Deutsche medizinische Wochenschrift
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Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. · Jan 2002
[Publication languages of Impact Factor journals and of medical bibliographic databanks].
A preference for English-language sources during determination of Journal Impact Factors (IF) was discussed, IF being published in the annual Journal Citation Reports (JCR). The JCR are derived from data in Science Citation Index (SCI). The aim of this study was, therefore, (i) to review publication countries and languages in JCR, (ii) publication languages in SCI in comparison to further recognised medical bibliographic databanks. ⋯ (i) Anglo-American publishers' countries and English-language journals prevail in JCR with respect to numbers and IF levels. Publication language English favours citation frequency. (ii) Of databanks studied, SCI shows a maximum preference for English-language sources, thereby causing an English Language Bias during IF derivation.
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Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. · Jan 2002
Comparative Study[Citation rates of medical German-language journals in English-language papers - do they correlate with the Impact Factor, and who cites?].
Several publications are warning that the German language is no longer needed for transmission of scientific data. One of the causes may be the Impact Factor (IF), which appears to be derived predominantly from Anglo-American journals. The aim of this study was to check actual international attention paid to German-language journals, i. e. their citation frequencies in English-language papers. Are these citing rates in English-language articles correlated to the IF, and from where do citing articles originate? ⋯ (i) An IF >/=1 is, obviously, very hard to attain by German-language journals. ISI's differentiation between Citing vs. Cited-only Journals (the latter often serving as MEDLINE/ EMBASE sources) during derivation of IF appears unjustified. (ii) English now serves as the predominant communication language in sciences in German-speaking countries, but has not supplanted the German language. Our study reveals remarkable international attention rates remaining.
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Dtsch. Med. Wochenschr. · Jan 2002
[Prevention of oxaliplatin-induced neuropathy by carbamazepine. A pilot study].
Oxaliplatin has been proven antitumoral activity in numerous clinical trials. Peripheral sensory neuropathy with predominantly hyperpathic symptoms induced by cold is the most severe and dose-limiting toxicity resulting from oxaliplatin therapy. We demonstrated that oxaliplatin alters sodium channel kinetics on sensory neurons. This effect could be antagonized in vitro by the sodium channel blocker carbamazepine. Therefore a pilot study was initiated to investigate if carbamazepine prevents oxaliplatin-induced neuropathy in patients with colorectal cancer. ⋯ These observations demonstrate that oxaliplatin-induced sensory neuropathy more than grade 1 may be prevented by carbamazepine. Prevention of oxaliplatin-induced neurotoxicity by carbamazepine would possibly enable chemotherapy with considerable higher doses of oxapliplatin and thus enhance activity. A multicenter trial will elucidate if more serious distal neurotoxicities, which occur after application of higher cumulative doses of oxaliplatin, can also be prevented by carbamazepine.