1,720,956 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
Designing a ward inventory for a sustainable healthcare. Framework for healthcare providers of configurations among disposable medical devices, clinical procedures, and medical equipment in the Neonatology department.
Full text linkDuring the pandemic emergency, the need for a critical review of the healthcare sector has been accentuated, particularly regarding the environmental impact caused by the use of single-use, non-recyclable, and non-biodegradable products. The aim of this doctoral research is to investigate and reconsider the flow of single-use products, mainly plastic, generated by local hospital units, with a focus on the Neonatology department. Currently, there are still few sustainable research and actions implemented in one of the departments that most produces single-use waste in the healthcare sector, where the use of single-use products has a significant impact on costs and the environment. The research path aims to conduct a thorough contextual analysis in the field, to review, understand, and analyze the dynamics within the "Salute Lazio" Regional Health System, specifically within the Neonatology departments of Umberto I Polyclinic in Rome. The industrial doctoral research goal is to generate, implement, and communicate new sustainable approaches for the management, reformulation, collection, and disposal of medical single-use items, with the aim of creating a zero-impact circular economy model. New sustainable approaches will be applied both in a corporate context, regarding the production, communication, and configuration of packaging and consumables, and in a healthcare context, such as Neonatology departments. This can be achieved through data collection, field surveys, and multidisciplinary tables on the use and end-of-life management of products, to share ideas and achievable challenges with department personnel. The methodology employed in the research encompasses systemic and circular design approaches, which aim to consider the interconnection between the various elements of a system and their relationships, to create sustainable and resilient solutions. The intermediate results of the research demonstrate how the development of user guidelines leads to better identification of single-use medical devices related to the use of electromedical equipment and clinical procedures and improved management and utilization of resources in the department. The research outputs serve as the starting point for subsequent department visits aimed at defining the criticalities within the entire care delivery system. This process will contribute to the development of design methodologies and greater attention to a practical sustainability model within the Neonatology department system
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
Bioplastics in domestic medical applications. The case study of the pH Meter Cup for urine pH monitoring.
No full textThe production of plastic has exponentially increased in recent decades, causing a serious impact on the environment and human health. One of the sectors where plastic use is daily is that of healthcare and caregiving. According to a study published in the AMA Journal of Ethics, healthcare in the United States generates 6.6 million tons of waste annually, of which 20% is made up of plastic materials (Jain & LaBeaud, 2022). The following research aims to investigate how the use of bioplastics can be introduced even in domestic healthcare contexts. Currently, bioplastics are used in biomedical applications for vascular grafts for soft tissue replacement, breast prostheses, intraocular lenses, artificial hearts, and more (Pattanashetti et al., 2017; Reddy et al., 2015). The proposed case study explores the possibility of using food waste for the production of bioplastics by identifying the different organoleptic varieties found among the investigated waste. The research focused on "red cabbage," a food that contains "anthocyanins," water-soluble substances that release pigments, which are extremely variable depending on the pH of the liquid they come into contact with. In the case of urine, the pH normally ranges between 4.6 and 8, and this is related to the individual's diet and health. Beyond these lower or upper limits, a condition considered pathological occurs. Urine pH, therefore, reflects the kidneys' ability to maintain a normal concentration of hydrogen ions in the blood plasma and extracellular fluids. Urine pH measurement is used to detect the presence of various pathologies, such as acid/base system disorders; respiratory disorders, metabolic problems, and urinary tract infections. The method for monitoring urine at home can be done using a plastic cup and litmus paper, exploiting the chemical sensitivity properties of the red cabbage pigment's pH. However, it should be noted that both the plastic cup and the litmus paper have drawbacks in terms of environmental impact, human health risks, and practicality of use. The traditional plastic cup used for urine pH control is made of HDPE plastic, while the use of litmus paper requires it to be immersed in the patient's urine, contained in the plastic cup, for a few seconds to detect the pH. The use of bioplastic cups offers greater ease of use, as the patient only needs to collect the urine in the cup, and the resulting chemical reaction changes depending on the urine pH. Additionally, the result's reading is automatic and objective, as the cup's color changes in a predetermined way depending on the pH.
The pH Meter Cup is a container measuring 10cmx8cm with a shape similar to a plastic cup but with an irregular upper edge along the diameter curve, providing an ergonomic function for grasping the object. The initial color is purple, but during use, it can change from magenta/pink to blue/green depending on the urine pH. The experiments that led to the prototyping of the pH Meter Cup were carried out in a domestic area through a kitchen equipment that allowed quantifying, mixing, amalgamating, cooking, and drying the necessary components for bioplastic prototyping. Following various experiments in which quantities, cooking times, and drying methods were perfected, it was possible to prototype examples for each type of material and quantity ratio between the elements. In the first attempt, starch-based bioplastic was found to be too rigid and broke during the drying period. Later, the idea of using glycerin in addition to starch was developed, which increases bioplastic flexibility during the cooling phase. These problems are present due to the reduced thickness of the final object, which is only 2 mm. The final result was obtained through 24g of corn starch, 3.5ml of glycerin, and finally, 120ml of water pigmented with the red cabbage color (Fig.1).
Fig. 1 - Production process.
Further tests were carried out with Guar gum/gelatin, which did not allow obtaining a material that maintained its rigidity without generating cracks at the time of separation from the molds. The mold is composed of two parts connected by 4 joints at the corners and is closed only after inserting the freshly prepared bioplastic into the lower part of the mold. After closing the mold, the bioplastic must dry for several days, depending on the humidity and temperature of the environment. At the end of cooling, the object's dimensions have reduced due to water loss (Fig.2).
Fig. 2 - Prototyping through a PLA mold.
The experimental research then focused on evaluating the materials' biodegradability. The activity was carried out in a temperature range ranging from 18 to 20 degrees Celsius. Visual measurements of biodegradability in water over time were carried out over 4 days, always at the same time each day, using 3 pieces of different sizes of the same material. From the observations made, it was possible to understand that the material, within 30 seconds, began to change color from purple to blue, tending towards a lower pH. In the first 24 hours, it was possible to perceive the thinning of the material based on the size of the pieces placed in water. In the following 72 hours from the immersion of the elements, it was possible to validate their biodegradation due to the evident thinning of the material, the loss of Adel pigment, and the fragmentation of the elements immersed along the edges (Fig. 3).
Fig. 3 - Biodegradability over 72 hours.
Finally, an evaluation was carried out on the color change of the biodegradable material in various aqueous solutions ranging from pH 3 to pH 9.5 (Fig.4). All values were analyzed using a litmus paper. Upon insertion of the material into the various aqueous solutions, an instantaneous change in the color of the bioplastic was noted within 3-10 seconds, except for the solution with a pH of 7.5, which maintained its original color, responding faithfully to the need to keep the material's color unchanged under optimal user health conditions
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
Author-wise bibliometric analysis based on entropy.
No full textAuthor-wise bibliometric analysis based on entropy.</p
- …
