Las revistas científicas médicas en México / Scientific medical journals in Mexico

Resumen En este simposio se describen las principales características de seis revistas científicas mexicanas reconocidas por el Journal Citation Reports: Archives of Medical Research, Revista de Investigación Clínica-Clinical and Translational Investigation, Gaceta Médica de México, Salud Pública de México, Cirugía y Cirujanos y Salud Mental. Se hace énfasis en sus aspectos históricos y organizacionales, así como en sus logros principales ante la comunidad científica nacional e internacional.

Abstract This symposium describes the main characteristics of six Mexican scientific journals indexed in the Journal Citation Reports: Archives of Medical Research, Revista de Investigación Clínica-Clinical and Translational Investigation, Gaceta Médica de México, Salud Pública de México, Cirugía y Cirujanos and Salud Mental. Particular emphasis is given to their historical and organizational aspects, as on well as their main achievements recognized by the national and international scientific community.

Spatial data analysis and the use of maps in scientific health articles / Análise de dados espaciais e o uso de mapas em artigos científicos na área da saúde

Summary Introduction: Despite the growing number of studies with a characteristic element of spatial analysis, the application of the techniques is not always clear and its continuity in epidemiological studies requires careful evaluation. Objective: To verify the spread and use of those processes in national and international scientific papers. Method: An assessment was made of periodicals according to the impact index. Among 8,281 journals surveyed, four national and four international were selected, of which 1,274 articles were analyzed regarding the presence or absence of spatial analysis techniques. Results: Just over 10% of articles published in 2011 in high impact journals, both national and international, showed some element of geographical location. Conclusion: Although these percentages vary greatly from one journal to another, denoting different publication profiles, we consider this percentage as an indication that location variables have become an important factor in studies of health.

Resumo Introdução: apesar do crescente número de estudos com elemento característico de análise espacial, a aplicação de técnicas de análise nem sempre é clara e sua continuidade em estudos epidemiológicos requer uma avaliação cuidadosa. Objetivo: verificar a disseminação e utilização de técnicas de análise de dados espaciais em artigos científicos nacionais e internacionais. Método: foi feita uma avaliação de periódicos de acordo com o índice de impacto. Dentre 8.281 periódicos pesquisados, foram selecionados quatro nacionais e quatro internacionais, dos quais foram analisados 1.274 artigos quanto à presença de técnicas de análise espacial. Resultados: pouco mais de 10% dos artigos publicados no ano de 2011 em revistas de alto impacto, tanto nacionais quanto internacionais, apresentaram algum elemento de localização geográfica. Conclusão: embora exista uma variação de percentuais de um periódico para outro, denotando perfis de publicação diferentes, consideramos esse percentual um indicativo de que variáveis de localização têm se tornado um fator importante nos estudos da área da saúde.

Searching for randomized controlled trials and systematic reviews on exercise. A descriptive study / Busca de ensaios clínicos randomizados e revisões sistemáticas sobre exercício físico. Um estudo descritivo

CONTEXT AND OBJECTIVE: The current paradigm of science is to accumulate as much research data as possible, with less thought given to navigation or synthesis of the resulting mass, which hampers locating and using the research. The aim here was to describe the number of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and systematic reviews (SRs) focusing on exercise, and their journal sources, that have been indexed in PubMed over time. DESIGN AND SETTING: Descriptive study conducted at Bond University, Australia. METHOD: To find RCTs, a search was conducted in PubMed Clinical Queries, using the category "Therapy" and the Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) term "Exercise". To find SRs, a search was conducted in PubMed Clinical Queries, using the category "Therapy", the MeSH term "Exercise" and various methodological filters. RESULTS: Up until 2011, 9,354 RCTs about exercise were published in 1,250 journals and 1,262 SRs in 513 journals. Journals in the area of Sports Science published the greatest number of RCTs and journals categorized as belonging to "Other health professions" area (for example nursing or psychology) published the greatest number of SRs. The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews was the principal source for SRs, with 9.8% of the total, while the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research and Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise published 4.4% and 5.0% of the RCTs, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The rapid growth and resulting scatter of RCTs and SRs on exercise presents challenges for locating and using this research. Solutions for this issue need to be considered. .

CONTEXTO E OBJETIVO: O paradigma atual da ciência é acumular o máximo de dados de pesquisa possível, com menos atenção dada a navegação ou a síntese do volume resultante, o que dificulta a localização e utilização das pesquisas. O objetivo foi descrever o número de ensaios clínicos randomizados (ECRs) e revisões sistemáticas (RSs) focados em exercício físico publicados em periódicos, que foram indexados no PubMed ao longo do tempo. TIPO DE ESTUDO E LOCAL: Estudo descritivo conduzido na Bond University, Austrália. MÉTODO: Para encontrar ECRs, foi realizada uma busca no PubMed Clinical Queries, usando a categoria "Terapia" e o termo de Medical Subject Headings (MeSH) "Exercício". Para encontrar RSs, foi realizada uma busca no PubMed Clinical Queries, usando a categoria "Therapy" e o termo MeSH "Exercício" e vários filtros. RESULTADOS: Até 2011, 9.354 ECRs sobre exercício foram publicados em 1.250 periódicos e 1.262 RSs em 513 periódicos. Periódicos na área de Ciências do Esporte publicaram o maior número de ECRs e revistas classificadas como pertencentes à area "Outras profissões de saúde" (por exemplo, enfermagem ou psicologia) publicaram o maior número de RSs. A Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews foi a principal fonte para RSs, com 9,8% do total, enquanto o Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research e o Medicine & Science Sports & Exercise publicaram 4,4% e 5,0% dos ECRs, respectivamente. CONCLUSÃO: O rápido crescimento e consequente dispersão dos ECRs e RSs sobre exercício físico apresentam desafios para localizar e usar pesquisas. Precisa-se de reflexões sobre a resolução do assunto. .

Celebrating the Latest Release of the Journal Impact Factors: Thinking Globally, Acting Locally

No abstract available.

Citations to papers from Brazilian institutions: a more effective indicator to assess productivity and the impact of research in graduate programs

A recent assessment of 4400 postgraduate courses in Brazil by CAPES (a federal government agency dedicated to the improvement of the quality of and research at the postgraduate level) stimulated a large amount of manifestations in the press, scientific journals and scientific congresses. This gigantic effort to classify 16,400 scientific journals in order to provide indicators for assessment proved to be puzzling and methodologically erroneous in terms of gauging the institutions from a metric point of view. A simple algorithm is proposed here to weigh the scientometric indicators that should be considered in the assessment of a scientific institution. I conclude here that the simple gauge of the total number of citations accounts for both the productivity of scientists and the impact of articles. The effort spent in this exercise is relatively small, and the sources of information are fully accessible. As an exercise to estimate the value of the methodology, 12 institutions of physics (10 from Brazil, one from the USA and one from Italy) have been evaluated.

An overview of recently published medical papers in Brazilian scientific journals

A brief review intended as information to the readership of Clinics on papers recently published under various medical headings in Brazilian scientific journals recently indexed or about to be indexed in ISI-THOMSON Journal Citation Reports. Journals covered in this review are Acta Ortopédica Brasileira, Arquivos Brasileiros de Cardiologia, Jornal Brasileiro de Pneumologia, Revista Brasileira de Cirurgia Cardiovascular and Revista da Associação Médica Brasileira.