1,721,139 research outputs found
Phenoloxidase activity of hemocytes derived from Penaeus monodon and Macrobrachium rosenbergii.
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Relationship of parental phthalate exposure with fetal growth and placental development at birth
No full textBACKGROUND: Prenatal exposure to phthalates is reported to influence fetal growth and may lead to lasting adverse effects on infants and their future development; yet, the results remain inconclusive. OBJECTIVE: This study utilized a birth cohort of 73 pregnant women-newborn pairs, including biological fathers (73 triads), to investigate the relationship between parental phthalate exposure during pregnancy and birth outcomes in newborns. METHODS: Demographic, behavioral, and clinical information, along with urine samples from both parents, were collected prior to delivery. Sixteen phthalate metabolites were quantified in urine samples. RESULTS: Significant correlations were observed between six phthalate metabolites (MEP, MiBP, MnBP, MBzP, MEHP, and 5cx-MEPP) in maternal urine and paternal levels. Maternal MBzP was positively associated with boys' birth weight, whereas maternal 2cx-MMHP was negatively associated with girls' birth weight. The ponderal index of boys was negatively related to maternal MBzP and MMP, but positively associated with summation operatorMEHP-3 and summation operatorMEHP-5 after adjusting for confounding variables. Among paternal phthalates, MBzP showed a negative association with boys' ponderal index, whereas MEP showed a positive association. Maternal MEOHP, summation operatorMEHP-3, and summation operatorMEHP-5 were positively associated with boys' placenta weight, while MEOHP, MEHHP, 5cx-MEPP, summation operatorMEHP-3, and summation operatorMEHP-5 were negatively associated with girls' placenta weight. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that parental exposure to phthalates at birth may adversely affect fetal growth and placental development in neonates. However, further studies with larger sample sizes and datasets are necessary
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
Recent Trends on the Development of Machine Learning Approaches for the Prediction of Lysine Acetylation Sites
No full textAcetylation on lysine residues is considered one of the most potent protein post-translational modifications, owing to its crucial role in cellular metabolism and regulatory processes. Recent advances in experimental techniques have unraveled several lysine acetylation substrates and sites. However, owing to its cost-ineffectiveness, cumbersome process, time-consumption, and labor-intensiveness, several efforts have been geared towards the development of computational tools. In particular, machine learning (ML)-based approaches hold great promise in the rapid discovery of lysine acetylation modification sites, which could be witnessed by the growing number of prediction tools. Recently, several ML methods have been developed for the prediction of lysine acetylation sites, owing to their time- and cost-effectiveness. In this review, we present a complete survey of the state-of-the-art ML predictors for lysine acetylation. We discuss a variety of key aspects for developing a successful predictor, including operating ML algorithms, feature selection methods, validation techniques, and software utility. Initially, we review lysine acetylation site databases, current ML approaches, working principles, and their performances. Lastly, we discuss the shortcomings and future directions of ML approaches in the prediction of lysine acetylation sites. This review may act as a useful guide for the experimentalists in choosing the right ML tool for their research. Moreover, it may help bioinformaticians in the development of more accurate and advanced MLbased predictors in protein research
Association of COX-2 Selectivity in Pain Medication Use with Endometriosis Incidence: Retrospective Cohort Study
No full textPURPOSE: This retrospective cohort study aimed to investigate the association between the use of pain medications with varying cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) selectivity and the incidence of endometriosis (EMS) in women. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Medical records from January 1, 1994, to December 31, 2022, were retrospectively analyzed. The cohort included 33406 patients diagnosed with any pain-related condition who were prescribed either selective COX-2 inhibitors or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Patients were followed for up to 5 years from the cohort entry date. The incidence of EMS was compared between the two medication groups using Cox proportional hazards models, adjusting for confounding factors such as age, past drug use, and prior diagnosis. RESULTS: The incidence rates of EMS were 3.00 per 1000 person-years in the COX-2 inhibitor group and 3.97 per 1000 person-years in the NSAIDs group. After adjustment for confounders, the hazard ratio for EMS incidence in the COX-2 inhibitor group compared to the NSAIDs group was 0.77 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.63 to 0.93; p<0.01], indicating a significantly lower risk in the COX-2 inhibitor group. Subgroup analysis revealed that this association was particularly significant in younger women aged 20-44 years, with a hazard ratio of 0.71 (95% CI, 0.54 to 0.95; p<0.05) in this age group. CONCLUSION: The findings suggest that COX-2 inhibitors may reduce the incidence of EMS compared to traditional NSAIDs, highlighting their potential as a strategic option for managing EMS, particularly among younger women. Further prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings
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