133,133 research outputs found
MeSH term explosion and author rank improve expert recommendations
No full textInformation overload is an often-cited phenomenon that reduces the productivity, efficiency and efficacy of scientists. One challenge for scientists is to find appropriate collaborators in their research. The literature describes various solutions to the problem of expertise location, but most current approaches do not appear to be very suitable for expert recommendations in biomedical research. In this study, we present the development and initial evaluation of a vector space model-based algorithm to calculate researcher similarity using four inputs: 1) MeSH terms of publications; 2) MeSH terms and author rank; 3) exploded MeSH terms; and 4) exploded MeSH terms and author rank. We developed and evaluated the algorithm using a data set of 17,525 authors and their 22,542 papers. On average, our algorithms correctly predicted 2.5 of the top 5/10 coauthors of individual scientists. Exploded MeSH and author rank outperformed all other algorithms in accuracy, followed closely by MeSH and author rank. Our results show that the accuracy of MeSH term-based matching can be enhanced with other metadata such as author rank
Stereovision and augmented reality for closed loop control of grasping in hand prostheses
No full textObjective. Technologically advanced assistive devices are nowadays available to restore grasping, but effective and effortless control integrating both feed-forward (commands) and feedback (sensory information) is still missing. The goal of this work was to develop a user friendly interface for the semi-automatic and closed-loop control of grasping and to test its feasibility. Approach. We developed a controller based on stereovision to automatically select grasp type and size and augmented reality (AR) to provide artificial proprioceptive feedback. The system was experimentally tested in healthy subjects using a dexterous hand prosthesis to grasp a set of daily objects. The subjects wore AR glasses with an integrated stereo-camera pair, and triggered the system via a simple myoelectric interface. Main results. The results demonstrated that the subjects got easily acquainted with the semi-autonomous control. The stereovision grasp decoder successfully estimated the grasp type and size in realistic, cluttered environments. When allowed (forced) to correct the automatic system decisions, the subjects successfully utilized the AR feedback and achieved close to ideal system performance. Significance. The new method implements a high level, low effort control of complex functions in addition to the low level closed-loop control. The latter is achieved by providing rich visual feedback, which is integrated into the real life environment. The proposed system is an effective interface applicable with small alterations for many advanced prosthetic and orthotic/therapeutic rehabilitation devices
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
No full textThe 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
Graphene quantum dots with covalently bonded gold nanoparticles winning the battle against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus under blue light
No full textOver the last decades, bacterial resistance has become one of the emerging health threats. Particularly dangerous are bacterial strains resistant to various antibacterial drugs. Herein, we modified graphene quantum dots (GQDs) to produce efficient photo-induced antibacterial agents. GQDs were modified with (a) ethylene-diamine (EDA), (b) with EDA and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs), and (c) 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (TA) using carbodiimide coupling. Photo-induced antibacterial activity of modified GQDs was tested against 8 bacterial strains. Treatment with modified GQDs and blue light (wavelength of 470 nm) resulted in remarkable antibacterial activity with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 7.81 mu g mL(-1) for K. pneumoniae and S. aureus and 3.9 mu g mL(-1) against MRSA and E. faecalis. Planar organization of GQDs functionalized with AuNPs allowed direct access of molecular oxygen to AuNPs leading to more efficient O-1(2) production as well as the O-1(2) production from excited GQDs. Thus, GQDs functionalized with AuNPs showed outstanding efficiency in the battle against several bacterial strains, particularly those that lead to nosocomial infections
"Closing the R&D Gap, Evaluating the Sources of R&D Spending"
No full textBoth spending and tax policies have been implemented in the United States with the goal of stimulating private sector research and development (R&D). Karier questions whether current R&D policy, especially the research and experimentation tax credit, can contribute to closing the gap between nondefense expenditures on R&D in the United States and such expenditures in other countries, such as Japan and Germany. He also explores possible changes to our current R&D policy to make it more effective.
Neuropsychological constraints to human data production on a global scale
No full textWhich are the factors underlying human information production on a global level? In order to gain an insight into this question we study a corpus of 252–633 mil. publicly available data files on the Internet corresponding to an overall storage volume of 284–675 Terabytes. Analyzing the file size distribution for several distinct data types we find indications that the neuropsychological capacity of the human brain to process and record information may constitute the dominant limiting factor for the overall growth of globally stored information, with real-world economic constraints having only a negligible influence. This supposition draws support from the observation that the files size distributions follow a power law for data without a time component, like images, and a log-normal distribution for multimedia files, for which time is a defining qualia.
Author summary: The generation of new information is limited by two key factors, by the incurring economic costs and by the capacity of the human brain to process and store data and information; the controlling agent needs to retain an overall understanding even when data is generated by semiautomatic processes. These processes are reflected in the statistical properties of the data files publicly available on the Internet. Collecting a corpus of 252–633 mil. files we find that the statistics of the file size distribution are consistent with the supposition that data production on a global level is shaped and limited by the neuropsychological information processing capacity of the brain, with economic and hardware constraints having a negligible influence
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
No full textWe 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
Scholarly Communication and Publishing Lunch and Learn Talk #11: The ULS Open Access Author Fee Fund
No full textAt the May 2014 talk, you will learn about the ULS Open Access Author Fee Fund--what it is, why we do it, how it works, and how the program is going so far
Convulsive properties of D,L homocysteine and D,L homocysteine thiolactone in adult rats
No full textIntroduction: Hyperhomocysteinemia is related to epileptogenesis and suboptimal control of seizures in the patients with epilepsy. Available data suggest that homocysteine can be harmful to human cells because of its metabolic conversion to homocysteine thiolactone, a reactive thioester. The aim of the study was to investigate the convulsive properties of equimolar concentrations of D,L homocysteine and D,L homocysteine thiolactone in adult rats. Methods: Adult male Wistar rats were divided into following groups: 1. saline-treated (C, n=10), 2. D, L homocysteine 8 mM/kg, i.p. (H; n=8), and 3. D,L homocysteine-thiolactone (Ht; n=8). Seizure behavior was assessed by the incidence, latency, number and intensity of seizure episodes. Seizure severity was described by a descriptive scale with grades 0-4.Results: There were no behavioural signs of seizure activity in C group. The incidence of convulsions was lower in group H comparing to the Ht group but statistical significance was not attained. Latency to the first seizure onset was significantly higher in H comparing to the Ht group (p<0.01). Median number of seizure episodes and severity of seizure episodes per rat were significantly lower in H comparing to Ht group.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that D,L homocysteine thiolactone exerts stronger convulsive effect comparing to the equimolar concentration of D,L homocysteine
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