174,842 research outputs found
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
No full textThe 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
The use of lichen biomonitoring techniques for Environmental Justice assessment and the risk perception assessment in a typical European city (Milan, Italy)
No full textAim of this thesis is to investigate the application of lichen biomonitoring techniques in the study of environmental justice and risk perception of air pollution at urban scale. Lichen biomonitoring can, in fact, fill the void that several authors claim when talking about environmental justice assessment, i.e., the lack of high spatial resolution data of air quality, that is crucial when the goal is to match the socio-economic status with air quality. The area selected for the study is Milan municipality (N Italy) as an example of a typical European big city. In this area, a lichen biomonitoring survey was firstly carried out through transplants of lichen bags of the species Evernia prunastri, previously collected in a pristine area (Siena, C Italy). The exposure lasted three months during the winter period. To assess the biological effects of air pollution, analysis on the physiological status of the samples were conducted, in particular the photosynthetic efficiency of the photobiont, and damage to cell membranes and the antiradical activity of the mycobiont were measured. The bioaccumulation of trace elements Al, As, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Sb, Pb and Zn was quantified and an overall contamination index (CI) was elaborated on the basis of the bioaccumulated elements. The use of a geographic information system support (QGIS 3.8) allowed to visualize the distribution of the contamination over the area, elaborated through an IDW interpolation algorithm. A deeper insight on the contamination of the area was obtained through the analysis of source apportionment, i.e., the research of the main emission sources. A theoretical approach was followed through the statistical method of Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF). Through this method, the overall contamination was de-structured in “factors” that, based on trace elements correlation, provided different “contamination profiles”, ascribable to different emission sources. The spatial distribution of the profiles, combined with their elemental composition, suggested both the type of emission sources and their magnitude in the study area. An empirical approach for source apportionment was also followed: the grain size, shape and magnetic behaviour of bioaccumulated particles was studied and compared with those of known emission sources.
The results of the biomonitoring survey showed a general stress on the lichen physiology due to air pollution, but not so severe to compromise the general vitality of samples. Bioaccumulated elements were Cr, Cu, Fe, Sb and Pb and the Contamination Index showed generally high values over the whole area, even if central areas of the city were more polluted. Source apportionment analysis highlighted three main pollution profiles, ascribable to the industrial activity, brake abrasion from railways and cars, and soil resuspension. The magnetic behaviour of particles was in line with brake abrasion of vehicles, suggesting the vehicular traffic the most responsible of trace element contamination in Milan municipality.
For the assessment of environmental justice, the air contamination was matched with the socio-economic characteristics of the citizens. An index of socio-economic deprivation (SDI) was calculated on the basis of the socio economic information provided by the national statistics institute (ISTAT), at the smallest spatial unit available, the census unit. Results showed that peripheral areas experience less air pollution but more socio-economic deprivation, however, the census units closer to main emission sources were generally more deprived than average.
The last part of the study was dedicated to the evaluation of the risk perception of the citizens about air pollution. A questionnaire was elaborated and administrated randomly in the city of Milan to ca. 300 respondents. Main results showed a generally high attention for the air pollution issue in the city, as well as a high risk perception, regardless of gender, age or education level of the participants
Mitomycin C in highly myopic eyes - Author reply
No full textOphthalmology. 2005 Feb;112(2):208-18; discussion 219.
Mitomycin C modulation of corneal wound healing after photorefractive keratectomy in highly myopic eyes.
Gambato C, Ghirlando A, Moretto E, Busato F, Midena E.
SourceRefractive Surgery Service and Antimetabolite Therapy Research Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To evaluate the role of topical mitomycin C in corneal wound healing (CWH) after photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in highly myopic eyes.
DESIGN: Prospective, double-masked, randomized clinical trial.
PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-two eyes of 36 patients affected by high (>7 diopters) myopia.
METHODS: In each patient, one eye was randomly assigned to PRK with intraoperative topical 0.02% mitomycin C application, and the fellow eye was treated with a placebo. Postoperatively, mitomycin C-treated eyes received artificial tears (3 times daily, tapered in 3 months), whereas the fellow eye was treated with fluorometholone sodium 2% and artificial tears (3 times daily, tapered in 3 months).
MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) and best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), contrast sensitivity, manifest refraction, and biomicroscopy. Contrast sensitivity was determined using the Pelli-Robson chart. Corneal confocal microscopy documented CWH.
RESULTS: Mean follow-up was 18 months (range, 12-36). No side effects or toxic effects were documented. At 12-month follow-up examination, UCVAs (logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution) were 0.4+/-0.48 and 0.5+/-0.53 (P = .03) in mitomycin C-treated eyes and corticosteroid-treated eyes, respectively. At 1 year, corneal haze developed in 20% of corticosteroid-treated eyes, versus 0% of mitomycin C-treated eyes. At 12, 24, and 36 months, corneal confocal microscopy showed activated keratocytes and extracellular matrix significantly more evident in untreated eyes (Ps = 0.004, 0.024, and 0.046, respectively).
CONCLUSION: Topical intraoperative application of 0.02% mitomycin C can reduce haze formation in highly myopic eyes undergoing PRK.
Comment in
Ophthalmology. 2006 Feb;113(2):357; author reply 357-8
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
No full textWe 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
Local Economic Conditions Affect Aedes albopictus Management
No full textInvasive mosquitoes are an emerging public health issue, as many species are competent vectors for pathogens. We assessed how multiple environmental and socio-economic factors affected the engagement of municipalities in Italy (n = 7679) in actions against Aedes albopictus, an invasive mosquito affecting human health and well-being, between 2000 and 2020. We collected information about mosquito control from official documents and municipal websites and modeled the role played by multiple environmental and socioeconomic factors characterizing each municipality through the random forest algorithm. Municipalities are more prone to manage A. albopictus if more urbanized, in lowlands and with long infestation periods. Moreover, these variables are more predictive of management in municipalities with a high median income and thus more economic resources. Only 25.5% of Italian municipalities approved regulations for managing A. albopictus, and very few of them were in Southern Italy, the most deprived area of the country. Our findings indicate that local economic conditions moderate the effect of other drivers of mosquito control and ultimately can lead to better management of A. albopictus. If the management of invasive mosquitoes, or other forms of global change, is subjected to local economic conditions, economic inequalities will jeopardize the success of large-scale policies, also raising issues of environmental and climate justice
Cervical vertebral maturation: Are postpubertal stages attained in all subjects?
No full textIntroduction: The cervical vertebral maturation (CVM) method comprises 6 stages reported to be prepubertal (1 and 2), pubertal (3 and 4) and postpubertal (5 and 6), and its use has been recommended for planning treatment timing in orthodontics. Reliable use of the method implies that pubertal stages have to mature into postpubertal as soon as the growth peak is terminated. The present study was aimed at determining whether postpubertal CVM stages 5 or 6 are attained in all subjects. Methods: A total of 450 adult subjects (270 females and 180 males; mean age, 30.4 ± 27.3 years; range, 20-45 years) seeking orthodontic treatment and having a lateral head film were included in the study. Customized cephalometric analysis was used, and each recording was converted into an individual CVM code according to the concavities of the C2 to C4 and shapes of C3 and C4. The retrieved CVM codes, either falling within the reported norms (regular cases) or not (exception cases), were also converted into the CVM stages and a newly introduced CVM score (0-9) capable of defining intermediate stage. Results: The most frequent CVM stage was 5, while the CVM stage 6 was attained in only one third of the sample. Up to about 11% of adult subjects showed the pubertal CVM stage 4. Irrespective of the CVM stage or CVM score, no significant differences were seen between the sexes or across ages. The C4 showed a rectangular vertical shape in only 16.4% of the cases. Conclusions: The percentage of adult population maintaining a pubertal CVM stage 4 is not high, but still relevant from a clinical standpoint. In light of this finding, planning treatment timing-based only on CVM appears not fully reliable
Bone quality in relation to skeletal maturation in palatal miniscrews insertion sites
No full textIntroduction: This study aimed to investigate the relationship between bone density and quantity at the insertion sites of palatal miniscrews and skeletal maturation—evaluated with the middle phalanx maturation method—in growing patients. Methods: Sixty patients were analyzed as having a staged third finger middle phalanx radiograph and a cone-beam computed tomography of the maxilla. On the cone-beam computed tomography, a grid was designed to parallel the midpalatal suture (MPS) and posterior to the nasopalatine foramen, both on the palatal and lower nasal cortical bones. Bone density and thickness were measured at the intersections, and medullary bone density was also calculated. Results: Of patients in MPS stages 1-3, 67.6% showed a mean palatal cortical thickness of 1 mm. The nasal cortical thickness showed a similar trend (MPS stages 1-3: 62.16% 1 mm). There was a significant difference in the density of the palatal cortical bone between MPS stages 1-3 (1272.05 ± 191.13) and stages 4 and 5 (1572.33 ± 274.89) and in nasal cortical density between MPS stages 1-3 (1428.09 ± 198.97) and stages 4 and 5 (1597.97 ± 267.75) (P <0.001). Conclusions: This study revealed a correlation between skeletal maturity and maxillary bone quality. MPS stages 1-3 have lower palatal cortical bone density and thickness but high nasal cortical bone density values. MPS stage 4 and, even more, stage 5 show increasing palatal cortical bone thickness and palatal and nasal cortical bone density values
A Multi-Language Comparison of Influences on Author Verification using Character N-Grams
No full textWe create a new multi-language corpus for author verification based on Wikipedia talkpages, and evaluate the influence that differences in topic and time have on character n-gram author profiles. Topic alignment between two texts is found to increase author verification precision, and an authors writing style is found to change over time, but not more significantly after 3 years than after 1 year.Information ArchitectureWISElectrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computer Scienc
"... la strada all'infinito è l'umiltà". Convegno a C anni dalla morte del Beato Contardo Ferrini (Verbania Intra, 26-27 ottobre 2002)
No full textCronaca del Convegno tenutosi Il 26 e 27 ottobre 2002 a Verbania Intra (presso la Sala congressi dell’Hotel “Il chiostro”) a cent’anni dalla morte del Beato Contardo Ferrini, il cui titolo è “... la strada all’infinito è l’umiltà”, a cura dell’Istituto Giuseppe Toniolo di Studi Superiori, dell’Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore e della Diocesi di Novara
A 0.12mm<sup>2</sup> Wien-Bridge Temperature Sensor with 0.1°C (3σ) Inaccuracy from -40°C to 180°C
No full text Resistor-based temperature sensors can achieve much higher resolution and energy efficiency than conventional BJT-based sensors [1], but they typically occupy more area (> 0.25 mm 2 ) and have lower operating temperatures (le 125 {circ} {C}) [2]-[4]. This work describes a 0.12mm 2 resistor-based sensor that uses a Wien-bridge (WB) filter to achieve 0.1 {circ} {C} (3 sigma) inaccuracy from - 40 {circ} {C} to 180 {circ} {C}. Compared to a state-of-the-art WB sensor [4], it occupies 6 × less area and achieves comparable relative accuracy over a 76% wider operating range. Session 10.3 Green Open Access added to TU Delft Institutional Repository ‘You share, we take care!’ – Taverne project https://www.openaccess.nl/en/you-share-we-take-care Otherwise as indicated in the copyright section: the publisher is the copyright holder of this work and the author uses the Dutch legislation to make this work public.Electronic InstrumentationMicroelectronic
- …
