nature and emissions, transformations and transport of atmospheric pollutants at the global level. Emissions are anthropogenic or natural emitting species that are then mixing in the far field contributing to local and to background pollution. The estimation of emissions is reported, as well as the evolution of pollutants in terms of formation by the secondary reaction and deposition (wet or dry). Emphasis is given to particulate matter with regard to its size distribution and chemical content. Ozone pollution is an additional issue which is also considered with other pollutants generated by photochemical pollution due to its effects on human health and vegetation. Finally, atmospheric pollution in deposition in remote sites in the Arctic and Antarctica, with chemical reactions occurring in snow or icefields, are also taken in account.
This discussion is continued in Chapter 2 by the same authors (Allegrini, Ianniello, and Valentini) by focusing on atmospheric pollution near to the sources, thus emphasizing pollution near the source (local and regional). The process is now described by general equations that can be easily adapted to any location. They contain terms related to emissions, chemical transformations, and deposition. Dilution and removal of pollution are strongly affected by atmospheric turbulence, which are simply described by qualitative aspects. The use of radon data for the interpretation of primary air pollution processes is also described. The approach followed in this chapter results in a simple and immediate understanding of pollution data. Also, the same approach can be effectively used for secondary pollutants such as ozone and nitrogen dioxide. This work also illustrates how to combine the Internet of Things with small low-cost sensors to gain detailed information on
the space and time distribution of pollutants.
Chapter 3 (Di Gennaro, Papadopoli, Licata, and Nobile) underlines that quantifying the effects of pollution on human health is difficult due to the multitude of confounders. Furthermore, the cause-effect links between pollutants and pathologies are often not clear, since the different forms of pollution are interdependent. In this context, the chapter summarizes the mechanisms through which different forms of pollution impact human health, with a particular emphasis on air, water, soil, and noise pollution. Estimates present in the literature that can give an idea of the health impact are also indicated. Finally, famous case studies to show how the problem of pollution is widespread all over the world, from Delhi to Italy, to Hong Kong, are also reported.
Chapter 4 (Li, Zhou, Wang, Xing, and Zhang) starts with an interesting question: “Environmental monitoring and membrane technologies: a possible marriage?” Over decades the incorporation of membrane technologies into modern environmental monitoring technologies has significantly promoted the progress of research and the development of remote sensing, data sciences, artificial intelligence, environmental digitization, and health, offering in situ and high-resolution data support for environmental quality control in water, soil, and the atmosphere. In short, this chapter systematically reviews and discusses two mainstream membrane-based monitoring technologies, that is, direct and indirect methods, and their applications in environmental monitoring, and puts forward the future development trends of these technologies.
Chapter 5 (Cairns, Apollaro, Fuoco, Vespasiano, Procopio, Cavoura, and Vardè) illustrates the natural occurrence of potentially toxic elements (As, Cd, Cr, Hg, and Pb) in the environment, particularly geological sources, and their impact on groundwater quality. The toxicity of the main elements, as well as guides to their toxicity and the control limits in drinking water are covered. Finally, the chapter discusses the main methods for the removal of toxic elements from groundwater, drinking water, and wastewater, considering that the overarching goal of each is the protection and health of the hydrosphere.
Anthropogenic organic pollutants are continuously entering aquatic ecosystems, principally through urban and industrial discharges, and there is ever more research worldwide about their environmental and ecotoxicological impact. Nevertheless, the release of most of them into water ecosystems is not yet regulated. They are commonly found in surface and groundwaters, threatening the quality and availability of the major renewable resources for the production of drinking water. Starting from the current international directives on the surface and drinking water protection, Chapter 6 (Patrolecco, Rauseo, Ademollo, Polesello, Vardè, Pizzini, and Spataro) focuses on the sources, environmental dynamics, and effects of selected classes of conventional and emerging organic micropollutants, with particular attention to drinking water and the effectiveness of water treatments in their removal. Environmental and toxicological risk implications are also considered. The main conclusion of the authors is that further research efforts are needed for the correct and sustainable management of drinking resources, constituting an important challenge for the protection of water supplies and human health.
Another important aspect concerning membrane technology regards the incorporation and coating of nanofillers in polymer phases that result in the manufacture of nanocomposite-based membranes. One of the relevant applications of nanocomposite membranes deals with the removal of different organic compounds from potable waters. At this point, nanocomposite membranes are mainly implemented in membrane technologies driven by a pressure gradient, such as microfiltration, ultrafiltration, nanofiltration, and reverse osmosis, which have largely proved their ability in separating various types of organic molecules in water treatment applications. Therefore the aim of Chapter 7 (Castro-Muñoz and Buenavista) is devoted to compiling the most recent concepts of nanocomposite membranes for the remediation of potable waters. The emphasis has been mainly paid to the key developments and meaningful outcomes in separating such organics components from water.
As it is well known, air pollution causes several problems for both human health and the environment. Moreover, membrane air cleaning is a recent technology, still under development, that is able to improve air filtration efficiency through higher performing devices, compared to the traditional ones. In this regard, Chapter 8 (Russo, Manisco, Iulianelli, Castro-Muñoz, Galiano, and Figoli) deals with the most useful membrane separation techniques for air cleaning. Furthermore, the growing importance in air cleaning applications of polymeric, mixed matrix, and inorganics membranes, produced by different techniques (e.g., phase inversion, electrospinning) and under different configurations (hollow fibers, flat sheet, and nanofibers), is also deeply discussed. Meanwhile, the materials used for their preparation and related properties have been well identified and illustrated, paying particular attention to the main areas of application, such as protection devices, air conditioners, and vapors of organic substances recovery (from air) units.
Considering again membrane technology, fouling is one of the most limiting aspects, being the main obstacle to the widespread use of several membrane-based technologies, because fouling leads to loss of productivity and reduced permeate quality. Therefore the future success of the membrane technology strongly depends to a large extent on how the problem of fouling is solved. In this context, Chapter 9 (Soria and Luis) presents the types of contaminants, fouling mechanisms, cleaning and control processes of membrane fouling. In addition, membrane surface modification, both active and passive, and its influence on membrane fouling is also discussed. Furthermore, the latest advances on membrane modification for organic solvents are shown. Finally, a brief description of the techniques used to understand and characterize membrane fouling is also presented.
The in-field detection of pollutants and the assessment of the quality of industrial exhausts and wastewaters are essential activities in environmental management. Thus the modern society continuously demands the development of cost-effective, quick, real-time, and reliable sensors. Membrane technology consists of a solid background also for the development of advanced sensors to detect pollutants. In fact, highly selective membranes responsible for the molecular recognition and/or selective capture of target analyte(s) are the core of highly sensitive sensors. In this context, Chapter 10 (Mondal, Malankowska, Avci, Syed, Upadhyaya, and Santoro) presents a dissertation about the implementation of membranes in sensors aimed at detecting gaseous pollutants, and elucidates the mechanism of detection. The key features of membranes for the detection of nano/microplastics and pathogens, two of the trending emerging questions, is highlighted too.
The editors take this opportunity to thank all the authors for their excellent work and also for their continued patience in reviewing, sometimes various times, their chapters following the comments and suggestions of the editors. Special thanks are also dedicated to the great professionalism of the staff of Elsevier, able to help us at each step.
Angelo Basile; Mario Gensini; Alberto Figoli; Ivo Allegrin
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
Dynamic Antifouling of Catalytic Pores Armed with Oxygenic Polyoxometalates
No full textA novel stimuli-responsive strategy against the irreversible fouling of porous materials and surfaces is presented herein. This is based on the molecular design of catalytic pore walls that foster a chemo-mechanical, self-cleaning behavior under neutral pH and mild conditions of pressure and temperature. This approach builds on bioinspired remediation mechanisms involving natural catalase enzymes for H2O2 dismutation and endogenous oxygen production. It is thus demonstrated that a very efficient antifouling activity is observed when the material pores are armed with oxygen evolving catalysts that are known to liberate nascent oxygen gas when exposed to H2O2 as chemical trigger. To this aim, the catalase-like behavior of the tetra-ruthenium substituted polyoxometalate (Ru4(SiW10)2), has been exploited for in-pore oxygen evolution so to induce an active fluid mixing and the displacement of foulant particles. The present study includes the fabrication of hybrid polymeric films with porous architecture embedding Ru4(SiW10)2 as artificial catalase to guarantee the material self-defense against pore occlusion and oxidative damage with aqueous H2O2 as mild chemical effector. The self-catalytic “in-pore” remediation is readily applied to various materials/interfaces with porous texture and high surface area with the aim to provide long-lasting functional performance
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
Author-wise bibliometric analysis based on entropy.
No full textAuthor-wise bibliometric analysis based on entropy.</p
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