The use of scientometric parameters for the evaluation of scientific contributions

This paper deals with the application of scientometric parameters in the evaluation of scientists, either as individuals or in small formal groups. The parameters are divided into two groups: parameters of scientific productivity and citation parameters. The scientific productivity was further subdivided into three types of parameters: (i) total productivity, (ii) partial productivity, and (iii) productivity in scientific fields and subfields. These citation parameters were considered: (i) impact factors of journals, (ii) impact factors of scientific fields and subfields, (iii) citations of individual papers, (iv) citations of individual authors, (v) expected citation rates and relative citation rates, and (vi) self-citations, independent citations and negative citations. Particular attention was payed to the time-dependence of the scientometric parameters. If available, numeric values of the world parameters were given and compared with the data about the scientific output of Croatian scientists.     

Dermatoglyphic analysis in bipolar affective disorder and schizophrenia--"continuum of psychosis" hypothesis corroborated?

Dermatoglyphic features are thought to be indicators of events in the early embryonal stages. They might also be associated with the developmental disorders of the central nervous system (CNS) including schizophrenia. Dermatoglyphic features of 92 male patients with bipolar affective disorder (BPAD) (unipolar depression and schizoaffective psychosis were excluded from the study) were compared with those of 195 males with schizophrenia (SCH) and both with those of 200 male controls (control group-CG). DSM-III-R criteria were used for the diagnostic evaluation. Quantitative analysis showed only one statistically significant difference between BPAD and SCH patients groups, regarding the c-d ridge count of the left hand. The canonical discriminant analysis did not permit correct classification (only 59.23% of cases were correctly classified) between BPAD and SCH. Numerous quantitative dermatoglyphic features of both BPAD and SCH differed significantly from those of the control subjects. Finger ridge counts as well as palmar ridge counts were markedly lower in BPAD and SCH as compared to the controls. These findings are not in contradiction with the hypothesis claiming that psychoses are a set of diverse expressions (due also to noninherited factors) of a single underlying entity.     

Qualitative dermatoglyphic traits in ovarian cancer patients: a case-control study

The authors investigated the correlation between the occurrence of certain qualitative dermatoglyphic traits and the susceptibility to ovarian cancer, using the case-control design. A sample of 168 diseased cases, treated at the University Department of Gynecologic Oncology in Zagreb, Croatia between 1996-1997 was compared to 200 healthy females, investigated at the Institute for Anthropological Research in Zagreb. The results showed significant differences between ovarian cancer cases and healthy controls regarding the frequency of arches on the fingers of both hands (10-11% vs. 4-5%, respectively, p < 0.05), and of characteristic patterns on the palms of right hand (33% vs. 54% in 3rd interdigital space (IS), p < 0.001; 39% vs. 47% in 4th IS, p < 0.05) and of the left hand (42% vs. 58% in 4th IS, p < 0.001; 24% vs. 34% in hypothenar, p < 0.01). Although probably neither very sensitive nor specific, these findings could still be used in addition to other diagnostic procedures, as a rough screening method in early detecting of ovarian cancer.     

High frequencies and grade expressions of Carabelli's trait in a sample of the Croatian population

Although it is generally accepted that Europeans exhibit the highest frequencies of Carabelli's trait (70-90%), these values represent the expression of all possible morphological grades. When only a well-defined trait expression is considered (grades 5th, 6th and 7th), the frequency is much lower, not more than 19.2% for the 5th grade, and significantly less for the 6th and 7th grades. Our observations based on the study of the Croatian (Central European) populations show the highest frequencies for grade of the trait (exceeding 23%). Comparative data for European or European derived populations demonstrate significant variation in grade expression. While the previously published data suggest that the highest grade of the trait expression does not exceed 10%, our figures show the highest yet known frequency of a well-defined trait.     

Poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1: association with nuclear lamins in rodent liver cells

The distribution of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase-1 (PARP-1) over different nuclear compartments was studied by nuclear fractionation procedures and Western analysis revealing a prominent role of the nuclear matrix. This structure is operationally defined by the solubility properties of the A- and B-type lamins under defined experimental conditions. We consistently observed that most of the nuclear matrix-associated PARP-1 partitioned, in an active form, with the insoluble, lamin-enriched protein fractions that were prepared by a variety of established biochemical procedures. These PARP-1-protein interactions resisted salt extraction, disulfide reduction, RNase and DNase digestion. An inherent ability of PARP-1 to reassemble with the lamins became evident after a cycle of solubilization/dialysis using either urea or Triton X-100 and disulfide reduction, indicating that these interactions were dominated by hydrophobic forces. Together with in vivo crosslinking and co-immunoprecipitation experiments our results show that the lamins are prominent PARP-1-binding partners which could contribute to the functional sequestration of the enzyme on the nuclear matrix.     

Positive regulation of ERK activation and MKP-1 expression by peroxovanadium complex bpV (phen)

Lower micromolar concentrations of peroxovanadium compound potassium bisperoxo(1,10-phenanthroline)oxovanadate (V) [bpV (phen)] stimulate RINm5F cell metabolic activity. 1 and 3 mol/L bpV (phen) induces strong and sustained activation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK). However, it seems that bpV (phen) does not effect c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) phosphorylation. In addition, bpV (phen) induces mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphatase-1 (MKP-1) expression. We found that ERK activation could be completely abolished if RINm5F cells were incubated with both bpV (phen) and PD 98059, a specific inhibitor of upstream ERK kinase MEK1. On the other hand, this combined treatment up-regulated activation of stress kinases, JNK and p38 MAPK, significantly suppressed MKP-1 expression and induced cell death. Thus, our results suggest that the mechanism underlying bpV (phen) survival-enhancing effect could be associated with induced ERK activation and MKP-1 expression.     

Performance of WHO Angina Questionnaire in measuring burden of coronary heart disease in human isolate populations

Isolated human populations represent good candidates for studying genetic and environmental causes of common complex diseases because of their decreased genetic and environmental diversity. The possibility of inexpensive and reliable detection of disease prevalence in such populations is therefore of considerable importance, as comprehensive routine health data and disease registries are rarely available in these populations. In this study, we validated the performance of the WHO Rose Angina Questionnaire (RQ) in measuring the burden of coronary heart disease (CHD) in 9 settlements in these Croatian Adriatic islands. CHD was defined as myocardial infarction (MI) diagnosed by a specialist in the local general hospital, or angina pectoris (AP) by a local general practitioner (GP). The true prevalence of CHD in 1,001 adult persons was 10.5%. The results of the RQ screening based on the first 3, 5 and 6 questions were compared with medical record of CHD. Increasing the number of RQ questions from 3 to 6 resulted in decreasing test sensitivity (from 59.0% to 30.5%) and increasing test specificity (from 86.3% to 93.0%) in the prediction of true CHD status. CHD prevalence was overestimated by 76% when subset of the first 3 questions of RQ was used and by 25% when the first 5 questions were used. However, it was underestimated by 10% when the first 6 questions were used. We conclude that RQ is a useful screening method for measuring burden of CHD in isolate human populations, and that the result based on the first 6 questions is a good approximation of the true CHD prevalence in the population, although it should be considered a slight underestimate.     

The incidence of optic neuritis in Split-Dalmatia county, Croatia

The aim of the study was to determine the incidence of monosymptomatic optic neuritis (MON) in residents of Split-Dalmatia County, Croatia. The 127 cases (83 female, aged 26.2+/-9.9 and 44 male aged 26.9+/-11.2) with MON presented between January 1985 and December 2001 were analyzed from hospital data. The annual incidence was 1.6 per 100,000 (95% CI, 0-3). The incidence among females was 2.2 (95% CI, 0-4.6) cases / 100,000 per year and 1.1 (95% CI, 0-3) among males. The difference in incidence rates for women vs. men was not significant (chi2=0.41; p=0.52), although it is more likely that a true difference exists. The peak incidence in both sexes observed in the group 20-29 years of age was 4.2 (95% CI, 0-10). The highest incidence of MON was found in spring (46 cases). In summary, the incidence of MON in Split-Dalmatia County during the 17 years period is relatively low.     

ApoE genotyping and response to galanthamine in Alzheimer's disease--a real life retrospective study

This study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of galanthamine, a new cholinesterase inhibitor on cognitive performances in 84 patients with various apoE genotype and Alzheimer's disease (AD) during the six-month treatment. The diagnosis of AD was made on the basis of NINCDS/ADRDN criteria. ApoE4 genotype was determined by PCR procedure. The cognitive performance was assessed MMSE at baseline and six months later. The difference among the groups was statistically analyzed by ANOVA model and Pearson's chi2-test. The MMSE at baseline in all completes was 18.0 +/- 3.73, whereas the mean value of MMSE after 6 months was 16.4 +/- 5.61 indicating significant deterioration (p < 0.01). Of the 84 patients, 14 (169%) were apoE4 homozygous, 41 (49%) were heterozygous, whereas 29 (35%) were apoE4 negative. The significant number of responders was observed among apoE4 homozygous patients (71%; chi2 = 6.89; p = 0.032). The subgroup of apoE4 homozygous patients with AD in its mild to moderate stage may be considered as responders to galanthamine.     

The role of the von Willebrand factor in renal diseases and haemodialysis patients

During a period of twenty years, the von Willebrand factor (VWf) biological activity was evaluated in 805 patients with vein thrombosis, diabetes mellitus, chronic renal failure and ischemic heart disease. The examined patients were 168 with vein thrombosis, 129 with diabetes mellitus, 412 with chronic renal failure (CRF), and 96 with ischemic heart disease. The biological activity was also determined in 104 haemodialysis patients using four different haemodialytic membranes: 30 on cuprophan membrane, 30 on polymethylmetacrylate membrane (PMMA), 24 on hemophane and 20 patients on polysulphone (PS) membrane. In 42 patients with arterio-venous fistula prone to thrombosis, the biological activity of the von Willebrand Factor was 178% in comparison to 106% in the control group. The biological activity of VWF was increased in patients with vein thrombosis (p < 0.02), in patients with diabetes mellitus (p < 0.01), CRF (p < 0.05), and in patients with ischemic heart disease (p < 0.01). The highest biological activity was found in patients on PMMA (p < 0.001), then cuprophan (p < 0.05) and hemophane membrane (p < 0.01), while the lowest increase of its concentration was noticed in patients on PS without statistical significance. In arteriovenous fistula prone to thrombosis patients biological activity of the von Willebrand Factor was significantly increased (p < 0.01). Our investigations show the importance of VWF as a marker of endothelial disfunction, a possible predictor of A-V fistula thrombosis, and a possible marker of haemodialysis membranes biocompatibility.