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    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

    Treatment patterns and associated costs for genital warts in Italy

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    Objective: Genital warts are caused by human papillomavirus (HPV), principally types 6 and 11, and are highly contagious. This study assessed treatment patterns and costs of management of genital warts in Italy. Research design and methods: This was a retrospective, observational study conducted among gynaecologists, dermatologists, and specialists at sexually transmitted disease clinics in Italy. Resource-use data related to genital warts were collected for patients at risk in the age range 14-64 years examined during 2005. Unit costs were assigned to resource use to provide estimates of the direct, indirect and total costs per case of genital warts. Results: Twenty-eight investigators enrolled 341 patients aged 15-64 years, including 194 (56.9%), 81 (23.7%) and 66 (19.4%) patients with newly diagnosed, recurrent and resistant genital warts, respectively. Most patients (333/341; 97.7%) had at least one outpatient visit, while 43 (12.6%) patients were hospitalised, including 39 patients without an overnight stay (day-hospital cases, 11.4%). Self-applied medication was prescribed for 124 (36.4%) patients. Most outpatient cases (267/333; 80.2%) underwent an office-based procedure. Mean annual direct medical costs per patient, which were funded predominantly by the Italian National Health Service (there was some patient co-payment), were E242 for men and E332 for women. When productivity losses were included, mean total annual costs were E325 for men and E464 for women. Conclusions: This is the first study of treatment patterns and costs for genital warts in Italy. Treatment patterns differ in some respects from those observed in other European countries, but costs generally appear similar. Despite the limitations of physician selection bias and over-representation of North Italy in the patient sample, the findings of this study may be useful in estimating the cost-effectiveness of introducing a quadrivalent HPV vaccination programme in Italy. © 2008 Informa UK Ltd. All rights reserved
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