1,720,994 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

    Protein-sparing peripheral parenteral nutrition in urologic surgery

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    The use of parenteral nutrition in patients operated on for cystectomy is a basic post-operative therapeutic aid used for maintaining an adequate state of nutrition. In the present paper, the authors report the results of a study conducted for the purposes of comparing the efficacy of protein-sparing parenteral nutrition versus TPN

    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

    Forecasting model for drug utilization and expenditure in support of clinical governance in the Veneto Region. The example of drugs for chronic lymphocytic leukemia

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    BACKGROUND - New onco-hematology drugs exert a high pressure on the Regional Health System, due to high costs and the possibility to offer additional drug lines to patients. Acalabrutinib and venetoclax+obinutuzumab are the most recent new therapies for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Definition of place in therapy of such drugs and assessment of their impact on pharmaceutical expenditure is necessary to plan resource allocation. METHODS - HTA Unit of Azienda Zero supported the Working Group on onco-hematology drugs in critically evaluating new therapies and defining place in therapy in accordance with reimbursement criteria, if already available. A forecasting model was developed assuming that each new drug will be used according to place in therapy criteria. RESULTS. Acalabrutinib is a Bruton Tyrosine Kinase inhibitor (BTKi), as well as ibrutinib, and is reimbursed as monotherapy in first line and relapsed-refractory setting. Venetoclax+obinutuzumab is a new first line therapy (reimbursed criteria not yet available at the time of the analysis). Incremental impact of new therapies was estimated for three years, as follow: (i) first year: low impact (below €1 million), due to acalabrutinib market entry, which, at the time of the analysis, had the same cost as ibrutinib, with a broader reimbursed indication (all ages for acalabrutinib vs reimbursement age restrictions for ibrutinib); (ii) second year: about €1,6 million, due to venetoclax+obinutuzumab market entry and to acalabrutinib (new patients and patients continuing therapy from previous year); (iii) third year: impact below €1 million, due to competition between BTKi and venetoclax+obinutuzumab; the latter is a fixed-duration therapy lasting for a maximum of one year, differently from BTKi, that are chronic therapies given for years until disease progression. The usage of venetoclax+obinutuzumab will decrease the number of patients treated for more than one year. CONCLUSIONS - Place in therapy definition optimizes drug utilization, permits to define target population of new therapies, taking into account their competitors already on the market, and leads to pharmaceutical expenditure forecast supporting resource allocation. Forecasting models need to be updated over the time with new reimbursed drugs and/or new reimbursement criteria of therapies already on the market. Prescrition and expenditure monitoring will permit to verify forecast accuracy. Audit could be organized if anomalies will be detected
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