1,721,069 research outputs found

    Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis

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    The 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

    Assessment of spontaneously occurring periodic limb movements in sleep in the rat

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    Objective: Periodic limb movements in sleep (PLMS) are often associated with the restless legs syndrome (RLS). Although the dopaminergic system seems to be involved, the pathophysiology of PLMS and RLS is still obscure. The objective of this study is to explore whether a PLMS-like phenomenon can be observed in rodents in order to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. Methods: In a group of young and old rats (1.4-1.6 and 16.2- 20.5 months, respectively), sleep-wake behavior was recorded and hindlimb movements were detected by means of a magneto- inductive device during two 12-h light periods. Furthermore, in the old rats, recordings were made after administration of the dopamine antagonist haloperidol (HAL) on three consecutive days. Periodic hindlimb movements (PHLM) during nonrapid eye movement sleep (NREM) were identified according to modified human criteria. Results: In the young animals, no PHLM were observed, whereas, 4 out of 10 old rats showed PHLM, two of them have more than 5 PHLM/h. Haloperidol affects neither the sleep pattern nor the number of PHLM. Interestingly, the percentage of old rats spontaneously displaying PHLM resembles the prevalence of PLMS in the elderly. Conclusions: Our study demonstrates for the First time that periodic hindlimb movements (PHLM) in sleep can occur spontaneously in rats. A clear effect of age on this phenomenon was seen, with only old animals displaying PHLM. To validate whether the observed PHLM constitute a good model for human PLMS or even RLS, their pharmacological properties need to be characterized in a large number of PHLM positive animals. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserve

    Variations on the Author

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    “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

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    We 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

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    We 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

    Author Index

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    Neuroactive steroids: molecular mechanisms of action and implications for neuropsychopharmacology

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    Besides their binding to cognate intracellular receptors gonadal steroids may also act as functional antagonists at the 5-HT3 receptor. A structure-activity relationship for the actions of a variety of steroids at the 5-HT3 receptor was elaborated that differed considerably from that known for GABA(A) receptors. Steroids appear to interact allosterically with ligand-gated ion channels at the receptor membrane interface. The functional antagonism of gonadal steroids at the 5-HT3 receptor may play a role for the development and course of nausea during pregnancy and of psychiatric disorders. Moreover, we could demonstrate that 3alpha-reduced neuroactive steroids concurrently modulate the GABA(A) receptor and regulate gene expression via the progesterone receptor after intracellular oxidation. Animal studies showed that progesterone is converted rapidly into GABAergic neuroactive steroids in vivo. Progesterone reduces locomotor activity in a dose dependent fashion in male Wister rats. Moreover, progesterone and 3alpha,5alpha-tetrahydroprogesterone produce a benzodiazepine-like sleep EEG profile in rats and humans. In addition, there is a dysequilibrium of such 3alpha-reduced neuroactive steroids during major depression which is corrected by successful treatment with antidepressants. Neuroactive steroids may further be involved in the treatment of depression and anxiety with antidepressants in patients during ethanol withdrawal. First studies in patients with panic disorder suggest that neuroactive steroids may also play a pivotal role in human anxiety. The genomic and non-genomic effects of steroids in the brain contribute to the pathophysiology of psychiatric disorders and the mechanisms of action of antidepressants. Neuroactive steroids affect a broad spectrum of behavioral functions through their unique molecular properties and may constitute a yet unexploited class of drugs. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science BY All rights reserved

    koamabayili/VECTRON-author-checklist: VECTRON author checklist

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    We 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

    Allopregnanolone affects sleep in a benzodiazepine-like fashion

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    Recent research in rats and humans has shown that exogenous progesterone evokes a sleep profile similar to that induced by agonistic modulators of gamma-aminobutyric acid(A) receptors, such as benzodiazepines. This finding suggests the involvement of the neuroactive metabolite of progesterone, allopregnanolone. In the vehicle-controlled study reported here, we assessed the sleep effects of two doses of allopregnanolone (7.5 and 15 mg/kg), mixed with oil, administered intraperitoneally at light onset in 8 rats. The electroencephalogram (EEG) and electromyogram were recorded during the first 6 postinjection hr. Compared with vehicle, both doses of allopregnanolone reduced the latency to non-rapid eye movement sleep (non-REMS) and 15 mg/kg allopregnanolone significantly increased the time spent in pre-REMS, an intermediate state between non-REMS and REMS. Furthermore, allopregnanolone dose-dependently influenced EEG activity during non-REMS and REMS. In non-REMS, EEG activity was decreased in the lower frequencies (less than or equal to 7 Hz) and enhanced in the frequencies of greater than or equal to 13 Hz. In REMS, allopregnanolone enhanced high-frequency EEG activity (greater than or equal to 17 Hz). The effects were most pronounced during the first postinjection hours and gradually diminished thereafter. Analysis of the plasma and brain concentrations of allopregnanolone in 45 rats revealed long-lasting increases, which reached maximal levels during the first postinjection hour. The sleep effects of allopregnanolone are very similar to those elicited by larger doses of progesterone, which produce comparable brain levels of allopregnanolone. These data indicate that the steroid allopregnanolone has benzodiazepine-like effects on sleep
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