1,721,098 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
Two-stage drying of tomato based on physical parameter kinetics: operative and qualitative optimization
Full text linkThe industrial drying of tomatoes using hot air is a widespread practice. However, air drying has several issues in terms of time, energy consumption and qualitative characteristics of the final product. The study aims to improve drying through the monitoring of the tomato’s physical characteristics. The study was divided into two parts. In the first part, the kinetics of moisture, color, volume, and rehydration ratio during the drying of tomatoes were modeled according to the temperature used (50, 60, 70, and 80 °C). Moisture loss kinetics has an initial zero-order, followed by first-order kinetics once the critical moisture is exceeded. For color, a first constant trend is observed followed by a steadily increasing or decreasing variation according to the color considered (i.e., red, or brown). The use of low temperatures guarantees the least changes of physical characteristics but significantly increases the time (+ 189%). Conversely, high temperatures guarantee faster drying but cause greater tomato browning (+ 200%). During the drying, the volume decreased linearly according to the considered temperature. In the second part of the work, a tentative drying optimization was performed, based on color kinetics. A two-stage process using two temperatures was developed to reduce drying times without affecting the product quality. Also, two control tests were conducted at 50 °C and 70 °C constant temperatures. No significant quality differences were observed between tomatoes dried at 50 °C and those using the two-stage process (p < 0.05). This type of approach did not produce a qualitative deterioration of the final product and at the same time allowed a significant reduction (− 27.6%) in time
QF-PCR and MLPA: a reliable molecular system to detect chromosomal alterations in miscarriages
No full textPurpose of investigation: The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of the quantitative fluorcscent-polymerasc chain reaction (QF-PCR) and multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA) combined system to detect chromosome alterations in miscarriage products, as an alternative to conventional cytogenetic testing. Material and Methods: This study was conducted between 2011 and 2015 on 264 samples, analyzed using the combined system: QF-PCR/MLPA. This approach first analyzed miscarriage products for chromosomes 13, 18, 21, X and Y, using QF-PCR analysis; in case of ovular fragments, an analysis of maternal DNA was carried out in order to establish the origin of material. Whenever fetal origin was determined, MLPA analysis on the subtelomeric regions was car-ried out. Results: On 264 miscarriages analyzed, 229 were of fetal origin and produced the following results: 53.7% normal and 46.3% pathological. Of the latter, 74.4% were autosomal aneuploidies, 10.4% triploidies, 8.5% sex chromosomal aneuploidies, 3.7% structural alterations, and 2.7% multiple aneuploidies. Results from QF-PCR were obtained from all samples, whereas unambiguous MLPA re-sults were obtained in about 90% of all cases. Conclusion: This approach results being highly effective for examining all chromosome aneuploidies, triploidies, as well as structural unbalanced alterations in the subtelomeric regions
Charcoal-based products combustion: Emission profiles, health exposure, and mitigation strategies
Full text linkCharcoal-based products are widely spread and appreciated as fuel for grilling food. However, during their use, they release high emissions that pose significant environmental issues and health risks. Charcoal grilling emissions contain a wide range of pollutants including CO, CO2, NOx, PM, PAHs, VOCs, and trace metals. The emission of these pollutants contributes to both indoor and outdoor air pollution. Factors such as charcoal type and qualitative characteristics, combustion temperature, and the presence of food influence the emission released. Compared to domestic emissions, charcoal grilling restaurants can be a major source of air pollutants affecting both indoor and outdoor air quality. The deterioration of air quality determines health repercussions. This study aimed to review the existing scientific literature on the environmental and health implications of charcoal-based products used in domestic and restaurant settings. The association between charcoal grilling emissions, respiratory illnesses, cardiovascular diseases, and the increased risk of developing carcinogenic conditions was evaluated. Workers in restaurant settings, exposed to cooking fumes for several hours, are particularly vulnerable to these health risks, but even short exposure can lead to health problems. Mitigation strategies involve different approaches, including the use of high-quality charcoal, implementing a certification system to ensure high-quality tested products, using grilling equipment designed to reduce emissions, ensuring proper ventilation, using abatement systems, and promoting responsible and sustainable grilling practices. Implementing these strategies guarantees more eco-friendly and safer grilling conditions while effectively reducing the adverse impacts of charcoal combustion on the environment and human health
Physical parameters kinetics during the drying process of quarters and halves cut tomatoes
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