1,721,008 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
Exploring the effects of gestational diabetes on placental membrane derived stem cells
Full text linkThe progression of regenerative medicine and advanced cell banking technology provide the hope of using perinatal tissue-derived autologous MSCs for personalised medicine. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) derived from placenta, with the advantages of being non-invasive and having fewer ethical issues, are a promising source for cell therapy. The hyperglycaemic intrauterine environment in pregnancies affected by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) alters the development of the placenta and may have impacts on placental MSCs behaviours and functions. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the influence of the GDM on placental MSCs and further explore their therapeutic potential.Placental MSCs were isolated from amniotic membrane (AMSCs) and chorionic membrane (CMSCs). The biological, functional, and immunological characteristics of healthy- and GDM- AMSCs/CMSCs were examined. Compared with healthy MSCs, the GDM-MSCs displayed some levels of alteration in adipogenic capacities and macrophage immunoregulatory properties while comparable immunophenotypes, osteogenesis, chondrogenesis, and T-cell regulation ability were observed in GDM-MSCs.As the major adverse consequence of GDM is an increased risk of developing diabetes, these women may benefit from cell therapy for diabetes in the future. We developed a step-wise differentiation approach to generating functional insulin-producing cells through a short-term glucose priming period combined with a 16-day serial stimulation of compounds and growth factors, such as activin A, retinoic acid, EGF, GLP1 across different differentiation stages. This approach successfully generated insulin-producing cells from GDM- and healthy- CMSCs which displayed pancreatic beta-cell properties and functions. Moreover, with more promising potential of CMSCs in regenerative medicine, DNA microarray was performed to examine their transcriptional profiles. Comprehensive investigation of gene expression by microarray and validation of differences between healthy- and GDM- CMSCs via real-time PCR and functional assays revealed enhanced capacities of GDM-CMSCs in wound healing and cardiogenesis compared to healthy-CMSCs. However, significantly reduced expression in detoxification enzymes belonging to the aldehyde dehydrogenase gene families (ALDH1A1/1A2, ALDH2, ALDH3) accounted for downregulation across several metabolic pathways and oxidative stress dysregulation in GDM-CMSCs.Taken together, understanding these placental stem cell behaviours provides an insight to developing therapeutic applications of GDM-MSCs and heathy-MSCs for future autologous stem cell therapies
The association of parity with cardiovascular disease: systematic review and cohort study
Full text linkBackground and Aims: A woman’s cardiovascular and metabolic systems undergo considerable adaptations during pregnancy, which can affect a woman’s physiology long term. This research aimed to investigate whether parity increases the risk of future cardiovascular disease (CVD).Methods: The systematic review identified cohort and case-control studies assessing the relationship between parity and morbidity and/or mortality from coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke. Two separate meta-analyses for the outcomes of CHD and stroke were performed. The cohort study was conducted using data from general practices across North Staffordshire, contained within the Consultations in Primary Care Archive (CiPCA). Due to the short follow up time available from the database, the study was conducted as a feasibility study, to test the potential methods for future research using electronic health records.Results: The systematic review included 18 studies (2,869,391 participants), comprised of 13 cohort and 5 case-control studies. The adjusted ever parous versus nulliparous risk estimate from the cohort studies showed no association between parity and risk of CHD or stroke. However, cohort studies with a longer follow up and the case-control studies were more likely to find an increased risk in ever parous women. In the parity level analysis, the risk of CHD and stroke was not equivalent for each parity level, with para 5+ women having a statistically significant increased risk of stroke (risk ratio 1.21 (95% CI 1.06 – 1.39), after adjustment for several CVD risk factors. The risk of CHD was also increased in para 5+ women, however, after adjustment this estimate did not reach statistical significance. The CiPCA cohort study comprised 20,513 women, aged 15-45 years at baseline, with a median follow up length of 3.8 years. No association between parity and risk of future composite CVD was found.Conclusion: Parity may be considered as a risk factor for CVD during CVD risk assessment by healthcare professionals. Grand multiparous women should be informed of their increased cardiovascular risk to encourage healthy lifestyle behaviours. Further research is needed to assess the association of parity with CVD with a longer follow up of participants
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
Addressing maternal health disparities in postpartum haemorrhage: developing a methodology for inclusive research
Full text linkIntroduction Globally, postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) is the leading cause of maternal death and severe maternal morbidity. Within diverse populations, significant disparities in maternal and fetal outcomes persist, with women from ethnic minority backgrounds and those experiencing socioeconomic deprivation frequently underrepresented in research trials. This thesis aimed to explore disparities in PPH, variations in PPH care in the United Kingdom (UK), and develop a novel tool designed to promote greater inclusivity within maternity research to ultimately contribute to more equitable outcomes for all women. Methods This work employed a multi-faceted approach. Initially, a systematic review and meta-analysis quantified these disparities within high-income settings. Subsequently, a multi-centre service evaluation, conducted across 36 UK maternity units participating in the NIHR-funded Obstetric Bleeding Study UK (OBS UK), examined variations in PPH management practices. Finally, an interactive dashboard was developed using national demographic data to support the selection of representative trial sites for the OBS UK study, with the goal of increasing ethnic and socioeconomic diversity among participants. The validity of this dashboard was evaluated by comparing its output against locally reported demographic data from the participating sites using statistical analysis. Results A significantly higher risk of PPH was found for women from Black, Asian, and Hispanic ethnic backgrounds and those experiencing socioeconomic deprivation. The service evaluation revealed considerable variations in PPH management across UK units. The OBS UK trial sites, selected using a novel dashboard, reflect the UK's ethnic and socioeconomic diversity. Comparative analysis showed good alignment between the national data used in the dashboard and locally reported site demographics, confirming its validity for representative site selection. Conclusions This thesis provides robust evidence of ethnic and socioeconomic disparities in PPH outcomes and highlights variations in current management practices. The development and confirmation of the usefulness of the OBS UK dashboard offers a novel and effective strategy for enhancing diversity in maternity research, a crucial step towards generating more generalisable evidence and ultimately addressing health inequalities in maternal care. This approach has the potential to be adapted for other healthcare settings and populations. The terms woman/women/mother are used consistently throughout this thesis pertaining to the primary person receiving maternity care and giving birth. It is acknowledged that not all birthing people use these terms to describe themselves and wish to promote gender equality throughout to ensure respect for the unique psychological, physiological, and social needs of each individual. I specifically acknowledge the transgender and non-binary experience of pregnancy and childbirth
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