1,721,114 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
Factors influencing infant feeding choices among mothers living with HIV in Francistown, Botswana
Full text linkMagister Public Health - MPH (Public Health)In Botswana the National Prevention of Mother-to-Child Transmission of HIV programme and
the National HIV/AIDS Treatment Guidelines are not fully aligned with current World Health
Organization recommendations for best infant feeding practices in the context of HIV. The
government of Botswana endorses both exclusive breastfeeding and exclusive formula feeding.
This study explored factors influencing infant feeding choices among mothers living with HIV
in Francistown, Botswana
Randomized controlled trial of early, small-volume formula supplementation among newborns: A study protocol
Full text linkChildhood undernutrition is a major health burden worldwide that increases childhood morbidity and mortality and causes impairment in infant growth and developmental delays that can persist into adulthood. The first weeks and months after birth are critical to the establishment of healthy growth and development during childhood. The World Health Organization recommends immediate and exclusive breastfeeding (EBF). In infants for whom EBF may not meet nutritional and caloric demands, early, daily, small-volume formula supplementation along with breastfeeding may more effectively avoid underweight wasting and stunting in early infancy than breastfeeding alone. The primary objective of this randomized controlled trial is to evaluate the efficacy of formula for 30 days among low birth weight (LBW) infants <6 hours of age and those not LBW with weights <2600 grams at 4 days of age. We will compare breastfeeding and formula (up to 59 milliliters administered daily) through 30 days of infant age vs recommendations for frequent EBF without supplementation, and test the hypothesis that formula increases weight-for-age z-score at 30 days of infant age. The trial will enroll and randomize 324 mother-infant pairs in Guinea-Bissau and Uganda, and follow them for 6 months for outcomes including growth, intestinal microbiota, breastfeeding duration, infant dietary intake, and adverse events. Conservatively estimating 20% loss to follow up, this sample size provides ≥80% power per weight stratum for intervention group comparison to detect a difference of 0.20 with respect to the outcome of WAZ at day 30. This trial was approved by the University of California, San Francisco Institutional Review Board (19-29405); the Guinea-Bissau National Committee on Ethics in Health (Comite Nacional de Etica na Saude, 075/CNES/INASA/2020); the Higher Degrees, Research and Ethics Committee of Makerere University (871); and the Uganda National Council of Science and Technology (HS1226ES). We plan to disseminate study results in peer-reviewed journals and international conferences. Trial registration number: NCT04704076
Achieving the health and well-being Sustainable Development Goals among adolescent mothers and their children in South Africa: Cross-sectional analyses of a community-based mixed HIV-status cohort
Full text linkThe Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a visionary and multi-sectoral agenda for human development. With less than a decade left to reach these targets, it is important to identify those at greatest risk of not meeting these ambitious targets. Adolescent mothers and their children are a highly vulnerable group. We mapped 35 SGD-related targets among 1,046 adolescent mothers and their oldest child (n = 1046). Questionnaires using validated scales were completed by 10- to 24-year-old adolescent girls and young women who had their first child before age 20 in an HIV-endemic district in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. Maternal outcomes included 26 SDG-aligned indicators, while child-related outcomes included 9 indicators. Data was collected by trained researchers, following informed voluntary consent by the adolescent mothers and their caregivers. Frequencies and chi-square tests were conducted to compare progress along SDG-aligned indicators among adolescent mothers by HIV status. Overall, adolescent mothers reported low attainment of SDG-aligned indicators. While four in five adolescent mothers lived in poor households, nearly 93% accessed at least one social cash transfer and 80% accessed a child support grant for their children. Food security rates among adolescent mothers (71%) were lower than among their children (91%). Only two-thirds of adolescent mothers returned to school after childbirth, and only one-fifth were either studying or employed. Over half of adolescent mothers had experienced at least one type of violence (domestic, sexual or community). HIV-positive status was associated with higher rates of hunger and substance use, poorer school attendance, and higher rates of exposure to violence. Understanding progress and gaps in meeting the SDGs among highly vulnerable groups is critical, particularly for adolescent mothers and their children. These complex vulnerabilities suggest that programming for adolescent mothers must address their unique needs
Evaluation of the effectiveness of prevention of mother to child transmission of HIV (PMTCT) Interventions in two selected health facilities in Adamawa State, Nigeria
Full text linkMagister Public Health - MPH (Public Health)Most (90%) Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) positive children are
infected through mother to child transmission of HIV (MTCT). Without any interventions the
risk of MTCT is between 20% and 45% at the final endpoint of 18 - 24 months. Efficacy
studies have however proven that with antiretroviral interventions, MTCT risk can be
reduced to less than 2% or 5% in non-breastfeeding and breastfeeding populations
respectively. It is important to evaluate the effectiveness of Prevention of MTCT (PMTCT)
interventions in routine health facility settings where service delivery may not be optimal.
The current pool of evidence on PMTCT effectiveness in Sub-Saharan Africa is limited and
no PMTCT effectiveness study has been conducted in Adamawa State, Nigeria since the
programme started in 2007
Correlation among experience of person-centered maternity care, provision of care and women's satisfaction: Cross sectional study in Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Full text linkPerson-centered maternity care (PCMC) is defined as care which is respectful of and responsive to women's and families' preferences, needs, and values. In this cross-sectional study we aimed to evaluate the correlations among the degree of PCMC implementation, key indicators of provision of care, and women's satisfaction with maternity care in Sri Lanka. Degree of PCMC implementation was assessed using a validated questionnaire. Provision of good key practices was measured with the World Health Organization (WHO) Bologna Score, whose items include: 1) companionship in childbirth; 2) use of partogram; 3) absence of labor stimulation; 4) childbirth in non-supine position; 5) skin-to-skin contact. Women's overall satisfaction was assessed on a 1-10 Likert scale. Among 400 women giving birth vaginally, 207 (51.8%) had at least one clinical risk factor and 52 (13.0%) at least one complication. The PCMC implementation mean score was 42.3 (95%CI 41.3-43.4), out of a maximum score of 90. Overall, while 367 (91.8%) women were monitored with a partogram, and 293 (73.3%) delivered non-supine, only 19 (4.8%) did not receive labour stimulation, only 38 (9.5%) had a companion at childbirth, and 165 (41.3%) had skin-to-skin contact immediately after birth. The median total satisfaction score was 7 (IQR 5-9). PCMC implementation had a moderate correlation with women's satisfaction (r = 0.58), while Bologna score had a very low correlation both with satisfaction (r = 0.12), and PCMC (r = 0.20). Factors significantly associated with higher PCMC score were number of pregnancies (p = 0.015), ethnicity (p<0.001), presence of a companion at childbirth (p = 0.037); absence of labor stimulation (p = 0.019); delivery in non-supine position (p = 0.016); and skin-to-skin contact (p = 0.005). Study findings indicate evidence of poor-quality care across several domains of mistreatment in childbirth in Sri Lanka. In addition, patient satisfaction as an indicator of quality care is inadequate to inform health systems reform
Missed opportunities for HIV diagnosis in children below 18 months in Thabo Mofutsanyana District, Free State Province
Full text linkMagister Artium - MAIntroduction
A high burden of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) constitutes a key global public health
concern. In South Africa, it is estimated that 260 000 children aged 0-14 years had HIV
infection and only 63% of them were reported to have received HIV treatment in 2018. Without
antiretroviral therapy (ART), HIV infection during infancy is associated with rapid disease
progression where more than half of all infected children are expected to die before two years
of age. Early infant diagnosis (EID) of HIV is therefore essential for accessing timely HIV
treatment. However, preanalytical errors within the EID diagnostic cascade prevent optimal
access to HIV polymerase chain reaction (PCR) results. The aim of this study was to describe
the prevalence and contributing factors of preanalytical errors resulting in missed diagnostic
opportunities for HIV among children below 18 months of age in Thabo Mofutsanyana (TM)
district.
Methodology
The study was conducted using a descriptive cross-sectional study design and data was
collected in two phases. Phase 1 involved obtaining the routine HIV PCR testing data set from
the National Health Laboratory Services (NHLS) for all samples collected at TM public health
facilities in 2018 and registered by NHLS. Phase 2 included a facility assessment checklist and
semi structured questionnaire administered to 36 health care workers (HCWs) from 10
purposively selected health facilities. Data collected in phase 2 was analyzed to describe health
facilities and HCW factors that might be contributing to the HIV PCR preanalytical errors.
Results
Phase 1. Of the 9318 samples included in the analysis, 49.6% were birth HIV PCRs whilst
42.1% and 8.3% were from 10 weeks and above 12 weeks age categories, respectively. A total
of 745 (8%) samples were rejected because of the following preanalytical errors: insufficient
specimen (84.3%), unsuitable sample (9.9%) and clerical error (5.8%).By age, the preanalytical
errors were: birth (534), 10 weeks (170) and the above 12 weeks age category (41). Hospitals
had the highest proportion of total preanalytical errors (58.1%). For PHCs the errors were:
insufficient specimen (90%), unsuitable sample (5.5%) and clerical (4.8%)
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