1,721,190 research outputs found

    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

    Variations on the Author

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    “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

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    We 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

    CLINICAL ROLE OF GASLESS LAPAROSCOPIC ADRENALECTOMY

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    BACKGROUND: Several studies have demonstrated that the pneumoperitoneum (PNP) may have several hemodynamic, metabolic, neurologic, and humoral effects; in a limited number of patients, these effects represent a contraindication to the use of the PNP in the presence of glaucoma, cardiovascular insufficiency, advanced chronic obstructive bronchitis, and neurologic disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Between May 2002 and July 2008, we performed 9 laparoscopic gasless adrenalectomies in 8 patients (5 male and 3 female): 4 left, 3 right, and 1 bilateral, treated in 2 different operations. Mean age was 54.8 years (range: 34 to 76 y). Preoperative diagnosis was Cushing in 5 cases, pheochromocytoma in 1 case, incidentaloma in 1 case, and Conn in 2 cases. Postoperative histologic findings were cortical adenoma in 6 cases, pheochromocytoma in 1 case, and cortical hyperplasia in 2 cases. Contraindication to PNP were vascular endocranicanic malformation, acute glaucoma, history of vascular cerebral accident and hypertensive retinopathy, and recent neurosurgical intervention. We performed laparoscopic adrenalectomy in lateral flank position, using the LaparoTenser, an abdominal wall retractor, with 2 curved needles (Aghi Pluriplan) placed in the subcutaneous tissue of the anterolateral abdominal wall that allows low-pressure PNP offering a better view without negative effects of intra-abdominal pressure. RESULTS: The mean operative time was 73 minutes (range: 45 to 120 min): left average 71.2 minutes, right average 75.0 minutes. The mean postoperative hospital stay was 3.38 days (range: 3 to 5 d). There was no conversion to open surgery. There were no intraoperative or postoperative complications. All patients are alive and there were no recurrences. CONCLUSIONS: The gasless technique is a valid alternative to PNP when patients present a contraindication to the PNP, as it makes it possible to avoid the risks of intra-abdominal pressure and to conserve the advantages of a mini-invasive access

    Timing of nasogastric tube insertion and the risk of postoperative pneumonia: an international, prospective cohort study

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    Aim Aspiration is a common cause of pneumonia in patients with postoperative ileus. Insertion of a nasogastric tube (NGT) is often performed, but this can be distressing. The aim of this study was to determine whether the timing of NGT insertion after surgery (before versus after vomiting) was associated with reduced rates of pneumonia in patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery. Method This was a preplanned secondary analysis of a multicentre, prospective cohort study. Patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery between January 2018 and April 2018 were eligible. Those receiving a NGT were divided into three groups, based on the timing of the insertion: routine NGT (inserted at the time of surgery), prophylactic NGT (inserted after surgery but before vomiting) and reactive NGT (inserted after surgery and after vomiting). The primary outcome was the development of pneumonia within 30 days of surgery, which was compared between the prophylactic and reactive NGT groups using multivariable regression analysis. Results A total of 4715 patients were included in the analysis and 1536 (32.6%) received a NGT. These were classified as routine in 926 (60.3%), reactive in 461 (30.0%) and prophylactic in 149 (9.7%). Two hundred patients (4.2%) developed pneumonia (no NGT 2.7%; routine NGT 5.2%; reactive NGT 10.6%; prophylactic NGT 11.4%). After adjustment for confounding factors, no significant difference in pneumonia rates was detected between the prophylactic and reactive NGT groups (odds ratio 1.03, 95% CI 0.56-1.87,P = 0.932). Conclusion In patients who required the insertion of a NGT after surgery, prophylactic insertion was not associated with fewer cases of pneumonia within 30 days of surgery compared with reactive insertion
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