1,721,130 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
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
Treatment and diagnosis of Loa loa and Schistosoma haematobium infections in Gabon
No full textControl of helminth infections, including schistosomiasis and loiasis, remains a challenge in many sub-Sahara African (SSA) countries. Schistosomiasis and malaria co-infect the same patients in many endemic rural areas, and antimalarial drugs used to treat uncomplicated malaria has been shown to have some activity against Schistosoma haematobium. For loiasis, the control of Loa loa infection is currently limited by the few drugs with not well characterized efficacy and the risk of serious adverse effects in patients with high microfilarial loads. Current adapted and safe treatment regimens to reduce microfilaraemia in endemic areas have not been established in endemic areas. In addition, the choice of treatment regimen for treatment against Loa loa depends on the level of microfilaraemia.
The aim of this work was therefore to evaluate the effect of antimalarial drugs administered for uncomplicated malaria in adults and children on concomitant urogenital schistosomiasis, to evaluate the effectiveness of different therapeutic regimens to reduce Loa loa microfilaraemia and, for the first time, to evaluate different diagnostic methods for the detection and quantification of L. loa microfilaraemia and then to summarize our understanding on loiasis disease.
Two therapeutics clinical trials, two cross-sectional studies (diagnostic studies) have been conducted in Gabon and a review of literature on loiasis was performed at the end. 38 malaria participants with concomitant urogenital schistosomiasis were treated with antimalarial drug combinations (artesunate-pyronaridine and artemether-lumefantrine) and were followed for 6 weeks for detection of Schistosoma eggs excretion. 39 participants with L. loa microfilaraemia were treated with albendazole based regimen or placebo and then followed for 6 months. Antimalarial treatments with artesunate-pyronaridine and artemether-lumefantrine were able to reduce S. haematobium eggs excretion by 65%. The 5-week regimen of albendazole or a 3-week regimen of albendazole followed by ivermectin were most efficacious to reduce microfilaraemia at 90% following administration of drug. For diagnostic studies, either a thick smear of 10 microliters of capillary and venous blood was prepared, or each participant`s capillary thick smears were stained in parallel with Field`s stain as a rapid staining technique and conventional Giemsa stain. Qualitative and quantitative comparison of microfilaraemia was made in sample stained with field`s stain and Giemsa staining. 713 and 175 participants respectively were included in the respective studies. The average levels of microfilaraemia of L. loa was significantly higher in capillary blood samples than in venous blood samples. Field’s stain shows excellent diagnostic performance characteristics for L. loa microfilariae compared with Giemsa staining.
ACTs use for the traitment of uncomplicated malaria shown a collateral benefit on schistosoma haematobium egg reduction, and can be use as complementary tool for schistosomiasis control. Albendazole based treatment regimens may be used in control programs for loiasis. The higher levels of L. loa microfilaraemia detected in capillary blood compared to venous blood may have an implication for treatment algorithms of loiasis, for which accurate quantification of L. loa microfilaraemia is important. Field's stain offers a rapid alternative to Giemsa stain for detection of L. loa microfilariae in thick blood smears. Loiasis is a complex infectious disease which causes important morbidity and reduce life expentancy. Clinical features of loiasis are variable; inadequate diagnostic tools and unsatisfactory treatment options complicate clinical management. Importantly, we still have no tool to control and eventually eliminate loiasis from high transmission regions safely
Evaluation von Wissen, Einstellung und Praktiken in Bezug auf Loiasis in der ländlichen Gemeinde Sindara im zentralafrikanischen Gabun
No full textLoiasis is a filarial disease highly prevalent in parts of Western- and Central Africa. For a long time, the disease has been considered to be a relatively benign condition, but recent studies have shown that loiasis causes significant morbidity and excess mortality. In the present study, we investigated the perception of loiasis in a highly affected community in rural Gabon to better understand the community perspective on this infectious disease.
While L. loa as a disease is known to most inhabitants, the mode of transmission and prevention modalities are only poorly understood. This lack of knowledge leaves the communities with inadequate means to prevent onward transmission of this filarial disease. The contribution from media, schools and healthcare institutions in providing information about loiasis is inadequate, and the available healthcare system is insufficient to provide the necessary care for loiasis. A better understanding of loiasis by the affected communities is desirable to empower inhabitants of high-transmission regions to better protect themselves from loiasis. Improved understanding of the disease by the healthcare sector is necessary to improve the management of loiasis
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
koamabayili/VECTRON-author-checklist: VECTRON author checklist
No full textWe have done our best to complete the author checklist relating to the use of animals in the hut study. Note that the objective for the hut study was to evaluate the IRS treatment applications for residual efficacy against Anopheles mosquitoes, including the local An. coluzzii mosquito population. Cows were only used to attract mosquitoes into the huts and no tests were carried out directly on the cows. The author checklist is intended for use with studies where experiments are carried out on animals, which is why we have had such difficulty in completing this for the hut study, as many of the questions do not relate to how the cows were used
Author-wise bibliometric analysis based on entropy.
No full textAuthor-wise bibliometric analysis based on entropy.</p
- …
