[Predatory journals: What are they and how to avoid them?] / Las revistas depredadoras: ¿qué son y cómo evitarlas?

Currently, a large number of predatory journals have proliferated. Their purpose is to obtain fraudulent profits by promising the rapid publication of scientific works, without fulfilling the services of quality review. These publishers have managed to copy the models of open access journals, which is why they are increasingly difficult to identify, coupled with the fact that many of them have opened spaces in the most important indexes of scientific journals, such as Medline, Web of Science (WoS), Scopus, Embase, among others. These publishers cheat not only the authors of the research they intend to publish but also the readers and general public with publications that have not been reviewed and evaluated properly by a system of peers or academic experts. Therefore, the aim of this work is to make known some of the most common practices of predatory journals, so that anyone interested in the editorial process, whether as an author, editor or reader, has the elements to identify these fraudulent journals, and this bad practice in the editorial process.

Actualmente han proliferado una gran cantidad de revistas depredadoras, cuyo fin es obtener ganancias fraudulentas mediante la promesa de la publicación rápida de trabajos científicos, sin cumplir con los servicios de una revisión de calidad. Estas editoriales han logrado copiar los modelos de las revistas con acceso abierto, por lo que cada vez son más difíciles de identificar, aunado a que muchas de ellas se han abierto espacios en los índices más importantes de las revistas científicas, como Medline, Web of Science (WoS), Scopus, Embase, entre otros. Estas editoriales defraudan no solo a los autores de las investigaciones que intentan publicar sino también a los lectores y al público en general con publicaciones que no han sido debidamente revisadas y evaluadas por un sistema de pares o expertos académicos. Por lo tanto, el objetivo de este trabajo es dar a conocer algunas de las prácticas más comunes de las revistas depredadoras para que toda persona interesada en el proceso editorial, ya sea como autor, editor o lector, tenga los elementos para identificar estas revistas fraudulentas y esta mala práctica en el proceso editorial.

[Oxytocin and vasopressin: sexual differences and clinical implications]. / Oxitocina y vasopresina: diferencias sexuales y sus implicaciones clínicas.

Oxytocin and vasopressin share a similar chemical structure but have different functions. Both hormones are produced in different brain areas, are transported through the hypophyseal portal system, pass to the anterior hypophysis, and released to reach their target organs. These hormones also act as neuromodulators, where its receptors are found in the lateral septum, the middle amygdala, the hippocampus, the hypothalamus, and the brain stem. These brain structures regulate socio-sexual behaviors in vertebrates. Moreover, the oxytocinergic and the vasopressin systems are sexually different. The sexual steroids promote oxytocin release and the oxytocin receptor synthesis, as well as promoting or inhibiting vasopressin release and its receptor genetic transcription. Both neuropeptides are involved in social recognition, male-female pair bonding, aggression, and cognition. Furthermore, the disruption or malfunctioning of the oxytocin and vasopressin systems adds to the causes of some psychiatric disorders like depression, schizophrenia, autism, and borderline personality.

La oxitocina y la vasopresina son similares en estructura química, pero difieren en sus funciones. Ambas se producen en diversas áreas del cerebro, se transportan a través del sistema porta hipofisario a la hipófisis anterior y se distribuyen a sus órganos blanco actuando como hormonas. Estas fungen también como neurorreguladores, con receptores dispersos en el septum lateral, la amígdala central, el hipocampo, el hipotálamo y el tronco encefálico, estructuras asociadas a la conducta sociosexual en todos los vertebrados. Los sistemas vasopresinérgico y oxitocinérgico difieren entre los cerebros femenino y masculino. Aunado a esto, los esteroides sexuales intervienen en la expresión de los genes para oxitocina, la síntesis de sus receptores y su liberación. Además, promueven o inhiben la transcripción de los genes para vasopresina. Ambos neuropéptidos participan en el reconocimiento social, el vínculo de pareja, la cognición y la agresión. La disrupción de los sistemas de estos neuromoduladores se suma a las causas de algunos desórdenes psiquiátricos, como la depresión, la esquizofrenia, el autismo y la personalidad limítrofe. Esta revisión está enfocada a describir las diferencias entre géneros, tanto de la síntesis, como la distribución de los receptores y los efectos que generan la oxitocina y la vasopresina en la conducta para comprender la prevalencia, la sintomatología y la respuesta a los tratamientos a dichas patologías.

Síndrome de retraso de la fase del sueño: una revisión bibliográfica / Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome: A Literature Review

Resumen El síndrome de la fase retrasada del sueño (DSPS, por sus siglas en inglés: delayed sleep phase syndrome) es un trastorno del sueño neurológico en el que el ciclo sueño/vigilia de una persona se retrasa con respecto al ciclo día/noche externo. Consiste en un desfase, de etiología multifactorial, entre la hora de irse a dormir y la hora de despertar. Es una entidad patológica que afecta a todas las edades; sin embargo, ha ido en aumento en las personas jóvenes debido al creciente uso de dispositivos electrónicos emisores de luz azul, como celulares, computadoras, tablets, etc. El uso de estos dispositivos de longitud de onda corta (430-460 nm [luz azul]) estimulan las células ganglionares fotorreceptoras de la retina, induciendo a la producción y liberación de melanopsina. Esta última inhibe la síntesis y secreción de la melatonina, hormona inductora del sueño producida por la glándula pineal. La prevalencia de este síndrome no está bien documentada, ya que es una entidad infravalorada. Existen estudios que revelan que hasta el 16% de los jóvenes a nivel mundial lo padecen. Las consecuencias a corto y largo plazo del DSPS son: cefalea, somnolencia, fatiga, deterioro cognitivo, desregulaciones metabólicas, inmunológicas y predisposición a manifestar trastornos mentales como depresión, ansiedad y bipolaridad. Su diagnóstico se realiza siguiendo criterios previamente estandarizados y mediante el uso de herramientas subjetivas como la historia clínica y los registros del diario de sueño. El tratamiento se centra en medidas farmacológicas y no farmacológicas como son: el uso de melatonina, las terapias de modificación del comportamiento y el uso de dispositivos bloqueadores de ondas de luz cortas, entre otras. El objetivo del presente trabajo es hacer una revisión bibliográfica sobre el DSPS para conocer las características y emitir recomendaciones para disminuir el uso prolongado de equipos electrónicos emisores de luz azul.

Abstract The delayed sleep phase syndrome (DSPS) is a neurological dream disorder with a multifactorial etiology. It consists of a change between the time of going to sleep and the time of waking up, thus affecting the sleep-wake cycle. This disorder affects people of all ages, nevertheless it has increased in young people due to the use of blue-light emitting electronic devices, such as cell phones, computers, tablets, and others. The use of these short-length waves devices (430- 460 nm; blue light) stimulates the retina's photoreceptive ganglionic cells inducing the synthesis and secretion of melanopsin. This will inhibit eventually the production and secretion of melatonin, a sleep-inducing hormone produced by the pineal gland. The prevalence of this syndrome is not well known since it is an underestimated entity. Previous studies show that 16% of the young population worldwide, suffers from this clinical entity. The short and long-term consequences of DSPS are: headaches, somnolence, fatigue, cognitive decline, metabolic and immunologic dysregulation, as well as mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, and bipolarity disorder. Its diagnosis is made following standardized criteria and using subjective tools such as the medical history and a sleep diary. The treatment focuses on pharmacological and nopharmacological options, such as: melatonin administration, behavioral therapies, and short-length wave blocking devices. The aim of this study was to describe the characteristics of DSPS and emit recommendations to diminish the long-lasting use of blue light-emitting devices.

Immunity in the Cervix: Interphase between Immune and Cervical Epithelial Cells.

The cervix is divided into two morphologically and immunologically distinct regions, namely, (1) the microbe-laden ectocervix, which is proximal to the vagina, and (2) the "sterile" endocervix, which is distal to the uterus. The two cervical regions are bordered by the cervical transformation zone (CTZ), an area of changing cells, and are predominantly composed of cervical epithelial cells. Epithelial cells are known to play a crucial role in the initiation, maintenance, and regulation of innate and adaptive response in collaboration with immune cells in several tissue types, including the cervix, and their dysfunction can lead to a spectrum of clinical syndromes. For instance, epithelial cells block progression and neutralize or kill microorganisms through multiple ways. These (ways) include mounting physical (intercellular junctions, secretion of mucus) and immune barriers (pathogen-recognition receptor-mediated pathways), which collectively and ultimately lead to the release of specific chemokines and or cytokines. The cytokines subsequently recruit subsets of immune cells appropriate to a particular immune context and response, such as dendritic cells (DCs), T, B, and natural killer (NK) cells. The immune response, as most biological processes in the female reproductive tract (FRT), is mainly regulated by estrogen and progesterone and their (immune cells) responses vary during different physiological phases of reproduction, such as menstrual cycle, pregnancy, and post menopause. The purpose of the present review is to compare the immunological profile of the mucosae and immune cells in the ecto- and endocervix and their interphase during the different phases of female reproduction.

Impact of carbohydrate heterogeneity in function of follicle-stimulating hormone: studies derived from in vitro and in vivo models.

Carbohydrates attached to the protein core of glycoprotein hormones influence a number of intracellular and extracellular processes. As with other members of the glycoprotein hormone family, FSH is produced and released as an array of isoforms that differ from each other in the structure of their oligosaccharide attachments. In this review, we discuss how carbohydrate heterogeneity can impact on FSH action in different in vitro and in vivo systems. We present evidence for diverse effects of distinct charge isoforms at the target cell level, including differential and unique effects on various end responses, and discuss how the use of multiple cell-type assays has allowed identification of some specific effects of FSH isoforms on different cell populations and follicle compartments as well as oocyte maturation. Finally, we discuss recent information on the ability of naturally occurring and laboratory manufactured FSH isoforms to evoke particular effects on granulosa cell function and ovarian follicular maturation in vivo. Such studies have provided evidence that the type(s) of FSH signal delivered may in fact regulate distinct biological outcomes irrespective or in addition to outcomes dictated solely by clearance rate differences.

Intact follicle culture: what it can tell us about the roles of FSH glycoforms during follicle development.

An important limiting factor in assisted reproduction treatment success rates is oocyte quality. In spite of improved results through several important innovations, the pregnancy rate per collected oocyte remains far too low. In order to improve this situation, it is necessary to learn more about fundamental factors modulating follicular development patterns. FSH is known to be the driving force for follicle development, but it is not yet understood how its multifarious functions are controlled and modulated. Evidence is accumulating that FSH glycoforms may be the key to this mystery. Intact follicle culture is a useful tool for the clarification of the actions of the different isoforms because the follicle unit is maintained and allowed to develop through several critical stages. Additionally important is the availability of the oocyte for functional evaluation. Because of these features, relationships can be uncovered that are not revealed with single cell test systems. The results so far obtained with this system suggest that follicle development pattern and oocyte quality is strongly influenced by FSH glycoform range, and that the requirements of the follicle may shift during progress through different stages of development. More studies are required, but these findings already suggest that the physiological shifts of circulating FSH glycoforms may indeed be important, and that attention should be paid to the glycoform distribution of exogenously applied FSH.