The baseline time span for this database is (publication years)
1998-February 29, 2008 (first bimonthly period in 2008). The resulting
database contained 4,452 (10 years) and 1,260 (2 years) papers; 9,727
authors; 107 nations; 793 journals; and 2,654 institutions.
Mycotoxins, secondary metabolites of a variety of fungi that proliferate in
cereal grains and animal feeds, are the subject of scientific scrutiny due
to the dangers they pose to agriculture and food safety. Not only can these
substances destroy crops outright, but several have also proven to be
carcinogenic, meaning that even when mycotoxins are present in relatively
small amounts, grains and feeds can be rendered useless. According to one
report by the American Phytopathological Society, globalization of trade is
of great concern when it comes to mycotoxins, due to the varying standards
of regulations between developed and poorer countries.
This month, ScienceWatch.com presents the most-cited scientists,
institutions, journals, and nations publishing their research on mycotoxins
over the past decade, as well as the 20 most-cited papers in this field
from the past decade and the past two years.
Among the topics covered in the top 20 papers from the past 10 years are
genetics studies of the molds producing these mycotoxins, including
Fusarium and Aspergillus, as well as studies of mycotoxins' roles in
protein signaling, apoptosis, and a variety of diseases. One study of maize
that had been genetically modified for insect resistance also showed the
possibility for reduced levels of the mycotoxin fumonisin. Another study
introduced the possibility of using ozone to detoxify and eliminate
mycotoxins and pesticide residues from agricultural products. Review papers
on the top 20 list covered such topics as toxicity, metabolism, natural
distribution, regulatory efforts, and the impact of mycotoxins on humans
and animals.
One of the biggest trends shown in the top 20 papers from the past two
years is the search for faster and more reliable detection methods: no less
than six papers on this list deal with this particular angle. Medical
effects of mycotoxins are also addressed in multiple papers, including
studies of neural tube defects, Balkan endemic nephropathy and related
urothelial cancer, as well as spleen dysfunction in pigs fed Fusarium
toxin-contaminated wheat.
Methodology: To construct this database, papers were
extracted based on topic-supplied keywords for Mycotoxins. The keywords
used were as follows:
("mycotox*")
The baseline time span for this database is (publication years)
1998-February 29, 2008 (first bimonthly period in 2008). The resulting
database contained 4,452 (10 years) and 1,260 (2 years) papers; 9,727
authors; 107 nations; 793 journals; and 2,654 institutions.
Rankings: Once the database was in place, it was used to
generate the lists of top 20 papers (two- and ten-year periods), authors,
journals, institutions, and nations, covering a time span of 1998-February
29, 2008, a 10-year plus 2-month period.
The top 20 papers are ranked according to total cites. Rankings for author,
journal, institution, and country are listed in three ways: according to
total cites, total papers, and total cites/paper. The paper thresholds and
corresponding percentages used to determine scientist, institution,
country, and journal rankings according to total cites/paper, and total
papers respectively are as follows:
Entity
Authors
Institutions
Nations
Journals
Thresholds
19
33
8
3
Percentage:
1%
1%
50%
50%
Special Topic Keywords: mycotoxins,
aflatoxin, fumonisin, ochratoxin a, deoxynivalenol,
zearalenone, trichothecene, ergot alkaloids,
foodbourne contaminants, aspergillus, fusarium,
cereal grains, animal feeds, toxicity, metabolism,
regulation, multidrug resistance mechanism,
microbiological safety, high-performance liquid
chromatography, hplc, protein signaling, balkan
endemic nephropathy.