1,721,075 research outputs found
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
Evaluating quality of life in people with down syndrome: A literature review
Full text linkThere are several suggestions that assessing quality of life (QoL) in people with Down syndrome (DS) could be desirable for clinical, scientific, economic reasons and beyond. The aim of the present work was to make a systematic literature review investigating useful instruments for the assessment of QoL in people with DS and the main results obtained through their application in comparisons with the ones of normal population; moreover, we asked whether it was possible to obtain the outcome measures directly by patients with DS and their reliability in comparison with the caregiver’s ones. Our search led to seven articles, assessing QoL in different ways (most of them using scales not yet validated in people with DS), sometimes with contrasting qualitative and quantitative results. One only study used patient’s direct point of view, showing good reliability. These findings could be the starting point to build a customized method for assessing QoL in people that could become a reliable tool for clinical practice, not only in experimental protocols
The effects of physical activity on balance and postural control in people with down syndrome
Full text linkPeople with Down Syndrome (DS) often have impaired balance and postural control and result as less active than their peers, that can lead to reduced quality of life and movement skills. Effects of physical activity may be important in preventing falling risk and health consequences in people with DS. In this context, we conducted a literature search of original articles, published between January 2010 and January 2020, on the effects of physical activity on balance and postural control in people with DS. We found 16 articles from almost all continents, investigating the effects of different types of physical activity on static and dynamic balance and postural control. The included studies reported improvements in both static and dynamic balance with exercise programmes lasting at least 6 weeks and containing strength, aerobic and sensorimotor training. However, the most suitable type of physical activity for people with DS is not clear. In conclusion, physical activity is highly recommendable in people with DS, to improve their balance and prevent falling risk
Review on the effects of physical activity on body composition and shape in people with Down Syndrome
No full textPeople with Down Syndrome (DS) are often characterized by overweight or obesity and result to be less active
than their peers. Both overweight/obesity and physical inactivity are considered important risk factors for health,
thus augmenting mortality risk. World Health Organization recommends different training programmes for
health benefits in different age ranges of general population. Effects of physical activity may be even more
important in preventing health consequences in people with DS. In this context, we conducted a literature search
of original articles, published between May 2010 and May 2020, on the effects of physical activity on body
shape, body composition and bone quality in people with DS. We found twelve articles from all the continents,
investigating the effects of different types of physical activity on body fat and lean masses, bone composition
and anthropometry. In sum, the included studies reported improvements in body composition (with augmented
lean mass and reduced fat mass), body size (with lower weight, waist circumference and BMI) and bone quality
(in terms of bone mineral content and/or bone mineral density). In particular, body composition improves after
conditioning and plyometric jumps training program, 2-wheel bicycle training, whole body vibration and
swimming. Body shape is significantly improved by bicycle training, interval training and swimming. Finally,
bone quality shows positive results after conditioning and plyometric jumps training program, whole body
vibration and weight bearing exercise. Although different types of physical activity are investigated in people
with DS, however the best training programme for this population is not clear. So future studies may focus on
the comparison or combination of different types of physical activity to assess which one could maximize
benefits
Evaluating growth curves in physically active or not people with Down Syndrome: a literature review
Full text linkGrowth curves are useful for clinicians in order to monitor children health and growth. They become even more important in disease involving growth disturbances, such as for individuals with Down Syndrome (DS). Their role in DS people practicing physical activity or sport is fundamental for monitoring health benefits and their evolution during time. Several countries developed their own curves, by using different control population, different inclusion/exclusion criteria, different numbers and analysis, thus achieving quite different results. In this context, we conducted a literature search of original articles on growth curves published between 2010 and 2019. We found 11 articles from almost all continents, investigating height, weight, head circumference and BMI in people with DS. For each work we analysed nation, number of participants and observations, considered age range, type of study, considered population, outcomes, control and main results. In the complex, the included studies reported for general DS population shorter heights and head circumferences and higher BMI and weight/height ratio in both male and female with DS when compared to their peers. Although it is known that most of these differences in reference to general population may be due to lower physical activity, none of the
selected studies dealt with this aspect. Indeed, no study focused on physically active people with DS, that could result having different growth pattern than inactive or general population with DS. In conclusion, further investigation is needed in order to achieve the complete, updated, methodologically strong, nation and subgroupspecific growth curves, so that they could become a reliable tool for clinical practice
THE EFFECTS OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ON BALANCE AND POSTURAL CONTROL IN PEOPLE WITH DOWN SYNDROME
Full text linkPeople with Down Syndrome (DS) often have impaired balance and postural control and result as less active than their peers, that can lead to reduced quality of life and movement skills. Effects of physical activity may be important in preventing falling risk and health consequences in people with DS. In this context, we conducted a literature search of original articles, published between January 2010 and January 2020, on the
effects of physical activity on balance and postural control in people with DS. We found 16 articles from almost all continents, investigating the effects of different types of physical activity on static and dynamic balance and postural control. The included studies reported improvements in both static and dynamic balance with exercise programmes lasting at least 6 weeks and containing strength, aerobic and sensorimotor
training. However, the most suitable type of physical activity for people with DS is not clear. In conclusion, physical activity is highly recommendable in people with DS, to improve their balance and prevent falling risk
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
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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