Cite Specific

“Organic life, we are told, has developed gradually from the protozoon to the philosopher, and this development, we are assured, is indubitably an advance. Unfortunately it is the philosopher, not the protozoon, who gives us this assurance.” -- Bertrand Russell (English Logician and Philosopher 1872-1970)

One way to judge the significance of a technical article is to see how many times it has been cited in the literature.  However, that’s not so effective for a recently published article.  This one, for example, has only been cited a couple of times so far …

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Microchim Acta (2012) 176:375–380
Development of a novel molecularly imprinted polymer for the retention of 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene
Lou Ann Tom & Chelsea L. Gerard & Colin M. Hutchison & Amanda S. Brooker
L. A. Tom (*) : C. L. Gerard : C. M. Hutchison : A. S. Brooker
Chemistry Department, Susquehanna University, 514 University Avenue, Selinsgrove, PA 17870, USA
toml@susqu.edu
Abstract
Several molecularly imprinted polymers (MIPs) for the retention of 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (4,6- DMDBT) were prepared. The first was a polymer prepared non-covalently with methacrylic acid and ethylene glycol dimethacrylate polymerized in the presence of 4,6-DMDBT. After extraction of 4,6-DMDBT, the selectivity of the imprinted polymer was evaluated by HPLC and compared to a non-imprinted control polymer prepared without 4,6- DMDBT. The imprinted polymer retained 4,6-DMDBT slightly longer than the control polymer. The second polymer was prepared using nickel (II)-methacryloylhistidinedihydrate monomer which was combined with 4,6-DMDBT, and polymerized with ethylene glycol dimethacrylate. This is a novel use of this monomer for retention of sulfur-containing organic compounds. Selectivity for 4,6-DMDBT was much greater in this polymer compared to the first, and retention in acetonitrile was more than three times greater on the imprinted polymer compared to a control polymer. Results indicate the potential use of this novel MIP for the removal of organosulfur compounds from fuel.
Free Full Text Source: http://www.springerlink.com/content/w00403407m336m03/
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So, if an article is too new to be judged by the number of cites, try a different approach.  Look at the articles cited by  the newly minted work.  Then see how many times the cited articles have been cited.

For example, here are cite statistics for three of the references cited by this article ...

Microbial biocatalyst developments to upgrade fossil fuels
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0958166906000577
by JJ Kilbane - 2006 - Cited by 55 - Related articles
Steady increases in the average sulfur content of petroleum and stricter environmental regulations concerning the sulfur content have promoted studies of ...

On novel processes for removing sulphur from refinery streams
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0920586106004093
by E Ito - 2006 - Cited by 149 - Related articles
Sep 15, 2006 – This review discusses some of the processes that have been, or are being, developed as an alternative/addition to present-day ...

Desulfurization of transportation fuels targeting at removal of ...
www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378382008000076
by W Dai - 2008 - Cited by 20 - Related articles
Desulfurization of transportation fuels targeting at removal of thiophene/benzothiophene ... Desulfurization;; Transportation fuel;; Thiophene/benzothiophene; ...

Cite statistics are yet another useful feature of Google® Scholar.  Check it out.