Association between the use of Sci-Hub and consultation of scientific journals by medical students from six Latin American countries: A secondary analysis.

Introduction and objective: Sci-Hub is a website that allows users to download full-text versions of millions of scientific articles for free. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association between the use of Sci-Hub and consultation of scientific journals by medical students from six Latin American countries. Methods: We conducted a secondary analysis of data from a 2017 cross-sectional study of medical students from six Latin American countries (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, and Peru). Consultation of scientific journals was considered as the dependent variable, while the independent variable was the use of Sci-Hub. Responses were categorized as: "do not know"; "did not use it"; "used it at least once a week"; "used it more than once a week"; and "used it every day of the month". In simple and multiple regression analyses, multivariate random-effects models were used to estimate prevalence ratios (PR), with 95% confident intervals (CI). Results: Of the 6632 participants, 38.2% consulted scientific journals and 10.3% used Sci-Hub once a week. Using Sci-Hub at least once a week was associated with a 20% increase in the prevalence of consulting scientific journals (PR: 1.20, 95% CI: 1.10-1.31, p < 0.001). The variables positively associated with Sci-Hub use included being in the sixth year of medical school (PR: 2.34), affiliation to more than one academic research group (PR: 1.81), being a medical student in Colombia (PR: 1.63), intermediate (PR: 1.16) and advanced levels of English (PR: 1.23), and daily use of PubMed (PR: 1.66), SciELO (PR: 1.87), and/or SCOPUS (PR: 1.58). Conclusion: Amongst medical students surveyed from the above six Latin American countries, the use of Sci-Hub at least once a week was significantly associated with the self-reported prevalence of consulting scientific journals.

Immunization with Neural-Derived Peptides in Neurodegenerative Diseases: A Narrative Review.

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) are a major health problem worldwide. Statistics suggest that in America in 2030 there will be more than 12 million people suffering from a neurodegenerative pathology. Furthermore, the increase in life expectancy enhances the importance of finding new and better therapies for these pathologies. NDDs could be classified into chronic or acute, depending on the time required for the development of clinical symptoms and brain degeneration. Nevertheless, both chronic and acute stages share a common immune and inflammatory pathway in their pathophysiology. Immunization with neural-derived peptides (INDP) is a novel therapy that has been studied during the last decade. By inoculating neural-derived peptides obtained from the central nervous system (CNS), this therapy aims to boost protective autoimmunity, an autoreactive response that leads to a protective phenotype that produces a healing environment and neuroregeneration instead of causing damage. INDP has shown promising findings in studies performed either in vitro, in vivo or even in some pre-clinical trials of different NDDs, standing as a potentially beneficial therapy. In this review, we will describe some of the studies in which the effect of INDP strategies have been explored in different (chronic and acute) neurodegenerative diseases.

Protocol paper: kainic acid excitotoxicity-induced spinal cord injury paraplegia in Sprague-Dawley rats.

BACKGROUND: Excitotoxicity-induced in vivo injury models are vital to reflect the pathophysiological features of acute spinal cord injury (SCI) in humans. The duration and concentration of chemical treatment controls the extent of neuronal cell damage. The extent of injury is explained in relation to locomotor and behavioural activity. Several SCI in vivo methods have been reported and studied extensively, particularly contusion, compression, and transection models. These models depict similar pathophysiology to that in humans but are extremely expensive (contusion) and require expertise (compression). Chemical excitotoxicity-induced SCI models are simple and easy while producing similar clinical manifestations. The kainic acid (KA) excitotoxicity model is a convenient, low-cost, and highly reproducible animal model of SCI in the laboratory. The basic impactor approximately cost between 10,000 and 20,000 USD, while the kainic acid only cost between 300 and 500 USD, which is quite cheap as compared to traditional SCI method. METHODS: In this study, 0.05 mM KA was administered at dose of 10 µL/100 g body weight, at a rate of 10 µL/min, to induce spinal injury by intra-spinal injection between the T12 and T13 thoracic vertebrae. In this protocol, detailed description of a dorsal laminectomy was explained to expose the spinal cord, following intra-spinal kainic acid administration at desired location. The dose, rate and technique to administer kainic acid were explained extensively to reflect a successful paraplegia and spinal cord injury in rats. The postoperative care and complication post injury of paraplegic laboratory animals were also explained, and necessary requirements to overcome these complications were also described to help researcher. RESULTS: This injury model produced impaired hind limb locomotor function with mild seizure. Hence this protocol will help researchers to induce spinal cord injury in laboratories at extremely low cost and also will help to determine the necessary supplies, methods for producing SCI in rats and treatments designed to mitigate post-injury impairment. CONCLUSIONS: Kainic acid intra-spinal injection at the concentration of 0.05 mM, and rate 10 µL/min, is an effective method create spinal injury in rats, however more potent concentrations of kainic acid need to be studied in order to create severe spinal injuries.

Factors associated with knowledge of sci-hub in peruvian dental students / Factores asociados al conocimiento del sci-hub en estudiantes peruanos de odontología

Introduction: It is necessary to keep up to date regarding scientific advances, even when having controversial options such as Sci-Hub. The scientific literature is generally limited to opinions about the website, and it is likely that certain personal or academic characteristics of undergraduate students are related to its knowledge. Objective: To identify some socio-educational and scientific factors associated with knowing Sci-Hub in Peruvian dental students. Material and Methods: The study uses a cross-sectional secondary data analysis design. In regard to the main variable, we asked about knowledge of the existence of Sci-Hub and calculated association statistics. Results: There were 263 participants and the average age was 21.7. Of the total, 75% were female, and 59% knew about Sci-Hub. The multivariate analysis showed that knowing scientific journals (aPR: 2.35; 95% CI: 1.43-3.84; p=0.001), publication of scientific articles (aPR: 1.24; 95% CI: 1.00-1.54; p=0.046) and bibliographic search training (aPR: 1.45; 95% CI: 1.14-1.86; p=0.003) were factors associated with a greater level of knowledge in regard to Sci-Hub. In contrast, there was a lower level of knowledge among those with a basic level of English (aPR: 0.64; 95% CI: 0.50-0.82; p=0.001), adjusted for three variables. Conclusion: Slightly more than half of the students know this resource used for obtaining scientific information, and it was predominantly associated with having a scientific background.

Introducción: Es necesario estar actualizados en los avances científicos, habiendo incluso opciones que son controversiales, como lo es Sci-Hub. La literatura científica generalmente se circunscribe a opiniones sobre el sitio web y es probable que ciertas características personales o académicas de los estudiantes de pregrado se relacionen con su conocimiento. Objetivo: Identificar algunos factores socioeducativos y científicos asociados al conocimiento de la existencia del Sci- Hub en estudiantes peruanos de odontología. Material y Métodos: El diseño utilizado fue transversal de análisis de datos secundarios. Para la variable principal se preguntó sobre el conocimiento de la existencia de Sci-Hub y se calcularon estadísticas de asociación. Resultados: En los 263 participantes, el promedio de edad fue de 21,7 años, el 75% era del sexo femenino y el 59% conocía el Sci-Hub. En el análisis multivariado, el conocimiento de revistas científicas (RPa: 2,35; IC 95%: 1,43-3,84; p=0,001), la publicación de artículos científicos (RPa: 1,24; IC 95%: 1,00-1,54; p=0,046) y la capacitación en búsqueda bibliográfica (RPa: 1,45; IC 95%: 1,14-1,86; p=0,003) fueron factores asociados a un mayor conocimiento del Sci-Hub; por el contrario, hubo un menor conocimiento entre los que tenían inglés en nivel básico (RPa: 0,64; IC 95%: 0,50-0,82; p=0,001), ajustado por tres variables. Conclusión: Algo más de la mitad de los estudiantes conoce este recurso para la obtención de información científica, estando asociado predominantemente al tener antecedentes científicos.

Stigma/Style Cell-Cycle Inhibitor 1, a Regulator of Cell Proliferation, Interacts With a Specific 14-3-3 Protein and Is Degraded During Cell Division.

The final shape and size of plant organs are determined by a network of genes that modulate cell proliferation and expansion. Among those, SCI1 (Stigma/style Cell-cycle Inhibitor 1) functions by inhibiting cell proliferation during pistil development. Alterations in SCI1 expression levels can lead to remarkable stigma/style size changes. Recently, we demonstrated that SCI1 starts to be expressed at the specification of the Nicotiana tabacum floral meristem and is expressed at all floral meristematic cells. To elucidate how SCI1 regulates cell proliferation, we screened a stigma/style cDNA library through the yeast two-hybrid (Y2H) system, using SCI1 as bait. Among the interaction partners, we identified the 14-3-3D protein of the Non-Epsilon group. The interaction between SCI1 and 14-3-3D was confirmed by pulldown and co-immunoprecipitation experiments. 14-3-3D forms homo- and heterodimers in the cytoplasm of plant cells and interacts with SCI1 in the nucleus, as demonstrated by Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation (BiFC). Analyses of SCI1-GFP fluorescence through the cell-cycle progression revealed its presence in the nucleoli during interphase and prophase. At metaphase, SCI1-GFP fluorescence faded and was no longer detected at anaphase, reappearing at telophase. Upon treatment with the 26S proteasome inhibitor MG132, SCI1-GFP was stabilized during cell division. Site-directed mutagenesis of seven serines into alanines in the predicted 14-3-3 binding sites on the SCI1 sequence prevented its degradation during mitosis. Our results demonstrate that SCI1 degradation at the beginning of metaphase is dependent on the phosphorylation of serine residues and on the action of the 26S proteasome. We concluded that SCI1 stability/degradation is cell-cycle regulated, consistent with its role in fine-tuning cell proliferation.

Protocol paper: kainic acid excitotoxicity-induced spinal cord injury paraplegia in Sprague-Dawley rats

BACKGROUND: Excitotoxicity-induced in vivo injury models are vital to reflect the pathophysiological features of acute spinal cord injury (SCI) in humans. The duration and concentration of chemical treatment controls the extent of neuronal cell damage. The extent of injury is explained in relation to locomotor and behavioural activity. Several SCI in vivo methods have been reported and studied extensively, particularly contusion, compression, and transection models. These models depict similar pathophysiology to that in humans but are extremely expensive (contusion) and require expertise (compression). Chemical excitotoxicity-induced SCI models are simple and easy while producing similar clinical manifestations. The kainic acid (KA) excitotoxicity model is a convenient, low-cost, and highly reproducible animal model of SCI in the laboratory. The basic impactor approximately cost between 10,000 and 20,000 USD, while the kainic acid only cost between 300 and 500 USD, which is quite cheap as compared to traditional SCI method. METHODS: In this study, 0.05 mM KA was administered at dose of 10 µL/100 g body weight, at a rate of 10 µL/min, to induce spinal injury by intra-spinal injection between the T12 and T13 thoracic vertebrae. In this protocol, detailed description of a dorsal laminectomy was explained to expose the spinal cord, following intra-spinal kainic acid administration at desired location. The dose, rate and technique to administer kainic acid were explained extensively to reflect a successful paraplegia and spinal cord injury in rats. The postoperative care and complication post injury of paraplegic laboratory animals were also explained, and necessary requirements to overcome these complications were also described to help researcher. RESULTS: This injury model produced impaired hind limb locomotor function with mild seizure. Hence this protocol will help researchers to induce spinal cord injury in laboratories at extremely low cost and also will help to determine the necessary supplies, methods for producing SCI in rats and treatments designed to mitigate post-injury impairment. CONCLUSIONS: Kainic acid intra-spinal injection at the concentration of 0.05 mM, and rate 10 µL/min, is an effective method create spinal injury in rats, however more potent concentrations of kainic acid need to be studied in order to create severe spinal injuries.

Neurogenesis after Spinal Cord Injury: State of the Art.

Neurogenesis in the adult state is the process of new neuron formation. This relatively infrequent phenomenon comprises four stages: cell proliferation, cell migration, differentiation, and the integration of these cells into an existing circuit. Recent reports suggest that neurogenesis can be found in different regions of the Central Nervous System (CNS), including the spinal cord (SC). This process can be observed in physiological settings; however, it is more evident in pathological conditions. After spinal cord injury (SCI), the activation of microglial cells and certain cytokines have shown to exert different modulatory effects depending on the presence of inflammation and on the specific region of the injury site. In these conditions, microglial cells and cytokines are considered to play an important role in the regulation of neurogenesis after SCI. The purpose of this article is to present an overview on neural progenitor cells and neurogenic and non-neurogenic zones as well as the cellular and molecular regulation of neurogenesis. Additionally, we will briefly describe the recent advances in the knowledge of neurogenesis after SCI.

Uso de recursos de información científica y redes sociales por los estudiantes cubanos de estomatología / Use of scientific information resources and social networks by Cuban dental students

Introducción: la formación de recursos humanos competentes en el empleo de las tecnologías de la informática y las comunicaciones es importante, sobre todo en las carreras de ciencias médicas, que se encuentran en permanente actualización. Objetivo: identificar el uso que los estudiantes de estomatología hacen de las redes sociales y recursos de información científica. Métodos: estudio transversal-analítico realizado en 65 estudiantes que recibieron un cuestionario anónimo, validado y autoadministrado. La variable principal fue el uso de redes sociales y recursos de información. Se definió el uso frecuente de la fuente de información, si accedía a ella cuando menos una vez a la semana, las otras opciones fueron consideradas como uso no frecuente. Se estudiaron otras variables socioeducativas de interés. Resultados: participaron 65 estudiantes, en los cuales predominó el sexo femenino. Google y SciELO fueron los recursos de información más conocidos. El 89,23 por cientode los estudiantes tiene perfil en la red social Facebook: el 62,07 por ciento la utiliza para realizar algún tipo de actividad académica y solo el 12,07 por ciento la percibe como fuente generadora de distracción. Diez estudiantes (15,38 por ciento) declararon conocer el sitio web pirata Sci-Hub. El tener computadoras modernas, tecnología Wi-fi y biblioteca virtual en las universidades estuvo asociado significativamente al acceso a muchos de los recursos de información estudiados. Conclusiones: existe un elevado desconocimiento de la mayoría de los buscadores evaluados. Google y SciELO fueron los recursos de información consultados al menos una vez por semana. La presencia de determinadas condiciones logísticas en las universidades se asoció significativamente al acceso a muchas de las bases de datos evaluadas(AU)

Introduction: Training of human resources skilled in the use of information and communications technologies is an important task, particularly in medical sciences studies, which are under permanent updating. Objective: Identify the use that dental students make of social networks and scientific information resources. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted of 65 students by means of an anonymous validated self-applied questionnaire. The main variable analyzed was the use of social networks and information resources. A definition was achieved for frequent use of the information source and whether it was accessed at least once a week. The remaining options were viewed as infrequent use. Other socioeducational variables of interest were also studied. Results: Total participants were 65 students, with a predominance of the female sex. Google and SciELO were the best known information resources. Of the students surveyed, 89.23 percent had a profile on the social network Facebook. Of these, 62.07 percent use it to conduct some sort of academic activity and only 12.07 percent perceive it as a source of leisure. Ten students (15.38 percent) reported awareness of the pirate website Sci-Hub. Availability of modern computers, Wi-fi technology and a virtual library at universities was significantly associated to access to many of the information resources studied. Conclusions: There is considerable unawareness of most of the search engines evaluated. Google and SciELO were the information resources consulted at least once a week. The presence of certain logistic conditions at universities was significantly associated to access to many of the databases evaluated(AU)

Immunization with neural-derived peptides increases neurogenesis in rats with chronic spinal cord injury.

AIMS: Immunization with neural-derived peptides (INDP) has demonstrated to be a promising therapy to achieve a regenerative effect in the chronic phase of the spinal cord injury (SCI). Nevertheless, INDP-induced neurogenic effects in the chronic stage of SCI have not been explored. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this study, we analyzed the effect of INDP on both motor and sensitive function recovery; afterward, we assessed neurogenesis and determined the production of cytokines (IL-4, IL-10, and TNF alpha) and neurotrophic factors (BDNF and GAP-43). During the chronic stage of SCI, rats subjected to INDP showed a significant increase in both motor and sensitive recovery when compared to the control group. Moreover, we found a significant increase in neurogenesis, mainly at the central canal and at both the dorsal and ventral horns of INDP-treated animals. Finally, INDP induced significant production of antiinflammatory and regeneration-associated proteins in the chronic stages of SCI. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that INDP has a neurogenic effect that could improve motor and sensitive recovery in the chronic stage of SCI. Moreover, our results also envision the use of INDP as a possible therapeutic strategy for other trauma-related disorders like traumatic brain injury.

Use of a Combination Strategy to Improve Morphological and Functional Recovery in Rats With Chronic Spinal Cord Injury.

Immunization with neural derived peptides (INDP), as well as scar removal (SR) and the use of matrices with bone marrow-mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), have been studied separately and proven to induce a functional and morphological improvement after spinal cord injury (SCI). Herein, we evaluated the therapeutic effects of INDP combined with SR and a fibrin glue matrix (FGM) with MSCs (FGM-MSCs), on motor recovery, axonal regeneration-associated molecules and cytokine expression, axonal regeneration (catecholaminergic and serotonergic fibers), and the induction of neurogenesis after a chronic SCI. For this purpose, female adult Sprague-Dawley rats were subjected to SCI, 60 days after lesion, rats were randomly distributed in four groups: (1) Rats immunized with complete Freund's adjuvant + PBS (vehicle; PBS-I); (2) Rats with SR+ FGM-MSCs; (3) Rats with SR+ INDP + FGM-MSCs; (4) Rats only with INDP. Afterwards, we evaluated motor recovery using the BBB locomotor test. Sixty days after the therapy, protein expression of TNFα, IL-4, IL-10, BDNF, and GAP-43 were evaluated using ELISA assay. The number of catecholaminergic and serotonergic fibers were also determined. Neurogenesis was evaluated through immunofluorescence. The results show that treatment with INDP alone significantly increased motor recovery, anti-inflammatory cytokines, regeneration-associated molecules, axonal regeneration, and neurogenesis when compared to the rest of the groups. Our findings suggest that the combination therapy (SR + INDP + FGM-MSCs) modifies the non-permissive microenvironment post SCI, but it is not capable of inducing an appropriate axonal regeneration or neurogenesis when compared to the treatment with INDP alone.

CRISPR, Prime Editing, Optogenetics, and DREADDs: New Therapeutic Approaches Provided by Emerging Technologies in the Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) causes temporary disabilities or permanent effects including neuropathic pain and spastiscity. The damage often results from mechanical trauma, which in turn triggers the neuroinflammatory process. Neuroinflammation plays essential roles in the structural, biochemical, and cellular changes that take place in the spinal cord after the injury. Indeed, SCI activates many different signaling pathways that coordinate the resulting cellular responses. While neuroinflammation serves as a physiological reaction to harmful stimuli, it is clear that long-lasting inflammatory response leads to aggravation of the neurodegenerative processes, becoming detrimental to recovery post-injury. In this context, we present some possible therapeutic targets in these activated signaling pathways and provide new perspectives for SCI treatment based on recently developed technologies, including clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)-based methods (including prime editing), optogenetics, and designer receptor exclusively activated by designer drugs (DREADDs). We critically analyze the recent advances in the deployment of these methods focusing on the control of the initial neuroinflammatory response. We then propose alternatives and provide new avenues for SCI treatment based on these emerging technologies.

Intracerebroventricular Delivery of Human Umbilical Cord Mesenchymal Stem Cells as a Promising Therapy for Repairing the Spinal Cord Injury Induced by Kainic Acid.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a common pathological condition that leads to permanent or temporal loss of motor and autonomic functions. Kainic acid (KA), an agonist of kainate receptors, a type of ionotropic glutamate receptor, is widely used to induce experimental neurodegeneration models of CNS. Mesenchymal Stem Cells (MSC) therapy applied at the injured nervous tissue have emerged as a promising therapeutic treatment. Here we used a validated SCI experimental model in which an intraparenchymal injection of KA into the C5 segment of rat spinal cord induced an excitotoxic lesion. Three days later, experimental animals were treated with an intracerebroventricular injection of human umbilical cord (hUC) MSC whereas control group only received saline solution. Sensory and motor skills as well as neuronal and glial reaction of both groups were recorded. Differences in motor behavior, neuronal counting and glial responses were observed between hUC-MSC-treated and untreated rats. According to the obtained results, we suggest that hUC-MSC therapy delivered into the fourth ventricle using the intracerebroventricular via can exert a neuroprotective or neurorestorative effect on KA-injected animals.

Leuprolide Acetate, a GnRH Agonist, Improves the Neurogenic Bowel in Ovariectomized Rats with Spinal Cord Injury.

BACKGROUND: Electromyographic studies have shown that external anal sphincter activity is modified in response to distension in animals with spinal cord injury. Gonadotropin-releasing hormone and its agonist leuprolide acetate have neurotrophic properties in animals with spinal cord injury. AIM: This study was to determine the effects of leuprolide acetate treatment on electromyographic activity of the external anal sphincter and anorectal manometry in ovariectomized rats with spinal cord injury. METHODS: Adult ovariectomized rats were divided in three groups: (a) sham of spinal cord injury, (b) spinal cord injury treated with saline solution, and (c) spinal cord injury treated with leuprolide acetate. The spinal cord injury was induced by clamping at level T9. Leuprolide acetate dosage of 10 µg/kg was proctored intramuscular for 5 weeks, commencing the day after the lesion. Electromyography of the external anal sphincter, anorectal manometry, and volume of the cecum were evaluated in all groups. RESULTS: The electromyographic study of the external anal sphincter activity showed a significant improvement in injured rats treated with leuprolide acetate. Manometric analysis and cecum volume data obtained in animals with leuprolide acetate were very similar to those found in the sham group. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that leuprolide acetate treatment improves the neurogenic colon in ovariectomized rats with spinal cord injury.

Expression of the Biologically Active Insulin Analog SCI-57 in Nicotiana Benthamiana.

Diabetes mellitus is a growing problem worldwide; however, only 23% of low-income countries have access to insulin, and ironically it costs higher in such countries than high-income ones. Therefore, new strategies for insulin and insulin analogs production are urgently required to improve low-cost access to therapeutic products, so as to contain the diabetes epidemic. SCI-57 is an insulin analog with a greater affinity for the insulin receptor and lower thermal degradation than native insulin. It also shows native mitogenicity and insulin-like biological activity. In this work, SCI-57 was transiently expressed in the Nicotiana benthamiana (Nb) plant, and we also evaluated some of its relevant biological effects. An expression plasmid was engineered to translate an N-terminal ubiquitin and C-terminal endoplasmic reticulum-targeting signal KDEL, in order to increase protein expression and stability. Likewise, the effect of co-expression of influenza M2 ion channel (M2) on the expression of insulin analog SCI-57 (SCI-57/M2) was evaluated. Although using M2 increases yield, it tends to alter the SCI-57 amino acid sequence, possibly promoting the formation of oligomers. Purification of SCI-57 was achieved by FPLC cation exchange and ultrafiltration of N. benthamiana leaf extract (NLE). SCI-57 exerts its anti-diabetic properties by stimulating glucose uptake in adipocytes, without affecting the lipid accumulation process. Expression of the insulin analog in agroinfiltrated plants was confirmed by SDS-PAGE, RP-HPLC, and MS. Proteome changes related to the expression of heterologous proteins on N. benthamiana were not observed; up-regulated proteins were related to the agroinfiltration process. Our results demonstrate the potential for producing a biologically active insulin analog, SCI-57, by transient expression in Nb.

Neurotrauma From Border Wall Jumping: 6 Years at the Mexican-American Border Wall.

BACKGROUND: The border between the United States (US) and Mexico is an international boundary spanning 3000 km, where unauthorized crossings occur regularly. We examine patterns of neurotrauma, health care utilization, and financial costs at our level 1 trauma center incurred by patients from wall-jumping into the US. OBJECTIVE: To determine the clinical and socioeconomic consequences from neurotrauma as a result of jumping over the US-Mexico border wall. METHODS: Medical records of patients at (Banner University of Arizona Medical Center - Tucson) were retrospectively reviewed from January 2012 through December 2017. Demographics, clinical status, radiographic findings, treatment, length of stay, and financial data were analyzed for all patients suffering neurotrauma during that time. RESULTS: Over 6 yr, 64 patients sustained cranial or spinal injuries directly from jumping or falling onto US soil from the border wall. Fifty (78%) suffered spinal injuries, 15 (23%) experienced cranial injury, and 1 patient had both. Total medical charges were available in 36 patients and summed $3.6 M, of which 22% was reimbursed, an amount significantly lower than expected from more conventional trauma. Neurotrauma steadily declined over the 6-yr observation period, dropping in 2017 to 6% of rates observed in 2012. CONCLUSION: In the Southern US, neurotrauma from unauthorized border crossings occurs commonly as a result of wall-jumping. These injuries represent a clinical and costly extreme of border-related trauma, and future efforts from both sides of the border wall are needed to decrease the detrimental impacts felt both by immigrants and surrounding health care systems.

Bibliometric analysis of Ghana publications in the Science Citation Index Expanded / Análisis bibliométrico de las publicaciones de Ghana en el Índice de Citación de Ciencia

Abstract Ghana is a West African country for which apparently there are limited scientometric studies. The objective of this study was to analyze the Ghanaian contribution to knowledge captured in the Thomson Reuters Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED) database from 1936 - 2016. The following data were analyzed: document type, the language of publication, publication trend, Web of Science Subject Categories, Journals, international collaboration, institutions, authors, and highly cited articles. Indicators such as the total number of articles, first author articles, and corresponding author articles were applied to compare publication performance for collaborative countries and institutions. Also, number of single institute articles: number of nationally collaborative articles: number of internationally collaborative articles (S : N : I) were also used to compare publication characteristics of institutions in Ghana. Results showed that publication trend increased from 1998 to 2015, with researches focusing on health and medicine. PLoS One was the top productive journal, and the most collaborative country for Ghana articles was the USA. Contributions from the University of Ghana were ranked the top one institution for Ghana articles, and higher citation papers were found in international collaborations. In conclusion, the contribution to knowledge of Ghanaian authors is massive in the areas of public, environmental and occupational health and tropical medicine but the impact factor is higher for immunology, infectious diseases, and microbiology articles. Therefore, Ghanaian authors are encouraged to publish more articles in high impact factor journals with Thomson Reuters Scientific indexing in order to have their researches recognized by the existing international databases. Rev. Biol. Trop. 66(1): 106-121. Epub 2018 March 01.

Resumen Ghana es un país del oeste de África para el cual aparentemente hay limitados estudios cienciométricos. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la contribución de Ghana al conocimiento capturado en la base de datos del Índice de Citación Expandido de Ciencia Thomson Reuters (SCI-EXPANDED) de 1936-2016. Se analizaron los siguientes datos: tipo de documento, lenguaje de la publicación, tendencia de la publicación, categorías temáticas de Web of Science, revistas, colaboración internacional, instituciones, autores y artículos frecuentemente citados. Los indicadores como el número total de artículos, artículos de primer autor y artículos de autor de correspondencia se aplicaron para comparar el rendimiento de publicación de países e instituciones colaboradoras. También la cantidad de artículos de una institución: la cantidad de artículos de colaboración nacional: la cantidad de artículos de colaboración internacional (S:N:I) se utilizaron para comparar las características de publicación de las instituciones de Ghana. Los resultados muestran que la tendencia de publicación incrementó de 1998 al 2015 con investigaciones enfocadas en salud y medicina. PLoS One fue la revista más productiva y el país más colaborador para los artículos de Ghana fue EE.UU. Las contribuciones de la Universidad de Ghana se clasificaron como los mejores artículos de Ghana y los artículos con mayores citaciones fueron los de colaboración internacional. En conclusión, la distribución del conocimiento de autores Ghaneses es masiva en las áreas público, ambiental y salud ocupacional y medicina tropical pero el factor de impacto es más alto en artículos de inmunología, enfermedades infecciosas y microbiología. Por lo tanto, los autores Ghaneses están alentados a publicar más artículos en revistas de alto factor de impacto con el Índice de Citación Expandido de Ciencia Thomson Reuters para que sus publicaciones sean reconocidas por las bases de datos internacionales existentes.

Combined Strategy for a Reliable Evaluation of Spinal Cord Injury Using an in vivo Model.

BACKGROUND: A complete neurological exam contributes in establishing spinal cord injury severity and its extent by identifying the damage to the sensory and motor pathways involved in order to address a more case-specific and precise pharmacological therapy. However, assessment of neurologic function in spinal cord injury models is usually reported by using sensory or motor tests independently. METHODS: A reliable integral method is needed to precisely evaluate location and severity of the injury at baseline and, in further assessments, to establish the degree of spontaneous recovery. A combination of sensation-based tests and motor-based tests was used to evaluate impaired neurologic function after spinal cord injury and the degree of spontaneous recovery, in different stages, on an in vivo model. RESULTS: Combined neurologic evaluation was useful to establish location and severity of the injury in all animals and also to detect degrees of spontaneous recovery at different stages after the injury. Comparisons of neurological function were assessed in time-days and groups between BBB motor score, latency maintenance of posture, locomotion and latency presentation of grooming before and after the injury. Our results suggest that a combined assessment strategy, including sensory and motor tests, can lead to better evaluation of spinal cord injury severity and location, and documentation of the extent of spontaneous recovery following SCI and identify specific motor and sensory pathway integrity. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, a combined assessment strategy provides a concise method for evaluating the impact of interventions in experimental models of SCI.

Power amplifier circuits for functional electrical stimulation systems

Abstract Introduction: Functional electrical stimulation (FES) is a technique that has been successfully employed in rehabilitation treatment to mitigate problems after spinal cord injury (SCI). One of the most relevant modules in a typical FES system is the power or output amplifier stage, which is responsible for the application of voltage or current pulses of proper intensity to the biological tissue, applied noninvasively via electrodes, placed on the skin surface or inside the muscular tissue, closer to the nervous fibers. The goals of this paper are to describe and discuss about the main power output designs usually employed in transcutaneous functional electrical stimulators as well as safety precautions taken to protect patients. Methods A systematic review investigated the circuits of papers published in IEEE Xplore and ScienceDirect databases from 2000 to 2016. The query terms were "((FES or Functional electric stimulator) and (circuit or design))" with 274 papers retrieved from IEEE Xplore and 29 from ScienceDirect. After the application of exclusion criteria the amount of papers decreased to 9 and 2 from IEEE Xplore and ScienceDirect, respectively. One paper was inserted in the results as a technological contribution to the field. Therefore, 12 papers presented power stage circuits suitable to stimulate great muscles. Discussion The retrieved results presented relevant circuits with different electronic strategies and circuit components. Some of them considered patient safety strategies or aimed to preserve muscle homeostasis such as biphasic current application, which prevents charge accumulation in stimulated tissues as well as circuits that dealt with electrical impedance variation to keep the electrode-tissue interface within an electrochemical safe regime. The investigation revealed a predominance of design strategies using operational amplifiers in power circuits, current outputs, and safety methods to reduce risks of electrical hazards and discomfort to the individual submitted to FES application.

Manifestaciones cardiopulmonares de esclerosis sistémica sin esclerodemia y avances en el tratamiento. Reporte de un caso / Cardiopulmonary Manifestations of Systemic Sclerosis Without Scleroderma and Advances in Treatment. Case repor

Antecedentes. La esclerosis sistémica sin esclerodermia es una variante rara de la esclerosis sistémica limitada en la que los pacientes no presentan manifestaciones cutáneas importantes. Caso clínico. Se presenta caso de paciente femenina en la sexta década de la vida sin antecedentes patológicos de importancia que presentaba Síndrome de Raynaud, fotosensibilidad y pares- tesias en manos; al examen físico estertores finos e induración leve de la piel de los dedos, se sospechaba enfermedad del colágeno y se realizaron exámenes de laboratorio que confirmaron diagnóstico de Esclerosis Sistémica sin esclerodermia, ya que presentaba mayores manifestaciones cardiopulmonares. Inició tratamiento con esteroides sistémicos pero se complicó con Neumonitis Intersticial tratada con Azatriopina e Hipertensión pulmonar manejada con Sildenafil. También se comenzó Rituximab, como terapia de artritis reumatoide diagnosticada posteriormente. Ha presentado leve mejoría en el patrón pulmonar restrictivo por lo que el tratamiento con Rituximab aún persiste. Paciente con buena evolución clínica y exámenes de laboratorio control dentro de los rangos normales, sin embargo función pulmonar continúa alterada, pero sin modificar actividades diarias. Conclusión: La caracterización de la enfermedad es vital, actualmente se cuenta con criterios diagnósticos más certeros para orientar el manejo adecuado dentro de una amplia gama de posibilidades terapéuticas...(AU)