Arab world's growing contribution to global leishmaniasis research (1998-2017): a bibliometric study.

BACKGROUND: Leishmaniasis is a parasitic disease caused by a protozoan of the Leishmania genus, and is considered a neglected tropical disease. It still remains a main public health concern at global level and in Arab world mainly in low-income countries. Therefore, this study was designed to evaluate the Arab world's growing contribution to global leishmaniasis research. METHODS: This study describes a bibliometric review of all leishmaniasis research publications published between January 1998 and December 2017 indexed on the Scopus database. RESULTS: The total number of publications published at global level was 17,570 papers, which achieves an average annual productivity of 878.50 papers publications. Brazil was responsible for the greatest output with the total number of publications of 3865 followed by the Unites States (n = 2729), India (n = 2119), the United Kingdom (n = 1363), and Spain (n = 1274). By limiting the analysis to the publications that have been published by Arab world, the research productivity was 993 papers, which represents 5.65% of total research output at global level in research regarding leishmaniasis. Tunisia was responsible for the greatest output from Arab world with the total number of publications of 297 followed by Sudan (n = 192), Saudi Arabia (n = 131), Morocco (n = 119) and Egypt (n = 67). Since 1998, the growth of publications on leishmaniasis fluctuates, overall showing a rising trend in both global and Arab world. There is a highly significant correlation between publication productivity related to leishmaniasis at global level and the Arab world (r = 0.936; p-value< 0.001). Leishmaniasis treatment, intracellular mechanism of infection, and lifecycle of leishmania are the major current hot topics for the research in this subject at global level and the Arab world. CONCLUSIONS: The current study presents a novel review of the current Arab leishmaniasis-related research, and how these results are related to worldwide output. In comparison to the global research output, the Arab world produced less leishmaniasis research. The data presented in the current study by this innovative approach may serve relevant researchers to direct the global leishmaniasis research to Arab counties in which leishmaniasis is endemic.

Qualidade microbiológica e parasitológica de amostras de quibe cru comercializado nos municípios de Balneário Camboriú e Itajaí, SC

O presente estudo objetivou avaliar microbiologicamente e parasitologicamente quibes crus comercializados nos municípios de Balneário Camboriú e Itajaí em Santa Catarina. Amostras de oito estabelecimentos foram submetidas às análises exigidas pela RDC n° 12 de 2001 e complementares: Staphylococcuscoagulase positiva, Coliformes a 45°C, Salmonella sp., Coliformesa 35°C, bolores e leveduras, bem como análise parasitológica. Os resultados revelaram que as amostras coletadas estavam contaminadas com Staphylococcus coagulase positiva, porém com valores dentro do permitido pelareferida legislação, 25% apresentaram Coliformes a 45°C acima do preconizado e quanto à Salmonella sp., todas estavam em conformidade. Dados das análises complementares apresentaram ausência de cistos, ovos e larvas de parasitos, porém alta contagem de Coliformes a 35°C (100%), bolores e leveduras (75%). Conclui-se que é notória a necessidade de cuidado na preparação deste alimento, treinamento para os manipuladores, aplicação de boas práticas na manipulação dos alimentos, higienização adequada dos equipamentos e utensílios, além da necessidade da reformulação da legislação referente aos padrões microbiológicos existentes para a obtenção de um produto com qualidade objetivando a segurança dos alimentos.(AU)

The aim ofthe present study was to evaluate he uncooked kibbe commercialized in the municipalities of Balneário Camboriú and Itajaí, in Santa Catarina, in their microbiological and parasitological aspects Sampfes from eight establishments were submitted to analysis required by RDC n" 12 de 2001 and complementary: coagulase positive Staphylococcus, Coliforms at 45°, Coliforms at 35°, Salmonella sp., molds and yeasts, as well as parasitological analysis. The results showed that the collected samples were contaminated with positive coagulase Staphylococcus, but with values within the limits allowed by the legislation, 25% had Coliforms at 45° higher than recommended and for Salmonella sp., ali were in compliance. Data from the complementary analyzes showed absence of cysts, eggs and larvae of parasites, but high counts of coliforms at 35° (100%), molds and yeasts (75%). It is concluded that the need for care in the preparation of this food, training for manipulators, application of good practices, adequate hygiene of equipment and utensils, and the need to reformulate the legislation regarding the existing microbiological standards to obtain a product with quality aiming at food safety.(AU)

Listening to the whispers of matter through Arabic hermeticism: new studies on The Book of the Treasure of Alexander.

The Jabirian Corpus refers to the K. Thahirat Al-'Iskandar, "The Book of the Treasure of Alexander" (hereafter BTA), as one of several forgeries suggesting that alchemical secrets were hidden in inscriptions in various places. The book was neglected until 1926, when Julius Ruska discussed it in his work on the Emerald Tablet, placing the BTA within the literature related to the development of Arabic alchemy. His preliminary study became an essential reference and encouraged many scholars to work on the BTA in the following decades. Some years ago, we completed the first translation of the BTA into a Western language. The work was based on the acephalous Escorial manuscript, which we identified as a fourteenth-century copy of the BTA. This manuscript is peculiar, as part of it is encoded. After finishing our translation, we started to establish the text of the BTA. At present, the text is in process of fixation--to be followed by textual criticism--and has been the main focus of a thorough study of ours on medieval hermeticism and alchemy. A sample of the work currently in progress is presented in this paper: an analysis of the variations between different manuscripts along with a study and English translation of its alchemical chapter.

[A journey to the foundations of classical medicine]. / Peregrinaciones a las fuentes de la medicina clásica.

The author narrates his trips, between 1951 and 2006, to the main historical sites of antique medicine, where physicians of pre-Columbian cultures of Mexico and Peru, Egypt, Greco Latin culture and Islamic civilizations, lived. The trip ends with a visit to medieval European medicine before Renaissance. A description of the main historical sites and the features of these medical and sanitary cultures is made. In antique civilizations, diseases were considered a punishment of pagan deities. Supernatural and magical influences were decisive in medical practice. The Greco Latin culture of Galen and Hippocrates freed manhood from these causes of diseases and gave a rational basis to the practice of medicine. The Islamic civilization allowed the transmission of Greco Latin culture to medieval Europe. This permitted the renaissance of European creativity and the foundation of modern scientific medicine in the sixteenth century. The author highlights the main virtues of classical Greco Latin medicine, that are the foundations of humanistic thoughts that will restrin the technological revolution of modern medicine.

Peregrinaciones a las fuentes de la medicina clásica / A journey to the foundations of classical medicine

The author narrates his trips, between 1951 and 2006, to the main historical sites of antique medicine, where physicians of pre-Columbian cultures of Mexico and Peru, Egypt, Greco Latin culture and Islamic civilizations, lived. The trip ends with a visit to medieval European medicine before Renaissance. A description of the main historical sites and the features of these medical and sanitary cultures is made. In antique civilizations, diseases were considered a punishment of pagan deities. Supernatural and magical influences were decisive in medical practice. The Greco Latin culture of Galen and Hippocrates freed manhood from these causes of diseases and gave a rational basis to the practice of medicine. The Islamic civilization allowed the transmission of Greco Latin culture to medieval Europe. This permitted the renaissance of European creativity and the foundation of modern scientific medicine in the sixteenth century. The author highlights the main virtues of classical Greco Latin medicine, that are the foundations of humanistic thoughts that will restrin the technological revolution of modern medicine.

Peter of Spain's handling of authorities in his commentary on the Isagoge of Johannitius.

The dicta from medical and philosophical authorities appearing in commentaries on the Isagoge of Johannitius may be classified according to the different roles they play in the exposition of the text. This paper establishes that the opinions of the philosophical and medico-philosophical authorities were used more frequently as the consituent elements of inferences, whereas the dicta of purely medical authorities were quoted straightforwardly as sententiae. An exception to this is Peter of Spain who does not follow any hierarchical organization of authorities; instead, he freely quotes Aristotle in opposition to the physicians as well as in support of them. These observations are explained with specific reference to Peter's ideas on the relationsip between medicine and philosophy.

Evidence for the existence of schizophrenia in medieval Islamic society.

It has been claimed that descriptions of schizophrenia-like disorders were rare before 1800 in the Western world. Historical evidence from medieval Islamic society shows that madness was common in that society. Despite the limitations of the evidence, we propose that medieval Islamic physicians probably diagnosed and treated many cases of schizophrenia.

Primaquina y viajeros del mundo arabe. Reporte y recomendación / Primaquine and travellers of the Arab world. Report and recommendations

Se reportan dos reacciones graves hemolíticas en 2 pacientes de origen árabe por el uso de la primaquina como parte del tratamiento presuntivo antipalúdico dado en Cuba a todos los viajeros procedentes de países con áreas endémicas de paludismo. Teniendo en cuenta la no existencia de casos importados de paludismo en viajeros procedentes del mundo árabe desde hace más de 15 años y en atención a la frecuencia de individuos deficientes de la enzima glucosa 6 fosfato deshidrogenasa, se recomienda la suspensión de este proceder presuntivo, con el mantenimiento del resto de las medidas de vigilancia, en los viajeros provenientes de dicha región (AU)