1,354,440 research outputs found
Association between Bone Lead Concentration and Aggression in Youth from a Sub-Cohort of the Birth to Twenty Cohort
No full textBackground: An association between blood-lead levels and aggression has been demonstrated in children and adolescent youth in South Africa. However, there are limited studies that have assessed aggression as an outcome for cumulative lead exposure using bone lead concentration. This study aims to assess the association between bone lead concentration and aggressive behaviour among a sample of youth in South Africa. Methods: Bone lead in 100 participants (53 males and 47 females) recruited and followed in the Birth to Twenty (BT20) Cohort were measured using 109 Cd-based, K-shell X-ray fluorescence (KXRF). The Buss–Perry Aggression questionnaire was used to measure aggressive behaviour. Linear regression models were fitted to determine the association between aggression score for physical, verbal, anger and hostility and bone lead, adjusting for known confounders. Results: A one-microgram-per-gram increase in bone lead was found to increase the score for all four scales of aggression, but significantly only for anger (β = 0.2 [95% CI 0.04–0.370]). Psychosocial factors such as a history of family violence and exposure to neighbourhood crime were significant predictors for aggression. Conclusions: The study provides a preliminary overview of the relationship between cumulative lead exposure and behavioural problems such as aggression. A larger sample, across exposed communities, may prove more definitive in further investigating the association between these two important public health factors and to maximize generalizability
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
From Timbuktu to here: Timbuktu's manuscript heritage
No full textTimbuktu is a symbol of Africa’s written intellectual heritage long before the arrival of European colonialism. The sheer quantity of its manuscripts bears witness to that indisputable fact. As a metaphor, or symbol, of knowledge, Timbuktu includes both the actual city and settlement of Timbuktu and its surrounding world. From the building of its grand mosque called Djingere-Ber in 1325, it became a centre of knowledge in West Africa alongside the older cities of Jenne and Biru (Walata). And by 1501 it eclipsed both Jenne and Walata to become the centre of Islamic knowledge and the symbol of Islam’s intellectual tradition in West Africa. Timbuktu’s written intellectual tradition is a part of the larger Islamic intellectual heritage. Although much younger than older centres of knowledge such as Iraq, Egypt, Morocco and Andalusia, its contribution to the body of knowledge of the Islamic intellectual tradition is substantial. The manuscripts show that Timbuktu’s scholars were concerned with all the disciplines of the Muslim knowledge tradition such as law, theology, language sciences, Hadith, politics, exegesis, astronomy (and related fields), medicine, music, history, literature, mysticism and philosophy. In short they covered all the so-called ‘argumentative’ or ‘discursive’ (aqli) and ‘historical’ (naqli) disciplines.
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Dr Shahid Mathee is a lecturer in the Department of Religion Studies at the University of Johannesburg. He is also a research fellow on the University of Cape Town ‘Timbuktu Manuscripts Project’
Variations on the Author
No full text“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
No full textWe 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
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
Characterization of algG encoding C5-epimerase in the alginate biosynthetic gene cluster of Pseudomonas fluorescens
No full textThe organization of the alginate gene cluster in Pseudomonas fluorescens was characterized. A bank of genomic DNA from P. fluorescens was mobilized to a strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa with a transposon insertion (algJ::Tn501) in the alginate biosynthetic operon that rendered it non-mucoid. Phenotypic complementation in this heterologous host was observed, and a complementing clone containing 32 kb of P. fluorescens DNA was obtained. Southern hybridization studies showed that genes involved in alginate biosynthesis (e.g. algD, algG, and algA) were approximately in the same order and position as in P. aeruginosa. When the clone was mobilized to a P. aeruginosa algG mutant that produced alginate as polymannuronate due to its C5-epimerase defect, complementation was observed and the alginate from the recombinant strain contained L-guluronate as determined by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. A sequence analysis of the P. fluorescens DNA containing algG revealed sequences similar to P. aeruginosa algG that were also flanked by algE- and algX-like sequences. The predicted AlgG amino acid sequence of P. fluorescens was 67% identical (80% similar) to P. aeruginosa AlgG and 60% identical (76% similar) to Azotobacter vinelandii AlgG. As in P. aeruginosa, AlgG from P. fluorescens appeared to have a signal sequence that would localize it to the periplasm where AlgG presumably acts as a C5-epimerase at the polymer level. Non-polar algG knockout mutants of P. fluorescens were defective in alginate production, suggesting a potential role for this protein in polymer formation
Unterschiede in der Ausbildung von Notärzten in Deutschland
No full textAbstract Background Germany has an interdisciplinary physician-based emergency medical service. Differences in training likely lead to different levels of expertise. Objectives We assessed the number of manual procedures performed at the completion of training to determine level of experience of prehospital emergency physicians of different primary specialties. Materials and methods Immediately after passing the board examination each examinee was asked to estimate the number of performed procedures for 26 manual skills. We compared the results with recommendations and data on learning manual skills. Results are presented as mean (standard deviation). Results Endotracheal intubation via direct laryngoscopy was performed 1032 (739) times by anesthesiologists. Surgeons and internists performed 89 (89) and 77 (65) intubations, respectively. Intubation via video laryngoscopy was performed 79 (81) times by anesthesiologists, 11 (17) times by surgeons and 6 (11) times by internists. Surgeons had little experience in non-invasive ventilation, with 9 (19) performed procedures and had rarely used external pacemaker therapy or electrical cardioversion. In comparison, among all participants non-invasive ventilation was performed 152 (197) times, electrical cardioversion was performed 41 (103) times and an external pacemaker was used 6 (15) times. For other procedures the numbers did not markedly differ between the different specialties. Conclusion The number of performed procedures markedly differed for some skills between different primary specialties. Recommendations regarding a procedural volume were not always met, suggesting missing expertise for some skills. A defined number of procedures should therefore be a formal requirement to be eligible for board certification in prehospital emergency medicine.Zusammenfassung Hintergrund Der Notarztdienst in Deutschland ist interdisziplinär. Es ist wahrscheinlich, dass Unterschiede in der Ausbildung von Notärzten zu Unterschieden in deren Expertise führen. Ziel der Arbeit Wir evaluierten die Anzahl durchgeführter manueller Maßnahmen am Ende der Ausbildung, um Unterschiede in der Erfahrung von Notärzten verschiedener Disziplinen festzustellen. Material und Methode Unmittelbar nach bestandener Prüfung zur Zusatzbezeichnung Notfallmedizin baten wir Teilnehmende, die Anzahl der Durchführungen für 26 verschiedene manuelle Maßnahmen zu schätzen. Wir verglichen die Ergebnisse mit Empfehlungen und Daten zum Erlernen manueller Fähigkeiten. Die Ergebnisse werden als Mittelwert (Standardabweichung) präsentiert. Ergebnisse Die endotracheale Intubation mittels konventioneller Laryngoskopie wurde von Anästhesisten 1032-mal (739) durchgeführt, Chirurgen und Internisten führten 89 (89) bzw. 77 (65) Intubationen durch. Die Intubation mittels Videolaryngoskop wurde von Anästhesisten 79-mal (81) durchgeführt, 11-mal (17) von Chirurgen und 6-mal (11) von Internisten. Chirurgen hatten mit 9 (19) Anwendungen wenig Erfahrung mit nichtinvasiver Beatmung und hatten selten Erfahrung mit der externen Schrittmachertherapie oder der elektrischen Kardioversion sammeln können. Im Vergleich unter allen Teilnehmenden wurde eine nichtinvasive Beatmung 152-mal (197) durchgeführt, die elektrische Kardioversion 41-mal (103) und die externe Schrittmachertherapie 6‑mal (15). Für andere Maßnahmen waren die Unterschiede gering ausgeprägt. Schlussfolgerung Die Anzahl der Anwendungen unterschied sich für einige Maßnahmen deutlich zwischen den verschiedenen Disziplinen. Empfehlungen zu Mindestanzahlen an Anwendungen wurden nicht immer befolgt. Eine definierte Anzahl von Anwendungen sollte zukünftig Bestandteil der Weiterbildungsordnung für die Zusatzbezeichnung Notfallmedizin sein.Abstract Background Germany has an interdisciplinary physician-based emergency medical service. Differences in training likely lead to different levels of expertise. Objectives We assessed the number of manual procedures performed at the completion of training to determine level of experience of prehospital emergency physicians of different primary specialties. Materials and methods Immediately after passing the board examination each examinee was asked to estimate the number of performed procedures for 26 manual skills. We compared the results with recommendations and data on learning manual skills. Results are presented as mean (standard deviation). Results Endotracheal intubation via direct laryngoscopy was performed 1032 (739) times by anesthesiologists. Surgeons and internists performed 89 (89) and 77 (65) intubations, respectively. Intubation via video laryngoscopy was performed 79 (81) times by anesthesiologists, 11 (17) times by surgeons and 6 (11) times by internists. Surgeons had little experience in non-invasive ventilation, with 9 (19) performed procedures and had rarely used external pacemaker therapy or electrical cardioversion. In comparison, among all participants non-invasive ventilation was performed 152 (197) times, electrical cardioversion was performed 41 (103) times and an external pacemaker was used 6 (15) times. For other procedures the numbers did not markedly differ between the different specialties. Conclusion The number of performed procedures markedly differed for some skills between different primary specialties. Recommendations regarding a procedural volume were not always met, suggesting missing expertise for some skills. A defined number of procedures should therefore be a formal requirement to be eligible for board certification in prehospital emergency medicine.Zusammenfassung Hintergrund Der Notarztdienst in Deutschland ist interdisziplinär. Es ist wahrscheinlich, dass Unterschiede in der Ausbildung von Notärzten zu Unterschieden in deren Expertise führen. Ziel der Arbeit Wir evaluierten die Anzahl durchgeführter manueller Maßnahmen am Ende der Ausbildung, um Unterschiede in der Erfahrung von Notärzten verschiedener Disziplinen festzustellen. Material und Methode Unmittelbar nach bestandener Prüfung zur Zusatzbezeichnung Notfallmedizin baten wir Teilnehmende, die Anzahl der Durchführungen für 26 verschiedene manuelle Maßnahmen zu schätzen. Wir verglichen die Ergebnisse mit Empfehlungen und Daten zum Erlernen manueller Fähigkeiten. Die Ergebnisse werden als Mittelwert (Standardabweichung) präsentiert. Ergebnisse Die endotracheale Intubation mittels konventioneller Laryngoskopie wurde von Anästhesisten 1032-mal (739) durchgeführt, Chirurgen und Internisten führten 89 (89) bzw. 77 (65) Intubationen durch. Die Intubation mittels Videolaryngoskop wurde von Anästhesisten 79-mal (81) durchgeführt, 11-mal (17) von Chirurgen und 6-mal (11) von Internisten. Chirurgen hatten mit 9 (19) Anwendungen wenig Erfahrung mit nichtinvasiver Beatmung und hatten selten Erfahrung mit der externen Schrittmachertherapie oder der elektrischen Kardioversion sammeln können. Im Vergleich unter allen Teilnehmenden wurde eine nichtinvasive Beatmung 152-mal (197) durchgeführt, die elektrische Kardioversion 41-mal (103) und die externe Schrittmachertherapie 6‑mal (15). Für andere Maßnahmen waren die Unterschiede gering ausgeprägt. Schlussfolgerung Die Anzahl der Anwendungen unterschied sich für einige Maßnahmen deutlich zwischen den verschiedenen Disziplinen. Empfehlungen zu Mindestanzahlen an Anwendungen wurden nicht immer befolgt. Eine definierte Anzahl von Anwendungen sollte zukünftig Bestandteil der Weiterbildungsordnung für die Zusatzbezeichnung Notfallmedizin sein
Author, publisher and bookseller : a tripartite synergy in Nigerian book industry
No full textThis work is about the roles of Author, Publisher and Bookseller in Book development in
Nigeria. The paper started by delving into the history of Book Publishing in Nigeria after
which it proceeded by defining who an author, a publisher, and a bookseller is and
expatiated on the indispensable roles of these key actors in Nigerian Book Industry and in
the emerging Information Society. Furthermore, the various constraints to book
development were identified while the paper advised on how the Book Industry can be
further promoted in Nigeria. However, the paper concluded and made recommendations
on how the Book sector can help in enhancing scholarship in the country
The Thursday Murder Club: Launching a megabrand author - a publishing case study
No full textIn 2020, the Christmas book charts in the UK made headlines: Barack Obama’s eagerly awaited autobiography, The Promised Land, was beaten to the top spot by The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, a debut cosy crime novel set in a retirement village. Not only did Osman’s book beat the former US president’s expected bestseller, it also broke records, becoming the fastest-selling debut crime novel of all time. Although Osman has a certain level of fame in the UK from his TV appearances on shows such as Pointless, his celebrity status does not entirely explain the novel’s huge sales. This article tracks the acquisition, publication, and promotion journey of The Thursday Murder Club in order to understand the industry and cultural context of its success and to interrogate the role of celebrity in the creation of author brands. The findings suggest that the unexpected scale of the success of the book owed to a number of factors, including in-depth editing by the novel’s agent, editor, and author to tighten up the plot, an extensive and strategic promotional campaign, the pandemic (which drove interest in the book’s genre and themes), and the quality of the writing. We find that the book’s success was accentuated by Osman’s celebrity status rather than being entirely reliant on it. This research adds to the growing scholarship on celebrity authorship by means of an in-depth case study and provides insight into the processes behind publishing a ‘celebrity’ book and launching a megabrand author
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