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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
CHAPTER 12: Sigma Receptors as New Target for Multiple Sclerosis
No full textIn the pharmaceutical panorama aimed at discovering novel therapeutic agents against multiple sclerosis (MS), sigma 1 receptor (S1R) agonists are fit-for-purpose. Indeed, their neuroprotective and neuroplastic activities within neuronal cells, where they modulate several molecular cascades involved in the onset of some central nervous system (CNS) related diseases, such as calcium homeostasis regulation, glutamate excitotoxicity inhibition and oxidative stress control, have been widely elucidated. Additionally, accumulating evidence suggests the involvement of S1R in preventing oligodendrocyte degeneration and neuroinflammation, conditions associated with MS. Relying on the strict correlation between S1R and neurodegeneration, several S1R agonists have been discovered, offering a wide spectrum of pharmaceutical agents endowed with neuroprotective properties. Despite the increasing knowledge of this molecular target, some aspects remain to be clarified, i.e. the identification of endogenous ligands, as well as its mechanism of activation. Nevertheless, the scientific community is spending its efforts to completely characterize S1R and in this context the recent publication of the three-dimensional structure, as well as the putative S1R dimerization or oligomerization, are opening the door towards a major comprehension of the S1R pathophysiological role. Throughout this chapter, we will disclose the old and new insights of this molecular target, demonstrating the high applicability of S1R in MS
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