125,734 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

    Dispelling the Myths Behind First-author Citation Counts

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    We 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

    ACE inhibition and cardiovascular mortality and morbidity in essential hypertension: The end of the search or a need for further investigations?

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    Scientific evidence currently available supports the concept that renin-angiotensin blockade with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors as a first-line treatment exhibits in arterial hypertension beneficial effects in the prevention of mortality and morbidity comparable to those achieved with diuretics and beta-blockers. In addition, the renin-angiotensin blockade has also proved to be beneficial in the secondary prevention of several complications of hypertensive disease such as after myocardial infarction and congestive heart failure, as well as in the prevention of the incidence of type 2 diabetes, and the progression of diabetic and nondiabetic nephropathy. In this later regard, recent evidence with angiotensin II receptor antagonists in reducing the progression of nephropathy in type 2 diabetes strongly confirms that antagonism of the renin-angiotensin system is an effective approach to cardiovascular and renal disease. Finally, the renin-angiotensin blockade in high-risk patients may reduce cardiovascular mortality independently of the effect on blood pressure (BP). The effect of other antihypertensive drugs on cardiovascular risk in patients with high-normal BP should be investigated to establish whether they exhibit a comparable effect or whether there is a class-related benefit of drugs blocking the renin-angiotensin system. Such a strategy could also be encouraged to design future interventional studies with the newer classes of compounds (angiotensin II AT(1)-receptor antagonists, vasopeptidase inhibitors. endothelin antagonists), which would have the additional potential advantage of providing information more easily transferable to large-scale clinical practice. (C) 2002 American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd

    Compliance with aspirin or placebo in the Hypertension Optimal Treatment (HOT) study

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    OBJECTIVE: The Hypertension Optimal Treatment (HOT) study is a large, prospective trial aimed at defining the level of diastolic blood pressure required during anti-hypertensive therapy in order to achieve maximal protection against cardiovascular complications. A further aim is to assess the effects on morbidity and mortality of a 75 mg daily dose of aspirin compared with placebo. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Compliance with double-blind administration of aspirin or placebo added to anti-hypertensive treatment was evaluated for 1 year in a subset (n = 530) of the study population (n = 18 790) by placing the medication in a container closed with an electronic cap that records precisely the time of each opening. RESULTS: The 1-year compliance rate (percentage of days with one opening per day) could be assessed in 501 patients. It averaged 78.3 +/- 25% in aspirin-treated patients (n = 236, mean +/- SD), compared with 78.5 +/- 25% in patients having received placebo (n = 265), and was not influenced by age, sex or country (Germany, Italy, Switzerland, UK). The compliance rate was also similar irrespective of whether the patients had reached their target blood pressure, but was significantly better during the first than the second 6-month monitoring period (84.1 +/- 22% versus 72.3 +/- 32%, n = 501). CONCLUSIONS: The high rate of compliance with aspirin or placebo observed in the HOT study suggests that the patients were highly motivated and may account for the unusually good blood pressure control achieved in this trial during long-term anti-hypertensive treatment

    Pragmatic Case Studies as a Source of Unity in Applied Psychology

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    To unify or not to unify applied psychology: that is the question. In this article we review pendulum swings in the historical efforts to answer this question—from a comprehensive, positivist, “top-down,” deductive yes between the 1930s and the early 60s, to a postmodern no since then. A rationale and proposal for a limited, “bottom-up,” inductive yes in applied psychology is then presented, employing a case-based paradigm that integrates both positivist and postmodern themes and components. This paradigm is labeled “pragmatic psychology” and, its specific use of case studies, the “Pragmatic Case Study Method” (“PCS Method”). We call for the creation of peer-reviewed journal-databases of pragmatic case studies as a foundational source of unifying applied knowledge in our discipline. As one example, the potential of the PCS Method for unifying different angles of theoretical regard is illustrated in an area of applied psychology, psychotherapy, via the case of Mrs. B. The article then turns to the broader historical and epistemological arguments for the unifying nature of the PCS Method in both applied and basic psychology.Peer reviewe

    Dr. Edwin Wright Collection: Author Unknown

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    Notes - The author relates several short stories about his neighbours including Alex McDonell, homesteading and life around Meanook and Athabasca (1 page

    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

    Angiotensin-II receptor blockers: benefits beyond blood pressure reduction?

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    Effective treatment of hypertension is essential to reduce the risk of renal and cardiovascular ( CV) morbidity. The risks associated with hypertension are modulated by the presence of other factors. This has prompted the quest for agents that have benefits beyond blood pressure ( BP) lowering. The angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) class of antihypertensive agents represents an important addition to the therapeutic options for elevated BP. Their ability to control BP is equivalent to existing therapies and there is a considerable and mounting evidence-base for their ability to reduce hypertension-associated target organ damage and comorbidities. Studies show that ARBs have clinical benefits across the spectrum of disease severity. In particular, recent large studies have demonstrated that these benefits extend to patients with conditions predisposing to CV events, such as diabetes, left ventricular hypertrophy and microalbuminuria, and where risk factors coexist. Data from these studies suggest that the CV protective effects of ARBs are at least, in part, independent from the BP lowering action. In addition, ARBs are extremely well tolerated, and strong evidence suggests that compliance with therapy - a key factor in achieving adequate BP control - with ARBs is higher than with other antihypertensive agents. Furthermore, flexible dosing and good tolerability profile mean that, where necessary, ARBs can be combined with other classes of antihypertensive agents to achieve adequate BP control and reduce the risk of hypertension-associated morbidity
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