1,721,130 research outputs found
Vitamin D and Ischaemic Heart Disease: A Casual or A Causal Association?: Commentary on: “Raslan E et al. Association of Vitamin D Deficiency with Chronic Stable Angina: A Case–Control Study”
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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
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
Colonic total and segmental transit times in healthy Italian adults
No full textPurpose. This study was done to determine colonic transit times in healthy Italian adults.
Materials and methods. Institutional review board
approval and informed patient consent were obtained.
Colonic segmental radiopaque markers were counted and
transit times calculated in 36 healthy subjects studied using
a technique involving daily radiopaque marker ingestion
and single radiological visit, with oral administration of
8–10 ml of a thick barium paste as a colonic trace for the
marker count. Two independent radiologists counted the
marker twice. Observer agreement was assessed using
comparison analysis.
Results. There was very good observer agreement for the
segmental marker counts. The upper limit for colonic
transit times was: 45.6 h in the colon as a whole, 31.2 h in
the right colon, 19.2 h in the left colon and 16.8 h in the
rectosigmoid. Colonic transit times were not genderrelated.
Conclusions. In healthy subjects, a barium trace affords
optimal visibility of the different colonic segments,
enabling accurate location of all markers and thus
providing an anatomy-related, repeatable and reproducible
fluoroscopic segmental marker count. We suggest that the
reference values for normal colonic transit times could be
adopted for Italian people irrespective of gender
Determinants of smoking status in a sample of outpatients afferent to a tertiary referral hospital
No full textThe identification of determinants of attempts to quit smoking and quitting smoking
success is crucial for effective smoking prevention and/or cessation programs. Thus, here we
have conducted a survey to determine the sociodemographic characteristics of tobacco use and
the potential determinants of quitting smoking among a population of 140 subjects—101 smokers
and 39 ex-smokers—referred to our clinic for respiratory diseases. Subject characteristics included
demographic data, employment and education status, respiratory disease family history, smoking
habits, life habits, diet, alcohol intake, and physical activity. In comparison with former smokers,
active smokers were younger, lived with at least one smoking family member, and were more
frequently exposed to passive smoke. They also displayed a higher coffee consumption, a higher
frequency of in-between-meal snacks, and a lower chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
prevalence. In comparison with subjects who had never attempted to quit smoking, individuals who
had attempted to quit smoking were younger, had a lower pack-year median, consumed a higher
amount of coffee and alcohol, and conducted regular physical activity. Determinants of successful
smoking cessation were older age, lower passive smoking exposure and daily coffee intake, and
COPD diagnosis. Overall, our findings underscore the importance of health education in fostering
successful smoking cessation in respiratory disease patients
Impact of metabolic syndrome on mean platelet volume and its relationship with coronary artery disease
No full textPlatelets represent one of the main actors involved in pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD). Mean platelet volume (MPV) has been proposed as marker of platelet reactivity and thrombotic risk. However, still debated is whether higher MPV constitutes an independent determinant of CAD or just the consequence of an association with several cardiovascular risk factors. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the impact of metabolic syndrome (MetS), on MPV and its relationship with angiographically defined CAD. Consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography were included. Admission samples were collected for MPV and chemistry assessment. MetS was defined according to IDF-criteria. Significant CAD was defined as at least 1 vessel stenosis > 50%, while severe CAD as left main and/or 3-vessel disease, as evaluated by quantitative coronary angiography. We included 4730 patients, among them 2167 (45.8%) had MetS. Patients with MetS were older (p < 0.001), more often females (p < 0.001), and displayed higher BMI, higher prevalence of hypercholesterolemia, renal failure, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, history of myocardial infarction (MI), previous PCI (p < 0.001, respectively), previous CABG (p = 0.002),treatment with ACE inhibitors, ARB, beta-blockers, nitrates, statins, ASA, calcium channel blockers, diuretics (p < 0.001, respectively), higher values of glycemia, HbA1c, fibrinogen (p < 0.001, respectively), creatinine (p = 0.01), uric acid (p = 0.02), and lower values of hemoglobin (p = 0.001),total-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and HDL-cholesterol (p < 0.001, respectively). MetS patients showed a higher prevalence of CAD (p = 0.002) and severe CAD (p = 0.01). MPV values were slightly higher in patients with MetS (10.91 ± 1.01 vs. 10.84 ± 1.03 fL, p = 0.02), although MetS did not emerge as an independent predictor of higher MPV values (above 4th quartile; adjusted OR OR[95%CI] = 1.01[0.84-1.22], p = 0.93). When metabolic syndrome patients were analyzed according to MPV quartiles, higher MPV values did not result as an independent predictor of CAD (adjusted OR[95%CI] = 0.79[0.61-1.03], p = 0.08) and severe CAD (adjusted OR[95%CI] = 0.82 [0.65-1.03], p = 0.084). Results did not change when applying the new harmonized definition of MetS. This study shows that among patients undergoing coronary angiography MetS is not an independent predictor of higher MPV. Moreover, among MetS patients, larger-sized platelets are not associated to the prevalence and extent of CAD
Il contributo della Geomorfologia nel rilevamento del Quaternario: l'esempio CARG nel Trentino
No full textThe contribution of geomorphology to the mapping of Quaternary deposits: the CARG example in the Trento region - II
Quaternario Italian Journal of Quaternary Sciences, 9(1), 1996, 239-248 - The conceptual and methodological differences between
geological and geomorphological investigations are outlined, as well as the role and possible contributions of geomorphology to the
survey of Quaternary deposits. This paper reports on the approach taken while applying geomorphological techniques to the geological
mapping of Quaternary deposits in the Province of Trento (N Italy), which were performed for the 1:50,000 scale Geological Map of
Italy (CARG project). The procedure of successive approximations, simplifications, detailed studies and improved definitions, which
was adopted to pass from a "traditional" Quaternary legend consisting of simplified geomorphologicalfeatures to the specific legend proposed
for the CARG project, is illustrated. The Trento surveys are further discussed through the use of a mapping example. The role
played by the Trento Geological Survey in proposing and applying the above-mentioned method is underlined, particularly in regards
to the coordination of 1:50,000 scale mapping of alpine Quaternary formations and in the digitising of mappable elements. Finally, some
examples of the role of geomorphologicalinvestigations in identifying and characterising Quaternary deposits are presented
Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts
Full text linkWe 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
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