1,720,982 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
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
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
A critical evaluation of the sector wide approach (SWAp) in the health sector in Zambia
No full textIncludes bibliographical references (leaves 113-121).International recognition of the health problems being faced by developing countries have resulted in significant increases in external development assistance for health since the late 1980s. However, it has been established that this aid has not been effective due to poor coordination, harmonization and alignment. As part of the aid development architecture, donors and recipient countries have defined approaches, modalities and methods of working aimed at improving harmonization, alignment and management of aid for results. One such approach is the Sector Wide Approach (SWAp) which involves ensuring that "all significant funding for the sector supports a single sector policy and expenditure programme, under government leadership, adopting common approaches across the sector, and progressing towards relying on government procedures to disburse and account for all funds." (Foster et ai, 2000a, p.6).In Zambia, the health SWAp has been in existence since 1993. The adoption of the health SWAp was necessitated by a desire to optimize the use of domestic and externally mobilised financial and in-kind development assistance through the integration of all vertical programmes into a sectoral framework that would meet common national goals and objectives. This was after it was realised that the health system was inefficient in its provision of health services due to the existence of fragmented, multiple donor-assisted projects which the Ministry of Health could not effectively coordinate and manage.This paper explores the contribution of the health SWAp to the provision of effective health care in Zambia since its inception in 1993. The study considered the SWAp as both an aid instrument and as a process and the evaluation is made by looking at both the individual elements of a SWAp and the SWAp mechanism as a whole. The study assesses the contribution of the SWAp to fostering working relationships, accountability for finances and progress, efficient allocation and use of resources, financial sustainability and promotion of geographical equity of access to health care resources.The study was exploratory and a retrospective approach was used to track and associate changes before the introduction of the health SWAp and after the SWAp implementation period 1993 - 2005. In order to take account of certain contextual factors in the broad health reform continuum, a combination of qualitative and quantitative research techniques were used. This includes 21 in-depth key informant interviews, a Focus Group Discussion (FGD), non-participant observation at 4 different SWAp coordination meetings and a comprehensive document review. Study participants were senior members of the Health Sector AdviSOry Committee that were drawn from 6 provinces (including the capital city Lusaka). The actual selection of interviewees was done purposively based on the possession of requisite expertise, diversity and availability
Fiscal Sustainability of Health Systems in sub-Saharan Africa: An Analytical Framework and Evidence from Zambia
Full text linkOver the past three decades, several countries worldwide have experienced a rapid and unsustainable increase in total health expenditures. In contrast, health financing in Africa has been diminishing due to reduced domestic revenue mobilisation, high public debt, and declining external financing. Persistent infectious disease outbreaks and natural disasters have also overwhelmed the already weak health systems in Africa. Increasing health care needs coupled with decreasing spending on health make it difficult to provide quality health care in low- and lower middle-income countries (LLMICs) in Africa. Despite the growing challenge of fiscal sustainability of health systems in LLMICs in Africa, there is no comprehensive study on the subject-matter. Motivated by knowledge and methodological gaps in the existing literature, this study assessed the main drivers of changes in total and public expenditure on health in Zambia by looking at macro-fiscal factors, funding sources, demographic, health, institutional, and social factors at national and sub-national levels. The study has addressed the following research question: To what extent is the Zambian health system financially sustainable?
Given that Zambia's macro-fiscal, demographic, epidemiological, and health system profile are comparable to those in other LLMICs in Africa, the study was conducted in Zambia. To meet the first objective of the study, panel regression analysis and the Das Gupta decomposition method were used to assess the main determinants of total and public expenditures on health in Zambia at national level; and government health spending at sub-national level. Decomposition analysis made it possible to disintegrate and quantify changes in health expenditures by key factors. For the second objective of the study, an extensive literature review was undertaken to conceptualise and adapt an analytical framework for fiscal sustainability of health systems in LLMICs. To achieve this, reference was made to existing supply- and demand-side theories on the determinants of health expenditures; the general body of work on fiscal policy sustainability; and health-sector specific studies on fiscal sustainability and health system resilience. Thereafter, a predictive analysis of future financing needs and fiscal space for health was undertaken to gauge if the health system in Zambia was financially sustainable.
The results show a substantial reduction in funding to the health sector in Zambia over the period 2013-2019, particularly for government domestic spending on health. This suggests a de-prioritisation of health spending by the Zambian government. Furthermore, the results show that expenditure per prevalent case was the main cause of the reduction in total health expenditures in Zambia. There was decreased spending on HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections, followed by non-communicable diseases, and malaria and neglected tropical diseases. The reductions were predominant in the 15-49 age group.
At the provincial level, there was low budget performance and a persistent decline in per capita government health expenditure. The main driver of the reduction in per capita government health spending was the number of TB notifications per 10,000 people, followed by GDP per capita. On the other hand, the number of health facilities per 10,000 people and the level of urbanization mitigated the overall reduction in per capita government health spending. However, each of these factors had distinct impacts on changes in the per capita government health expenditure across the provinces. The study predicts a total ‘effective’ health financing gap of US92 per capita over the period 2025-2030. This gap can be attributed to projected reductions in per capita spending on health by the government and external development partners.
The study concludes that Zambia’s health system is financially unsustainable, with government health financing deprioritized from 2013-2019, and a significant financing gap projected for 2025-2030. The main determinants of total health spending are HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections in the 15-49 age group. At the provincial level, key factors influencing per capita government health spending are TB notifications, GDP per capita, the number of health facilities, and the level of urbanization. To sustain the functionality of the health system in Zambia, the study advocates for sufficient government health funding, increased predictability of funding, and improved efficiency in resource allocation and use. The study also calls for regular monitoring and matching of available funds with the health care needs of the population. Future research could assess the effectiveness of health spending, determinants of health spending at the district level, sustainability of system-level interventions (i.e. the National Health Insurance Scheme), and rising number of specialized hospitals
Author-wise bibliometric analysis based on entropy.
No full textAuthor-wise bibliometric analysis based on entropy.</p
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