Is autoimmunology a discipline of its own? A big data-based bibliometric and scientometric analyses

Autoimmunology is a super-specialty of immunology specifically dealing with autoimmune disorders. To assess the extant literature concerning autoimmune disorders, bibliometric and scientometric analyses (namely, research topics/keywords co-occurrence, journal co-citation, citations, and scientific output trends – both crude and normalized, authors network, leading authors, countries, and organizations analysis) were carried out using open-source software, namely, VOSviewer and SciCurve. A corpus of 169,519 articles containing the keyword “autoimmunity” was utilized, selecting PubMed/MEDLINE as bibliographic thesaurus. Journals specifically devoted to autoimmune disorders were six and covered approximately 4.15% of the entire scientific production. Compared with all the corpus (from 1946 on), these specialized journals have been established relatively few decades ago. Top countries were the United States, Japan, Germany, United Kingdom, Italy, China, France, Canada, Australia, and Israel. Trending topics are represented by the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the ethiopathogenesis of autoimmune disorders, contributions of genetics and of epigenetic modifications, role of vitamins, management during pregnancy and the impact of gender. New subsets of immune cells have been extensively investigated, with a focus on interleukin production and release and on Th17 cells. Autoimmunology is emerging as a new discipline within immunology, with its own bibliometric properties, an identified scientific community and specifically devoted journals.     

State-of-the-art Tools for Computational Site of Metabolism Predictions: Comparative Analysis,Mechanistical Insights,and Future Applications

In drug design, it is crucial to have reliable information on how a chemical entity behaves in the presence of metabolizing enzymes. This requires substantial experimental efforts. Consequently, being able to predict the likely site/s of metabolism in any compound, synthesized or virtual, would be highly beneficial and time efficient.

In this work, six different methodologies for predictions of the site of metabolism (SOM) have been compared and validated using structurally diverse data sets of drug-like molecules with well-established metabolic pattern in CYP3A4, CYP2C9, or both. Three of the methods predict the SOM based on the ligand's chemical structure, two additional methods use structural information of the enzymes, and the sixth method combines structure and ligand similarity and reactivity. The SOM is correctly predicted in 50 to 90% of the cases, depending on method and enzyme, which is an encouraging rate. We also discuss the underlying mechanisms of cytochrome P450 metabolism in the light of the results from this comparison.     

初创社科类英文学术期刊国际影响力提升的探索与实践——以Financial Innovation为例

【目的】 探讨如何在稿源欠缺、显示度低、参与度差的情况下快速有效提升我国初创社科类英文学术期刊的国际影响力。【方法】 结合数据统计分析,结合《金融创新》(Financial Innovation)实际案例,归纳初创英文学术期刊提升国际影响力的途径及方法。【结果】 《金融创新》创刊5年中,跨越式实现从无到有,再到进入SSCI检索并进入学科Q1分区的进步。【结论】 前沿专刊筹措、邮件精准推广、期刊数据库挖掘是初创英文学术期刊在有限资源下取得突破、提升国际影响力的重要路径。     

Multi-Center Analysis of Liver Transplantation for Combined Hepatocellular Carcinoma-Cholangiocarcinoma Liver Tumors

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基于数据挖掘的吕英教授治疗自闭症语言障碍的用药规律分析＊

目的 基于中医传承辅助平台软件（TCMISS，V2.5）对吕英教授治疗自闭症语言障碍的处方进行数据挖掘，探索其病因病机及组方规律。方法 收集吕英教授治疗自闭症语言障碍的医案，将其方药信息录入TCMISS，借助该平台集成的关联规则、改进互信息法、复杂系统熵聚类法、无监督熵层次聚类法等分析方法探索吕英教授治疗自闭症语言障碍的药物组方规律。结果 共筛选出120个医案，包含处方共120首，涉及中药89味，其中使用频次前6味中药为桂枝、鸡蛋花、白术、泽泻、石膏、桔梗，药性以寒、温为主，药味以甘、苦居多，归经多属肺、脾、肝经。通过关联规则分析所得的用药模式中，使用频次最高的为桂枝与鸡蛋花、桂枝与泽泻、白术与桂枝，进一步分析得到的核心药物为泽泻、桂枝、白术，为五苓散的药物组成，并基于复杂熵聚类方法演化出6首新处方。结论 吕英教授治疗自闭症语言障碍以阳明“气血津”不足和三焦气化功能失常为主要病机线路，清解阳明伏火、加强阳明本体液津血的生化化生及恢复三焦气化功能正常为主要治法，其核心代表方剂为木防己汤和五苓散。     

Automatic Extraction of Comprehensive Cardiac CT Angiography Parameters: A Novel Program with High Accuracy and Efficiency

We tested the accuracy and efficiency of a novel automated program capable of extracting 15 cardiac computed tomography angiography (CTA) parameters from clinical CTA reports. Five hundred cardiac CTA reports were retrospectively collected and processed. All reports were pre-populated with a structured template per guideline. The program extracted 15 parameters with high accuracy (97.3 %) and efficiency (84 s). This program may be used at other institutions with similar accuracy if its report format follows the Society of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (SCCT) guideline recommendation.     

The diagnostic accuracy of 1.5 T versus 3 T non-echo-planar diffusion-weighted imaging in the detection of residual or recurrent cholesteatoma in the middle ear and mastoid

Purpose and backgroundThis study retrospectively compares diagnostic performance of 1.5 T versus 3 T non-echo planar diffusion weighted imaging with or without additional T1 and T2 sequences in the detection of residual and/or recurrent cholesteatoma.MethodsPatients with clinically suspected recurrent cholesteatoma or postoperative routine survey MR who subsequently underwent surgical procedure were retrospectively included (135 patients, 164 operated ears) from a large database. Patients underwent 1.5 T (128 ears) or 3 T MRI (36 ears), with non-echo planar DWI, T1 and T2 acquisitions. Two radiologists independently reassessed the images. Definitive surgical diagnosis was used as gold standard. Sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic odds ratio were evaluated.ResultsAccording to surgical diagnosis a cholesteatoma was present in 124 of 164 ears, corresponding with a prevalence of 75%. Sensitivity and specificity were lower for 3 T compared to 1.5 T, irrespective of whether additional T1 and T2-weighted sequences were used or not. Diagnostic odds ratios were higher for 1.5 T (34 and 12 for reader 1 and 2, respectively) compared to 3 T (3 and 4 for reader 1 and 2, respectively). Adding T1 and T2 sequences lowers sensitivity but increases specificity.ConclusionNon-epi DWI for the detection of residual/recurrent cholesteatoma is preferably performed on 1.5 T scanners over 3 T. The use of additional sequences regarding detection of cholesteatoma is debatable as it lowers sensitivity but increases specificity. However, these sequences may also be of use in diagnosing complications and planning surgical procedures in some hospitals.