1,720,963 research outputs found
What to know about schwannomatosis: a literature review
No full textBackground Schwannomatosis is a relatively rare disorder and is related to neurofibromatosis type 2. Although there is clinical overlap between schwannomatosis and neurofibromatosis type 2, these diseases have to be regarded as separate entities due to the genetic origin and course of the disease. Methods A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted for relevant studies using Pubmed and Cochrane databases to discuss the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnostic criteria, pathological and imaging features, treatment and genetics of schwannomatosis. Results Germline mutations SMARCB1 and LZTRI together with the NF2 gene play a role in the pathophysiology of schwannomatosis. The most common symptom is pain with affection of the spine and peripheral nerves in the majority of patients. High quality contrast enhanced MRI scan is the imaging modality of choice. Treatment is conservative if asymptomatic and surgical if symptomatic. The goal is symptom control with preservation of neurological function. Conclusion Schwannomatosis is a relatively rare disorder in which the main goal is to preserve neurological function.Schraepen, C (corresponding author), Katholieke Univ Leuven, Fac Med & Life Sci, Leuven, Belgium.
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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
Extreme Lateral Interbody Fusion as a Feasible Treatment for Thoracolumbar Spondylodiscitis: A Multicenter Belgian Case-Series
No full textBACKGROUND: Spondylodiscitis is, after tissue sam-pling, initially managed with intravenous antibiotics. In patients with treatment failure, surgical debridement and stabilization is considered. An anterior or posterior approach has already been reported as a successful sur-gical access, but is associated with a large exposure and a significant morbidity.METHODS: We present a multicenter Belgian case -series on the use of a minimally invasive extreme lateral interbody fusion procedure with add-on percutaneous pedicle screw fixation for patients with a need for surgical debridement and tissue samples or intractable back pain due to spondylodiscitis. Patient characteristics, microbi-ology results, antibiotic treatment, pre-and postoperative Visual Analogue Pain Score (VAS) scores, time to bony consolidation, complications and duration of the hospital stay were collected.RESULTS: Seven patients with one level spondylodisci-tis were included. The mean age 64 years with a mean preoperative VAS score of 8.86 ( +/- 0.90). Postoperative VAS score significantly decreased to 2.57 (L70.3%, P < 0.001). Mean antibiotic treatment duration was 8 weeks. Median duration of the hospital stay was 14 days. Patients were followed for 1 year. Complete bony consolidation was observed in 6 out of 7 patients after 1 year. One patient had a stable pseudarthrosis.CONCLUSIONS: These results indicate that extreme lateral interbody fusion topped off with a percutaneous pedicle screw fixation might be a feasible, safe and valuable choice to surgically treat patients with spondy-lodiscitis with fast and important improvement in VAS. Further prospective research might strengthen the sparsely existing literature of minimally invasive surgery for spon-dylodiscitis to provide the best possible care
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
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
Real world data collection and cluster analysis in patients with sciatica due to lumbar disc herniation
No full textObjective: The aim of this study was to identify and describe clusters of patients with similar characteristics presenting with sciatica caused by a lumbar disc herniation in secondary care.& nbsp;Methods: Forty-six percent (n = 163) of the eligible patients (n = 352) completed all questionnaires and were included in a hierarchical cluster analysis. The analysis was based on baseline characteristics for pain, pain awareness and catastrophizing, disability and quality of life (QOL). Clusters were compared for the use of pain medication, employment status and allocated treatment.& nbsp;Results: Three significant clusters were identified.Cluster 2 (n = 49), coined the painfulness cluster, reported the lowest baseline characteristics for pain (> 5) and disability together with a higher health-related QOL. Patients in cluster 3, labeled the painfulness and suffering cluster, had relatively high pain scores for back and leg pain (> 6), high pain awareness and catastrophizing, i.e. suffering, but relatively limited disability and maintained QOL. Cluster 1 (n = 71), the painfulness-suffering and disability cluster, was characterized by the most severe back and leg pain (> 7), high pain awareness and catastrophizing with the lowest QOL and highest disability. Patients in cluster 1 underwent significantly more surgery and used the most extensive pain medication (WHO III).& nbsp;Conclusion: This research gives insight in the complex population with sciatica and is of added value to the recent, sparsely existing literature on relevant patient subgroups in the low back and leg pain population. The data suggest that VAS scores < 6 do not lead to suffering and VAS scores < 7 not to disability.Medtronic Europe Sarl, Tolochenaz, Switzerlan
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