[Bibliometric analysis of the Spanish Journal of Chemotherapy (1996-2000)]. / Análisis bibliométrico de la Revista Española de Quimioterapia (1996-2000).

A bibliometric study of the output of Spanish scientific research into antimicrobial and antiparasitic chemotherapy was carried out, based on articles published in the Spanish Journal of Chemotherapy from 1996 to 2000. The 20 issues of the journal corresponding to the 5-year period studied were analyzed using the main indicators for bibliometry: article typology; output; Bradford's Law and Lotka's estimation; collaboration index; institutional origin; geographic location; subject; and advertising. The majority of the articles were original, and a small group of high-output authors and an appropriate level of contribution were identified. The greatest percentage of scientific output was from the autonomous regions of Madrid and Valencia. The majority of studies included in the analysis were hospital-based and the most researched topic was antimicrobial drugs. A reduction in the amount of advertising was noted.

[Visibility of scientific journals and initiatives to improve the diffusion of spanish publications]. / Visibilidad de revistas científicas e iniciativas para incrementar la difusión de las publicaciones españolas.

The conceptual change which has been produced in the transmission of technology knowledge among the scientific community is examined. The international and national systems to organize, store and retrieve the scientific production as referential data bases like Medline, PubMed, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences (LILACS) and Spanish Health Sciences Bibliographic Index (IBECS) are listed. The initiative called the Virtual Health Library (VHL) developed by BIREME/PAHO/WHO, especially SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online) the electronic publication model, that gather collections of scientific publications--full text--, with high quality is detailed.

Visibilidad de revistas científicas e iniciativas para incrementar la difusión de las publicaciones españolas / Visibility of scientific journals and initiatives to improve the diffusion of spanish publications

Se analiza el cambio conceptual que se ha producido en el sistema de transmisión del conocimiento científicotécnico en la comunidad investigadora. Se enumeran los sistemas nacionales e internacionales que se están desarrollando para la organización, almacenamiento y recuperación de la producción científica, entre los que se destacan bases de datos referenciales como Medline, PubMed, LIteratura LAtinoamericana y del Caribe en Ciencias de la Salud, (LILACS) y el Índice Bibliográfico Español de Ciencias de la Salud (IBECS).Se detallan las características más destacadas de la Biblioteca Virtual en Salud (BVS) -iniciativa desarrollada por BIREME/OPS/OMS- así como uno de sus principales componentes; el modelo de publicación electrónica SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online), que recoge colecciones de publicaciones científicas de calidad a texto completo (AU)

The conceptual change which has been produced in the transmission of technology knowledge among the scientific community is examined. The international and national systems to organize, store and retrieve the scientific production as referential data bases like Medline, PubMed, Latin American and Caribbean Health Sciences (LILACS) and Spanish Health Sciences Bibliographic Index (IBECS) are listed. The initiative called the Virtual Health Library (VHL) developed by BIREME/PAHO/WHO, especially SciELO (Scientific Electronic Library Online) the electronic publication model, that gather collections of scientific publications -full text-, whith high quality is detailed (AU)

[Analysis of evaluation process of research projects submitted to the Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria, Spain]. / Análisis del proceso evaluador de los proyectos de investigación en el Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria.

BACKGROUND: At the present time it seems very clear that research improvement is both an unquestionable fact and the right way to develop technological innovation, services and patents. However, such improvement and corresponding finances needs to be done under fine and rigorous evaluation process as an assessment tool under which all the research projects applying to a public or private call for proposals should be submitted to assure a coherence point according to the investment to be made. At this end, the main target of this work has been focused to analysis and study the evaluation process traditionally made by Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria (FIS) as well as to propose most adequate modifications. MATERIAL AND METHOD: A sample of 431 research projects corresponding to year 1998 proposal was analysed. The evaluation from FIS and ANEP (National Evaluation and Prospective Agency) was evaluated and scored (evaluation quality) in its main contents by 3 independent evaluators, the showed results submitted to a comparative frame between these agencies at indoor (FIS) and outdoor (FIS/ANEP) level. RESULTS: FIS evaluation had 20 commissions or areas of knowledge. The analysis indoor (FIS) clearly showed that evaluation quality was correlated to the assigned commission (F = 3.71; p < 0.001) and to the time last of the researched proposal (F = 3.42; p < 0.05) but no related to the evaluator. On the other hand, the quality of ANEP evaluation showed a correlated dependency of the three mentioned facts. In all terms, the ANEP evaluation was better than FIS for the three years time projects, but in did not show significant differences in one or two years time projects. In all cases, the evaluation with final results as negative (financing denied) showed an average quality higher than positive evaluation. CONCLUSIONS: The obtained results advice about the convenience of making some changes in the evaluative structure and to review the sort of FIS technical commissions focusing an improvement of the evaluation process.

[Human immunodeficiency virus infection in children. Clinical and immunological markers of disease progression]. / Infección por el virus de la inmunodeficiencia humana en niños. Marcadores clínicos e inmunológicos de progresión de la enfermedad.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the prognostic value of the clinical manifestations and of the lymphocyte CD4 count in a cohort of HIV infected children. PATIENTS AND METHODS: We performed a prospective study in 37 HIV infected children during a 6 year period. We studied the statistical association between mortality and clinical and immunological parameters according to Fisher's test (p < 0.05). We performed a survival analysis according to Kaplan-Meier curves (p < 0.05). RESULTS: We have found that a high risk of mortality is associated with recurrent and severe bacterial infections (p = 0.0001), failure to thrive (p = 0.0057), opportunistic infections (p = 0.0008) and AIDS (p < 0.0001). The survival analysis has shown a low probability of survival in HIV-encephalopathy (p = 0.000053) and high in one case of lymphocytic interstitial pneumonia (p = 0.07). An age-related CD4 count less than 2 SD was associated significantly with a bad prognosis (p = 0 .0017). CONCLUSIONS: The clinical manifestations and age-matched CD4 count continue being good surrogate markers for the indication of prophylaxis, antiretroviral treatment and as prognostic values of the disease in HIV infected children until new techniques, especially plasma viremia, can be widely available.