Recombinant HCV core protein and the secretion of associated cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α and IFN-γ) in immunized mice.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) is an important cause of acute and chronic hepatitis which is a disorder with a high worldwide prevalence. HCV core protein was considered as immunogenic counterpart of the HCV vaccine and it is an ideal candidate for HCV vaccine. Since cytokines such as IL-6, TNF-alpha and IFN-Gamma are responsible for the prevention of viral infection, this study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of HCV core protein as a vaccine.

The more publication, the higher impact factor: citation analysis of top nine gastroenterology and hepatology journals.

Background: The impact factor (IF), as the most important criterion for journal's quality measurement, is affected by the self-citation and number of publications in each journal.

Objectives: To find out the relationship between the number of publications and self-citations in a journal, and their correlations with IF.

Materials And Methods: Self-citations and impact factors of nine top gastroenterology and hepatology journals were assessed during the seven recent years (2005-2011) through Journal Citation Reports (JCR, ISI Thomson Reuters).