1,720,962 research outputs found
Malassezia pachydermatis: valutazione di caratteri morfo-biochimici e molecoilari
No full textLo scopo di questo lavoro è stato quello di determinare e confrontare le caratteristiche morfologiche, colturali, biochimiche e molecolari di ceppi di Malassezia pachydermatis isolati da cani e gatti di varie province del Nord Italia. Per ogni ceppo sono state valutate le caratteristiche di crescita su Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA), la morfologia microscopica, sono stati effettuati i test dell’esculina e della catalasi, valutata la crescita a 40°C, la sintesi di pigmento su terreno contenente triptofano, la formazione di precipitati su mDixon agar e le prove di assimilazione di Tween 20, 40, 60, 80 e cremophor El. Infine è stata effettuata la RAPD utilizzando il primer FM1. In totale sono stati analizzati 75 campioni. I ceppi hanno mostrato una discreta variabilità di risposta sia da un punto di vista morfologico che biochimico. Ad esempio il 28% dei ceppi cresceva a fatica su SDA, il 44% aveva crescita scarsa o nulla a 40°C; nel 28% non si aveva la produzione di precipitati su mDixon; i test della catalasi e dell’esculina mostravano risposte variabili come pure i pattern di assimilazione delle fonti lipidiche. I profili, ottenuti con la RAPD, sono stati confrontati e il coefficiente di similarità è stato calcolato sulla posizione delle bande utilizzando il coefficiente di Dice. Gli isolati sono stati distinti in 42 genotipi e, applicando un livello di similarità di 0,90, è stato possibile individuare 14 clusters, il maggiore dei quali comprende 18 isolati (24%). Non è stata evidenziata nessuna associazione fra i diversi profili genetici e i caratteri morfo-biochimici. I pattern evidenziati con il primer FM1 non sembrano quindi essere legati alle caratteristiche fenotipiche valutate. Viene ribadita l’elevata variabilità all’interno della specie M. pachydermatis come conseguenza del rapido “orologio molecolare” segnalato da numerosi autori
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
Intraspecific attachment in domestic dogs (Canis familiaris): does it differ from young adults to adults?
No full textDogs are known to form strong relationships towards subjects of their own kind and of other species. This research assessed whether age affects intraspecific attachment bonds in female dogs. Fifteen female dogs participated in the study: 7 young adults (between 12 and 24 months of age) and 8 adults (more than 24 months old). Their behavior was analyzed in a modified version of the Ainsworth’s Strange Situation Test, consisting of seven 2-minute episodes in which the presumed attachment figure was played by a conspecific living in the same household. Two social behaviors (physical contact and proximity towards the other dog/stranger) and 5 non-social behaviors (exploration, locomotion, whining, staying close to the door, and behaviors directed to the door) were observed in all 7 episodes. The only statistically significant difference was found for whining when examined dogs were in complete isolation (episode 5). Young dogs whined more. Young adults spent marginally, but not significantly more time in physical contact with their cohabitant dog in some circumstances. These preliminary results suggest that, among female dogs, age slightly modified the attachment system and that this effect may be more pronounced in an unfamiliar environment and in the absence of the owner. Future research may better assess if and how age affects the intraspecific attachment in adult dogs
I segnali calmanti nel cane: da mito a realtà scientifica? [Calming signals in dogs: From myth to scientific reality?]
No full textVisual communication in dogs (especially postures and muzzle expressions) plays an important role in the management of intraspecific interactions. At the end of Eighties Turid Rugaas described the so-called "calming signals", considered as a crucial part of canine communication. The aim of the current research was to assess whether the display of the "calming signals", according to Rugaas, can reduce the intensity of aggression during intraspecific interactions in domestic dogs. Twenty-four dogs met, under standardised and randomized conditions and in couples, 4 different subjects (a dog of the same sex familiar, of the same sex unfamiliar, of the opposite sex familiar and of the opposite sex unfamiliar), off-leash and free to interact for 5 minutes. All the 96 meetings have been videorecorded and then analysed in order to register the number of emissions of 21 "calming signals". Moreover, it has been evaluated whether, after the display of a calming signal by the attacked dog, the intensity of aggression in the other dog would decrease. The statistical analysis was carried out through the χ2 and Wilcoxon tests. All aggressions have been followed by the display of one or more calming signals by the other dog. In 72.6% of cases the level of aggression in the aggressor decreased: such reduction is therefore statistically more likely than the increase or the stability of the aggression intensity. Results of the current research seem to confirm the hypothesis that in dogs visual signals with a calming effects on conspecifics exist, and that they can prevent an escalation of aggression
Analysis of dog behaviour during consultations: a comparison between dogs aggressive and non-aggressive to people
No full textConsultations involving canine aggression are very challenging for behaviourists.
The aim of this study was to analyse the behaviour of dogs during behavioural consultations, in order to assess whether those which were aggressive to people acted differently in this context from those which were not.
Videos of twenty-six behavioural consultations, carried out in a behavioural service, were analysed. The sample included 13 dogs with a history of aggression towards people and 13 dogs with other non-aggression behavioural problems (NAG). Of the aggressive dogs, seven showed aggression toward family members (AGF) and six towards strangers (AGS). For each video, a total of 30 minutes were observed in three focal periods (minutes 0-10, 25-35 and 50-60). The duration of social and non-social behaviours was recorded. Contrasts between groups were analysed using the Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney tests (p<0.05).
Compared with the NAG group, the AGS group dogs displayed significantly longer durations of: attention-seeking from the owner (medians: 0.875 versus 0; minimum-maximum ranges: 0-16.25 versus 0-1; U=9.50; p=0.003), sniffing the owner (2.38 versus 0; 0-9 versus 0-3.5; U=13.00; p=0.011), and proximity to the owner (460.75 versus 131.375; 343-776 versus 38.3-476; U=9.00; p=0.009). AGF dogs showed a statistically higher level of behavioural signs of stress (sum of: licking lips + yawning + shaking + scratching + autogrooming + trembling + whining) compared to NAG (53 versus 19; 8-105 versus 1-120; U=21.00; p=0.052), and a longer duration of autogrooming (14 versus 0; 0-98 versus 0-5; U=20.00; p=0.027). No difference was found between AGF and AGS groups.
From reports and scientific literature, it could be hypothesised that the higher level of social, and affiliative behaviours displayed by AGS dogs to their owners might be due to their seeking for a secure base; they were in the presence of an unfamiliar person (the behaviourist). The stress displayed by AGF dogs was perhaps related to anxiety, originating in inconsistency and conflict within the dog-owner relationship, and the use of punishment by the owners (who were present).
In conclusion, a careful analysis of the behaviour of dogs during a consultation could provide additional valuable support in the diagnostic process
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
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