1,721,080 research outputs found
Challenges in promoter methylation analysis in the new era of translational oncology: a focus on liquid biopsy
No full textToward the discovery of novel reliable biomarkers, epigenetic alterations have been repeatedly proposed for the diagnosis and the development of therapeutic strategies against cancer. Indeed, for promoter methylation to actively become a tumor marker for clinical use, it must be combined with a highly informative technology evaluated in an appropriate biospecimen. Methodological standardization related to epigenetic research is, in fact, one of the most challenging tasks. Moreover, tissue-based biopsy is being complemented and, in some cases, replaced by liquid biopsy. This review will highlight the advancements made for both pre-analytical and analytical implementation for the prospective use of methylation biomarkers in clinical settings, with particular emphasis on liquid biopsy
NK2 homeobox gene cluster: Functions and roles in human diseases
Full text linkNK2 genes (NKX2 gene cluster in humans) encode for homeodomain-containing transcription factors that are conserved along the phylogeny. According to the most detailed classifications, vertebrate NKX2 genes are classified into two distinct families, NK2.1 and NK2.2. The former is constituted by NKX2-1 and NKX2-4 genes, which are homologous to the Drosophila scro gene; the latter includes NKX2-2 and NKX2-8 genes, which are homologous to the Drosophila vnd gene. Conservation of these genes is not only related to molecular structure and expression, but also to biological functions. In Drosophila and vertebrates, NK2 genes share roles in the development of ventral regions of the central nervous system. In vertebrates, NKX2 genes have a relevant role in the development of several other organs such as the thyroid, lung, and pancreas. Loss-of-function mutations in NKX2-1 and NKX2-2 are the monogenic cause of the brain-lung-thyroid syndrome and neonatal diabetes, respectively. Alterations in NKX2-4 and NKX2-8 genes may play a role in multifactorial diseases, autism spectrum disorder, and neural tube defects, respectively. NKX2-1, NKX2-2, and NKX2-8 are expressed in various cancer types as either oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. Several data indicate that evaluation of their expression in tumors has diagnostic and/or prognostic value
SDG reporting in healthcare
No full textHealthcare is relevant to the Social Development Goals (SDG), as SDG 3 reports the objective of “ensuring healthy lives and promoting wellbeing for all at all ages.” This chapter will expound upon the importance of SDG reporting within the healthcare sector, establishing the correlation between SDG 3 and the other SDGs, exploring the potential goals and advantages of SDG reporting, tackling the obstacles that impede the adoption of appropriate SDG reporting standards, and proposing possible strategies to enhance SDG reporting in this critical sector. The collection of good-quality data and the dissemination of the results is crucial. These may include information at both the macro and micro levels. Engaging in knowledge sharing is an indispensable method for contributing to the dialogue and amplifying the perspectives of relevant stakeholders like policymakers, users/patients, communities, staff, and professionals regarding crucial issues. A multitude of sources should be used to collect such data and create the appropriate indicators. By monitoring key and context-specific SDG indicators, healthcare providers can gain a deeper understanding of how their efforts contribute to realizing these objectives, as well as who these providers are and their function within the healthcare landscape
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
Matching Economia Aziendale and Corporate Social Responsibility: roots and frontiers
No full textPurpose of paper. The aim of the paper is to provide an analytical overview of the academic output of eminent Italian
scholars in the period in question on the subject of Corporate Social Responsibility with a view to obtaining useful insights into more recent CSR theory. - Methodology/Approach. This paper analyses the works published by five of the most eminent Economia Aziendale scholars in the period from the end of the Second World War to the 1970s in order to identify shared characteristics in their ideas concerning the social responsibility of businesses. The approach adopted is horizontal (cross-sectional analysis of the theme, namely the development over a twenty-year period of the concept of CSR) and synchronic: it involves examining history in the light of contemporary thinking in order to understand more clearly the developments that have brought us to the present. - Findings. The first conclusions to emerge are that the ideas contained in these writings are not only strikingly innovative for their time but also relevant to CSR as defined in international literature today. Indeed, the analysis carried out so far suggests that the teachings of the Italian Economia Aziendale scholars can offer a potentially valuable contribution to the international debate on CSR. - Originality. The originality of this paper derives from the fact that the theme of Corporate Social Responsibility has rarely been examined from a historical point of view and that the development of the theme in Italy has rarely
been examined through analysis of the ideas of the leading Italian Economia Aziendale Scholars
Materiality in integrated and sustainability reporting: A paradigm shift?
No full textThis paper investigates the implementation of integrated reporting (IR) by Generali, one of the most important listed companies in Italy. The research questions we aim at answering are the following: Is the IR approach to materiality inherently different from the sustainability reporting (SR) approach? Does IR lead to the identification of different material topics than does SR? On the one hand, institutional theory suggests that IR and SR material topics are going to be significantly different because IR is mainly driven by a market logic, whereas SR is inspired by a stakeholder logic. On the other hand, organizational change theory predicts there will be some resistance to change by the organization, therefore leading to IR and SR topics being similar. In order to answer our research questions, we implement two empirical analyses. First, we propose and develop an innovative methodological approach on the basis of content analysis, which allows measuring the materiality of different issues under the IR approach. Second, we rely on evidence obtained through interviews, which suggests that IR and SR approaches to materiality are inherently different
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
Infinite-Dilution Activity Coefficients of Polar and Non-polar Solvents in Solutions of Hyperbranched Polymers
No full textInfinite-dilution activity coefficients are measured for several polar and nonpolar solvents in hyperbranched polymers using inverse gas chromatography in the temperature range 40−160 °C. Two kinds of polymers are studied: comb polymers and dendritic polymers. The combs are poly(styrene-co-maleic anhydride) with alkyl side chains of different lengths (C12, C22). The solvents are: acetone, toluene, tetrahydrofuran (THF), and chloroform. Solvent solubility in the combs depends on the ratio between the polar backbone and the nonpolar side chain of the polymer. The dendrimers are amine-terminated poly(propylenimine) of generation 2 to 5. The solvents are: methanol, ethanol, ethyl acetate, toluene, and THF. Solvent activity coefficients change with respect to the dendrimer generation number, reaching a minimum at generation 4. Because the dendrimers are basic, the solvent quality is higher for slightly acidic solvents, such as methanol and ethanol. Flory's interaction parameters are calculated for the solvent/dendrimer systems
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