On the citation lifecycle of papers with delayed recognition

Delayed recognition is a concept applied to articles that receive very few to no citations for a certain period of time following publication, before becoming actively cited. To determine whether such a time spent in relative obscurity had an effect on subsequent citation patterns, we selected articles that received no citations before the passage of ten full years since publication, investigated the subsequent yearly citations received over a period of 37 years and compared them with the citations received by a group of papers without such a latency period. Our study finds that papers with delayed recognition do not exhibit the typical early peak, then slow decline in citations, but that the vast majority enter decline immediately after their first – and often only – citation. Middling papers’ citations remain stable over their lifetime, whereas the more highly cited papers, some of which fall into the “sleeping beauty” subtype, show non-stop growth in citations received. Finally, papers published in different disciplines exhibit similar behavior and did not differ significantly

The production of knowledge in Canada : consolidation and diversification

The Canadian innovation system is composed of four main sectors: university, hospital, government, and industry. This paper analyzes each sector’s strengths and weaknesses in terms of its scientific production. It is shown that Canadian science is increasingly produced in international collaboration and that all sectors are collaborating increasingly with each other.Le système d'innovation canadien est compose de quatre principaux secteurs : universitaire, hospitalier, gouvernemental et industriel. Cet article analyse les forces et les faiblesses de chaque secteur en tenant compte de la production scientifique. Les auteurs montrent que la science canadienne est de plus en plus le produit d'une collaboration internationale et que tous les secteurs collaborent de plus en plus entre eux

The kiss of death? : the effect of being cited in a reviewon subsequent citations

This article inquires into recent claims that citation in a review article provokes a decline in a paper’s later citation count, these being instead given to the review. Using the Science Citation Index Expanded, we looked at the yearly percentages of lifetime citations of papers published in 1990 first cited in review articles in 1992 and 1995 in the field of biomedical research, and found no significant change to occur following review, regardless of the papers’ citation activity or specialty. Further comparison was made with papers from the field of clinical research, but yielded no meaningful results to support the notion that review articles have any substantial effect on the citation count of the papers they review

Effect of pelvic stabilization and hip position on trunk extensor activity during back extension exercises on a roman chair

Objective: To assess the effect of pelvic stabilization and hip position on the electromyographic activity of trunk extensors during Roman chair exercise. A secondary objective was to compare genders. Design: Repeated measures. Subjects: Eleven men and 11 women volunteers. Methods: Five trunk flexion-extension cycles for 3 Roman chair conditions: (i) pelvis unrestrained; (ii) pelvis restrained; and (iii) hip at 40° flexion. Electromyographic signals were recorded on the back muscles, as well as on the gluteus maximus and biceps femoris. The percentage of electro¬myographic amplitude relative to the maximal activity was used to assess the level of muscular activation of each muscle group across the exercises. Results: For both genders, the Roman chair conditions did not influence the activity of the back and gluteus muscles. The hip-at-40°-flexion condition significantly reduced the activity of the biceps femoris (average of 4–18%) relative to the other 2 conditions. Gender differences were observed on the activity of the biceps femoris in all Roman chair conditions. Conclusion: The hip-at-40°-flexion condition would allow the Roman chair exercise to train the targeted back muscles more specifically by overloading them over a longer duration in order to induce physiological changes

Biomechanical differences between expert and novice workers in a manual material handling task.

The objective was to verify whether the methods were safer and more efficient when used by expert handlers than by novice handlers. Fifteen expert and fifteen novice handlers were recruited. Their task was to transfer four boxes from a conveyor to a hand trolley. Different characteristics of the load and lifting heights were modified to achieve a larger variety of methods by the participants. The results show that the net moments at the L5/S1 joint were not significantly different (P > .05) for the two groups. However, compared to the novices, the experts bent their lumbar region less ( experts = 54° (SD = 11°) ; novices = 66° (15°) but bent their knees more (experts ≈ 72°( SD ≈ 30°) ; novices ≈ 53°( SD ≈ 33°), which brought them closer to the box. The handler's posture therefore seems to be a major aspect that should be paid specific attention, mainly when there is maximum back loading. Keywords: Manual material handling, lifting, expert, low back load, ergonomic intervention. Statement of Relevance: The findings of this research will be useful for improving manual material handling training programs. Most biomechanical research is based on novice workers, and adding information about the approach used by expert handlers in performing their tasks will help provide new avenues for reducing the risk of injury caused by this demanding physical task. Acknowledgements: The present research project was funded by the Robert-Sauvé Occupational Health and Safety Research Institute (IRSST) of Quebec. Special thanks go to the expert and novice subjects and the industries that participated in this project.

Assessment of the paraspinal muscles of subjects presenting an idiopathic scoliosis: an EMG pilot study

BACKGROUND: It is known that the back muscles of scoliotic subjects present abnormalities in their fiber type composition. Some researchers have hypothesized that abnormal fiber composition can lead to paraspinal muscle dysfunction such as poor neuromuscular efficiency and muscle fatigue. EMG parameters were used to evaluate these impairments. The purpose of the present study was to examine the clinical potential of different EMG parameters such as amplitude (RMS) and median frequency (MF) of the power spectrum in order to assess the back muscles of patients presenting idiopathic scoliosis in terms of their neuromuscular efficiency and their muscular fatigue. METHODS: L5/S1 moments during isometric efforts in extension were measured in six subjects with idiopathic scoliosis and ten healthy controls. The subjects performed three 7 s ramp contractions ranging from 0 to 100% maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) and one 30 s sustained contraction at 75% MVC. Surface EMG activity was recorded bilaterally from the paraspinal muscles at L5, L3, L1 and T10. The slope of the EMG RMS/force (neuromuscular efficiency) and MF/force (muscle composition) relationships were computed during the ramp contractions while the slope of the EMG RMS/time and MF/time relationships (muscle fatigue) were computed during the sustained contraction. Comparisons were performed between the two groups and between the left and right sides for the EMG parameters. RESULTS: No significant group or side differences between the slopes of the different measures used were found at the level of the apex (around T10) of the major curve of the spine. However, a significant side difference was seen at a lower level (L3, p = 0.01) for the MF/time parameter. CONCLUSION: The EMG parameters used in this study could not discriminate between the back muscles of scoliotic subjects and those of control subject regarding fiber type composition, neuromuscular efficiency and muscle fatigue at the level of the apex. The results of this pilot study indicate that compensatory strategies are potentially seen at lower level of the spine with these EMG parameters

An Experimental Approach to Examining Psychological Contributions to Multisite Musculoskeletal Pain.

The present study examined the prospective value of pain catastrophizing, fear of pain, and depression in the prediction of multisite musculoskeletal pain following experimentally induced delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS). The study sample consisted of 119 (63 females, 56 males) healthy university students. Measures of pain catastrophizing, fear of pain, and depression were completed prior to the DOMS induction procedure. Analyses revealed that pain catastrophizing and fear of pain prospectively predicted the experience of multisite pain following DOMS induction. Analyses also revealed that women were more likely to experience multisite pain than men. There was no significant relation between depressive symptoms and the experience of multisite pain. The discussion addresses the mechanisms by which pain catastrophizing and fear of pain might contribute to the spreading of pain. Clinical implications of the findings are also addressed. Perspective: The results of this experimental study suggest that pain catastrophizing and fear of pain might increase the risk of developing multisite pain following musculoskeletal injury

Canadian Stroke Best Practice Recommendations: Hyperacute Stroke Care Guidelines, Update 2015

The 2015 update of the Canadian Stroke Best Practice Recommendations Hyperacute Stroke Care guideline highlights key elements involved in the initial assessment, stabilization, and treatment of patients with transient ischemic attack (TIA), ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, subarachnoid hemorrhage, and acute venous sinus thrombosis. The most notable change in this 5th edition is the addition of new recommendations for the use of endovascular therapy for patients with acute ischemic stroke and proximal intracranial arterial occlusion. This includes an overview of the infrastructure and resources required for stroke centers that will provide endovascular therapy as well as regional structures needed to ensure that all patients with acute ischemic stroke that are eligible for endovascular therapy will be able to access this newly approved therapy; recommendations for hyperacute brain and enhanced vascular imaging using computed tomography angiography and computed tomography perfusion; patient selection criteria based on the five trials of endovascular therapy published in early 2015, and performance metric targets for important time-points involved in endovascular therapy, including computed tomography-to-groin puncture and computed tomography-to-reperfusion times. Other updates in this guideline include recommendations for improved time efficiencies for all aspects of hyperacute stroke care with a movement toward a new median target door-toneedle time of 30 min, with the 90th percentile being 60 min. A stronger emphasis is placed on increasing public awareness of stroke with the recent launch of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada FAST signs of stroke campaign; reinforcing the public need to seek immediate medical attention by calling 911; further engagement of paramedics in the prehospital phase with prehospital notification to the receiving emergency department, as well as the stroke team, including neuroradiology; updates to the triage and same-day assessment Conflict of interest: Leanne K. Casaubon: Medtronic (as an independent study patient assessor for a cardiac TAVI study); NoNO Inc. as site PI for the Frontier study of NA-1 neuroprotective in stroke; Covidien as an advisory board member. Jean-Martin Boulanger: conference speaker for BI Novartis, Sanofi Aventis, Merck, Merz, Allergan, Pfizer, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim. Gord Gubitz: speaker for Bayer, Boehringer Ingleheim, and BMS Pfizer. Dr. Michael D. Hill: Heart and Stroke Foundation of Alberta Board Chair, salary award holder; Vernalis Group Ltd and Merck Ltd Consultant; Hoffmann-LaRoche Canada, provided drug for clinical trial, consultancy and CME lecturer; Coviden, research grant holder; Servier Canada, CME lecturer (funds donated to charity); BMS Canada, consultancy (funds donated to charity); Alberta Innovates Health Solutions, program grant award; principal investigator, ESCAPE trial. Brian Moses: speaker for AstraZeneca, Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Sanofi Aventis, and Servier; speaker and advisory board member for BMS, Eli Lilly, Merck, NovoNordisk, Pfizer; advisory board member for Medtronic. Funding: The development of the Canadian Stroke Best Practice Recommendations is funded in their entirety by the Heart and Stroke Foundation, Canada. No funds for the development of these guidelines come from commercial interests, including pharmaceutical and medical device companies. All members of the recommendation writing groups and external reviewers are volunteers and do not receive any remuneration for participation in guideline development, updates, and reviews. All participants complete a conflict of interest declaration prior to participation. of patients with transient ischemic attack; updates to blood pressure recommendations for the hyperacute phase of care for ischemic stroke, intracerebral hemorrhage, and subarachnoid hemorrhage. The goal of these recommendations and supporting materials is to improve efficiencies and minimize the absolute time lapse between stroke symptom onset and reperfusion therapy, which in turn leads to better outcomes and potentially shorter recovery times